City Council

(4) 26-0865 CIVIL RIGHTS, EQUITY, IMMIGRATION, AGING, AND DISABILITY and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS COMMITTEES’ REPORT relative to instructing the Chief Legislative Analyst and requesting City Attorney to report on the estimated number of businesses that are not Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- compliant and common reasons for lack of compliance; requirements for improvements to meet ADA compliance; feasibility of outreach and education plan; and related matters. Recommendations for Council action, pursuant to Motion (Jurado - Nazarian): 1. INSTRUCT the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA), with assistance from the Department of Disability (DOD), to report to Council on the estimated number of businesses in the City of Los Angeles that are not ADA compliant and common reasons for lack of compliance with ADA standards for small business property owners. This report should highlight the most common reasons for ADA lawsuits for small businesses and the potential costs and requirements for making required improvements to meet ADA compliance. Additionally, the report should delineate between standards that are most commonly the responsibility of the property owner from the ones of the business operator. 2. INSTRUCT the CLA, with the assistance of the DOD and the Mayor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (MOBED), to report to Council on the feasibility of developing an outreach and education plan that includes workshops, resources for Council Offices to distribute to small businesses, advisement on prospective educational partnerships and proactive outreach to small businesses informing them of their responsibilities to achieve ADA compliance and any available resources. 3. INSTRUCT the CLA, with the assistance of the Community Investment Department, the DOD, the MOBED, and other relevant departments, to report to Council on the feasibility of administering a micro-grant program that supports small businesses in meeting ADA requirements. 4. REQUEST the City Attorney to report to Council on the total amount of funds the City has paid in ADA related settlements involving sidewalks in or adjacent to non-residential areas since implementation of the Willits settlement. Fiscal Impact Statement: Neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst has completed a financial analysis of this report.