News & Events

Accessibility inspections to begin

"We really don't have the magic list. We wish we did," said Pam Heavens, executive director for the Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living (CIL).

Later this year, however, ADA compliance will become a more urgent matter for Joliet businesses as the city begins to inspect their property for accessibility.

The city inspection program comes at a time when the CIL and affiliated Accessible Cities Alliance have launched a Web site to make information more accessible to businesses.

Today is the 15th anniversary of the passing of ADA, a federal law setting new requirements that businesses and other buildings be made accessible to people with disabilities.

Locally, the new Web site for the Accessible Cities Alliance is one of several new efforts underway to encourage ADA compliance. First Midwest Bank also has announced a new loan program with favorable interest rates and no closing fees for businesses that need financing to become ADA compliant.

"It's really encouraging to see all this come together," Heavens said.

Heavens noted that the Accessible Cities Alliance's Web site, www.ada411.com , provides information for business owners needing to know if their buildings comply with ADA requirements.

Aware that business owners may be wary of drawing attention to any shortcomings in their buildings, Heavens said the Web site offers an alternative way of gathering information about ADA requirements.

"They can start the process on their own," she said.

Getting started will become more important in the coming months as city inspectors begin to review existing businesses for ADA compliance.

The city already inspects new buildings for ADA compliance, said David Mackley, director of building services for the city of Joliet. This will be the first program aimed at ensuring that older buildings comply.

"We're going to take a realistic approach," Mackley said. "We know some businesses are not going to be able to entirely comply because of financial constraints or limitations of the property."

Even so, he said, businesses will have to appear before a city committee and explain why they can't comply before exceptions are made.

The city also has created a new brochure explaining ADA compliance, and that information will be handed out to businesses.

Mackley said he is in the process of hiring an inspector for ADA compliance and expects the new program will begin this fall.

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