The Department of Justice operates a toll-free ADA Information Line and the ADA Web site to provide information and publications to the public about ADA.

800-514-0301 (voice)
800-514-0383 (TTY)
www.ada.gov

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. While the ADA is a federal law, Arizona does have a mirror statute regarding disabilities, giving the Attorney General the authority to enforce this law. Arizona's statute guarantees equal opportunity for disabled individuals in the following areas:

• TITLE I (Employment) - Prohibits private and public employers from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.
• TITLE II (State and Local Government Services) - Requires all programs and services provided be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
• TITLE III (Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities) - Requires buildings where the private sector conducts business to be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
• TITLE IV (Telecommunications) - Creates statewide relay services and provides for the telecommunication needs of hearing and speech-impaired individuals.
• TITLE V (Miscellaneous Provisions) - Deals with issues related to retaliation, technical assistance, alternative resolution dispute, etc.

The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA) requires that buildings and facilities that are designed, constructed, or altered with Federal funds, or leased by a Federal agency, comply with Federal standards for physical accessibility. ABA requirements are limited to architectural standards in new and altered buildings and in newly leased facilities. They do not address the activities conducted in those buildings and facilities. These guidelines serve as the basis for the standards used to enforce the law, the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS).

The Fair Housing Act, as amended in 1988, prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. Its coverage includes private housing, housing that receives Federal financial assistance, and State and local government housing. It is unlawful to discriminate in any aspect of selling or renting housing or to deny a dwelling to a buyer or renter because of the disability of that individual, an individual associated with the buyer or renter, or an individual who intends to live in the residence. Other covered activities include, for example, financing, zoning practices, new construction design, and advertising.

The Fair Housing Act requires owners of housing facilities to make reasonable exceptions in their policies and operations to afford people with disabilities equal housing opportunities. For example, a landlord with a "no pets" policy may be required to grant an exception to this rule and allow an individual who is blind to keep a guide dog in the residence. The Fair Housing Act also requires landlords to allow tenants with disabilities to make reasonable access-related modifications to their private living space, as well as to common use spaces. (The landlord is not required to pay for the changes.)

The Act further requires that new multifamily housing with four or more units be designed and built to allow access for persons with disabilities. This includes accessible common use areas, doors that are wide enough for wheelchairs, kitchens and bathrooms that allow a person using a wheelchair to maneuver, and other adaptable features within the units.

Questions? Call 928-203-5189 or e-mail Brenda Tammarine at btammarine@sedonaaz.gov