Contact the government building by phone or write a letter.  You even may wish to attend a Council Meeting, whether it be city or county.  For help in writing a letter or knowing how to present your issue, contact Options IRCIL at 218-773-6100.  If the issue is not resolved, you can file an ADA Complaint. 

All places of business must be accessible.  If there is more than one entrance, at least one must be accessible.  When there are one or two steps at an entrance, there are a few ways that accessibility can be achieved.  For example, adding a short ramp, modifying the area in front or to the side of the entrance, or installing a lift.

When a ramp is provided, the slope should be as shallow as possible, but not more than 1:12.  Ramps that have more than a 1:20 slope need to have a hand rail. 

If the accessible entrance is generally not used by the public, it must be unlocked or, if it is locked, there must be a reachable buzzer (or a means to let someone know to come open the door).

ADA Requirements for parking are provided below detailing the number of spaces needed.  The chart is based on section 208.1 standards. At least 1 in 6 spaces must be van accessible.

“Places of public accommodation” that have parking lots need to meet ADA regulations. However, religious entities (places of worship) do not need to meet these requirements.

A few other very important ADA requirements

1. 36” wide walkway from the parking lot to building entrance
2. Walkway running slope no steeper than 1:20
3. Shortest path from the parking lot to ADA compliant entrance
4. 50% of entrances need to be ADA compliant (generally speaking)
5. Smooth transition from the parking lot to walkways (curb cuts)

According to Fair Housing Administration, landlords and other building managers must perform maintenance and repairs on broken elevators to ensure they are safe for people living in the building.  However, when an elevator does become out of service, the building owner has to look into other reasonable accommodations to enable anyone with a disability to be able to access their floor and the rest of the building.  Elevators must be promptly returned to service to adhere to ADA compliance, all necessary repairs need to be made as soon as possible.  A few examples of possible accommodations may include: moving a tenant to a ground floor, relocating tenant to a motel, offering lower rent or help with needs such as mail and groceries.

*If an office is located within a building shared with other offices – the business could make accommodations to meet in an accessible location.

Also, there must be a safe way for tenants to leave the building even when elevator(s) are down.

https://adacentral.com/blog/how-long-can-an-elevator-be-out-of-service/

https://www.disability.state.mn.us/technical-assistance/accessible-housing/elevator-shut-down-guide/

WHERE CAN I GET INFORMATION ON ADA (AMERICAN’S WITH DISABILITIES ACT)

https://www.ada.gov/