Residents raise ADA and group‑home concerns; city attorney says state law limits local bans

Several Livonia residents used the council’s public comment period to press officials on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance at public buildings and on the proliferation of adult foster‑care/group homes in residential neighborhoods.

Nicole Reed, who identified herself with a Livonia address, summarized Title II of the ADA and related legal obligations, saying there is no grandfather clause and that “buildings built before 1977 are required to provide program access” and that entities that receive federal funding should have conducted accessibility audits and transition plans submitted to the Department of Justice.

During public comments, residents also expressed concerns that privately owned adult foster‑care homes operating for profit have appeared in single‑family neighborhoods. One resident said the number of such homes near her house has increased and asked whether the city could use ordinance authority to limit them.

City response: the city attorney explained the legal position in plain terms: state law licenses and permits these group homes to operate in residential neighborhoods, and local ordinances generally cannot prohibit licensed group homes from locating in single‑family districts. The law department said the city may have limited options to “legislate around the edges,” but a blanket ban is unlikely because state law supersedes local zoning. Councilmembers advised residents to pursue relief from the state level—through state legislators, the attorney general or appropriate state licensing agencies—if they want to change licensing or siting rules.

On the ADA question, Reed and other speakers said the law requires regular accessibility audits and transition plans for publicly funded facilities and that noncompliance can jeopardize federal funding. A resident asked a factual question about a claim that the city received $300 million for ADA-related work between 2020 and 2025; Councilmember Donovic said the city’s finance director indicated that claim was not correct and that any such funding would have to come before council for appropriation.

What council did: no ordinance change or formal action was adopted at the meeting on this topic. Councilmembers asked the law department to re‑examine statutory options and to report back. Councilmember Toye offered to help residents contact state representatives, and the city attorney said the law department would re‑review the matter and provide clearer guidance.

Ending: The discussion clarified the limits of local authority: the city can examine its ordinances and consider incremental adjustments, but residents were told that broader changes to licensing or the legal framework for group homes would require state action or intervention by state agencies. ADA compliance questions were referred to staff and the finance office for any records of related funding or audits.