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DBI and Mayor’s Office emphasize outreach to small businesses on ADA compliance; CAST certification planned
Summary
DBI and the Mayor's Office on Disability described outreach materials, partnerships with the Small Business Association and the roll‑out of CAST (certified access specialist) inspector training under SB 1608; DBI said it currently has one CAST inspector and aims to certify many more by Feb. 2012.
DBI and the Mayor’s Office on Disability briefed the commission on efforts to help small businesses understand and comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
Vivian Day, DBI director, said the department has been coordinating with Supervisor Chu’s office, the Small Business Association and the Mayor’s Office on Disability to produce informational bulletins and outreach materials for small business owners. "If they come to us, we'll help them with some of their problems," Day said, describing a joint presentation planned for the next Monday.
Carla Johnson of the Mayor’s Office on Disability explained Senate Bill 1608 (SB 1608) and the role of CAST (certified access specialist) inspectors in giving small businesses a path to evaluate barriers and obtain prioritized remediation plans. Johnson said CAST inspections can allow a business facing a civil ADA action to pause the lawsuit for 90 days to pursue corrective measures when the CAST process was used.
Day said DBI currently has one CAST inspector on staff and that the department is budgeting for more certification training with a goal of certifying roughly half of its inspectors by Feb. 2012. She noted CAST certification costs, including training, are substantial (she estimated between $3,500 and $5,000 per CAST certificate including training and fees).
Public commenters urged that the joint hearing be scheduled early to accommodate people with disabilities, asked for more outreach (posters, notices) and recommended a facilitation role (an accessibility ombudsperson) to help small businesses before enforcement becomes necessary. Speakers also raised questions about the interaction between California building-code requirements, Title 24, and ADA (Title III) remedies and recommended that the joint meeting address those differences explicitly.
DBI said it will continue outreach, use its access specialists and reserves training funds in the FY2011–12 budget to accelerate CAST certification.
