Justice Department Reaches Settlement Agreement with City of Jacksonville, Fla., to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabili

Department of Justice Office of Public AffairsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFriday, April 19, 2013 Justice Department Reaches Settlement Agreement with City of Jacksonville, Fla., to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the city of Jacksonville, Fla., to improve access for people with disabilities to civic life in Jacksonville.    The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the Justice Department’s initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  

“Access to your city is a basic civil right, and the doors to government programs, services and activities must be open for people with disabilities,” said Eve L. Hill, Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.  “I commend the city of Jacksonville for its commitment that all people have full access to what the city has to offer.”

PCA ensures that persons with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in civic life.    As part of the PCA initiative, Justice Department staff, including investigators and architects, survey government facilities, services and programs in communities across the country.   The survey identifies modifications needed for compliance with the ADA.   The agreements set out steps each community must take to improve access.   PCA agreements require physical modifications to facilities to make them accessible to people with disabilities.   Elements that need modifications may include parking, routes into buildings, entrances, assembly areas, restrooms, service counters and drinking fountains.   Other provisions address effective communication, grievance procedures, polling places, emergency management, sidewalks, domestic violence programs and web-based services.

Jacksonville is one of the largest cities in Florida and, by area, one of the largest in the United States.   It operates one of the largest city park systems in the United States.   During the compliance review, the Department reviewed 64 of the city’s facilities.   The agreement requires the city to correct deficiencies identified at the 64 facilities and requires Jacksonville to review and correct identified deficiencies at hundreds of additional facilities.   The agreement will remain in effect for five years.  The department will monitor the city’s compliance with the agreement.

People interested in finding out more about the ADA, today’s agreement with the city of Jacksonville, the PCA initiative or the ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for state and local governments can access the ADA webpage at www.ada.gov o r call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383).