Disability Compliance Program
City of Berkeley
Department of Public Works
1947 Center Street, 4th Floor
Berkeley, California 94704
TEL: (510) 981-6418
TTY: (510) 981-6347
FAX: (510) 981-6340
Disability Compliance Program/ADA Compliance Coordinator
The City of Berkeley's Disability Compliance Program coordinates efforts to ensure that people with disabilities have access to City programs and services. The program is in the Department of Public Works and oversees the City's efforts to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. The City of Berkeley's ADA Compliance Coordinator is the Director of Public Works.
Phillip Harrington
Director of Public Works
2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley
Phone: 1-(510)-981-6300
TTY: 1-(510)-981-6347
Email: ada@cityofberkeley.info
In addition to ensuring physical access to City programs and services, the Disability Compliance Program develops training programs and resource materials and advises City employees about how to integrate people with disabilities in City activities. Program staff answer questions from both citizens and City employees about accommodating persons with disabilities.
Statement of Non-Discrimination & ADA Compliance
Statement of Non-Discrimination
People with disabilities are protected from discrimination under a variety of laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and portions of the California Civil Code. Public programs may not discriminate against people based upon a disability and must offer all services, programs, and activities in ways that allow equal participation. The City of Berkeley does not discriminate on the basis of sex, color, religion, national origin, age, or disability in the programs and activities which it operates. This policy extends to employment by, admission to, and participation in, the programs, services, and activities of the City of Berkeley. State and Federal laws in conjunction with City ordinances and policies ensure the following for individuals interacting with the City of Berkeley:
Communication Access
While utilizing City services, people with hearing, vision, speech, or other disabilities are entitled to "effective communication," such as interpreters, real time captioning, assistive listening devices, Braille, large print, or audio cassette.
Facility Access
The City will remove physical barriers that keep people with disabilities from using its programs. The City has reviewed all of its facilities and has removed many of the barriers. As new facilities are built or existing ones remodeled, the City continues to remove barriers to full participation.
Employment Accommodations
Accommodations for employees with disabilities are handled by each division and the Human Resources Department. City employees who have a disability should consult their supervisor or the Human Resources Department if an accommodation is required for doing the job.
Policies, procedures, and practices
Policies, procedures, and practices must be conducted in a way that avoids discrimination. The Disability Compliance Program reviews City policies and practices, and continues to propose revisions or new procedures to prevent discrimination. The outcome of these changes means better service for everyone.
ADA Compliance
Inquiries concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and requests for reasonable accommodations or charges of violation of the above policy should be directed to the ADA Coordinator:
Phillip Harrington
Director of Public Works
2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley
Phone: 1-(510)-981-6300
TTY: 1-(510)-981-6347
Email: ada@cityofberkeley.info
Inquiries and complaints will be handled in accordance with the Grievance Procedure adopted by the City of Berkeley under A.R. 1.13, available on this webpage or, by request, in alternative formats.
Information and Referral
The Disability Compliance Program is a resource for training and technical assistance. The primary direct service the Program offers to citizens is information and referral about the variety of local and regional programs providing disability-related services and information about one's rights as a person with a disability.
Grievance Procedure
The City of Berkeley's grievance procedure is limited to the City's facilities, programs, and services, as covered under Title II of the ADA.
Administrative Regulation 1.13 spells out the City's Grievance Procedures and provides a form to use for filing a formal complaint for a City-owned facility, program or service:
City of Berkeley ADA Grievance Procedure & Form
If you wish to file a complaint under Title III regarding a private business or public accommodation, you may file a complaint at https://ada.gov/complaint/ (Federal Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice) or https://dfeh.ca.gov/business-establishments/ (California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)).
If you have an issue related to the Fair Housing Act, you may file a complaint with the Federal Office of Housing and Urban Development Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO): https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint .
Commission on Disability
The Commission on Disability meets the first Wednesday each month, except August and December. The Commission advises the City Council about policy, budget, programs and accessibility issues of importance to Berkeley citizens with disabilities. The Commission offers a public forum for members of the community to raise issues of concern and acts as an advocate to make Berkeley more accessible for all people with disabilities.
The Disability Compliance Program and the Commission on Disability can be reached at:
TEL: (510) 981-6418
TTY: (510) 981-6347
FAX: (510) 981-6340
Email:ada@cityofberkeley.info
City of Berkeley Transition Planning: Then & Now
The City of Berkeley originally completed an ADA compliant Transition Plan in 2001. The public can view that plan here: 2001 ADA Transition Plan. Having complied with developing such a plan in the early years of the ADA, Berkeley has been able to engage in architectural barrier removal and programmatic access expansion for over a decade. It is now time to create a new Transition Plan and Self-Evaluation process. In the first quarter of 2018, the City of Berkeley will release a Request for Proposals seeking a consultant to help us execute this project. Public input and participation are key to successful transition planning and self-evaluation. We will conduct community outreach to ensure this vital component, and invite you to notify the ADA Coordinator or the Disability Compliance Program if you are particularly interested in receiving updated on developments related to this project.
City of Berkeley ADA Self Evaluation
The City of Berkeley last completed an ADA Title II Self-Evaluation in 2004. A new self-evaluation is currently being completed and will be posted here when available.
Service Animals Welcome in Berkeley Program
Service dogs are an essential part of daily life for many people with disabilities. Whether it is picking a dropped object, alerting a person to an imminent seizure or guiding somebody safely across a street, a service dog can perform many essential tasks for their human partner, allowing them to continue to live independently as participating members of society. The information presented here is intended to help businesses and service dog owners to understand their rights and responsibilities.
Service Animals Welcome in Berkeley (Resolution No.65.751-N.S.) affirms the City's support for compliance with existing laws relating to service animals. For more information, visit:
For information on the term "service animal" and the service animal provisions in the U.S. Department of Justice revised regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit: