A recent uptick in lawsuits filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has property owners reviewing their parking lots, sidewalks and buildings for compliance.

While your property may meet all previous ADA requirements, you may now need to review your property against current ADA regulations.

Below are some steps you can take right now to improve the accessibility and experience for employees, vendors, clients and customers with disabilities.

• Eliminate or minimize any barriers between accessible parking and the door to your business.
• Check to make sure your handicap-accessible parking meets the proper ratio, which is determined by the total number of parking spaces in the lot. Also check to make sure ramps are in place and the grade of the parking lot is not steeper than current standards.
• Repair parking lot cracks, smooth large seams, fill potholes, and address other potential hazards that may inhibit the ability for people to make a safe transition from the parking lot to a sidewalk.
• Trim any landscaping that is protruding into the sidewalk and/or low-hanging tree limbs that may partially obstruct paths into and around your building or parking lot.
• Make sure your parking lot striping, stencils and signage meet the current code requirements.

While these steps address some of the top areas of compliance for property owners, we recommend consulting an attorney who specializes in ADA compliance or one of our property managers to help you build an action plan specific to your property.

Taking action now will help you avoid costly lawsuits later. Most importantly, it helps ensure a safe and friendly environment for all people entering your property.