The requirement to make buildings
accessible to all is probably the
biggest legislatively-imposed change on
the construction industry during the last
three decades. These laws have been a
tremendous help to disabled people, but
from a builder's standpoint, there are
some legal problems that haven't been
worked out yet.
Two federal congressional acts require
buildings to be made accessible to everyone,
including disabled people. The first
is the Americans With Disabilities Act
(ADA), which applies to commercial
buildings and public accommodations,
such as restaurants or malls. New buildings
must comply with ADA standards
for accessibility, and when existing
buildings are remodeled, the ADA
requires that those buildings be moved
closer to compliance.
The second building accessibility law
is the Fair Housing Act