CEO Corner – June 2024

The month of July serves as a poignant reminder of a landmark law in the United States that has profoundly impacted the lives of people living with disabilities: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the ADA has now been in effect for 34 years.

Why is the ADA Important?

The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services. The ADA defines a person with a disability as someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This definition also encompasses individuals with a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability, as well as individuals perceived to have a disability. Additionally, the ADA makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on their association with a person with a disability.

Who is Responsible for the Passage of the ADA?

The United States Supreme Court has recognized Robert Burgdorf as “the drafter of the original ADA bill introduced in Congress in 1988.” Although Burgdorf played a significant role in drafting both the original and revised versions of the bill, he acknowledges that the creation of the ADA was a collective effort.

Robert Burgdorf, a leading disability rights writer, scholar, litigator, and legislative draftsperson, has been advocating for equal rights for people with disabilities for nearly fifty years. His involvement in key court decisions and his contribution to the drafting and enactment of the ADA have been instrumental. Burgdorf emphasizes that “no one person wrote the ADA,” describing it as a “tapestry woven out of many, many pieces of thread by a large number of specialized weavers.”

On his website, ADA Chronicles, Burgdorf highlights the words of attorney and prominent ADA activist Arlene Mayerson, who stated, “The ADA owes its birthright not to any one person, or any few, but to the many thousands of people who make up the disability rights movement.” This movement includes those who organized protests, licked envelopes, sent out alerts, drafted legislation, spoke, testified, negotiated, lobbied, filed lawsuits, and even faced arrest to advocate for a cause they believed in. Without the collective efforts of these dedicated individuals, the ADA would not exist.

For a detailed account of the creation of the ADA, visit ADA Chronicles.

The Impact of the ADA on Homeward Bound

Reflecting on the 34 years since the ADA’s enactment, we can see its positive impact on the daily lives of people living with disabilities in our community. At Homeward Bound, ensuring our homes are ADA accessible is a priority. Recently, we faced the challenge of designing three new homes with accessibility in mind. While incorporating accessibility features in new construction can entail some upfront expenses, it typically costs less than one percent of the overall construction budget. This small investment yields significant economic benefits by creating fully accessible spaces.

To learn more about Accessible Design, check out the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

This July, and every July, we remember and honor the contributions of the entire community that brought the ADA to life. Their efforts have forever changed the way we think about and support individuals with disabilities.

-Rob Edwards, CEO