Changes in Disability Laws; What Commercial Property Owners Need to Know (SB 1186)

Governor Brown recently approved significant changes to California’s Disabled Access laws.  Those changes are summarized on Weintraub’s Labor & Employment blog.  As a commercial property owner, you need to modify your leases as of July 1, 2013.  You must include in your lease or rental agreement a statement about whether or not the property has undergone inspection by a Certified Access Specialist (CASp).    This is a new requirement which should not be overlooked.  What is a CASp you might ask?  A CASp is a person who has been tested and certified by the State of California that business owners can hire to assess accessibility of a building to ensure compliance with disability access standards and obtain an inspection report as proof of inspection.  The State of California publishes a list of CASp specialists which includes their certification number and expiration date of their certification.  Please see the attached link.  https://www.apps.dgs.ca.gov/casp/casp_certified_list.aspx

If you have any questions on California’s Disability Laws and how it affects your property, please contact  Donna Holtz.