Who Is Responsible for Accessibility in Your Municipality?

Learn about the role of the ADA coordinator and why their contact information should be easy to find

Imagine arriving at a municipal office and being unable to enter because the only entrance has steps. You try to participate in an activity, but the necessary accommodations are unavailable. You encounter a blocked sidewalk, need a document in an accessible format, or want to file a complaint.

You ask at the front desk:

“Who handles matters related to the ADA?”

No one seems to know the answer. You are sent from one office to another. Each person provides different information, and in the end, it remains unclear who is responsible for assisting you.

It should not be this way.

What Does the ADA Have to Do with Municipalities?

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, known as the ADA, prohibits discrimination based on disability in the programs, services, and activities of state and local governments.

This obligation is not limited to the entrance of city hall. It may cover, among other things:

• Municipal offices and facilities.

• Parks, public squares, and recreation centers.

• Public meetings and activities.

• Sidewalks, curb ramps, crossings, and other facilities under municipal responsibility.

• Emergency services.

• Permitting and planning processes.

• Communication with the public.

• Websites, documents, and mobile applications.

• Procedures for requesting accommodations or filing complaints.

The purpose is to ensure that people with disabilities have a meaningful opportunity to access and participate in public services. Title II applies to all state and local governments, regardless of their size, as explained by the U.S. Department of Justice.

What Is an ADA Coordinator?

Public entities that employ 50 or more people must designate at least one responsible employee to coordinate their efforts to comply with Title II.

This role is commonly known as the ADA coordinator.

The public entity must also make the following information available to interested individuals:

• The name of the designated person.

• Their office address.

• Their telephone number.

In addition, public entities that employ 50 or more people must adopt and publish procedures that provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging violations of Title II.

These requirements are expressly established in 28 CFR § 35.107.

This means that identifying the person responsible for coordinating ADA compliance should not become an endless search from one office to another.

What Does This Person Do?

The ADA coordinator helps turn the requirements of the law into institutional action.

Provides Guidance

The designated person should serve as a point of contact so that members of the public and municipal employees can understand how the ADA applies to the entity’s services, programs, and activities.

Coordinates the Institutional Response

The ADA coordinator is not necessarily the person who repairs a sidewalk, modifies a facility, or manages every service. Their role is to coordinate with the appropriate offices—such as Public Works, Planning, Recreation, Human Resources, Technology, or Communications—so the situation can be evaluated and addressed.

Coordinates Complaint Investigations

The regulations require the designated person to coordinate the entity’s compliance efforts, including the investigation of complaints alleging noncompliance with Title II.

Helps Identify Barriers

Public entities must examine their services, policies, and practices to identify anything that may prevent people with disabilities from participating. This process is known as a self-evaluation.

Facilitates Effective Communication

Accessibility also includes how the government communicates. This may require interpreters, captions, materials in accessible formats, or other auxiliary aids and services.

The ADA National Network provides additional information about these responsibilities and the importance of enabling the ADA coordinator to work across the entity’s different departments.

What an ADA Coordinator Is Not

An ADA coordinator is not simply someone who receives a title so the entity can satisfy an administrative requirement.

It is also unreasonable to expect one person to resolve every physical, digital, or institutional barrier alone. To perform the role effectively, the designated person needs knowledge of Title II, access to the entity’s different departments, and the ability to coordinate a response.

Federal regulations do not require a specific professional certification to perform this role. However, designating someone who cannot guide the public, coordinate complaint investigations, or mobilize the municipal structure undermines the purpose of the designation.

Compliance is not achieved simply by naming someone. The responsibility must be clearly defined, supported, and active.

What If the Municipality Has Fewer Than 50 Employees?

The threshold of 50 employees determines whether certain specific administrative requirements apply, such as formally designating an ADA coordinator and adopting and publishing a complaint procedure.

It does not mean that a small municipality is exempt from complying with the ADA.

Title II applies to all state and local governments. Therefore, regardless of size, they must prevent discrimination and ensure access to their programs, services, and activities.

What Can You Ask Your Municipality?

Anyone can ask simple and specific questions:

1. Who is officially designated to coordinate compliance with the ADA?

2. Which office does the designated person work in?

3. How can I contact that person?

4. Where is the procedure for filing a complaint published?

5. Has the municipality published a notice explaining the rights and responsibilities established under Title II?

6. How can someone request accommodations, accessible formats, or assistance for effective communication?

Getting an answer should not depend on knowing the right person or visiting multiple offices. The information should be easy to find, and the guidance provided should be consistent.

Accessibility Also Begins with Clear Information

When someone encounters a barrier, they need to know who can provide guidance, receive their complaint, and coordinate a response.

If the municipality has designated someone but no one knows who that person is, if their contact information is unavailable, or if members of the public are sent from one office to another, there is a failure in both access to information and the institution’s ability to respond.

Knowing who coordinates ADA-related matters is not a minor bureaucratic detail. It is part of ensuring that people with disabilities can exercise their rights, participate in public life, and demand accessible services.

Ask your municipality: Who has been designated to coordinate ADA compliance, and how can the public contact that person?

If you identify the designated person—or cannot obtain a clear answer—share your experience with Puerto Rico Reporta.