Supervisors forward short extension for accessible-entrance deadlines and send amended duplicate file to DBI
March 25, 2024 | San Francisco County, California
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The Land Use & Transportation Committee on March 25 advanced legislation to give struggling small businesses more time to comply with the city's Accessible Business Entrance (ABE) program and directed further work on longer-term enforcement changes.
"The ordinance before you would extend not for the first time and I suspect not for the last, the deadlines for small businesses to comply with the city's accessible business entrance program," said Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann, the item sponsor. Mandelmann reviewed the program's history, enforcement challenges and examples of businesses facing high costs and delays to gain compliance.
Under the ordinance before the committee, the sponsor said the immediate goal was a short extension to June 2024. Chair Melgar moved to duplicate the file and amend the duplicate to set a later compliance date of Dec. 31, 2024; the committee voted to continue the amended duplicate to the call of the chair and, separately, to forward the original file to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Committee members pressed Mandelmann on enforcement options. Vice Chair Dean Preston asked whether removing the Department of Building Inspections (DBI) from enforcement duties would shift responsibility to another department or leave enforcement to private litigation. Mandelmann said the Mayor's Office on Disability has participated in discussions and that he intends to pursue legislation to explore alternatives to DBI enforcement, more education and potential fee relief for routine accessibility work.
On procedural outcomes, the committee voted 3-0 to amend and continue the duplicated file (new date 12/31/2024) and 3-0 to forward the original file to the Board with a positive recommendation.
What happens next: the duplicate file will return to DBI for consideration and the sponsor said he will continue working with stakeholders and plans to bring follow-up legislation before the Board.
"The ordinance before you would extend not for the first time and I suspect not for the last, the deadlines for small businesses to comply with the city's accessible business entrance program," said Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann, the item sponsor. Mandelmann reviewed the program's history, enforcement challenges and examples of businesses facing high costs and delays to gain compliance.
Under the ordinance before the committee, the sponsor said the immediate goal was a short extension to June 2024. Chair Melgar moved to duplicate the file and amend the duplicate to set a later compliance date of Dec. 31, 2024; the committee voted to continue the amended duplicate to the call of the chair and, separately, to forward the original file to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Committee members pressed Mandelmann on enforcement options. Vice Chair Dean Preston asked whether removing the Department of Building Inspections (DBI) from enforcement duties would shift responsibility to another department or leave enforcement to private litigation. Mandelmann said the Mayor's Office on Disability has participated in discussions and that he intends to pursue legislation to explore alternatives to DBI enforcement, more education and potential fee relief for routine accessibility work.
On procedural outcomes, the committee voted 3-0 to amend and continue the duplicated file (new date 12/31/2024) and 3-0 to forward the original file to the Board with a positive recommendation.
What happens next: the duplicate file will return to DBI for consideration and the sponsor said he will continue working with stakeholders and plans to bring follow-up legislation before the Board.
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