Helping businesses avoid problems with the ADA and FHA

I started Accessibility Defense because I found over and over again that my clients were sued because of mistakes they didn’t know they had made. The simple truth is that even when businesses know about the ADA and FHA the information available on the internet is often wrong or outdated. In order to close the gap between what businesses need to know and the misinformation found on the web I have developed a series of presentations on ADA and FHA topics covering the most common problems faced by businesses large and small. A few examples:

  • “Is that a service animal or just a jackass?” This one hour presentation explains the ADA requirements for shopping centers, retailers, restaurants and other public accommodations with respect to animals of all kinds.
  • “Perfectly clear confusion – websites and the ADA” This one hour presentation explains the current state of the law concerning website accessibility and provides a step by step approach to minimizing business risk.
  • “Just say no to fake emotional support animals” This one hour presentation shows how housing providers can effectively identify and weed out fake emotional support animal requests without the missteps that can lead to a HUD complaint.
  • “Accessibility law for buyers, sellers and brokers” This two hour presentation covers the basics of accessibility law for those involved in the purchase and sale of real estate, including how to assess the risk of ADA or FHA litigation and steps to mitigate or limit that risk.
  • “Accessibility requirements under the FHA” This two hour presentation for those involved in the development of multi-family housing explains what the Fair Housing Act requires, how those requirements relate to local building codes, warning signs of confusion by design professionals and how to effectively use experts to reduce the risk of costly errors.
  • “The sober truth about sober living and other group homes” This one hour presentation for HOA’s, developers and municipal building officials explains what the Fair Housing Act requires and allows when a group home asks for a waiver of deed restrictions or zoning ordinances.

These can be presented in person or, if your group is scattered, as a webinar. I can also tailor a presentation to the particular concerns of your group. Just call or email for information about the options and cost.

What attendees say

“Richard’s presentation was awesome!  Our real estate group recently offered a class on ADA & Fair Housing from the property owner’s perspective and we were lucky to have Richard present to us.  His class provided a wealth of information as well as real-life examples which were very helpful in understanding the regulations and laws. I would highly recommend Richard as both an instructor and to help with any legal needs related to ADA or FHA issues.”

Nick J. DeMarte, Society of Exchange Counselors and Managing Partner, NJD Industries, LLC.

“Shopping center security and management professionals were struggling with how to deal with the proliferation of service/comfort animals that are now entering shopping centers and stores. Richard’s presentation to ICSC’s security conference set the record straight as to what is and is not a service animal under the American with Disabilities Act. Richard’s expertise on the topic proved to be invaluable to our members.”

Malachy Kavanagh, Executive Vice President, Global & Corporate Development, International Council of Shopping Centers.

“Great information and guidance in the area of ADA accessibility defense, where there is very little trustworthy guidance available.”

Kimberly Mayhex, Caswell, Bell & Hillison LLP, Fresno Ca.

“We have found Richard to be an invaluable resource on ADA and FHA matters over the years. When he offered to present a seminar on “ADA and FHA Accessibility Issues for Real Estate Decision Makers”  we jumped at the chance to take it.  We had high expectations given our experience with Richard and the seminar greatly exceeded those expectations.

Daniel Ebner, SVP, CWS Capital Partners

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