City of Sacramento
City Council - 5PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2024-00577 3/12/2024 Consent Item 6.
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report File ID: 2024-00577
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Jesse Gothan, Supervising Engineer, (916) 808-6897, [email protected]; Ofelia Avalos, Engineering Manager, (916) 808-5054, [email protected], Department of Public Works
Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Annual Report
3-DAC Item 2022-01483 - Public Meeting Accessibility
4-DAC November 2021 Letter to Council for Accessibility 5-DAC March 2022 Additional feedback letter
6-Clerk's Response to DAC regarding Public Meeting Accessibility 7-Reference Department of Rehabilitation - Public Meeting Accessibility 8-Golden 1 Center Photos Vehicles in Pedestrian Access Route 9-Golden 1 Center Video
10-Feb 2022 DAC inclusive housing letter
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Disabilities Advisory Commission (DAC) includes five powers and duties as set forth in Section 2.53.040 of the City Code:
A. To serve as an advisory body to the city regarding compliance with federal and state disability laws. The commission shall not advise the city concerning litigation or administrative proceedings to which the city is a party;
B. To review policies, programs and activities within the city as they affect persons with disabilities;
File ID: 2024-00577 3/12/2024 Consent Item 6.
C. To recommend procedures for city employees with disabilities to request and receive reasonable accommodations;
D. To provide information, referral and technical assistance to the city in matters pertaining to disability issues;
E. To establish a liaison with the city’s ADA coordinators to assist with policies, procedures and programs as they relate to federal and state disability laws.
Chapter 17 of the Council Rules of Procedure states that each city advisory body shall provide an annual report for review by the Personnel and Public Employees Committee (P&PE). At a minimum, reports should include the following:
· Enacting Code
· List of members
· List of staff
· Purpose/Powers and Duties
· Highlights and accomplishments from the previous year and any resulting recommendations · Resources needed to support the legislative body
· Projects, Priorities, and Objectives for the upcoming year including resources required The attached Annual Report is being forwarded to the P&PE Committee for action. The DAC also specifically requested to include attachments that reflect their official correspondence.
Policy Considerations: Chapter 2.53 of the City Code outlines the responsibilities of the DAC: The commission is established for the purpose of providing advice and recommendations to the mayor and city council on strategies and policies designed to ensure and enhance the city’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations
Chapter 17 of the Council Rules of Procedure outlines the Advisory Body reporting process.
Economic Impacts: Not Applicable.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): This action is not a project that is subject to CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5)).
Sustainability: Not Applicable.
File ID: 2024-00577 3/12/2024 Consent Item 6.
Commission/Committee Action: On December 6, 2023, the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission passed a motion forwarding their Annual Report to the P&PE Committee for consideration. On February 13, 2024, the P&PE Committee passed a motion forwarding the annual report to the City Council.
Rationale for Recommendation: So that advisory bodies may effectively incorporate their important role, voice, and work to provide thoughtful community recommendations to the City Council on a consistent basis the P&PE Committee shall facilitate the process for advisory bodies to communicate their accomplishments, projects, priorities, and recommendations to the City Council.
Financial Considerations: This report includes recommendations that if implemented, would require additional resources. At this time, staff has not analyzed the specific costs of these recommendations.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not Applicable.
Background: The Disabilities Advisory Commission was established in 2001 and outlined in Chapter 2 of the City Code.
Chapter 17, Section C of the Council Rules and Procedures, establishes the following requirements for Advisory Body Reports:
Advisory body recommendations and reports to the city council shall follow the procedure set forth in this Rule 17.C. 2. Annual report preparation.
a. Each advisory body shall provide an annual report for review by the Personnel and Public Employees (P&PE) Committee.
b. The annual report shall be provided in a format established by the city clerk and should include highlights and accomplishments from the prior year’s work; proposed projects, priorities, and recommendations for the upcoming year; and any other information required of the advisory body according to the Sacramento City Code. c. The city clerk shall manage an advisory body annual report calendar so that city staff can gather input to prepare a proposed report to the advisory body in a timely manner. d. Each advisory body must approve its annual report before presentation to the P&PE Committee. When presenting proposed reports to advisory bodies, staff should include information on the feasibility of any recommendations therein.
The Annual Plan includes the following seven recommendations. A discussion of feasibility as reviewed by staff follows.
1. Add a citywide ADA coordinator position in the next budget cycle. This position would be
File ID: 2024-00577 3/12/2024 Consent Item 6.
responsible for enhancing ADA programs citywide; working with internal and external stakeholders; coordinating ADA activities and providing leadership relative to the city’s commitment to a strong and effective ADA program. The ADA Coordinator would serve as the City’s spokesperson on ADA issues; staff the city’s Disabilities Advisory Commission and bring at least one matter in each of the Powers and Duties on an annual basis, and recommend policy and programs to the City Council and City Manager.
Analysis: Over a decade ago, the DAC and ADA coordination had a different structure. The DAC was staffed through the Human Resources Department. Public Works had a Program Specialist position that administered ADA requests and ADA reporting for transportation infrastructure. The transportation requests and reporting duties were subsequently assigned to other staff in Public Works rather than through a single position. Later, management and staffing of the DAC was reassigned from the Human Resources Department to the Public Works Department. An additional position to serve citywide ADA coordination and functions as recommended by the DAC would require a General Fund budget augmentation or realignment. The actual salary would depend upon the classification.
2. By February 2024 or as soon as possible, ensure all public meetings are ADA accessible. This includes ADA compliant agendas available in print and online, closed captioning for all meetings which are live streamed, automated entrances to council chambers, integrated seating in council chambers, disability awareness and etiquette training for clerks who staff public meetings, and an ADA compliant virtual option for individuals with mobility challenges and/or who are transportation challenged as a result of their disabilities.
Analysis: This would require one-time improvements to the Council chambers and ongoing costs for operations. Facilities staff has a project for automatic doors estimated to cost $100,000 that will be implemented later this year during the next recess. The IT Department staff is currently in the process of updating the city website, which will include a comprehensive assessment and remediation of website accessibility compliance and a corresponding report. The completion is scheduled for this summer. Staff has not analyzed specific costs associated with the other recommended items.
3. Update the City’s Mandatory Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Training for City Elected Officials, Council Staff, and Appointed officers to include “Disability Awareness & Etiquette,” ableist and person-first language, and self-description training for inclusive meetings.
Analysis: Referred to the Manager of Diversity and Equity.
4. Update the City’s Race & Gender Equity Plan 2020-2025 and future plans addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to include individuals with observable and non-observable disabilities.
File ID: 2024-00577 3/12/2024 Consent Item 6.
https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/Divisions/ode/workforce-equity- Analysis: Referred to the Manager of Diversity and Equity.
5. Invite the Disabilities Advisory Commission to present to the Council’s Racial Equity Committee regarding the intersectionality of disability with race and gender in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Analysis: Referred to the Manager of Diversity and Equity.
6. Establish a reasonable and equitable ADA drop-off and pick-up location for the Golden1 Center with appropriate wayfinding and assign resources to monitor and enforce this location.
Analysis: City staff are exploring an update of the Transportation Management Plan for the Golden 1 Center and Downtown and seeking to secure funding for this effort.
7. The Commission requests that an additional opportunity for open public comment be added after the opening of all public City meetings as a reasonable accommodation.
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report 2022/2023 City of Sacramento Page 1 of 7
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission
City of Sacramento
Combined 2022/23 Annual Report
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report 2022/2023 City of Sacramento Page 2 of 7
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission
The Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission was established in 2001 by ordinance 2001- 05 and is codified in Sacramento City Code Section 2.53
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commissioners (2022/2023)
Alan McMillan
Mousumi Crowley
Stephani Crespin
Sylvia Kramer
Neelam Chand
Alice Mercer
Brandy Tuzon Boyd
Greg Lim
Will Cannady
Angelica Williams
Al Hernandez Santana
Parshan Khosravi
George Perry
Tiffani Fink
Safiya Neal
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Staff
Jesse Gothan, Supervising Engineer
Gerald Hicks, Supervising Deputy City Attorney
City of Sacramento – Office of the City Clerk
915 I Street – Sacramento, CA 95814
[email protected]
(916) 808-7200
commissions.cityofsacramento.org
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report 2022/2023 City of Sacramento Page 3 of 7
Purpose of the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission
The commission is established for the purpose of providing advice and recommendations to the mayor and city council on strategies and policies designed to ensure and enhance the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations. (City Code § 2.53.040)
Powers and Duties of the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission
The powers and duties of the commission shall be as follows:
A. To serve as an advisory body to the city regarding compliance with federal and state disability laws. The commission shall not advise the city concerning litigation or administrative proceedings to which the city is a party;
B. To review policies, programs and activities within the city as they affect persons with disabilities;
C. To recommend procedures for city employees with disabilities to request and receive reasonable accommodations;
D. To provide information, referral and technical assistance to the city in matters pertaining to disability issues;
E. To establish a liaison with the city’s ADA coordinators to assist with policies, procedures and programs as they relate to federal and state disability laws. (City Code § 2.53.040)
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report 2022/2023 City of Sacramento Page 4 of 7
2022 Highlights and Accomplishments
In 2022 the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission held eleven (11) meetings and reviewed and commented on the following topics.
● Del Rio Trail Project
● Parklet and Al Fresco Dining Program
● Sacramento County Point in Time Count
● Public Meeting Accessibility by the state Dept. of Rehabilitation* ● YPCE Access Leisure Program
● City of Sacramento Website Update*
● Sacramento Valley Station Access Projects
● Transportation Corridor Program: 34th Street Rehabilitation and West El Camino Avenue Rehabilitation Projects
● Update on Chapter 2.40 of the Sacramento City Code, Relating to Boards and Commissions Generally
● Pocket Greenhaven Neighborhood Transportation Plan Update ● South Sacramento Parkway Trail West Project
● Downtown Mobility Project
● Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Rights-of-Way Implementation Plan – Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Prospective Plan for Accessibility Improvements in the Public Rights-of-Way ● Policy Update – Employee Handbook
● The Commission recognized seven (7) members of the public for outstanding service in the disability community.*
● I Street Bridge Replacement Project
● Citywide Racial Equity Initiative*
● Tracking ADA issues on the city’s website*
● Letters supporting Inclusive Housing for those with disabilities for the Cornerstone Project in Elk Grove and for the 2021-2029 Housing Element*
In 2023 the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission held eleven (11) meetings and reviewed and commented on the following projects.
● Stockton Boulevard at 12th Avenue Pedestrian Signal
● Florin Road Highway Safety Improvement Projects
● Council Rules of Procedure Review
● 2023 Audible Signals Project
● Golden 1 Center ADA Drop-Off Location*
● Transportation Planning Overview
● Northwood School Access Improvements Project
● North Sacramento Hagginwood Library
● Youth and Teen Program “The Hangout”
● Language Access Policy Gap Analysis, Survey Results, and Recommendations*
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report 2022/2023 City of Sacramento Page 5 of 7
● Public Review Draft of the Sacramento 2040 General Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
● Franklin Boulevard Complete Street Improvements Project ● Highway Safety Improvement Program - Cycle 10
● Florin Road Vision Zero Pavement Rehabilitation Project ● Revisions to Vehicle & Bicycle Parking Requirements Project ● The Commission recognized seven (6) members of the public for outstanding service in the disability community.*
* Indicates presentations and discussions requested by members of the Disabilities Advisory Commission.
2022/2023 Recommendations for Consideration
RECOMMENDATION 1) Reinstate the citywide ADA coordinator position in the next budget cycle. This position would be responsible for enhancing ADA programs citywide; working with internal and external stakeholders; coordinating ADA activities and providing leadership relative to the city’s commitment to a strong and effective ADA program. The ADA Coordinator would serve as the City’s spokesperson on ADA issues; staff the city’s Disabilities Advisory Commission and bring at least one matter in each of the Powers and Duties on an annual basis, and recommend policy and programs to the City Council and City Manager. This position is not on the current salary schedule and classification listing. See attached salary schedule and previous HR listing.
RECOMMENDATION 2) By February 2024 or as soon as possible, ensure all public meetings are ADA accessible. This includes ADA compliant agendas available in print and online, closed captioning for all meetings which are live streamed, automated entrances to council chambers, integrated seating in council chambers, disability awareness and etiquette training for clerks who staff public meetings, and an ADA compliant virtual option for individuals with mobility challenges and/or who are transportation challenged as a result of their disabilities. This would be implemented for all City public meetings such as Commission, Committee, Association, etc. by first quarter of 2024. See attached memos to Council, City Manager & City Clerk.
RECOMMENDATION 3) Update the City’s Mandatory Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Training for City Elected Officials, Council Staff, and Appointed officers to include “Disability Awareness & Etiquette,” ableist and person-first language, and self-description training for inclusive meetings. See attached resolution for mandatory training, self- description for inclusive meetings and DOR public meeting accessibility report.
RECOMMENDATION 4) Update the City’s Race & Gender Equity Plan 2020-2025 and future plans addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to include individuals with observable and non-observable disabilities. See attached RGEAP overview.
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report 2022/2023 City of Sacramento Page 6 of 7
RECOMMENDATION 5) Invite the Disabilities Advisory Commission to present to the Council’s Racial Equity Committee regarding the intersectionality of disability with race and gender in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
RECOMMENDATION 6) Establish a reasonable and equitable ADA drop-off and pick-up location for the Golden1 Center with appropriate wayfinding and assign resources to monitor and enforce this location. The current location forces individuals into the street to access the Downtown Commons Plaza, the signage is lacking and enforcement is sporadic.
An immediate, temporary solution is needed while the city works on a new Traffic Management Plan. See attached photos and view referenced YouTube video.
RECOMMENDATION 7) The Commission requests that an additional opportunity for open public comment be added after the opening of all public City meetings as a reasonable accommodation.
2022/2023 Annual Commission Resources
In 2022/2023 the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission held twenty-two (22) meetings.
The meeting durations are typically 2 hours and in 2022/2023 added up to approximately 24 hours of meeting time.
The estimated costs to staff meetings:
Department Staff $106/hour
City Clerk Support Staff $65/hour
City Attorney $216/hour
IT Support Staff $65/hour
Total $904/hour for meeting support
In addition to meeting time, it takes approximately 12 hours to prepare and publish agendas and manage Commissioner questions and requests for an estimated cost of $24,000 annually.
Commissioners receive a stipend of $50 per meeting for a total cost of $5,400.
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Annual Report 2022/2023 City of Sacramento Page 7 of 7
2024 Projects, Priorities, and Objectives for Consideration
● Provide recommendations on accessibility improvements within capital improvements that propose new construction or alterations to public facilities and within the public rights of way.
● Review the annual prospective plan which identifies the anticipated and complete accessibility improvements within the public rights of way. ● Provide recommendations on accessibility within City policy updates. ● Review and provide recommendations to the City Human Resources Department of Equity and Inclusion endeavors to include people with disabilities as part of inclusive goals for hiring.
● Review and provide technological recommendations regarding the City’s online services. ● Review and provide recommendations to the City’s law enforcement departments for when interacting with people with disabilities.
● Review and provide recommendations on the physical accessibility of the council chambers and other facilities where City meetings are held. ● Recognize members of the public for outstanding contributions in the disability community with the Tim Haley Award.
Resources Required for 2024 Projects, Priorities, and Objectives
● Resources for costs associated with providing Tim Haley Awards, not to exceed $150.
City of Sacramento
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Report
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-01483 8/3/2022 Discussion Item 06.
Title: Public Meeting Accessibility
File ID: 2022-01483
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Review and Pass a Motion approving letter to City ADA Coordinator.
Contact: Brandy Tuzon Boyd, Chair, Sacramento Disability Advisory Commission Presenter: Brandy Tuzon Boyd, Chair, Sacramento Disability Advisory Commission Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Meeting Accessibility Letter
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission (DAC) met on October 6, 2021, discussed accessible public meetings, and authorized the Chair, Brandy Tuzon Boyd, to submit a letter with their recommendations. The discussion was continued with a presentation made by the City of Sacramento office of the City Clerk at the DAC meeting on January 5, 2022. The DAC had prepared and discussed an additional letter at the DAC meeting on April 6, 2022. The DAC had received feedback from City staff that the City Clerk’s office had received their recommendations and they had no further comments. The DAC would like to respond with providing the City ADA Coordinator letter.
Policy Considerations: Not applicable.
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations: None.
Sustainability: Not applicable.
City of Sacramento Page 1 of 2
File ID: 2022-01483 8/3/2022 Discussion Item 06.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: Not applicable.
Financial Considerations: None.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
City of Sacramento Page 2 of 2
July 27, 2022
Citywide ADA Coordinator,
On November 3, 2021 the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission sent a letter toMayor Steinberg and the Sacramento City Council identifying accessibility issues withthe city’s public meetings.
The commission received a staff report in response to this letter at our January 5, 2022meeting. After reviewing the report, the Disabilities Advisory Commission sent a secondletter to the Mayor and the City Council on March 2, 2022.
Earlier this month, our chair and vice chair were told by staff that the Commission wouldnot be receiving a response to our second letter.
The Disabilities Advisory Commission is tasked with advising the City Council oncompliance with federal and state disability laws. With this letter, the Commission issubmitting an ADA complaint seeking remedy for the following:
● Web pages for Meetings & Agendas and Granicus are not ADA compliant.● No ADA accommodation statement on the city’s meeting website, web agendasor print version agendas.● Web and print agendas are not ADA compliant.● Zoom webinar is not ADA compliant.● Granicus live streams and recordings are not ADA compliant.
Sincerely,
Members of the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Cc: Honorable Mayor Steinberg, Sacramento City Council Members, Howard Chan, CityManager and Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk DAC1
November 3, 2021
Honorable Mayor and Sacramento City Council Members,
The pandemic has changed the way public meetings in the City of Sacramento are held and brought to light challenges experienced by people with disabilities who choose to participate.
Members of the city’s Disabilities Advisory Commission have raised concerns about these challenges to city staff repeatedly during our meetings this past year.
At the commission’s meeting on October 6, 2021, the topic of accessible public meetings was again discussed. The
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission recommends the following:
● The city should have an accommodation statement for all of its meetings with the name, number, and email address of the individual who can respond to requests for accommodations, such as an ASL translator.
● The closed captioning icon/function on Granicus should be disabled for all meetings that are not live captioned. The presence of the “closed captioning” icon on all council subcommittee and advisory commission meetings is misleading to members of the public who rely on this function to access meeting content.
● The city should seek alternatives to Zoom webinar for transcribing meetings. While we commend the move to Zoom webinar, which allows for live transcription, this automated feature is flawed. Because the city is relying on meeting recordings to document the proceedings in lieu of detailed minutes, accurate transcription is not only important for those who wish to participate “live” but also for those who wish to watch the recordings at a later date.
● The city’s website should be fully accessible. We are pleased to see the accessibility statement on the city’s website that it is being redesigned to be more accessible and we would like to know when this work will be completed. Having an inaccessible website poses an additional legal risk for the City of Sacramento.
● The city’s ADA coordinator should take the lead on ensuring accessibility of public meetings, policies, procedures and programs and work with Disabilities Advisory Commission members (as described in the Disabilities Advisory Commission description, Section 5).
We look forward to a response by our Jan. 5, 2022 meeting.
Sincerely,
Brand
T Boy
Brandy Tuzon Boyd, Chair
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission
cc: City Manager Howard Chan and City Clerk Mindy Cuppy
March2,2022
HonorableMayorSteinbergandSacramentoCityCouncilMembers, ThankyouforyourresponsetotheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionrecommendationsdatedNov. 3,2021.
Wehavereviewedtheresponseandhaveadditionalfeedback.
Accordingtothe2021-2029HousingElement,morethan57,000Sacramentoresidentsoveragefivehaveoneormoredisabilities—about11%ofthecity’stotalpopulation.Duetothepandemic,effectivelyaccessinginformationonlineisnowmoreimportantthaneverfortheseindividuals.
RECOMMENDATION:Thecityshouldhaveanaccommodationstatementforallofitsmeetingswiththename,number, andemailaddressoftheindividualwhocanrespondtorequestsforaccommodations,suchasanASLtranslator.
RESPONSE:Thereisanaccommodationstatementonallcitycouncil,standingcommittee,board,commission,andcommitteeagendas:“Ifyourequirespecialassistancetoparticipateinthemeeting,notifytheOfficeoftheCityClerkat(916)808-7200atleast48hourspriortothemeeting”.Duetotheurgencyofsucharequest,anemailaddressisnotlisted.
WeacknowledgethepresenceofthislanguagehoweveritisnotanADAaccommodationstatement.Thelanguagecurrentlyusedbythecityisembeddedontheprintversionsofcouncil,committeeandcommissionagendas— requiringseveralclickstonavigateandview.
OurresearchfoundthatthelanguageusedbymunicipalitiessuchasSacramentoCounty, ElkGrove,Davis,WestSacramentoandRanchoCordovaspecificallycitescompliancewiththeAmericanswithDisabilitiesActandthatthislanguagegenerallyappearsonbothprintandwebversionsofagendasand,inmanycases,alsoontheagency'swebsite.
Itappearsboththecity’sprintandwebagendasmaynotbefullyaccessibleand,asaresult,theexistingaccommodationstatementitselfmaybeinaccessibletothosewhohavedisabilities.TheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionrecommendsthecityworkwithanexpertwhohasknowledgeandunderstandingofADA'sSection508accessibilitystandards;andhowitrelatestowebsites,digitaldocumentsandvisualdesign.
DAC1
Wealsorecommendthattheaccommodationstatementbeaddedtothemeetingpageofthecity’swebsiteaswellasanoptiontorequestdocumentsinalternateformats,suchasBrailleandlargeprint,asareasonableaccommodation.
RESPONSE:ASL(AmericanSignLanguage)ispartoftheLanguageAccessPolicycurrentlybeingdevelopedwhichshouldbecompletebySummer2022.
TheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionrequestsastaff reportontheLanguageAccessPolicysothatwemayprovidefeedbackonapolicywhichclearlyimpactsthosewithdisabilities.Wealsorequestregularupdatesonthepolicyandtobenotifiedwhenthepolicyisscheduledtobeheardandapprovedbythecouncil.
RECOMMENDATION:Theclosedcaptioningicon/functiononGranicusshouldbedisabledforallmeetingsthatarenotlivecaptioned.Thepresenceofthe“closedcaptioning”iconcurrentlyonallcouncilsubcommitteeandadvisorycommissionmeetingsismisleadingtomembersofthepublicwhorelyonthisfunctiontoaccessmeetingcontent.
RESPONSE:Done.
Wehavecheckedtherecordingsofrecentcitycommittee,commissionandboardmeetingsandtheclosedcaptioningicon/functionisstillpresent.TheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionrequestsanupdatewhenthisrecommendationhas,infact,beenimplemented.
RECOMMENDATION:ThecityshouldseekalternativestoZoomwebinarfortranscribingmeetings.WhilewecommendtheefforttocreateanaccommodationwiththemovetoZoomwebinar, whichallowsforlivetranscription,thisautomatedfeatureisflawed.Becausethecityisrelyingonmeetingrecordingstodocumenttheproceedingsinlieuofdetailedminutes,accuratetranscriptionisnotonlyimportantforthosewhowishtoparticipate“live”butalsoforthosewhowishtowatchtherecordingsatalaterdate.
RESPONSE:Wehavereachedouttoagenciesprovidingservicestotheintellectualanddevelopmentallydisabledcommunitiestofindbestpractices.
WerecommendseekingfeedbackfromprofessionalswithexpertiseintheAmericanwithDisabilitiesActandpublicmeetingaccessibility, suchasthestateDepartmentofRehabilitation.
DAC2
PleasefindattachedacopyofthetranscriptfromtheDepartmentofRehabilitationpresentationmadetotheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionatourJan.5,2022meeting.Thepresenterisdeafandspeakswithadeafaccent.Asaresult,theautogeneratedtranscriptionisunintelligible.Accordingtothispresenter, ZoomwebinarisnotADAcompliant.
Uponreviewingseveralrecordingsofcouncil,committeeandcommissionmeetings,wefoundthereisnotranscriptionforwordsspokenbyclerksandstaff whositincouncilchambers,thereforemakingtheirremarksinaccessible.Also,thereareseveraltimeswhentheautomatictranscriptionisobscuredbythegraphicsonthebottomofthescreen,thereforemakingthoseremarksinaccessible.
RECOMMENDATION:Thecity’swebsiteshouldbefullyaccessible.Wearepleasedtoseetheaccessibilitystatementonthecity’swebsitethatitisbeingredesignedtobemoreaccessibleandwewouldliketoknowwhenthisworkwillbecompleted.HavinganinaccessiblewebsiteposesanadditionallegalriskfortheCityofSacramento.
RESPONSE:CompliancewithADA(AmericanswithDisabilitiesAct)requirementsforthewebsiteisahighpriorityforthecityandweareworkingdailytowardsafullyaccessiblewebsite.Thecity’swebsiteredesignandmigrationtocloudisinthedesignanddevelopmentphaseandwearecurrently25%complete.OurcurrenttargetforcompletionisDecember2022,however, duetosignificantstaffingshortagesthiscompletiondatemaychange.
Weareconcernedthatthecity’swebsiteaccessibilitystatementwaspostedAugust1,2015,accordingtointernetarchives,andthatthisworkisonly25%completesixyearslater.
WerecommendthecityworkwithsomeonewhohasknowledgeandunderstandingofADASection508accessibilitystandards;andhowitrelatestowebsites,digitaldocumentsandvisualdesign.TheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionalsorequestsupdatesatourAprilandJulymeetingstotrackwhetherthisworkisontarget.
RECOMMENDATION:Thecity’sADAcoordinatorshouldtaketheleadonensuringaccessibilityofpublicmeetings,policies,proceduresandprogramsandworkwithDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionmembers(asdescribedintheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissiondescription,Section5).
DAC3
RESPONSE:TheOfficeoftheCityManagerisresponsibleforstaffingandthisrecommendationhasbeenforwardedfortheirconsideration.
ItisunclearfromthisresponsewhetherthispositioniscurrentlystaffedandlookforwardtohearingfromtheCityManager’soffice.IfthecitywideADAcoordinatorpostisvacant,theDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionrecommendsstepsbetakentofundandfillthepositionassoonaspossibleandrequestsupdatesatourmonthlymeetingsonthehiringstatusofthisposition.
Pleasefindattached,anaccessiblecopyofthepresentationbythestateDepartmentofRehabilitationmadetotheDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissiononJan.5,2022.Thedepartmentoffersprofessionaldisabilityaccessservicesandclasses;thecommissionsuggestscitystaff reachouttothisagencyforassistancecomplyingwiththeAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct.
Sincerely,
BrandyTuzonBoyd,AlanMcMillanandMousumiCrowleyMeetingAccessibilityadhoccommitteemembersonbehalfoftheSacramentoDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommission Cc:HowardChan,CityManagerandMindyCuppy, CityClerk
DAC4
Susana Alcala Wood, City Attorney Jorge Oseguera, City Auditor Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk Howard Chan, City Manager John Colville, City Treasurer Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Report
915 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-00154 February 2, 2022 Consent Item 02
Title: Response to the Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission Recommendations Regarding Accessibility of Public Meetings
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Contact: Mindy Cuppy, MMC, City Clerk, (916) 808-5442, [email protected] ,
Office of the City Clerk
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-DAC Letter Dated November 3, 2021
File ID: 2022-00154 Consent Item 02
February 2, 2022
powered by Legistar™
City of Sacramento
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission (DAC) met on October 6, 2021, discussed accessible public meetings, and authorized the Chair, Brandy Tuzon Boyd, to submit a letter with their recommendations.
This item was on the DAC agenda for the January 5, 2022 meeting and the chair asked that it be continued to the February meeting.
Below are the DAC recommendations and status:
RECOMMENDATION: The city should have an accommodation statement for all of its meetings with the name, number, and email address of the individual who can respond to requests for accommodations, such as an ASL translator.
RESPONSE:
• There is an accommodation statement on all city council, standing committee, board, commission, and committee agendas: “If you require special assistance to participate in the meeting, notify the Office of the City Clerk at (916) 808-7200 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting”. Due to the urgency of such a request, an email address is not listed.
• ASL (American Sign Language) is part of the Language Access Policy currently being developed which should be complete by Summer 2022.
RECOMMENDATION: The closed captioning icon/function on Granicus should be disabled for all meetings that are not live captioned. The presence of the “closed captioning” icon currently on all council subcommittee and advisory commission meetings is misleading to members of the public who rely on this function to access meeting content.
RESPONSE:
• Done.
RECOMMENDATION: The city should seek alternatives to Zoom webinar for transcribing meetings. While we commend the move to Zoom webinar, which allows for live transcription, this automated feature is flawed. Because the city is relying on meeting recordings to document the proceedings in lieu of detailed minutes, accurate transcription is not only important for those who wish to participate “live” but also for those who wish to watch the recordings at a later date.
File ID: 2022-00154 Consent Item 02
February 2, 2022
powered by Legistar™
City of Sacramento
RESPONSE:
• We have just begun to use Zoom closed captioning and have heard from quite a few people that they appreciate the new feature. We intend to continue providing virtual access when in person meetings resume and are excited to research additional language and accessibility features.
• We have reached out to agencies providing services to the intellectual and developmentally disabled communities to find best practices:
• It appears that the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities are using Zoom for their Council meetings. Their past meetings were not online so it is unclear if they are using closed captioning. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) is established by state and federal law as an independent state agency to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and supports they need.
• The Alta Regional Center is using WebEx and stated they do not use any closed captioning feature as they have not had any requests for such an accommodation. The Alta California Regional Center (ACRC) is a private, non-profit corporation working under contract with the State of California, Department of Developmental Services, to provide services to persons, age three and above, with a developmental disability pursuant to the Lanterman Act. They provide services in Alpine, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties.
• The Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA) uses Zoom for their virtual meetings and uses the transcription feature in Zoom. ARCA represents California's network of 21 independent, non-profit regional centers that advocate on behalf of and coordinate services for California's over 350,000 people with developmental disabilities.
RECOMMENDATION: The city’s website should be fully accessible. We are pleased to see the accessibility statement on the city’s website that it is being redesigned to be more accessible and we would like to know when this work will be completed. Having an inaccessible website poses an additional legal risk for the City of Sacramento.
RESPONSE:
• Compliance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements for the website is a high priority for the city and we are working daily towards a fully accessible website. The city’s website redesign and migration to cloud is in the File ID: 2022-00154 Consent Item 02
February 2, 2022
powered by Legistar™
City of Sacramento
design and development phase and we are currently 25% complete. Our current target for completion is December 2022, however, due to significant staffing shortages this completion date may change.
RECOMMENDATION: The city’s ADA coordinator should take the lead on ensuring accessibility of public meetings, policies, procedures and programs and work with Disabilities Advisory Commission members (as described in the Disabilities Advisory Commission description, Section 5).
RESPONSE:
• The Office of the City Manager is responsible for staffing and this recommendation has been forwarded for their consideration.
Policy Considerations: Not applicable.
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
Environmental Considerations: Not applicable.
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: Not applicable.
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
November 3, 2021
Honorable Mayor and Sacramento City Council Members,
The pandemic has changed the way public meetings in the City of Sacramento are held and brought to light challenges experienced by people with disabilities who choose to participate.
Members of the city’s Disabilities Advisory Commission have raised concerns about these challenges to city staff repeatedly during our meetings this past year.
At the commission’s meeting on October 6, 2021, the topic of accessible public meetings was again discussed. The
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission recommends the following:
● The city should have an accommodation statement for all of its meetings with the name, number, and email address of the individual who can respond to requests for accommodations, such as an ASL translator.
● The closed captioning icon/function on Granicus should be disabled for all meetings that are not live captioned. The presence of the “closed captioning” icon on all council subcommittee and advisory commission meetings is misleading to members of the public who rely on this function to access meeting content.
● The city should seek alternatives to Zoom webinar for transcribing meetings. While we commend the move to Zoom webinar, which allows for live transcription, this automated feature is flawed. Because the city is relying on meeting recordings to document the proceedings in lieu of detailed minutes, accurate transcription is not only important for those who wish to participate “live” but also for those who wish to watch the recordings at a later date.
● The city’s website should be fully accessible. We are pleased to see the accessibility statement on the city’s website that it is being redesigned to be more accessible and we would like to know when this work will be completed. Having an inaccessible website poses an additional legal risk for the City of Sacramento.
● The city’s ADA coordinator should take the lead on ensuring accessibility of public meetings, policies, procedures and programs and work with Disabilities Advisory Commission members (as described in the Disabilities Advisory Commission description, Section 5).
We look forward to a response by our Jan. 5, 2022 meeting.
Sincerely,
Brand
T Boy
Brandy Tuzon Boyd, Chair
Sacramento Disabilities Advisory Commission
cc: City Manager Howard Chan and City Clerk Mindy Cuppy
Slide 1: Disability Access Services
Monica Handley, Chief
January 2022
Slide 2: Alternate Formats
This publication can be made available in Braille, large print, and electronic format as a reasonable accommodation (RA) for an individual with a disability. To request a copy of alternate formats, please contact the Disability Access Services.
Slide 3: Our Mission
Disability Access Services (DAS) was established in 1992 to promote disability rights in state government and DOR partnerships in the community.
• Resource
• Consultation
• Document Remediation Services
• Training
Slide 4: Inclusion, Accessibility & Accommodation
• Disability Inclusion: Individuals with disabilities can fully participate in every aspect of life possible. These opportunities include participation in education, employment, public health programs, community living and service learning.
• Accessibility: Having a place, environment or event that is set up from the start to be accessible to all individuals.
• Accommodation: A change is made so that a person with a disability may fully participate.
Recommendation 3)
Slide 5: Why is Accessibility Important?
It's the Law!
1. Americans with Disabilities, Title II State and Local Governments.
2. Fair Employment & Housing Act.
3. Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act.
4. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C.)
Slide 6: Disability Statistics
• 25.6% of adults in the United States having a disability • California’s current population is 39.9 million
• 23% of adults in California have identified as having a disability • Types of disabilities
• Observable
• Non-observable
Slide 7: Types of Disabilities
• Blindness & Low Vision
• Deafness & Hearing Loss
• Physical Disabilities
• Cognitive/Learning Disabilities
• Mental Health / Psychiatric Disabilities
• Non-Observable Disabilities
Slide 8: Common Barriers with Physical Access
• The facility (building, parking lot, etc.) is readily available and usable (barrier free) by a wide range of people with disabilities (physical, sensory, & cognitive.)
• Ramps for entering the building & elevators for multiple story buildings.
• Signage indicating location of accessible entrance, parking & bathrooms.
• Corridors, conference rooms & common areas open enough for wheelchair access.
Slide 9: Common Barriers with Digital Accessibility
• Font size is too small
• Poor color choices
• Images without alternative text
• Using ambiguous text for hyperlinks
• Tables that are difficult to decipher
• Documents without proper headings and sub-headings
• Columns created visually
• Use of text boxes
• Not including a table of contents
Slide 10: Reasonable Accommodation (RA)
RA is provided to qualified employees and applicants with disabilities or medical conditions, unless to do so would be an undue hardship. An RA is a change in the job, work environment, or processes to enable those employees to perform the essential functions of their job. RA may include, but is not limited to; job duty modification, shift or schedule change, time off for medical care, modification to work area, assistive devices or aids such as; Transcripts, Real Time Captioning, Accessible digital copy of materials, Interpreters, or a Support Service Provider.
Slide 11: RA for Persons with Visual Disabilities
• Screen Readers
• S creen Magnifiers
• Refreshable Braille Displays
• Speech Recognition Software
Slide 12: Classes offered by D AS
• ADA Basics
• Working with Individuals with Hidden Disabilities
• ADA Basics
• Physical Access Overview
• Physical Access: How to Survey
• Accessible Microsoft Office Documents
• A
ccessible PDF Documents 2.1
• Serving Customers with Disabilities
• Hiring & Supervising an Employee with a Disability
• Consumer Self-Disclosure of a Disability
• Practical Solutions for Reasonable Accommodation
• Disability Awareness & Etiquette
Slide 13: Contact Information
Disability Access Services
721 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814
[email protected]
(916) 558- 5755
Disability Access Services website
https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/DisabilityAccessServices
Examples of vehicles parked in pedestrian access way.
Watch this video documenting one Kings fan’s experience using the designated Golden1 Center ADA on 4th and J streets on YouTube at https://youtu.be/BzPPZ7-qzcQ?si=_ZmdOoDvxK0Gp_EX
February2,2022
ToWhomItMayConcern:
TheSacramentoDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionrecentlyparticipatedinprovidinginputontheCityofSacramento’s2021-2029HousingElement.Accordingtothiseight-yearhousingstrategy, morethan57,000Sacramentoresidentsovertheageoffive—about11percent—werereportedashavingoneormoredisabilitiesin2018.Individualswithdisabilitiesneedaffordableandaccessiblehousingopportunities.Theseindividuals,particularlythosewithseverelivingorself-carechallenges,generallyliveonlowtoextremelylowincomes.Theynotonlyneedhousingthatisclosetotransportationandotherservices,butsomeindividualswithdisabilitiesmayalsoneedon-sitesupport.InSacramentoalone,about26percentofpeoplewithdisabilitieslivebelowthepovertyline.Becausealargerpercentageofindividualswithdisabilitiesliveinpoverty, theirhousingenvironmentstendtobelessstableandtheyaremorelikelytoexperiencehomelessness.AbleLightCornerstoneVillageandTheJohnStewartCompanyhavepartneredtodevelopintegratedandsupportivehousingforpersonswithintellectualanddevelopmentaldisabilitiesinboththeArden-ArcadeareaofSacramentoCountyandElkGrove.TheserentalCornerstoneVillagecommunitieswillprovideaffordablehousingforindependentadultswithintellectualanddevelopmentaldisabilitiesaswellasworkingfamiliesandthosewhohaveexperiencedhomelessness.Forexample,CornerstoneVillageinElkGrovewilladdresstheneedforaffordablehousingforvery-lowincomefamilieslivinginthegreaterSacramentoregionbycreating84newhomes,21ofwhichwillbededicatedforindividualswithintellectualanddevelopmentaldisabilities.Asplanned,theprojectwillnotonlyprovidequalityaffordablehousing,butcreateinclusive,communitybuildingthroughsupportsandservicessuchasresidentlifeactivities.TheSacramentoDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommissionfullysupportsthedevelopmentoftheseCornerstoneVillageprojectsastheystrivetomeetacriticalhousingneedforthosewhohavedisabilitiesintheSacramentoregionwhilealsopromotinginclusion.
Sincerely,SacramentoDisabilitiesAdvisoryCommission