A multimillion dollar effort to enforce federal handicapped accessibility provisions is currently under way by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To help the apartment industry better understand and comply with these complex regulations, which are often more restrictive than local building codes, the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association (NAA) have jointly produced a new Accessibility Review Manual.

The manual focuses on multifamily design and construction issues that recur frequently in federal accessibility enforcement actions and is designed to be a comprehensive resource for apartment and seniors housing professionals to use in reviewing properties for compliance with the relevant laws.

The 400-page manual includes:

• A memorandum detailing areas to review for compliance self-reviews;
• HUD, DOJ, and Access Board guidance concerning the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973;
• Accessibility enforcement settlements; and
• Other public information about federal accessibility laws.

As part of the Accessibility Review Manual, HUD has made available copies of the 1998 Fair Housing Design Manual at no additional cost.