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Program 27: Reasonable Accommodations Ordinance
On November 28, 2011, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Reasonable Accommodations Ordinance, which creates an administrative procedure for persons with disabilities to request reasonable accommodation from land use and zoning standards or procedures, when those standards or procedures are a barrier to equal housing access, pursuant to state and federal fair housing laws. Codifying the procedure was a critical step in raising awareness of the County’s reasonable accommodations request procedures. As a next step, the County will review current practices and application forms, and increase public awareness through the use of signage and other information materials. In addition, the County will refine the Reasonable Accommodations Ordinance through the Technical Update of the Zoning Code to clarify and simplify the definition of “individual with a disability” and remove any outdated application requirements. Furthermore, the County will consider amendments to the notification and appeals provisions of the Ordinance to ensure the protection of privacy rights of individuals with disabilities.
| Objectives | By 2014, review current reasonable accommodation practices and application forms to eliminate any barriers for individuals seeking accommodations, and increase public awareness of the Reasonable Accommodations Ordinance through the development of signage and user-friendly informational materials. By 2015, clarify and simplify the definition of “individual with a disability” and remove outdated application requirements in the Reasonable Accommodations Ordinance through the Technical Update of the Zoning Code. By 2016, consider amendments to the notification and appeals provisions of the Ordinance to ensure the protection of the privacy rights of persons with disabilities through the Zoning Ordinance Update Program. |
| Policies | Policy 8.2: Enforce laws against illegal acts of housing discrimination. These include housing discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, age, disability, source of income, or any arbitrary reason excluding persons from housing choice. Policy 8.3: Promote equal opportunity in housing and community development programs countywide. |
| Timeframe | 2015 (Technical Update of the Zoning Code); 2016 (ZOUP); Ongoing |
| Responsible Agency | Department of Regional Planning |
| Funding Source | General Fund |