Public Accommodations

• ADA stipulates that public places built before the law took effect must be made accessible to handicapped persons through the removal of barriers where such removals are technically feasible. In places built after the law took effect, accommodations must be made by making public places accessible to handicapped persons. Common areas in apartment complexes must be accessible to those with disabilities. Such places include sidewalks, hallways, entryways, rental offices, restrooms and outdoor areas. The apartment administrators must remove all barriers to accessibility by handicapped persons where such a thing is easy to achieve "without much difficulty or expense."
  
  

Discrimination

• The ADA act prohibits any manner of discrimination against any person with disability in the matter of housing. It is unlawful for any housing provider to refuse to rent an apartment to a person with disability based on his disability. It also prohibits any housing provider from imposing different rules, charges, criteria, application, rental fees or terms and conditions on handicapped persons because of their disability.
  
  

Modifications

• The ADA act stipulates that housing providers must allow persons with disabilities to make whatever reasonable modifications will grant them full enjoyment of the apartment and other facilities. For instance, such modifications could be in the form of lowering the entry threshold of the apartment, installing a ramp or adding grab bars in bathrooms. However, the handicapped person must restore the apartment to its previous standing when he moves out.
  
  

Parking Space

• The ADA act makes it mandatory for the administrators of apartment complexes to make reasonable efforts to accommodate persons with disabilities through the provision of extra services. One of the areas where this applies is in the reservation of parking spaces. If a handicapped persons requests that a parking space in front of his apartment unit be reserved for him, the administrators must oblige even if all the other parking spaces are unreserved. The aim of this particular rule Is to make it easier for handicapped people who may not be able to walk long distances to get to their vehicles.