Valley Hotels Sign Agreement on ADA Compliance

Ten hotels in the Valley region have signed agreements with the U.S. Attorney’s office to resolve investigations of non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA.The agreements come at the conclusion of a one-year finalization period that began last April stemming from federal investigations into the hotels that revealed non-compliance.The regional deal included 27 hotels across Southern California. In the Valley, the Rodeway Inn in Encino and a Super 8 location in North Hollywood entered into settlement agreements, while the Rodeway Inn in Glendale, Vantage Point Inn in Woodland Hills, Super 8 Santa Clarita and Red Lion Hotels Corp. signed letters of resolution and agreed to come into compliance with the ADA.The various hotels agreed to increased accessibility accommodations to remedy compliance violations, including adding additional accessible rooms and communication features for persons with disabilities. Some hotels also agreed to stop the illegal practice of charging more for accessible rooms — a so-called “disability tax” of up to $25 when compared to non-accessible rooms.“It is unfair and illegal for private entities that own or operate public accommodations such as hotels to discriminate against people with disabilities,” Acting United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said in a statement. “I commend the hotels in this district that have demonstrated their commitment to ensuring full access for persons with disabilities by cooperating in our investigations and by agreeing to comply with the ADA.”