Tacoma Area Commission on Disabilities (COD)

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for all persons with disabilities by making Tacoma accessible for everyone. We are a working commission organized into work groups that support each area of the City of Tacoma's ADA Transition Plan. In order to accomplish this goal, we need your help.  Please consider applying to become a member of our commission.   Commissioners needed - Application form

Nominate an individual, business or organization to be considered for the Tacoma Area Disability Advocacy Award.  |
Nominate an individual, business or organization to be considered.  The three (3) prestigious Awards are to acknowledge and honor those who have had  a sustained positive impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities living in our community:  The 2012 Community Volunteer, Professional, and  For-Profit  OR  Not-for-Profit  Business  Disability Advocate of the Year Awards will publicly recognize two individuals and one business for effectively initiating, establishing, supporting, and/or implementing  services or programs for people with disabilities in the City of Tacoma.  Disability Advocacy Award page

Commission on Disabilities Goals and Objectives for 2012     http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/hrhs/COD/COD2012GoalsandAccomplishments.doc
“Building Bridges to an Accessible World, Starting with Tacoma”

How do we make Tacoma accessible to all? 

• Implement the ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan for every aspect of the City
• Raise awareness and advise the City Council on disability issues
• Educate the community

Goals:

1. Improve and enrich the quality of life for people with disabilities living in the City of Tacoma

• Assist with evaluating all Pierce Transit Bus Stops for ADA compliance, and then prioritizing and scheduling for retrofits
• Ensure all City Departments have policies and procedures to guide their Essential Support Functions
  as outlined in the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)
• Make all City websites accessible to enable equal participation in government
• Select and recognize three recipients of the Disability Advocate of the Year Award

2. Educate the public on accessibility issues and available resources

• Complete three educational presentations about the Commission on Disabilities to groups in the community
• Make at least two Cityline appearances (TV Tacoma) to talk about the activities of the Commission on Disabilities

3. Retrofit all City-owned facilities to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act

• Complete internal retrofits on the remaining six City-owned facilities
• Complete external retrofits on the remaining 14 City-owned facilities

4. Improve universal access to all Tacoma businesses

• Provide information to businesses regarding tax credits for removing barriers for people with disabilities

5. Ensure all parks owned by the City of Tacoma are accessible

• Conduct assessments on 35 of the 80 City owned parks and open spaces

6. Educate City staff on disability related issues

• Provide at least one City staff training and/or news article on one or more of these topics:
       i. How to use TTY
       ii.  How to offer assistance to customers with disabilities
       iii. How to request reasonable accommodations and alternative formats
       iv. Appropriate interview questions
       v. Disability etiquette
  
• Regular contact with City Council
       o Share goals and objectives of Commission on Disabilities
       o Invite City Council members to attend at least one Commission meeting

7. Ensure all City policies, procedures and contracts support ADA compliance

• Review and revise boilerplate language for all City contracts to ensure ADA compliance.

8. Increase accessible transportation options

• Help bring at least one accessible taxi to Tacoma
• Educate Pierce Transit about the importance of accessible bus stops.
  Send a letter to the PT Board that includes personal stories about how access issues impact people with disabilities

9. Reduce misuse of ADA parking

• Organize and sponsor an event to raise public awareness regarding the proper use of accessible parking

10. Ensure businesses have adequate accessible parking

• Create a permit process for striping parking lots.
• Send letters to each of the striping companies doing business in the City of Tacoma to educate them on the permit process and accessible parking.

11. Provide oversight and feedback on ADA parking citations and fines

• Meet with Parking Enforcement staff every six months to review time allocations, routes, and citations issued. 

12. Ensure pedestrian access during construction

• Provide at least one training to City staff about pedestrian access through construction zones
• Create an alternate pedestrian quick reference guide to show contractors and inspectors how to ensure access through construction zones

13. Improve accessibility of pedestrian routes throughout the City

• Create new standard plans for tree grates in sidewalks. Ensure tree grates are not part of the pedestrian access route.

14  Ensure that City of Tacoma  Emergency Management is prepared to assist people with disabilities during disasters  

• Ensure that the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan is adopted by the City Council in 2012

Meetings are open to the public and held the first Thursday of every month, 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Tacoma Area Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities (TACID), 6315 S 19th St., Tacoma, WA, 98466.

To request to have an item added to the agenda please contact Gail Himes at ghimes@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5785.

 This following link will take you to a free self-paced web course that explores the legal requirements and the spirit of the ADA and is a project of ADA & IT Assistance Centers.http://www.adabasics.org

Any voter with a disability, can request a reasonable accommodation or assistance to vote. The Office of the Secretary of State is committed to ensuring accessibility at voting centers, and that everyone has the opportunity to vote privately and independently.  
 http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/voters/Pages/voters_with_disabilities.aspx or watch this video Are You Ready to Vote?

Neighborhood & Community Services Department
747 Market Street, Room 836, Tacoma, WA 98402
253-591-5151 (voice) | hrhs@cityoftacoma.org | 253-591-5050 (fax) | 253-591-5153 (TTY)
People with hearing or speech impairments may contact us through Washington Relay Services 1-800-833-6388 (TTY or ASCII); 1-800-833-6386 (VCO); or 1-877-833-6341 (STS)