GreekChat.com Forums - Does YOUR fraternity/sorority house meet ADA requirements?

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The houses at LTU are not ADA compliant. They were all built pre-1960 (as single family homes) and have not had any renovations. SigEp is just working on minor upgrades here and there, but if we're going to drop any large sums of money, it'll be on a brand new house, hopefully about 10 years from now.

I was just thinking of more than wheelchair accessibility being needed to be fully ADA-compliant. However, there is apparently more than one way to claim compliance. I was thinking things like Braille signs; lights instead of/in addition to doorbells; those kind of things.

I would expect University-provided or -owned housing to be compliant, though, whether or not privately owned real estate is.

Just learning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGTess (Post 2313602)

I would expect University-provided or -owned housing to be compliant, though, whether or not privately owned real estate is.

Our previous on-campus university owned mid-1970s house was not ADA compliant in any way. You had to go up steps to the entrance, then either down or up from the entrance landing to access the rooms. It was really bad, and the university reconverted these buildings to dorms when the sororities moved out this past fall, but they're still not ADA compliant. They are slated for demo in the next few years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGTess (Post 2313602)

I would expect University-provided or -owned housing to be compliant, though, whether or not privately owned real estate is.

Just learning.

Most of Clemson's housing is not compliant, including, I believe, the sorority housing. There are elevators to get between the floors but the rooms themselves don't look ADA compliant to me compared to the handicapped-accessible rooms I've seen elsewhere on campus. There are two buildings designated as ADA-compliant that all handicapped students live in-they have elevators, larger rooms and wheelchair-accessible showers, etc.

I do appreciate you guys responding.

Recent Article in Maneater on this topic

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizmama (Post 2313706)

http://www.themaneater.com/special-s...-in-greektown/

Thanks for that!

Our house was ADA-compliant on the first floor, but that was primarily because they were on-campus townhouses. One of my sisters was wheelchair-bound and was able to live with us. Not every dorm on campus was compliant, but as long as there are "equivalent facilities," then that's fine.

There are a lot of minor details that go into making a space ADA-compliant, and the rules can be interpreted many different ways. It's not just a ramp or wheelchair/lift, it's door widths, floor finishes, railing sizes and heights, and signage. Even when it is compliant, it's not always convenient for the users.

Our house during my undergraduate days was not ADA compliant, we were just renting through a private landlord and it was an older house but I don't think it was even a bit accessible, lots of stairs and narrow hallways.

Our current house was built recently and I'm pretty sure it's not compliant either as their are stairs to the entry. There may be an additional accessible entry in the back but I've never seen it and during the building it looked like stairs. This surprises me as it was built in 2010 by a third party landlord.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman (Post 2313503)

Technically, the whole house doesn't have to be accessible for the house to be ADA compliant. We have brand new chapter houses at my campus, and they are all ADA compliant. There isn't an elevator, so the upper floors aren't accessible, but the first floor is fully accessible (all common areas, ADA bedroom, guest bath, main floor bath/shower room, wide hallways, minimal doors, kitchen sink, laundry, safety lights, entrance/egress). If there isn't an elevator, the main floor needs to offer ADA compliant housing, if the house is to be considered compliant.

The sororities at my daughter's campus have elevators, and all are accessible with ADA compliant bathrooms/showers, etc., but I don't think they're as wheelchair friendly as the new houses on our campus.

At MST Kappa Detla, a person in a wheelchair can access all of the common areas on all three floors. Only the one wing is suitable for housing a person in a wheelchair, though, because it's the only one that has wheelchair accessible bathrooms. The bathrooms in the rest of the bedrooms are too small. The toilet off the dining room and the "guest bathroom" next to the president's room are also bigger.