Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the City of Hanford will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.

Employment

The City of Hanford does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title I of the ADA.

Effective Communication

The City of Hanford will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in the City's programs, services, and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision impairments.

Modifications to Policies & Procedures

The City of Hanford will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in the City's offices, even where pets are generally prohibited.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Hanford, should email the office of Darlene R. Mata, ADA Coordinator during normal business hours or call 559-585-2590, preferably five working days but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.

The ADA does not require the City of Hanford to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.

More information about the ADA can be found on the US Department of Justice website, or by calling their helpline at 800-514-0301 (voice) / 800-514-0383 (TTY). Applicants or employees of the City of Hanford who would like to request a reasonable accommodation or have other disability-related concerns may email Marisa Gonzales, Human Resources, or call 559-585-2521. Concerns or complaints that a program, service, or activity of the City of Fresno not accessible to persons with disabilities should be emailed to Darlene R. Mata, ADA Coordinator, or by calling 559-585-2590.

The City of Hanford will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs.

Grievance Procedure Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

The City of Hanford has designated the Community Development Director as its ADA Coordinator. The ADA Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the City to comply with Title II and for investigating any complaints that the City has violated Title II of the ADA. The Coordinator also is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the City to comply with Title 24 and all other applicable State and Federal physical and program accessibility requirements.

All complaints or grievances submitted to the City of Hanford can be in writing or by telephone. The complaint must contain specific information about the alleged violation or discrimination including: name; address; telephone number of the complainant; the location, date, a complete description of the problem and must indicate if the complaint has been filed with the Department of Justice or other Federal or State agencies.

Anonymous complaints or grievances will not be accepted. Complaints or grievances will be kept confidential to the greatest extent possible, unless ordered released by a court of competent jurisdiction. Alternative means of filing complaints or grievances may be accepted at the discretion of the ADA Coordinator. These may be submitted by telephone, email (confidentiality cannot be assured), letter, personal interview, or tape recording, upon request. However, all complaints or grievances must provide all the information required consistent with the format of the official complaint form.

All complaints must be submitted by the complainant or his/her designee to the City of Hanford's ADA Coordinator. Complaints should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than 60 calendar days, after the date of the alleged violation or discriminatory act.

Darlene R. Mata
Community Development Director/ADA Coordinator
317 N Douty Street
Hanford, CA 93230
Phone: 559-585-2590 
Email Darlene R. Mata

If a complaint is regarding building or facility inaccessibility, the ADA Coordinator will forward the complaint within 7 calendar days to the City of Hanford's Department of Public Works for investigation and will formally acknowledge receipt of the complaint to the complainant.

For all other complaints or grievances, the ADA Coordinator will contact the complainant to discuss the complaint or grievance within 30 calendar days after receipt of the complaint or grievance and give the complainant the opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint. Within 30 calendar days of this contact, the ADA Coordinator will respond in writing and, where appropriate, in an alternative format accessible to the complainant. The response will explain the position of the City of Hanford and offer options for substantive and reasonable resolution of the complaint or grievance.

If the response by the ADA Coordinator does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the decision may be appealed to the City Manager or his/her designee within 30 calendar days following receipt of the response. Within 30 calendar days after receipt of an appeal, the City Manager or his/her designee will contact the complainant to discuss the complaint or grievance and possible resolutions. Within 30 calendar days of this contact, the City Manager will respond in writing and, where appropriate, in a reasonable format accessible to the complainant, with a final resolution of the complaint or grievance.

Darrel Pyle
City Manager
319 N Douty Street
Hanford CA 93230
559-585-2516
Email Darrel Pyle

Every reasonable attempt will be made by the City of Hanford to remedy the disability complaints or grievances in a timely manner subject to staff and budget constraints. Complainant may at any time file a complaint with the Department of Justice or other appropriate State or Federal agency. The City will notify the complainant of this right and will provide the complainant with the appropriate addresses and phone numbers. Use of the City's grievance procedure is not a prerequisite to pursuit of other remedies.

If any Title 24 Building Code or ADA complaint or grievance resides under the jurisdiction of another public entity, the complainant will be notified that the City of Hanford lacks jurisdiction.

The ADA Coordinator shall maintain all records to the complaint filed.