LOS ANGELES - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that it has signed agreements with 27 hotels across Southern California to resolve investigations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The agreements were finalized over a one-year period that began last April and concluded today with the 27th agreement. After federal investigations into the hotels revealed non-compliance with various provisions of the ADA pertaining to “public accommodations," the various hotels agreed to remedy the violations, with some agreeing to stop the illegal practice of charging more for accessible rooms - a “disability tax" of up to $25 when compared to similar non-accessible rooms.
Various hotels also agreed to relief that includes adding additional accessible rooms and communication features for persons with disabilities, ensuring that booking websites provide sufficient information about accessible features, and the payment of civil penalties.
The hotels that have entered into settlement agreements with the United States Attorney’s Office are:
* The Knights Inn Los Angeles Central/Convention Center;
* The Mayfair Inn in Ontario (formerly called the Knights Inn Ontario);
* The Red Roof Inns in San Dimas-Fairplex and Santa Ana;
* Rodeway Inn & Suites in Beaumont, Canyon Lake (Riverside County), Corona, and Harbor City;
* Rodeway Inns, one near Venice Beach and a second in Encino;
* The Santa Fe Inn (formerly Rodeway Inn Near LA Live); and
* Super 8 hotels located in Cypress, Hollywood, Inglewood, North Hollywood, Redlands, and Torrance.
Ten entities have signed letters of resolution and agreed to come into compliance with the ADA. They are:
* Rodeway Inn & Suites in Hollywood and Lynwood;
* Two Rodeway Inn locations, one near Maingate Knott’s and one known as Regalodge (in Glendale);
* Vantage Point Inn (formerly known as Knights Inn Woodland Hills);
* Super 8 locations near LAX, and in Pasadena, Santa Clarita, and San Luis Obispo; and
* Red Lion Hotels Corporation.
“It is unfair and illegal for private entities that own or operate public accommodations such as hotels to discriminate against people with disabilities," said Acting United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. “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."
These matters were handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Acrivi Coromelas, Katherine Hikida and Matthew Nickell of the Civil Rights Section in the Civil Division.
For more information on the ADA, or to file a complaint, please call the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or visit the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
