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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects persons with disabilities in:

  • Employment, housing, and physical access to buildings open to the public
  • State and local government activities include programs and services such as healthcare, education, voting, and recreation, and public meetings. 

Persons with disabilities are persons with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits any major life activities. Major life activities include seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, walking, learning, caring for one’s self, working and performing manual tasks. 

State and local governments are required to give persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services, and activities. This may include making reasonable modifications. However, state and local governments are not required to take any action that would result in undue financial and administrative burden nor is the state and local government required to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services. 


What rights do I have to City services, programs, or activities if I am a person with a disability?

The City of South Bend offers services, programs, activities, and facilities for the benefit of the public such as:

  • Public grounds and buildings
  • Publicly owned entertainment, recreation, and sports centers
  • Online services
  • Public street parking and sidewalks

The City must provide persons with disabilities reasonable accommodation.

The City must also provide its employees reasonable accommodations to help a disabled employee perform their essential job duties.


What types of accommodation from the City of South Bend can I expect or request as a disabled person? How do I request an accommodation?

Employees - City employees and applicants with disabilities should talk with the Human Resources Department. Communicate what you need to perform the essential duties of your job. Then, arrive at an agreement for such reasonable accommodations. You might not get the exact accommodation you want unless it is the most reasonable. 

Meetings - Public meetings will provide access to auxiliary aids. Such aids may include live caption, hearing aids, a reader, or alternative formats. Please provide 48 business hours advance notice if you need assistive devices or alternate formats of communication. Website - www.southbendin.gov (http://southbendin.gov) meets federal requirements for visual and hearing impairment accommodation. 

Parks- The City parks are committed to making the experience inclusive and enjoyable for everyone. Some ADA features include: designated accessible parking, braille signage, wide hallways, wide sidewalks, mobility stalls in bathrooms, ADA accessible playground structures, and more. Please contact VPA for specific accessibility features. 

Recreational and Cultural Facilities- Facilities such as Howard Park and the Charles Black Center Community Center proudly meet and exceed all ADA requirements. 

Building Access- City Hall meets all ADA requirements including designated accessible parking spots and effective communication at the service center. 


Who Is the City of South Bend’s ADA Coordinator and what do they do?

The City’s current ADA Coordinator is its Assistant City Attorney, Kylie Connell. You can contact them at 574-235-9241 or legaldept@southbendin.gov (mailto:legaldept@southbendin.gov). City of South Bend Legal Department, 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Suite 600, South Bend, IN 46601 

The ADA Coordinator is the City’s contact point and information source about the City’s ADA policies and procedures. 

Federal law requires every city with 50 or more employees to have a coordinator for City compliance with the ADA. 

The ADA Coordinator's name and contact information must be available to the public. 


What can I do if I believe the City violated the ADA? 

The City’s ADA grievance process applies only to City services, programs, and activities. 

1. Complete the (https://southbendin.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ADA-Grievance-Procedure-and- Complaint-Form-4.1.20.pdf)City’s complaint form (https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/0/edoc/392262/ADA-Grievance-Procedure-and-Complaint-Form-9.18.23.pdf) up to 60 days from the date of the alleged violation by a City service, program, activity, or benefit by: 

Emailing Kylie Connell at legaldept@southbendin.gov (mailto:legaldept@southbendin.gov) Mailing to: 

ADA Coordinator, Kylie Connell 

City of South Bend Legal Department 

215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Suite 600, South Bend, IN 46601 

2. The ADA Coordinator will acknowledge receipt of your grievance within 21 days of receiving it. 

3. The ADA Coordinator will help find an agreeable solution to your concern within the scope of the law. 

Learn more about our grievance procedure in the complaint form 

(https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/0/edoc/392262/ADA-Grievance-Procedure-and-Complaint-Form- 9.18.23.pdf). 

Learn more about City ADA programs and initiatives on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) hyperlink should be to here I think : https://southbendin.gov/accessibility/ 

(https://southbendin.gov/department/legal/americans-with-disabilities-act-ada/) webpage on our website. 


The City wants me to license my service animal and I don’t think I have to. 

The City requires all dogs over 6 months old living in the City to obtain a pet registration. Sec. 5-50 of the South Bend Ordinances. 

May I bring my service animal to City Hall? 

Yes, a person with a disability may bring a service animal to City Hall. A service animal is a dog that is trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. An emotional support animal is not a service animal. 

The City may ask you: 

  • If the dog is a service animal required because of a disability 
  • What work and task the dog has been trained to perform 

A service animal will be denied entry or will be asked to leave if the animal is not housebroken or is out of control. 

Service animals must be vaccinated according to Indiana Code 345 IAC 1-5-2. 


How do I request help for accommodation on private, non-City owned property or for private services? 

Public accommodations are private entities who own, lease, lease to, or operate facilities such as resturants, retails stores, hotels, movie theaters, private schools, convention center, doctor’s offices, homeless shelter, transportation depots, zoos, funderal homes, day care centers, and recreation facilities including sports stadiums and fitness clubs. Public accommodations must comply with basic nondiscrimination requirements that prohibit exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment. 

To request help related to public accommodations contact the South Bend Human Rights Commission . The South Bend Human Rights Commission investigates charges of discrimination. They also offer conciliation services to help resolve disputes. Learn more about the South Bend Human Rights Commission on the Human Rights Commission webpage on our website (https://southbendin.gov/board/human-rights-commission/). 

South Bend Human Rights Commission, 202 S. Michigan St., Suite 801 Phone: (574) 235-9355 

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except holidays 

What if I have questions about Fair Housing? 

Contact the South Bend Human Rights Commission for help with fair housing. The South Bend Human Rights Commission investigates charges of discrimination including in housing. They also offer conciliation services to help resolve disputes. Learn more about the South Bend Human Rights Commission on the Human Rights Commission webpage on our website (https://southbendin.gov/board/human-rights-commission/). 

South Bend Human Rights Commission, 202 S. Michigan St., Suite 801 Phone: (574) 235-9355 

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except holidays 


311 Process Notes

For City grievances – ADA Coordinator, Michael Schmidt at 574-235-9241 or legaldept@southbendin.gov

For non-City grievances – Human Rights Commission at 574-235-9355 Main Office, 574-235-5567 TDD (se habla español) or humanrights@southbendin.gov

Residents can submit a complaint form by emailing legaldept@southbendin.gov or mailing ADA Coordinator, Michael Schmidt, City of South Bend Legal Department, 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Suite 600, South Bend, IN 46601