In what has been described by disability-rights advocates as nothing
short of a fight over equal access rights, a coalition of organizations
unveiled plans Wednesday to boycott some of the nation’s leading hotels
over their efforts to delay the enforcement of federal guidelines
requiring the installation of permanent wheelchair lifts that allow
disabled guests entry to swimming pools.
At issue has been debate over specific guidelines set forth in 2010 as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding access to pools for people with disabilities. This past January, the U.S. Department of Justice
(DOJ) revised those standards, requiring a number of hotels by March 15 to
install pool lifts that were permanently “fixed” next to a pool at all
times. The deadline, however, was subsequently extended to May 21 — due in
large part to an extensive lobbying campaign by industry trade organizations.
In what has been described by disability-rights advocates as nothing
short of a fight over equal access rights, a coalition of organizations
unveiled plans Wednesday to boycott some of the nation’s leading hotels
over their efforts to delay the enforcement of federal guidelines
requiring the installation of permanent wheelchair lifts that allow
disabled guests entry to swimming pools. 