Categories
Little People of America

President Angela: Last Leg of Relay

Gavel

November 13 marks 16 years since I was elected as President of Little People of America (LPA). A surprising scenario given that LPA elections typically happen in July, three Presidents had served in the position in the prior 16 months, and I was elected by the Board of Directors not the general membership. I was chosen to run the last leg of the presidential relay team to complete the two year term in July 2006.

I never aspired to be President and had declined to run for the position in July 2004. Indeed as I said in Always an Advocate, “I didn’t see politics in my near future. I much preferred to return to my original plan of writing our marriage memoir.”

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

However, due to a series of disturbing events, I was persuaded to serve as Vice President of Membership on LPA’s national board. Past president Gerald Rasa expressed his confidence that I could “galvanize the group, heal breaches . . ., and keep the membership on balance.”

To say it was a turbulent time in LPA history is putting it politely and evidenced by the need for four faces to get the gavel across the finish line. After being elected as President, I received congratulatory emails in which people expressed comfort and confidence in my ability to lead LPA. What they didn’t know was that my strength and courage came from God. In pursuit of Solomon’s wisdom, I added his words as part of my email signature paragraph. For example, in February 2006, my 220 outgoing emails closed with this quote:

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
∞ Proverbs 16:24, NASB

As president, I determined to finish the work the original Executive Committee began in 2004. In addition to chairing LPA Board meetings, my time as president was primarily spent as it should be:

  • encouraging LPA leaders and members
  • supervising staff
  • coordinating with the development director
  • coordinating with the Medical Advisory Board on research studies
  • ensuring completion of the annual report
  • writing proposed bylaws

Among the things I did to help plan the 2006 national conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I sent written invitations to international delegates in support of their visa applications, hosted an appreciation reception for national leaders, and presented the 2006 awards for Media and the Kitchens Meritorious Service at the closing banquet.

In a private ceremony, I presented an unofficial gavel to the other members of the 2004-2006 Presidential Relay Team engraved with all four names. We had held to our expressed campaign values of respect, integrity, accountability, and inclusiveness.

About 2,000 volunteer hours after deciding to run for national office in April 2004, I was delighted and relieved to pass the official LPA gavel to the newly elected President for the 2006-2008 term.

This post is excerpted from Part I, Volunteer Leadership Challenges, in “Always an Advocate.” Find out why so many reviewers recommend the book at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/.

Categories
Open

STRESS MANAGEMENT: Moving the Business Out of Our Home

Let’s not stress about being five days late for National Stress Awareness Day on November 3rd. Today is as good a day as any to identify and reduce the stress factors in our lives. After all, stress management is critical for maintaining physical and mental health and protecting relationships.

Ten years into our marriage, Robert’s business—Adaptive Living—had become a huge stressor on our relationship. For six years he operated out of a home office where he worked day and night. Finally in November 1991, he saw the light of day when he moved out of his basement office into a commercial office building in the Erie Canal district of Rochester, New York.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

Robert saw a future in buying the property because it was close to downtown Rochester and Kodak’s world headquarters. The purchase was only possible because God graciously answered our prayers by providing as follows:

  • The Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program was funded the year of Robert’s application to buy a commercial building.
  • Robert was the first Rochester business owner in two years to qualify for the SBA loan for people with disabilities.
  • The SBA commercial loan interest rate was 3% compared to bank rates of 16% and the SBA mortgage term was 20 years compared to bank terms of 10-15 years.
  • Robert was approved at an affordable price for the life insurance policy required by the SBA; this had been a concern due to Robert’s dwarfism and lack of data on life expectancy for those with his type of dwarfism, Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia.
  • Renovation funds were part of the SBA loan and matched by a City of Rochester community-development grant allowing for much needed building improvements.
  • The city cleaned up neighborhood debris, demolished a derelict building, and added a fence behind the property.

All was well until I learned that the SBA loan required me to sign as guarantor and use our home as collateral. I was distraught. If the business failed, my salary could not cover two mortgages and we could lose both the business and our house. For me it was a deal breaker. For Robert, not to do so was a marriage breaker. Amidst my tears and protest, Robert promised me that if the business could not pay, he would get another job to pay the loan. And so, I signed the loan papers with extreme reluctance.

The intent of moving the business was not only for Adaptive Living to grow and be physically more accessible to clients, but also for Robert to be more accessible to me.

So did the business move reduce our stress as planned? Find out by reading the rest of the story in “Pass Me Your Shoes,” chapter 12, Seeing the Light of Day, pages 83-84.

BARGAIN HUNTER’S ALERT: the “Pass Me Your Shoes paperback is discounted below the cost of printing and a Kindle edition is now available.

Categories
Open

NATIONAL AUTHOR’S DAY

Always An Advocate

November 1st is National Author’s Day and a great finish to the October 2021 book launch of “Always an Advocate” during Dwarfism Awareness Month. Thank you to those who liked, commented, or shared my Facebook posts. But with over 650 million books going into circulation last year, the only way to make a splash in the publishing pond is for readers to take the next step and go to Amazon to buy the book. A purchase is the best way to encourage an author.

According to markinblog, non-fiction is hugely popular right now and memoirs, biographies, romance, and suspenseful thrillers are the most popular genres in both print and digital editions. That’s good news for the many LP authors who are in the hunt for readers of their nonfiction memoirs.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

My first draft of this post included a listing and brief description of LP books dating back to 1988. However, there are just too many to list! Altogether I counted 18 authors with dwarfism who have written a memoir. I was surprised to discover I only knew about half of them. So stay tuned for a resource update on my website, angelamuirvanetten.

Although the memoirs all share the challenges we face as little people, the stories are as diverse as the people telling them. The authors are male or female; single, married, divorced, or widowed; different dwarfism types; with and without children; black or white; gay or straight, spiritual or not. They are employed or self-employed as coaches, dancers, doctors, entertainers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, leaders, musicians, professional wrestlers, public speakers, or teachers.

Many people tell me they want to write a book. And that’s great for the readers who are always looking for another great read. But before you venture into this world, be sure you’re ready for the ride. It’s not just a matter of sitting down at the computer for a few weeks and uploading a manuscript. Nope, before the writing comes the planning and after the writing there is editing, more editing, and proof reading. Then comes the decisions whether to seek an agent, publish traditionally or independently, or both.

It used to be that if you landed a publisher your work was done and your future as an author was bright. Not so anymore. Let me introduce you to a new “m” word. Marketing. Although not an offensive word, for those who love to write, marketing can cause great consternation. Both Indie and traditionally published authors must market their books. For example, an active social media presence on multiple platforms is essential. This is time consuming, self-promotion can be uncomfortable, and the shifting sands of social media make marketing outcomes unpredictable.

None of this is said to discourage you. If you want to write a book, “go for it.” But know what you’re in for. Start building your social media platforms now. Sign up for webinars to learn about the trade. And write, write, write. Authors are needed to educate, encourage, and entertain.

For more information on my dwarfism trilogy, blog, media, resources, and photos, go to my website at https://angelamuirvanetten.com.

Categories
Little People of America

LPA Milestones

Billy Barty photo

October 25, Billy Barty’s birthday, is a great day to commemorate LPA milestones. In April 1957, Billy used his celebrity as an entertainer to draw 21 people representing nine states to the first national convention in Reno, Nevada. However, “Midgets of America” was rejected as the organization’s name and replaced by “Little People of America.” A dictionary committee was formed to contact all dictionary manufacturers for the purpose of correcting the inaccurate definition of the word “midget.” And therein is the first LPA milestone.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

From the outset, LPA welcomed internationals, but only as honorary members. Yet Billy Barty was a willing consultant to LP organizations forming in 1968 and 1969 in Australia and New Zealand, for example. However, it took 25 years before LPA hosted in Washington, DC the first international conference for little people. The April 1982 conference goal to improve the quality of life for little people globally was advanced when 80 delegates representing eight countries attended.

In July 1982, as the alien resident spouse of LPA President Robert Van Etten, I did not meet the criteria for a foreign-affiliate membership. As a result, a bylaw amendment to allow permanent resident aliens to become LPA members was proposed and approved.

The achievement of two more LPA milestones.

The essence of LPA was evident from inception. For example, at the 1957 convention a Telephone Booth Committee was formed to lobby Bell Telephone Company for booths reachable by people of 48 inches. In 1960, LPA planned to publicize equal employment opportunity for little people and committees were formed to provide education scholarships and adoption support.

Although LPA was originally incorporated as a nonprofit organization exempt from paying taxes, donors could not take a tax deduction for contributions. As the eighth person to serve as LPA President, Robert Van Etten believed LPA’s future growth depended on becoming a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. He was sure LPA’s educational, medical, and charitable activities qualified the organization for this status. And he was right. In 1984, together with the LPA Tax Exemption Committee he had appointed, Robert led LPA to another milestone event. LPA members at the St. Louis conference voted yes to amend the LPA charter and bylaws to align with IRS tax-exempt legal standards. And on October 28, 1986, the IRS granted interim approval for LPA’s section 501(c)(3) tax-exemption followed by final approval on December 31, 1989.

The first annual LPA conference held outside the United States was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in July 1985. This milestone week was memorable—the airlines lost our bags for two days, we got dripping wet from hot temperatures during the day and daily downpours at dinner time, and Robert and I took turns getting Montezuma’s revenge. Yet despite some discomfort, the conference was a huge success and the catalyst for the formation of an LP organization in Mexico. The highlight of Robert’s week was parasailing off the beach. The highlight of my week was watching him land on the beach. This post is informed by the 25th anniversary LPA Souvenir Book published by the Billy Barty Foundation in July 1982 and by excerpts from Always an Advocate, Part I, Volunteer Leadership Challenges, chapters 1 and 2. For the rest of the story, buy your e-book or paperback copy at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737333600/

Categories
Accessibility Transportation

No Wheelchairs Allowed

No Wheelchair on Train

Our attempt to board the St. Louis zoo-line railroad almost got us arrested in May 1993. Robert and I planned to ride the train and use Robert’s wheelchair to reduce walking between the zoo’s exhibits. But the sign posted at the railroad station telegraphed trouble ahead:

OUR INSURANCE PROHIBITS
WHEELCHAIRS OR STROLLERS
ON THE TRAIN.

Because this was a clear violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we stayed in line determined to ride with Robert’s wheelchair.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

When we reached the front of the line, Robert wheeled onto the platform but was told he must leave the wheelchair at the station. The attendant had no interest in Robert saying he needed the wheelchair when he got off the train. She was adamant he leave the wheelchair behind. We asked to see the manager when she wouldn’t budge even after I told her this refusal was an ADA violation.

Initially we blocked the path of people waiting to board the train, but agreed to step aside while waiting for the manager. When several trains came and went with no arrival of a manager, the need to take further action was evident.

We moved back to the front of the line and when the next train pulled into the station, moved onto the platform ready to board with the wheelchair. However, our plan was thwarted when several zoo security staff surrounded us, blocked our attempt to board, and ordered us off the platform so that the train could leave the station.

Now we had a choice to make. We could cause the trains to stop running by refusing to leave the platform and be arrested for refusing to move. The alternative was to step aside again based on the assurance that the manager was on his way. We chose to be reasonable and moved off the platform so that the train could leave. Even so, we kept the pressure on by blocking the front of the line so that no one could board incoming trains. But this plan was foiled when staff began loading trains from the other end of the line.

It took another 30 minutes for the zoo manager to show up. We were grateful that he recognized separating Robert from his wheelchair was against the law. Even though he wouldn’t allow the wheelchair on the train, the manager offered an acceptable alternative accommodation. We rode the train and watched the wheelchair ride alone in an electric cart alongside the train.

We declined the manager’s offer of a designated driver to ride us around the zoo in an electric cart. A principle was at stake. We didn’t want special treatment. Our only desire was to ride the train like everyone else.

This post is a condensed excerpt from Chapter 14, Let Me Ride, pages 139-141, in “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities.” Buy your print or e-book copy today at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737333600/.

Categories
Dignity

Say No To Bullies

What part of no
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

LPA classifies dwarf tossing as bully behavior. So National Stop Bullying Day on October 13 is an excellent day to remember that bullies can and should be shut down. Take for example how a dedicated group of 22 little people successfully advocated the New York State legislature in 1990 to shut down dwarf tossing contests or promotions in establishments licensed to sell alcohol. The group persuaded the legislature to protect the health, safety, and welfare of people with dwarfism by banning the atrocity. Violators of the prohibition are subject to the suspension or revocation of their license to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today?

Although the New York Senate bill passed without a hitch, the Assembly bill almost died in both the Commerce and Codes committees. The Commerce Committee questioned the bill’s constitutionality because of its interference with the right of a dwarf tossee to work; and the Codes Committee found the definition of dwarfism too vague.

As the Coordinator of the New York advocacy group against dwarf tossing, carving out time to respond to Committee concerns was difficult. I was working full time and studying for the New York bar exam. But God gave me the strength to do both, along with the prayer support of the women in my Bible study group. And with God’s help I eked out a five-page legal-opinion letter on the constitutionality of the bill and recruited two members of LPA’s Medical Advisory Board—Dr. Cheryl Reid and Dr. Charles I. Scott, Jr.—to help Assembly committee staff draft text that precisely defined the people with dwarfism protected by the proposed law.

After Committee questions were resolved, the bill passed in the Assembly on June 28, 1990 and the Senate on June 30, 1990. The governor’s signature was all that remained. Surely, he would agree that dwarf tossing and dwarf bowling were offensive by any standard of human decency.

July 24, 1990, was a great day—the first of two days of the bar exam. Although I was more than ready to pour out all I had learned onto paper, clearly it wasn’t the exam that made the day great. No, it was wonderful because of a call I received from an AP reporter who told me that Governor Mario Cuomo had signed the New York bill to ban dwarf tossing in licensed establishments! I praised God as I went into day two of the exam. And I’m sure Governor Cuomo appreciated a reporter gracing him with a Humanitarian of the Year Award for hanging tough against some strong criticism for signing the bill into law.

Relief and joy overflowed on September 20 and November 8, 1990, when I opened the mail reporting that I had passed both the New York state bar and ethics exams. God kept all His promises to me:

Not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one word of them has failed.  
-- Joshua 23:14, New American Standard Bible

This post is a condensed portion of chapter 11, Biting the Legislative Dust, in “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities” now available on Amazon in the US and UK.

Categories
Accessibility Disability Rights

Making the Impossible Happen

Always An Advocate

Characterized as the biggest state and local building code change in 20 years, October 8, 1997 is a date few know to commemorate. This is when the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Committee on Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (the Committee) broke the six-inch reach barrier. Lowering the standard from 54 to 48 inches in new or altered buildings and facilities made ATMs, gas pumps, elevators—everything activated with a push, pull or turn—accessible to people with dwarfism and half a million others whose disability involved a reach limitation.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

LPA proposed the change in 1994 after becoming a Committee member in the consumer category as one of ten disability organizations requiring accessibility. Other categories include building owners and operators, producer/distributors of manufactured products, professional organizations, regulatory agencies, and building code officials.

As the delegate representing LPA, I learned the Committee had no appetite for our proposed changes. But after a vigorous debate in February 1996, the Committee agreed to place 48 inches in the second draft revision of the ANSI Access Code—the key word being draft. In the Fall of 1996 and Spring of 1997, the Committee considered public comments and negative ballots filed on the draft. The American Bankers Association and manufacturers of gas pumps and vending machines joined the Building Owners and Manufacturer’s Association in opposition to the 48-inch change. Given the size and economic power of these opponents, a David and Goliath battle was imminent.

It seemed there was no hope for change. Experienced disability advocates were concerned that our early victory of getting 48 inches into the draft was about to slip away. Delegates were under a lot of pressure to change their early votes in support of the change. But I used my arsenal of weapons: preparation, persuasion, and prayer. And I believed God could move the hearts of Committee members to retain 48-inches.

After a five-hour battle, the room was quiet as the votes were carefully counted: 13 in favor of 54 inches, 18 for 48 inches, and seven abstentions. Victory. I attributed the triumph to Divine intervention. How else do you explain the force that withstood three of the most powerful industries in the nation—banking, oil, and retail?

In a surprising move, the Committee met again in October 1997. Once again I had to argue for lowering the reach standard from 54 to 48 inches. I didn’t think I could handle going through another battle. In my anguish, I called Robert to put this on our church prayer chain. God was faithful, and the Committee chairperson limited the debate to a recap of the main issues and only allowed the clock to run for one hour. After the fifth and final debate on LPA’s proposal, the victory was more decisive—22 votes for 48 inches, eight votes for 54 inches and only two abstentions.

Many little people have said they think of me every time they use an ATM, but I think of God’s grace, power, and justice. He deserves the credit for making the impossible happen.

This post is adapted from Chapter 15, Breaking the Six-Inch Reach Barrier, in “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities.” Buy your print or e-book copy today at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737333600/.

Dedication

Marilyn Golden


This post is dedicated to Marilyn Golden, Senior Policy Analyst for the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund. Marilyn was our strongest ally on the Committee and used her legendary advocacy skills to garner support for LPA’s 48-inch proposal. I’ll be forever indebted to Marilyn for taking me under her wing to understand the process, know who to trust, and lead by example. https://dredf.org/2021/09/22/in-memory-of-marilyn-golden/

Categories
Celebrations

DWARFISM TRILOGY COMPLETE: Recurring Pattern of Three Emerges

Trilogy Complete

After 33 years, my dwarfism trilogy is complete. Three books in a little more than three decades about God’s three gifts of grace in my life—faith, hope, and love. As it happens, the word “three” has emerged as a thread in this cradle to retirement memoir series.

ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities (#3), officially publishes on October 1st. Organized into three parts, Part I is on volunteer leadership challenges; Part II is about dwarf tossing; and Part III deals with equal access.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

Part I discusses the three times Robert or I served as LPA President during the years membership grew from about 3,000 in 1980 to 6,000 in 2006. Part II addresses LPA’s action to halt the dwarf tossing atrocity in three states—Illinois, Florida, and New York. Part III involves equal access to the built environment, education, emergency operations, housing, social security disability benefits, transportation, and voting. It took three years to break the six-inch reach barrier in the built environment standing against three of the most powerful industries in the nation—banking, oil, and retail.

The book will be released in three formats: e-book, paperback, and audio.

PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith (#2) published in October 2020. An e-book release is planned for our 40th wedding anniversary in November 2021. Robert and I had three marriage ceremonies in 1981. The wedding and anniversary rings on three fingers of my left hand symbolize our commitment.

Though if one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
~ Ecclesiastes 4:12, New International Version

Robert and I met when I came from New Zealand to America for three months on a Winston Churchill Fellowship. I obtained an American law degree after attending law school for three semesters. Despite passing the three day Ohio bar exam, I experienced discrimination in three job interviews.

After a three-hour hip replacement surgery in 1997, Robert tanked up on three pints of blood. When he forgot to bring his electric razor to the hospital, a hand razor was off limits for three weeks because he was on a blood thinner. We couldn’t decide if the resulting beard gave him the distinguished professor or garden gnome look.

Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses (#1) published in 1988 and will be released as an e-book in December 2021. It took three photo shoots on bitterly cold days to get the right cover photo image.

I’m the eldest of three children and Robert has three younger brothers. Our adult height is the size of a three year old. When I was a bridesmaid for the third time, someone said, “If you’re a bridesmaid three times, you’ll never be married yourself.” Don’t believe everything you hear.

So what do all these threes mean? I’ll give you three guesses. Nothing more than interesting trivia.

More information and updates on my dwarfism trilogy is found at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.

Categories
Awareness

Not Your Typical Father’s Day Story

Alz purple

Celebrating Father’s Day in September is out of kilter with the American calendar. But right on time in New Zealand and Australia where fathers are honored in September not June. And given that my father died of Alzheimers in Australia, this post is timed with Down Under tradition and World Alzheimer’s Day.

Every 65 seconds someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common type of dementia. And four out of five New Zealanders knows, or has known, someone with dementia. In my family, it was my father’s Alzheimers that brought the disease into our homes. 

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

In the early stages, we knew something was wrong with dad even though he still lived independently. Dad also knew things weren’t right. In a notebook filled with random thoughts and reminders he wrote, “I am definitely ready to stop work.  I’m no longer sharp enough to carry on in real estate.” He described himself as muddled and mixed up.

As dad’s condition regressed from mild to moderate, he repeatedly misplaced things, became more temperamental, and got lost in the town where he grew up and once knew like the back of his hand. Alzheimers is correctly dubbed “a family disease” given the impact the diagnosis has on family members. When dad needed more support, my brother and sister shared caregiving duties. But they had to contend with his refusal to eat less and exercise more, confusion, restlessness, and agitation as he tried to remember what he had forgotten. If he remembered what he was looking for, he usually didn’t find it. He even needed reminders to shower and change clothes.

When dad reached the severe stage of Alzheimers, he needed 24/7 care to keep him safe. All three siblings and spouses accompanied him on the day he moved into an aged care residence. Dad was warmly greeted by staff and was all smiles when he was served a delicious three-course meal. We handled it like any other day and left him saying, “We’ll see you later.” He never protested this change of residence.

For the next five years family and friends mourned the gradual loss of dad’s cheerful personality, corny jokes, smile, conversation, alertness, memory, ability to read and enjoy family photos, and physical functions of walking and feeding himself. So when we gathered for his memorial services we were ready to eulogize his 81 years of life. In his home church at Papakura East Presbyterian we celebrated his passing into eternity with Jesus—the one dad greeted every morning with “Good morning Lord” after opening the bedroom curtains.

We remembered the good times along with dad’s many sayings:

  • Civility hurts no one.
  • I’m seldom right, but I’m never wrong.
  • Patience is a virtue seldom possessed by a woman and never by a man.
  • Answering the phone, Santa Claus speaking or Russian Embassy.
  • There are only 364 days until Christmas (his annual quip on December 26th).
  • If someone gives you trouble, kick them in the shins and climb up the bumps (his advice to me as a child).

This post includes highlights from “Pass Me Your Shoes,” the second book in my dwarfism trilogy, chapter 24, Dad’s Alzheimer’s Disease. Buy links are available on my website at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/pass-me-your-shoes/.

Categories
Disability Rights

Fair Housing Disability Anniversary

Mike and Hannah

It took 20 years after passage of the Fair Housing Act to add disability to the list of classes protected from housing discrimination. And September 13 is the day to celebrate the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988.

When employed as an Advocacy Specialist for a Center for Independent Living, I often relied on the Fair Housing Act to confront the discriminatory practices of homeowner associations (HOAs) against residents with disabilities. A common grievance was the HOA’s refusal to make reasonable policy exceptions. Many of these residents lived peacefully in their communities for years until new HOA rules were enacted and enforced.

Want to subscribe to receive blog updates sign up today!

Here are some examples below:

  • Mike took his service dog, Hannah, off-leash for her daily exercise run. Management objected to his violation of the HOA off-leash rule and posted a No Pet sign where Hannah exercised. Mike is an amputee, has epilepsy, and uses a power wheelchair for mobility. Hannah is not a pet and is individually trained to fetch what Mike drops and to run for help should he fall or have a seizure. Hannah is obedient to 30 voice commands and doesn’t need a leash to stay close to Mike. After I exchanged letters with the HOA attorney, the HOA reluctantly made an exception and allowed Hannah to run off-leash.
  • Shirley had parking violation notices placed on her SUV parked close to her building. Her mobility impairment made it impossible for her to walk to the distant newly designated area for SUVs. Despite having a disabled parking permit for her SUV, the HOA was threatening to tow, boot it, or impose a daily fine. My letter on Shirley’s behalf persuaded management that federal law trumps HOA parking rules.
  • Margaret’s HOA directed her to move the pavers off her lawn to maintain the uniform appearance in front of the parking spaces. Margaret needed the pavers to provide a solid walking surface as a shortcut to her vehicle; she couldn’t walk the long way around on the sidewalk. The HOA manager’s bravado disintegrated when I met him in person and he approved Margaret’s paver accommodation.
  • Joyce parked her battery-powered scooter on the walkway outside her unit when charging it with a cord through her window. Her neighbor complained about the obstruction to the path of travel. I proposed two alternatives: (1) install an electrical outlet under the stairwell so the scooter could be charged without blocking the walkway; or (2) widen the sidewalk in front of Joyce’s unit to allow a three-foot clear path of travel.  

None of the above accommodations cost the HOA any money, unlike Marilyn’s case. Marilyn was able to use the security key to unlock the front door of her apartment building, but she ambulated so slowly with her walker that the lock clicked closed before she reached the door. Besides, even if Marilyn reached the door before it locked, the door was too heavy for her to pull open. The HOA was persuaded to purchase and install an electronic door opener.

For more information, go to “A Guide to Disability Rights Laws: Fair Housing Act.” U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. February 2020. https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm#anchor63409

This post is a condensed excerpt from chapter 17—Advocate for Independent Living, pages 169-171—in “Always an Advocate” releasing in October 2021. See book updates at my website, https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/.