March 18, 2004


Joseph Kent
2024 Emerson
Evanston, IL 60201

Dear Mr. Kent:

Unified Voice of Disabled Americans has been approached by Ms. Brenda DeVance to help her with a disability parking sign in front of her home. She requested this sign for her Aunt, Ms. LuEthel Gates, who is living with her.

Ms. LuEthel Gates is 91 yrs old, has a heart pace maker and uses a walker. Her niece got a handicap parking sticker for her #E79263.

We know, Ms. Connie R. Paggao, Parking System Supervisor, checked distances and refused the sign. We have seen the letter. Ms. Paggao did not talk to Ms. Gates or Ms. DeVance to find out the reason for the request. Ms. DeVance was told by the City of Evanston to ask you. Why is that Mr. Kent? It seems a little funny to come to you. Doesn't Evanston know their laws? Is this the way your laws are enforced if someone doesn't want to comply with a law? They come to their Alderman to make a deal.

The Unified Voice of Disabled Americans wrote Mayor Lorraine Morton that the Northwestern Professional Building's Graham Parking Garage did not meet the ADA Law/Accessibility. Mayor Morton never answered us but we were told we couldn't be helped because it was private property and Evanston doesn't have any right to go on anyone's property to enforce laws.

The American Disabilities Act is a FEDERAL LAW. The Graham Parking Garage is a medical garage, which should be equipped with automatic doors and sixteen-foot wide handicap parking spaces. The Graham Parking Garage did not have automatic doors, not enough handicap parking spaces and what they did have were not placed correctly.

The Unified Voice of Disabled Americans did get automatic doors installed on every level of the Graham Parking Garage. We were told they were going to fix the handicap parking spaces. Every time we were told they were fixed with the new number of handicap spaces completed they didn't do it. They now have a law suite placed against them. This would not have happened if the City of Evanston had enforced the American Disabilities Act when informed Northwestern Evanston Professional Bldg was breaking the law. The City of Evanston is to enforce the Federal American Disabilities Act.

We have worked with other suburbs when we were told the ADA Accessibility Law was not correct. We informed the suburb. It was inspected and then gave them so much time to correct the problem or daily fines imposed. The American Disabilities Act covers inside or outside of property. The Unified Voice of Disabled Americans hopes the City of Evanston reconsiders Ms. DeVance's request for a NO PARKING HANDICAP sign for her aunt in front of her house. She will keep us informed.

UNITED VOICEOF DISABLED AMERICANS



Rosemarie A. Botthof

cc: Mayor Lorraine Morton
     Connie R.Paggao
     Brenda DeVance