Kessler McGuinness & Associates Consulting Services

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	KMA Provides...	A broad range of accessibility planning: ADA Readily Achievable Access Plans ADA Self Evaluations and Transition Plans FHA & ADA Plan Review Universal Design Standards Access Master Plans In-house Access Protocols Accessible Design Training Emergency Egress Planning for People with Disabilities Research Accessible Program Design Accessible Design Guidelines MAAB Variance Assistance Expert Witness

	Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance Plans	ADA compliance plans allow public and private organizations to assess their current accessibility and develop individualized plans to remove barriers from their services and facilities. KMA conducts access audits of facilities and programs working closely with management so that assessments are formatted to meet organizational needs. KMA recommends priorities for barrier removal based on business intent, available resources, and legal compliance requirements.

	Fair Housing Act (FHA) Compliance Plans	FHA compliance plans allow developers to ensure full compliance with federal accessible design and construction requirements of apartments, condominiums, senior housing, and dormitories. KMA conducts plans reviews, construction site inspections, and post-occupancy evaluations of residential developments and advises developers and architects of errors which may require mitigation.

	504 Compliance Plans	Public entities, as well as private entities receiving federal funds, need to update 504 plans while developing ADA compliance plans. KMA can assist organizations in developing these in a cost-effective and constructive process that includes management, clients, and people with disabilities.

	Workshops and Seminars	KMA offers workshops and seminars on Massachusetts and federal accessible design and construction requirements. Current seminars include: The New ADA Accessibility Guidelines Federal Fair Housing Accessible Design and Construction Requirements The 2006 Amendments to the Rules and Regulations of the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board Comparison of Massachusetts and Federal Accessible Design and Construction Requirements

	Professional Practice Protocols for Accessible Design	Professional Practice Protocols For Accessible Design KMA offers a variety of products and protocols for architects and developers to avoid common errors in accessible design and construction. These include: Trigger Charts Common Errors in Accessible Design and Construction Accessible Design Review Protocols

	Access Audits	KMA conducts two types of access audits for property owners. One is an “access issues report” that identifies key barriers in a building and any regulatory requirements for their removal. The second is a “comprehensive access audit” that identifies all the architectural barriers in a building or facility and provides budget estimates for their removal. The latter uses KMA’s proprietary access audit checklist and data base system, and allows asset managers to plan barrier removal through ongoing maintenance, alteration, and capital projects.

	Accessible Design Review	KMA reviews plans on behalf of architects and developers to identify access code compliance issues that need to be resolved before construction. We conduct plan reviews at all phases of design, from conceptual through construction documents.

	Accessible Design Standards	Large property owners often establish their own design standards that meet and exceed minimum state and federal requirements. KMA assistance helps developers avoid the common access errors that occur in their projects, and sets universal design standards that may be unique to their properties.

	Design For Diversity	KMA assists developers who want to explore design issues and standards that make their facilities easy to use by people with a broad range of age, ability, and size. Some of these clients serve people with specific and known disabilities, or have specific design requirements for their facilities. Other clients recognize the power that the built environment can play in attracting customers and appreciate how varied the general public’s abilities are.

	Variance Support	KMA assists clients who need a variance from the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board to get a building or occupancy permit. KMA’s long experience with the Board allows it to help decide on the likelihood of a variance’s success, and the most effective presentation of relevant issues.

	Expert Witness	KMA provides expert witness services and consultation services for ADA, Fair Housing, and 504-related litigation. KMA conducts access audits of facilities, providing photo documentation and regulatory and citations. KMA’s credibility in the field of accessible design allowed the City of San Francisco (defendant) and the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy, and Referral Agency (plaintiff) to agree to hire KMA to provide expert consultation that could help develop a settlement agreement.

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