In the past few months, Little Italy businesses have been threatened with potential lawsuits alleging negligent attention to ADA standards. The law firm, Pinnock and Wakefield, is the common law firm in these cases. They or their clients have visited several businesses in Little Italy and sent a demand letter to the individual business owners for non-compliance of ADA accessibility requirements and threaten legal action unless payment is made to this firm. The Little Italy Association is very concerned about the costs to local businesses and the lack of a warning and opportunity to fix the problem areas.

In order to prepare and educate the businesses of Little Italy, we have compiled a list of ADA legal advisors, construction advisors and specialists. Please find their contact information below.

ADA Legal Advisors:

Rocky Copley
Law Offices of Rocky Copley
Phone: 619-232-3131

Jan Buddingh
Law Offices of Gordon & Rees
Phone: 619-696-6700

Richard Valdez
Sandler, Lasry, Laube, Byer & Valdez, LLP
Phone: 619-615-6768

Dave Waters
Andersen Mann & Hilbert, LLP
Phone: 619-233-8292
Email: dwaters@amhllp.com

ADA Construction Advisors:

Robert Novick
Am Able, Inc.
Phone: 619-262-2532
Website: www.amable2.com

ADA Specialists/Analysts:

Chip Kall
Compliant Consultants Associates
Phone: 619-466-9372

Robert Novick
Am Able, Inc.
Phone: 619-262-2532
Website: www.amable2.com

In late October 2005, the Little Italy Association arranged a community forum for the local businesses of Little Italy. At this forum several of the above representatives took time out of their schedules to educate those either dealing with demand notifications or those who wanted to be proactive. Several topics were covered, one of which was SB 855 (Senate Bill 855); this particular topic became a hot subject. Jan Buddingh, of Law Offices of Gordon & Rees, educated the attendees on this bill. He also presented the Association with copies of letters that he had sent to several Senators. These letters go into detail about the bill and why they should be revived.

To read the letters that Mr. Buddingh sent, please click the links below.

Letter #1

Letter #2

The Little Italy Association is also asking you to write your local Assemblymember and Senator to encourage them to revive SB 855.

Assemblymember Lori Saldana - District 76
Saldana@assembly.ca.gov

Senator Christine Kehoe - District 39
Kehoe@sen.ca.gov