Us Department Of Justice Official Release - 01618-06 Crt 557

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2006 WWW.USDOJ.GOV

CRT (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888

Justice Department Announces Settlement Agreement on Accessibility Issues with the Madonna Inn WASHINGTON - A settlement agreement reached with Madonna Inn Inc. under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will make the landmark roadside Inn more accessible to people with disabilities, the Justice Department announced today. “People with disabilities too often face unreasonable barriers to enjoying many things most of us take for granted, such as traveling and staying in a hotel or motel,” said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “Today’s settlement is a positive step towards ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy fully the freedom to travel.” Each of the 108 rooms in this well-known lodging facility located just off the 101 freeway on California’s Central Coast is uniquely decorated with a special theme and color scheme, including the five designated accessible rooms (Golfer, Vintage, Mt. Vernon, Rose, and Desert Sands). The Inn has agreed to remove barriers to access in each of the designated accessible rooms. In the future, should the Inn grow and expand, the settlement requires additional accessible rooms to be added in compliance with the agreement. The Inn will also provide different bed types in three of the rooms (or two rooms that adjoin from the inside for the price of one); equipment to make rooms accessible to individuals with hearing and vision disabilities; and it will provide additional amenities such as a patio or fireplace in at least two of these rooms. In addition, the agreement will provide greater access to other spaces and elements throughout the Inn and restaurant. The agreement also provides that the Inn will modify its guest reservation policies to provide more opportunities for people with disabilities to stay at the Inn. Anyone interested in finding out more about the ADA or the agreement can call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-

0383 (TTY), or access its ADA Web site at http://www.ada.gov. ### 06-557