ADA Programs & Policies

Programs

Various City departments provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

City Clerk's Office

• Temporary (3 month) accessible parking permits are available for individuals with short-term disabilities. The request form can be found here. 
• Remote links for the City's Council meetings are available by contacting the City Clerk's Office.
• Notary assistance is available.

For more information please call 847-448-8189, email cityclerk@cityofevanston.org, or visit the City Clerk's Office webpage.

Evanston Public Library

Equipment and resources available:

• Accessible computer stations (located at the Main Library on the 3rd floor and at the Robert Crown Branch Library)
• Magnifier machine for print materials (located at the Main Library on the 2nd floor)
• Adult large print book collection (located at the Main Library on the 2nd floor and at the Robert Crown Branch Library)
• Adult audiobooks on CD (located at the Main Library on the 2nd floor)
• Playaways: portable audiobook devices)
  • for youth (located at the Main Library on the 1st floor and at the Robert Crown Branch Library)
  • for teens (located at the Main Library on the 3rd floor)
• Wonderbooks: picture books with an audio component (located at the Main Library on the 1st floor and at the Robert Crown Branch Library)
• Downloadable audiobooks for all ages, available with an Evanston Public Library card via Libby and Hoopla apps
• Downloadable eBooks (large print available) for all ages, available with an Evanston Public Library card via Libby and Hoopla apps

For more information, please call 847-448-8600 or visit the Evanston Public Library webpage.

Parks & Recreation Department

The Inclusion & Accessibility Division of the Parks & Recreation department includes:

• Accessible Recreation programming designed specifically for individuals with disabilities: Special Olympics, adapted sports, after-school programs, camps, outings, and a variety of other activities to enhance participants' quality of life and assist individuals with maintaining an active leisure lifestyle.

• Inclusion services which provide various levels of support in our Parks & Recreation programming based on an individual's unique abilities and needs. Training and education for program staff, adapted equipment for activities, and Inclusion Assistant assistance at programs are options available to ensure safe and successful recreation participation for all 

For more information, please call 847-424-5496 or visit the Inclusion & Accessibility webpage.

Reserved Accessible Parking

Reserved accessible parking in front of, or near, a resident's property may be available to qualified residents who meet the program guidelines and with a doctor's certification. The City Code is designed to help Evanston residents, who have limited mobility, with their parking needs when there is an absence of off-street parking (driveway, carport, garage, etc). Only one reserved spot may be approved per household for eligible residents. Please contact disabledparking@cityofevanston.org with questions or to request an application. Please note, having a doctor's certification does not automatically approve an applicant; the guidelines of this program must be met in order for the application to be approved.

Access Evanston

Residents may be qualified for a variety of benefits in the community including::

• Subsidized Taxicab Coupons: designed for individuals who do not typically have travel needs outside of the City of Evanston and only use taxicabs when they travel, as well as those who prefer not to use a debit/credit card.
• Transportation Debit Cards: a MasterCard that is loaded with a certain amount of an individual's own money and matched by the City. Can be used on any form of ground transportation.
• Recreation fee assistance: individuals may be eligible to receive up to 75% off of eligible City of Evanston Parks & Recreation programs and activities
• Wheel Tax Discount: individuals may be eligible to receive a 50% discount on one wheel tax per household
• Yard Waste Discount: Discounts may be available on yard waste stickers and yard waste carts

 For more information, please call 847-866-2919 or visit the Access Evanston webpage.

Commission on Aging and Disabilities

The Commission on Aging and Disabilities promotes the welfare and betterment of older adults and people with disabilities in Evanston. The Commission on Aging and Disabilities is necessary to achieve the following objectives:

• Ensure that older adults and people with disabilities will continue to be regarded as productive, responsible, contributing members of society;
• Advocate for the retention of all rights, privileges, and protections for older adults and people with disabilities;
• Assist older adults and people with disabilities in the maintenance of their dignity, self-respect, and independence;
• Educate the community and enlist the support and participation of all community members about those needs;
• Provide the opportunity for older adults and people with disabilities to express their desires and advance their causes; and
• Provide a voice to speak for that portion of older adults and people with disabilities who are unable to advocate on their own behalf, and provide an organizational structure that can accomplish such ends.

For more information, please call 847-866-2919 or visit the Commission on Aging and Disabilities webpage.

Policies

See below for ADA/Disability Services-related policies.

City of Evanston Service Animal/Emotional Support Animal Policy

The City of Evanston. complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in addition to Illinois law to ensure equal access to the City's programs, services, and activities for individuals with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal. Under these guidelines, a service animal is defined as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.

• Service animals are permitted in all City facilities and areas that are open to the public.
• Areas of exception include where there are animals on display who are the natural prey or natural predators of dogs where the presence of a dog would cause displayed animals to behave aggressively or become agitated. Staff on-site at these areas will make the determination of service dog admittance based on their expertise.
• Service animals must be under the control of their handler or a third party who is accompanying the individual with a disability. An individual may be asked to remove a service animal from a facility in any situation that may threaten the safety of others or in situations where a service animal is not housebroken. In these situations, staff will offer the handler the opportunity to obtain services without the animal's presence.
• Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless an individual's disability prevents them from using these devices or they interfere with the animal's safe, effective performance of the tasks (voice, signal, or other controls may be used in these cases.)
• Staff are not required to provide care for or supervision of a service animal.

Emotional Support Animals

While emotional support animals provide a comforting presence in daily life and major life activities for many individuals, they are not required to complete training or perform specific work or tasks. For these reasons, emotional support animals are not considered service animals under the ADA and Illinois law and are subject to the same rules and regulations as pets in public spaces. Emotional support animals and pets are not permitted in City facilities.

For more information, see our inclusion and accessibility policies.