Our Commitment to Accessibility
The Austin Housing Authority (AHA), formally known as the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), is committed to ensuring that its website and digital services are accessible to all individuals, including people with disabilities. AHA recognizes that digital accessibility is essential to providing equal access to its housing programs, services, and information.
We strive to provide a website experience that is inclusive and usable for everyone, regardless of ability, and we are committed to continuous improvement in the accessibility of our digital presence.
Legal Basis
AHA’s commitment to digital accessibility is grounded in the following federal laws and regulations:
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C. §§ 12131–12134; 28 C.F.R. Part 35): As a public entity, AHA may not discriminate on the basis of disability and must make its services, programs, and activities, including those offered online, accessible to individuals with disabilities. See 28 C.F.R. § 35.130. Title II regulations require that communications with people with disabilities be as effective as communications with others, including through the provision of auxiliary aids and services. See 28 C.F.R. § 35.160. Because AHA employs 50 or more persons, Title II further requires AHA to designate a responsible employee to coordinate compliance and to adopt and publish grievance procedures for resolving complaints. See 28 C.F.R. § 35.107.
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794; 24 C.F.R. Part 8): As a recipient of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), AHA must operate its programs in a manner that is readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities and ensure effective communication for people with communication disabilities. See 24 C.F.R. §§ 8.4, 8.6. Because AHA employs 15 or more persons, HUD’s Section 504 regulations further require AHA to designate a responsible employee to coordinate compliance and to adopt grievance procedures for resolving complaints alleging violations of Section 504. See 24 C.F.R. § 8.53.
- The Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 3601–3619): The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the terms, conditions, or privileges of the sale or rental of a dwelling, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection with a dwelling. See 42 U.S.C. § 3604(f)(2). These nondiscrimination obligations extend to online communications, applications, and services related to AHA’s housing programs.
On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule under Title II of the ADA, titled Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities, which added a new subpart to the Title II regulations addressing the accessibility of web content and mobile applications. See 28 C.F.R. §§ 35.200–35.204. AHA is committed to meeting these requirements.
Technical Standard: WCAG 2.1 Level AA
AHA’s website is designed and developed to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, Level AA, as published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and adopted by DOJ as the required technical standard for state and local government web content and mobile applications. See 28 C.F.R. § 35.200.
WCAG 2.1 Level AA includes 50 success criteria organized under four guiding principles, often referred to by the acronym POUR:
Perceivable
Information and user interface components must be presented in ways that all users can perceive. This means providing text alternatives for images, captions for videos, sufficient color contrast, and content that can be presented in different ways (such as being read aloud by a screen reader) without losing meaning.
Operable
User interface components and navigation must be operable by all users. This means all functionality is available from a keyboard, users have enough time to read and interact with content, content does not cause seizures or physical reactions, and users can easily navigate, find content, and determine where they are on the site.
Understandable
Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. This means text is readable and comprehensible, web pages appear and operate in predictable ways, and the site helps users avoid and correct mistakes (for example, by providing clear error messages on forms).
Robust
Content must be robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnifiers, and voice recognition software. This means the website uses clean, standards-compliant code that works well with current and future technologies.
Known Limitations and Exceptions
AHA’s web content conforms to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, except for content that falls within the exceptions recognized by DOJ under 28 C.F.R. § 35.201, and the related definitions at 28 C.F.R. § 35.104. The following types of content may have limited accessibility:
- Archived web content: Content that has been archived and is no longer actively maintained or used to carry out AHA’s current programs or services.
- Preexisting conventional electronic documents: Documents (such as PDFs or word processing files) that were created before the compliance date, unless they are currently used by individuals to apply for, gain access to, or participate in AHA’s services, programs, or activities.
- Third-party posted content: Content posted by third parties that is not under a contractual, licensing, or other arrangement with AHA.
- Password-protected, individualized documents: Documents available in a secured area tied to a specific individual’s account.
- Preexisting social media posts: Social media content posted before the applicable compliance date.
If you encounter content in any of these categories that you need in an accessible format, please contact us using the information below, and we will work to provide it in an alternative format.
Feedback, Accommodation Requests, and Grievance Procedure
AHA welcomes feedback on the accessibility of its website. Consistent with its obligations under 28 C.F.R. § 35.107 and 24 C.F.R. § 8.53, AHA has designated a responsible employee to coordinate its compliance with Title II and Section 504 and to serve as AHA’s ADA/Section 504 Coordinator. If you experience any accessibility barriers, need assistance accessing information or services on our website, or would like to request materials in an alternative format (such as large print, Braille, audio, or electronic text), please contact:
Contact Us
Title: ADA/Section 504 Coordinator
Phone: (512) 767-7787
Email: nidiah@austinha.org
Mailing Address:
Austin Housing Authority
1124 S. IH 35
Austin, TX 78704
What to include in your request or complaint: Please provide a description of the accessibility barrier you encountered or the accommodation you are requesting, including the web page address (URL) if applicable, and your preferred method of contact.
Response time: AHA will acknowledge receipt of your request or complaint within [INSERT NUMBER, e.g., 5]business days and will make reasonable efforts to resolve the matter promptly. If a full resolution requires additional time, we will inform you of the timeline and keep you updated on progress.
AHA prohibits retaliation against any individual who files a complaint or requests an accommodation. You also have the right to file a complaint directly with AHA’s ADA/Section 504 Coordinator, with HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, or with the U.S. Department of Justice, or to pursue any other remedy available under applicable law, if you believe your rights have been violated.
Ongoing Accessibility Efforts
AHA’s commitment to accessibility is ongoing. Our efforts include:
- Maintaining and periodically testing the AHA website to ensure ongoing conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
- Conducting periodic accessibility reviews and testing of our website.
- Training staff responsible for web content on accessibility best practices.
- Monitoring changes in accessibility standards and legal requirements and updating our practices accordingly.
- Addressing accessibility issues and feedback in a timely manner.
This Accessibility Statement was last reviewed and updated on July 29th, 2026.