Does Your Property Management Website Need to Be ADA Compliant?

Does your property management website need to be ADA compliant? We won’t beat around the bush: yes, ADA compliance is incredibly important. But why?

Countless entrepreneurs have fears around this complex issue and what it means to have an ADA compliant property management website. You know you don’t want to put your business at risk, but you don’t know how best to protect yourself.

In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of ADA compliance for property managers, how to make sure your property management website is playing by the rules, and the risks you need to protect yourself against.

What is ADA Compliance?

ADA compliance refers to adhering to the standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);  this civil rights law was enacted in 1990 and it prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. This includes employment, education, transportation, and accessibility to public and private spaces, both physical and digital.

In the context of websites and online services, ADA compliance means ensuring that digital content is accessible to individuals with disabilities, such as visual, auditory, physical, or cognitive impairments. Common practices include providing alt text for images, enabling keyboard navigation, using appropriate color contrasts, and offering transcripts for audio content and captions for videos.

What are the ADA Compliance Requirements for Property Management Websites?

Ready to feel extra confused?

There are no official, government-mandated guidelines specifically for ADA compliant websites.

Yep, you read that correctly. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) itself doesn’t provide exact technical standards for website accessibility, which as you can imagine, leads to a ton of confusion among businesses. Most property management web design companies use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as the de facto standard for making websites ADA-compliant.

WCAG outlines best practices for ensuring accessibility, however, following them doesn’t guarantee legal protection because they are not officially required by ADA. It’s a classic chicken-and-egg conundrum. You can’t have an ADA compliant website without following the right guidelines, but there are no legally defined guidelines for ADA compliance. Talk about a head scratcher!

Fortunately, the government does provide a general overview of ADA compliance tweaks you can implement, though the list is not exhaustive, per their own definition.

Understanding the Risks of Not Being ADA Compliant

If your website isn’t ADA compliant, you run into two problems: firstly, you might find yourself on the receiving end of a lawsuit.

ADA compliant lawsuits against property managers have become increasingly common in recent years. Sometimes these lawsuits are initiated by individuals with disabilities who are genuinely unable to use the property management website. Lawyers looking for a quick payday have also used ADA compliance lawsuits as a way to intimidate property managers and catch them in a sticky situation.

In addition to potential legal action, property managers who don’t have accessible websites are losing out on potential leads. 42.5 million Americans live with disabilities, representing a significant portion of the general population. If your website isn’t able to clearly cater to the needs of that audience, you could be losing thousands in potential business every year.

How to Make Your Property Website ADA Compliant

Choosing the right property management website designer to ensure ADA compliance is crucial.

First, look for a designer with experience in ADA-compliant websites. Ask if they are familiar with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and ensure they have a portfolio of past work that demonstrates ADA compliance.

Next, ask about their process for testing and auditing website accessibility. A reliable designer should have a plan in place to run audits using tools like screen readers, and they should be familiar with automated testing software to identify issues before the site goes live. They should also understand how to keep your website compliant as new content is added over time.

Finally, inquire about ongoing support. ADA compliance isn’t a one-time project; it requires continuous monitoring and updates. Make sure the designer offers maintenance services to keep your property management site accessible and compliant as standards evolve.

Need an ADA-Compliant Property Management Website?

We know that ADA compliance can seem complex, but we’re here to make it easy.

At DoorGrow, we are the industry’s leading property management websites developer. We not only create visually appealing websites that are optimized to help you generate property management leads and close more deals, but we also ensure every site we build is fully ADA compliant.

We’ve built websites for hundreds of property managers across North America, and we know what we’re talking about. Take the guesswork and stress out of ensuring your site is playing by the right rules; speak with a member of team about how to get started today.

Ready to make your website more inclusive and avoid potential legal risks? Schedule a free consultation and let us help you reach a wider audience with a fully accessible website!