Community Participation

The awareness and involvement of interested persons in governmental processes are critical to successful regional transportation planning and programming. When members of the public are engaged in the process, their feedback helps ensure projects address community needs. Likewise, the public gains a better understanding of the tradeoffs and constraints associated with regional planning. The Public Participation Plan serves as a guide for SCAG’s public involvement process as well as the continuing, comprehensive and coordinated planning process among the stakeholders to ensure the ongoing opportunity for broad-based participation in the development and review of regional plans and programs.

Updated June 18, 2024

Notice Under The Americans With Disabilities Act

In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) shall not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its programs, services, or activities. 

Employment: SCAG does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title I of the ADA. 

Effective Communication: SCAG will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in SCAG’s programs, services, and activities. 

Modifications to Policies and Procedures: SCAG will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in SCAG’s offices, even where pets are generally prohibited. 

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service or activity of SCAG should contact the ADA coordinator at (213) 630-1410 as soon as possible but no later than 72 hours before the scheduled event. The backup ADA Coordinator may be contacted at (213) 236-1995. 

The ADA does not require that SCAG take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs, services, or activities or impose an undue financial or administrative burden. 

Complaints that a program, service, or activity of SCAG is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to the ADA coordinator. 

No fee will be charged by SCAG to a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs. 

Contact

For more information, please contact:

James Ramirez​, ADA Coordinator
Principal HR Analyst
900 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 630-1410, (800) 855-7100 (TTY)

Tonia Reeves Jackson, Backup ADA Coordinator
Facilities Supervisor
900 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 236-1995, (800) 855-7100 (TTY)

SCAG Americans With Disabilities Act Grievance Procedure

SCAG hereby adopts this grievance procedure to provide for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action that is prohibited by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). SCAG has designated the Principal Human Resorces Analyst (Risk Management & Safety Officer) as the ADA coordinator. 

In the event a request for access to SCAG’s programs, services, activities or facilities cannot be resolved, an individual may file a grievance: 

By Phone

Contact SCAG’s ADA coordinator by calling: 

(213) 630-1410 
California Relay Service at 1-800-855-7100 (TTY) 

By Mail  

Mail a copy of the ADA Grievance Form to:

SCAG ADA Coordinator
Human Resources Department
900 Wilshire Blvd.,  
Ste. 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90017

SCAG’s ADA coordinator is available to disabled persons requiring assistance to file a grievance. SCAG’s communications regarding the grievance will be in a format accessible to the grievant. 

How To Report

• A written grievance should be completed using the ADA Grievance Form. If the grievance is not filed using the Grievance Form, it should nonetheless contain the following information: 
• The name, address, and telephone number of the person filing the grievance. 
• The name, address, and telephone number of the person alleging the ADA violation, if other than the person filing the grievance. 
• A description of the alleged violation and the remedy sought. 
• Information regarding whether a complaint has been filed with the United States Department of Justice or other federal or state civil rights agency or court. 
• If a complaint has been filed, the name of the agency or court where the complaint was filed, the date the complaint was filed, and the name, address, and telephone number of a contact person with the agency with which the complaint was filed. 

An oral grievance can be filed by contacting the ADA coordinator. The oral grievance will be reduced to writing by the ADA coordinator utilizing the ADA Grievance Form and will be signed by the grievant. 

SUBMIT GRIEVANCE FORM

Receiving A Response

The grievance will be responded to or acknowledged within 20 working days of receipt. 

Investigation

Within sixty 60 calendar days of receipt, the ADA coordinator will conduct the investigation necessary to determine the validity of the alleged violation. If appropriate, the ADA coordinator will arrange to meet with the grievant to discuss the matter and attempt to reach an informal resolution of the grievance. Any informal resolution of the grievance will be documented in SCAG’s ADA Grievance File.

Determination

If an informal resolution of the grievance is not reached, a written determination as to the validity of the complaint and description of the resolution, if appropriate, shall be issued by the ADA coordinator, and a copy forwarded to the grievant no later than 90 calendar days from the date of SCAG’s receipt of the grievance.

Reconsideration

The grievant may request reconsideration if they are dissatisfied with the written determination. The request for reconsideration shall be in writing and filed with the SCAG, Executive Director, 900 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1700, Los Angeles, CA 90017, within 30 calendar days after the ADA coordinator’s determination has been mailed to the grievant. The Executive Director shall review the request for reconsideration and make a final determination within 90 calendar days from the filing of the request for reconsideration.

Additional Options

If the grievant is dissatisfied with SCAG’s handling of the grievance at any stage of the process or does not wish to file a grievance through SCAG’s ADA Grievance Procedure, the grievant may file a complaint directly with the United States Department of Justice or other appropriate state or federal agency. Use of SCAG’s grievance procedure is not a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies.

The resolution of any specific grievance will require consideration of varying circumstances, such as the specific nature of the disability; the nature of the access to the programs, services, activities, or facilities at issue and the essential eligibility requirements for participation; the health and safety of others; and the degree to which an accommodation would constitute a fundamental alteration to the program, service, activity or facility, or cause undue hardship to SCAG. Accordingly, the resolution by SCAG of any one grievance does not constitute a precedent upon which SCAG is bound or upon which other complaining parties may rely.

File Maintenance

SCAG’s ADA coordinator shall maintain ADA grievance files for a period of three (3) years from the date of notice of the grievance.

SCAG complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to ensure that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity provided by SCAG. Please see the SCAG Title VI Public Notice regarding the public’s rights under Title VI.

Title VI Coordinator 

SCAG has designated a Title VI Coordinator. The Title VI Coordinator’s contact information is as follows: 

James Ramirez, Title VI Coordinator 
900 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1700 
Los Angeles, CA 90017 
(213) 630-1410, (800) 855-7100 (TTY)

Title VI Complaint Procedures

SCAG has developed a process for investigating all Title VI complaints. Members of the public may file a signed, written complaint within 60 calendar days from the date of alleged discrimination. Full procedures for filing a complaint and SCAG’s procedures for investigating complaints can be found in the Title VI Complaint Procedures document (also available in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese).

At a minimum, the complaint should include the following information:

• Name, mailing address, and how to contact the complainant (i.e., telephone number, email address, etc.).
• Basis of complaint (i.e., race, color, or national origin).
• Date of alleged discriminatory act(s).
• How, when, where, and why complainant alleges they were discriminated against. Include the location, names, and contact information of any witnesses.
• Other significant information.

The complaint may be filed in writing to:

James Ramirez, Title VI Coordinator
Southern California Association of Governments
900 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90017

If information is needed in another language, contact (213) 236-1895.
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