Delaware Association of the Deaf (DAD)

LEWES, De. – Access, like being able to live safely at home, with help from those who can provide the care they need. That’s what Robert Kravis is fighting for. His attorney, Olga Beskrone, says he is unable to live alone and is asking his landlord to accommodate his needs.

“When it comes to people with disabilities, sometimes people with disabilities need to be treated differently in order for them to have the access that other people enjoy,” Deskrone says.

Kravis had his grandson and his grandson’s girlfriend living there. Beskrone says the landlord filed for eviction saying Kravis violated the occupancy rules in his lease. That’s why they took their fight to the Delaware Supreme Court saying the lower court didn’t take into account the fair housing act.

“Basically we asked the court to provide an exception to a lease rule/regulation in Mr. Kravis’ case.”

The higher court agreed, ruling in Kravis’ favor. Now the eviction fight heads back to the lower court for consideration.

“In this particular case, we are saying that where a person with a disability needs to have the benefit of an exception to the rules of who can live with them in their apartment.”

Read on at https://www.wmdt.com/2023/05/robert-kravis-fighting-for-accommodations-for-people-with-disabilities.

Court Ruling – https://courts.delaware.gov/Opinions/Download.aspx?id=346420

Another article reference by CLASI – https://www.coastalpoint.com/news/state/clasi-wins-fair-housing-victory-in-delaware-supreme-court/article_88362308-f414-11ed-94bf-bb4eb07b46be.html

DAD Note: The article does not mention anything about his hearing, although elsewhere did mention he has trouble hearing.  The point of this was that it applies to anyone that needs a caregiver to stay at home while dealing with occupancy rules.  Also, Delaware recently passed a law to give renters more resources to fight in court which may be of interest to those that cannot afford legal assistance.

 

 

Based on recent surveys, 19% of the general public understands the tasks that a service dog performs, and an overwhelming number believe that service dogs are just pets that an owner wants to take everywhere with them.

Delaware Law summarized by NOLO – https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/delaware-laws-on-service-dogs-and-emotional-support-animals.html

DAD’s Service Dog links – https://www.delawaredeaf.org/links/#service-dogs

Read on at https://growingupguidepup.org/service-dog-psas-program.

Instead of hitting the reset button on its stale policies, the F.C.C. keeps pushing pause. While Deaf and hard-of-hearing people are guaranteed equal access to communication services by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), today’s telecom landscape is far from equitable. #StandWithTheDeafCommunity and demand action via the petition linked above.

Over the past decade, the F.C.C. has slashed rates for critical video relay services by nearly half, resulting in what the National Association for the Deaf has called a “deterioration of service quality.” The F.C.C.’s outdated rulebook stifles innovation and strips people with disabilities of their civil right to the same streamlined communication that millions of people take for granted.

The agency should stop ignoring pleas from the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community to ensure equity under the law.

•    The New Yorker social post HERE. 
•    Teen Vogue Instagram post HERE.
•    Teen Vogue TikTok post HERE. 

DAD Note: The post above is originally posted by The New Yorker in relation to the article and petition highlighting some VRS issues.  Do note that the VRS issues highlighted here are not unique as it also impacts all forms of relay call types.  For example, relay calls usually do not answer banks sending a security code fast enough or a doctor texts changes to your internet or land-line based phone number (I.e. VRS, IP Relay, TTY, etc).  Another glaring issue is the e911 that automatically sends your location when calling 911, this is not possible with relay services at this time.  ‘Functional equality ‘ as phrased in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is still behind and better funding is needed to modernize communication.