What Happened?

Tens of millions of Americans with disabilities may not know they can file federal building accessibility complaints when a federal office blocks them. A new report released Tuesday, Sept. 22, from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), says the General Services Administration (GSA) has not adequately told the public about that right.

Think of it as a repair request system that stays quiet unless someone speaks up.

The law at issue is the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA), which requires certain GSA office buildings to be accessible to people with physical disabilities. GSA checks new construction, repairs, and leases for compliance with its ABA Accessibility Standard during design. The U.S. Access Board, the independent federal agency that enforces the ABA, relies on complaints rather than inspections to find possible violations, so barriers may go unfixed when people do not report them.

Why Does It Matter To Me?

GSA owns or leases more than 6,000 office buildings used by federal workers and the public. Those buildings include everyday stops where people do official business, such as:

  • Courthouses
  • Social Security offices
  • Veterans service centers

A blocked door or broken elevator can turn a quick errand into a wasted trip for those who require enhanced accessibility features.

From October 2022 to June 2026, the Board received 41 ABA complaints about GSA office buildings. It closed 25 cases and still has 16 in process. GAO visited six GSA office buildings with open and closed complaints and recent projects, including the 2306/2312 Bannister Road Federal Building in Kansas City, Missouri, and the Eaglecrest Building in Memphis, Tennessee.

Both Sides, Now

GAO interviewed nine stakeholders, including representatives from industry organizations, federal employee unions, and disability advocates, and almost all of them said the public is generally unaware it can file complaints under the ABA. Some stakeholders who knew about the process said it worked well to address complaints once filed.

Both views point to the same basic problem with getting the word out.

Board officials said the reliance on complaints reflects limited resources. Congress ordered this review in theThomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, which directed GAO to report on ABA compliance across all GSA office buildings. GAO directed its one recommendation to the Administrator of the General Services Administration, a position appointed by the president, and GSA agreed with it.

What Happens Next?

GAO asked GSA to take steps to raise awareness of how to file complaints, with signs in building entry areas given as one example. GSA agreed, but the recommendation status remains open, which means actions to meet it have not yet been taken or are being planned.

Change will be easy to spot if it happens. Until GSA acts, the complaint-driven system stays in place, and unreported barriers in those 6,000 buildings may remain unaddressed.

---

AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article