Top American Cities In Disability Friendliness, Outreach

Berkeley, CA, and Chicago, IL, have been chosen as the winner and runner-up in the sixth annual Accessible America Contest, the National Organization on
Disability (NOD) announced today. The cities are being heralded as national models for innovative programs to promote community inclusion of people with
disabilities.

The Accessible America Contest, administered by NOD’s Community Partnership Program, is sponsored by generous grants from UPS and Wal-Mart.

Other 2006 contest finalists were: Alexandria, VA; Bloomington, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; Miami Beach, FL; New Haven, CT; San Francisco, CA;
and Sioux Falls, SD.

Berkeley will receive the top prize of $25,000 sponsored by UPS. Their best practices included the nation’s first universally designed affordable housing
development; a comprehensive transportation program, an outstanding emergency preparedness plan for people with disabilities, and a self-imposed tax to
fund some of their disability services.

Chicago, as runner-up, will receive a Wal-Mart sponsored cash award of $10,000. Chicago was chosen for a variety of programs that help incorporate people
with disabilities in community life, included rewriting of the city building code to mandate adaptable and visitable requirement in privately and governmentally
owned and financed units; the creation of a Mayoral Task Force on Employment of People with Disabilities; a certification program for business enterprises
owned and operated by people with disabilities. The award money will be presented at forthcoming ceremonies to the Mayor in each of the winning cities
and is intended to fund local disability-related efforts.

Previous Accessible America first-place winners include: Cambridge, MA, Venice, FL; Irvine, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Pasadena, CA. Honorable mentions have gone
to Austin, TX, and West Hollywood, CA. The finalists were judged by five leading national disability advocates and experts. Accessible America applicants
demonstrate an exceptional commitment to offering their citizens with disabilities full and equal opportunities to participate in the life of their communities,
including access to jobs, education, religious worship, voting, transportation, housing, emergency preparedness planning, and services. The Accessible
America Contest promotes nationwide replication of these best practices.

For information about entering the 2007 Accessible America Competition, contact Mr. Rik Opstelten at 202/293-5960.

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