On January 15, 2015, the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC), along with several individuals, brought this action against RLJ Hospitality Trust, Inc. RLJ operates twelve hotels in the state of California, as well as many hotels elsewhere in the United States. Plaintiffs alleged that RLJ violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act by failing to provide wheelchair accessible vehicles at its hotels.

The three individual plaintiffs each require wheelchairs for mobility. Each alleged that he or she was deterred from staying at RLJ's hotels in Northern California by RLJ's lack of wheel-chair accessible shuttle services. The three plaintiffs explained that they hoped to stay at RLJ's hotels in the future and that they would do so if they learned that RLJ provides wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Plaintiffs brought the action on behalf of a class defined as individuals who rely on wheelchairs or scooters for mobility and have been, or will be, denied full and equal enjoyment of RLJ's services because of the lack of accessible transportation services at RLJ's hotels. They requested a permanent injunction requiring RLJ to comply with the two aforementioned statutes.

As of March 15, 2015 the case is ongoing.

Spencer Klein - 03/15/2015


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