Office Building ADA Compliance in Inglewood
1,071 office buildings across 7 commercial corridors. With 96.5% of buildings constructed before 1990 and an average build year of 1958, Inglewood office buildings face significant ADA compliance challenges.
Inglewood has 1,071 office buildings, 96.5% built before 1990 (avg. year 1958), concentrated along Century Boulevard. Office Building ADA litigation risk is moderate in Inglewood, with settlements reaching $5M — non-compliant accessible parking spaces is the leading trigger. Inglewood's 13.7% disability rate and 13% senior population create above-average demand for accessible office buildings. Inglewood Building & Safety Division (Development Services Department) oversees ADA compliance for Inglewood's office buildings, with 4 local programs supporting accessibility upgrades.
Office Building Building Stock in Inglewood
Inglewood's Century Boulevard corridor has 96.5% pre-1990 office buildings with an average build year of 1958, making non-compliant accessible parking spaces especially common.
An analysis of office building properties in Inglewood, including building age, square footage, and key commercial corridors.
1,071
Office Building Properties
15.22M
Total Sq Ft
96.5%
Built Before 1990
1958
Avg Year Built
Typical Era: 1955-1980s
Key Corridors
La Brea Avenue
La Brea Avenue runs north-south through the center of Inglewood. Anchored at Florence Avenue by the Metro K Line Downtown Inglewood Station and the Market Gateway mixed-use development (242 apartments, 55,000 SF retail). Mixes older 1-2 story commercial buildings with auto-oriented uses and newer transit-oriented development.
Prairie Avenue
Primary north-south corridor through Inglewood's sports and entertainment district. Street frontage includes the Kia Forum (17,505 seats, 1967), the Intuit Dome (915,000 SF, 2024), and commercial parcels across from SoFi Stadium. Traffic counts reach 35,000 vehicles per day. Rapidly transitioning from older 1-2 story commercial to higher-density development.
Manchester Boulevard
Manchester Boulevard runs east-west through central Inglewood, connecting La Brea Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard. Features small commercial storefronts, restaurants, office buildings, auto dealers, and community-serving uses. The Inglewood City Hall / Civic Center (1 W Manchester Blvd, 1973) anchors the corridor.
Showing corridors most relevant to Office Buildings. 7 total corridors in Inglewood.
Notable Buildings
Fox Theatre Inglewood
115 N Market St
Built 1949
12,000 sq ft
158 S La Brea Avenue (corner retail)
158 S La Brea Ave
Built 1931
13,500 sq ft
Market Gateway (Astra)
201 N La Brea Ave
Built 2022
250,000 sq ft
La Brea Lofts (under construction)
201 N La Brea Ave
Built 2025
120,000 sq ft
Kia Forum
3900 W Manchester Blvd
Built 1967
400,000 sq ft
945 S Prairie Avenue (commercial building)
945 S Prairie Ave
Built 1969
8,357 sq ft
Inglewood City Hall / Civic Center
1 W Manchester Blvd
Built 1973
150,000 sq ft
Turner Office Building
2501-2505 W Manchester Blvd
Built 1960
5,005 sq ft
ADA Litigation Risk for Office Building in Inglewood
With a moderate litigation risk and settlements reaching $5M, office buildings in Inglewood face significant ADA exposure — Office buildings classified purely as "commercial facilities" under ADA Title III face substantially lower litigation ri….
Litigation Risk Level
moderate
Office buildings classified purely as "commercial facilities" under ADA Title III face substantially lower litigation risk than retail, restaurant, or hospitality properties. The ADA explicitly defines commercial facilities as "privately owned, nonresidential facilities such as factories, warehouses, or office buildings". Unlike public accommodations, commercial facilities are **not** subject to the ongoing "readily achievable barrier removal" obligation. Their compliance duties arise primarily in connection with new construction or alterations. That said, the accessible path from parking through the lobby, elevators, restrooms, and common areas on every occupied floor must comply with ADA Standards and CBC 11B whenever new construction occurs or alterations are made. Multi-tenant buildings introduce layered liability: under *Botosan v. Paul McNally Realty* (9th Cir. 2000), both the landlord and tenant carry concurrent ADA obligations, and lease provisions allocating responsibility to tenants do not absolve the landlord. Conversely, under *Kohler v. Bed Bath & Beyond* (9th Cir. 2015), tenants are generally not liable for ADA violations in areas controlled exclusively by the landlord, such as shared parking lots.
Typical Settlement Range
$1,000 – $5,150,000
Most Targeted Property Types
Plaintiff Firms Targeting Office Buildings
| Firm | Focus | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Employee vs. Visitor Plaintiff Patterns | ||
| Landlord-Targeted vs. Tenant-Targeted Lawsuits |
The distinction between employee and visitor claims is critical for office buildings: - Title I (Employment): Employees and applicants at workplaces with 15 or more employees are protected under ADA Title I, which requires reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
Serial plaintiffs—who account for a disproportionate share of California's ADA filings—overwhelmingly target public-facing businesses such as restaurants, gas stations, and retail stores.
ADA Violations & Risk Profile for Office Buildings
Non-Compliant Accessible Parking Spaces
Parking garage or surface lot spaces have excessive slopes/cross-slopes, improper dimensions, or faded striping. This is the #1 violation statewide with 1,755 instances (15.96% of all violations).
The accessible route from parking to the building entrance is the single most-litigated area in California ADA cases, with parking-related violations occupying three of the top ten positions statewide. For office building parking garages, the route must include: Properly dimensioned and signed accessible spaces (including van-accessible) Compliant slopes and cross-slopes Detectable warning surfaces at vehicular-way crossings An accessible path with proper width (36 inches minimum, 48 inches preferred), lighting, and curb ramps connecting to the lobby entrance
Inaccessible Exterior Path of Travel
Routes from parking lot or public right-of-way to the building entrance have non-compliant surfaces, excessive slopes, or lack detectable warnings. Recorded 1,197 instances (10.89%).
Missing or Non-Compliant Parking Signage
Accessible parking spaces lack proper International Symbol of Accessibility signs, van-accessible designations, or tow-away signage at entrances. Recorded 1,074 instances (9.77%).
Non-Compliant Counter/Surface Heights
Reception desks, lobby counters, and sign-in areas exceed maximum height requirements (34 inches max for accessible portions). Recorded 1,035 instances (9.41%).
Non-Compliant Exterior Ramps and Stairs
Building entrance ramps exceed 1:12 slope ratio, lack compliant landings, or are missing handrails and edge protection. Recorded 894 instances (8.13%).
Interior Path-of-Travel Obstructions
Objects project into accessible corridors (wall-mounted displays, fire extinguisher cabinets, planters) reducing clearance below the 80-inch head height or beyond the 4-inch protrusion limit. Recorded 644 instances (5.86%).
Non-Compliant Van-Accessible Spaces and Loading Zones
Office building parking facilities lack van-accessible spaces with 96-inch-wide access aisles, or loading zones are missing or noncompliant. Recorded 498 instances (4.53%).
Non-Compliant Restroom Entry Doors
Restroom doors have non-compliant thresholds, inaccessible hardware (round knobs instead of lever handles), or insufficient maneuvering clearance. Recorded 394 instances (3.58%) and rising—this violation moved from 11th place in 2023 to 9th in 2024.
3,252 cases (37.5% of national total)
Federal ADA Title III filings in California (2025)
8,667 cases
National ADA Title III federal filings (2025)
3,513 state and federal filings with 10,994 alleged violations
CCDA construction-related accessibility complaints (2024)
2,598 federal ADA filings in a single year
Top law firm filings — So Cal Equal Access Group (2024)
$12,000 statutory damages ($4,000 x 3 visits) plus injunctive relief; affirmed by Ninth Circuit
Confirmed Inglewood lawsuit — Smith v. 116 S Market LLC (2019)
$4,000–$75,000 (typical: $16,000)
Typical single-visit settlement range
A CASp inspection completed before any lawsuit confers Qualified Defendant status under Cal. Civ. Code §55.51, providing three critical protections: a mandatory 90-day stay of court proceedings (halting attorney fee accumulation), a mandatory early evaluation conference facilitating rapid settlement, and a 75% reduction in statutory damages from $4,000 to $1,000 per offense for violations corrected within 60 days. Despite these powerful protections, the CCDA reported that 99% of defendants in 2024 did not utilize them — making proactive CASp inspection one of the most cost-effective risk mitigation strategies available to Inglewood property owners.
Who Needs Accessible Office Buildings in Inglewood
Inglewood's 13.7% disability rate and 13% senior population create high demand for accessible office buildings.
13.7%
Residents with Disabilities
13.0%
Residents 65+
4,727
Veterans
Accessible workplaces are required to accommodate employees and visitors with disabilities.
Building Department & Permit Requirements
Inglewood Building & Safety Division (Development Services Department) in Inglewood oversees ADA compliance for 1,071 office buildings — Up to 100 business days for first review; expedited service available at 1.5x permit fee (approximately 30 business days).
Inglewood Building & Safety Division (Development Services Department)
Independent municipal jurisdiction — fully incorporated city with its own building department, planning department, and municipal code. NOT under LADBS jurisdiction.
| Plan check timeline | Up to 100 business days for first review; expedited service available at 1.5x permit fee (approximately 30 business days) |
| Architect stamp requirement | Effective January 5, 2026, all commercial construction plans must be stamped by a California Registered Architect (not an engineer) |
Local Programs & Resources
4 local programs
Destination Market Street Facade and Tenant Improvement Program
Funded through $8.5 million in state funds via SB 170 and Caltrans, this program provides grants of up to $250,000 per project for facade upgrades and tenant improvements for businesses along Market Street between Florence Avenue and Hillcrest Boulevard. Administered by PCR Business Finance. Eligible improvements overlap significantly with common ADA barrier removal items at building entrances including entrance modifications, accessible door hardware, signage, path-of-travel grading, and storefront threshold adjustments.
City of Inglewood CDBG Public Facility and Infrastructure Improvements
The City's FY 2025-2026 CDBG allocation includes $509,021 in CDBG funds and $1,138,486 in CDBG-CV funds directed toward public facility and infrastructure improvements, including ADA-accessible facility upgrades. Recent projects include ADA-accessible restroom rehabilitation at Darby Park.
License #991
State-Certified Accessibility Specialist
Built Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
MS Structural Engineering · Tutor Perini
Qualified Defendant Status
Reduces statutory damages 75% with 90-day litigation stay
What a CASp Inspector Evaluates: Office Building
Key CBC 11B and ADA Standards requirements checked during a CASp inspection
ADA Compliance Costs: Office Building in Inglewood
Understanding remediation investment and litigation risk
Remediation Investment
Cost of Inaction
4–6 hours on-site
Based on Inglewood data
Factors That Affect Your Remediation Cost
- •Building height and elevator count
- •Parking structure configuration
- •Common area restroom count
- •Lobby and reception area age
- •Multi-tenant lease structure
Estimates based on industry data and typical remediation projects in California. Actual costs vary based on property condition, scope of barriers identified, and local contractor rates. A CASp inspection report will identify specific barriers and prioritize remediation.
Inglewood Office Building Compliance Landscape
Local enforcement data combined with office building ADA requirements
Inglewood office building properties face a moderate litigation risk environment. Typical settlements for office building violations in this market range from $1K to $5M. Of the 1,071 office building properties in Inglewood, 96.5% were built before 1990 and are subject to heightened compliance scrutiny. Office buildings classified purely as "commercial facilities" under ADA Title III face substantially lower litigation risk than retail, restaurant, or hospitality properties. The ADA explicitly defines commercial facilities as "privately owned, nonresidential facilities such as factories, warehouses, or office buildings". Unlike public accommodations, commercial facilities are **not** subject to the ongoing "readily achievable barrier removal" obligation. Their compliance duties arise primarily in connection with new construction or alterations. That said, the accessible path from parking through the lobby, elevators, restrooms, and common areas on every occupied floor must comply with ADA Standards and CBC 11B whenever new construction occurs or alterations are made. Multi-tenant buildings introduce layered liability: under *Botosan v. Paul McNally Realty* (9th Cir. 2000), both the landlord and tenant carry concurrent ADA obligations, and lease provisions allocating responsibility to tenants do not absolve the landlord. Conversely, under *Kohler v. Bed Bath & Beyond* (9th Cir. 2015), tenants are generally not liable for ADA violations in areas controlled exclusively by the landlord, such as shared parking lots.
Jose Rubio
Certified Access Specialist
CASp #991Jose Rubio brings over 15 years of structural engineering and construction experience to every CASp inspection. He built Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with Tutor Perini and holds an MS in Structural Engineering.
View full credentials →Frequently Asked Questions
Protect Your Inglewood Office Building
Schedule a CASp inspection and activate Qualified Defendant status under California Civil Code §55.56.