The City of Simi Valley is pleased to announce the launch of the Disability Access Improvement Grant Program. This initiative, developed in accordance with California Assembly Bill 2164 (2022), is designed to assist small businesses in enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The program offers reimbursement costs to cover certain expenses associated with accessibility improvements, ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and California building codes. 

The Disability Access Improvement Grant Program provides a maximum grant amount of up to $10,000 per applicant. Eligible expenses under the program include costs for a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) inspection and report, professional design services including plan review and building permits for accessibility improvements, and the purchase of accessible fixtures and equipment. Specifically, the program offers up to $2,500 for a CASp inspection and report, up to $2,500 for professional design services, and up to $5,000 for the purchase of accessible fixtures and equipment.

Maximum Grant Amount: Up to $10,000 per applicant.

• Eligible Expenses:
  • Costs for a CASp inspection and report, if an existing CASp report is provided, will be considered as eligible for submittal if the report is written prior to the grant application date; provided the following requirements are met: report must be written within current building code cycle and the CASp inspector responsible for writing the report must be registered on the State of California’s certified list of CASp inspectors and must have active license number at time of application submittal: maximum reimbursement $2,500.00.
  • Professional design services for accessibility improvements and fees for Plan Review and Building Permit for accessibility improvements, if a permit is required: maximum reimbursement $2,500.00.
  • Purchase of accessible fixtures and equipment, maximum reimbursement: $5,000.00.
• Eligibility Criteria:
  • Applicant must be a small business that has employed 50 or fewer employees on average over the past three years, or for the years it has been in existence if less than three years.
  • The property must be a commercial business, non-residential property, or a nonprofit registered with the state's Registry of Charitable Trusts.
  • Must possess a valid City business tax certificate.
  • Business must be operational with at least one year remaining on the lease agreement.
  • Eligible businesses must not have any open code violations. Exception: Open code violations directly related to the improvements funded by this grant program will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  
• Application Process:
• Contact and Assistance: Reach out to the City’s Building and Safety Division by email at accessgrant@simivalley.org or call (805) 583-6844 for eligibility verification and guidance.
• Grant Application Submission: Complete and submit the grant application package, which includes:
  1. Completed grant application form.
  2. EDD DE9 form, completed and signed.
  3. IRS W-9 form, completed and signed.
  4. State Charity Registration and/or IRS Status Determination Letter.
  5. Copy of City of Simi Valley Business Tax Certificate.
  6. Copy of Business Lease/Owner Agreement.
• Disability Access Improvement Grant Program Checklist
• Disability Access Improvement Guidelines

• Application Review:
  • Qualifications: The City reviews the application to determine eligibility for the grant program. If eligible, the City will prepare a Grant Agreement.
  • Grant Agreement: The Grant Agreement will be signed by both the City and the Applicant. The Agreement is not a guarantee of payment. All steps must be completed to be eligible for reimbursement.
• Documentation and Compliance:
  • Applicants must provide detailed invoices and proof of payment for all claimed expenses.
  • All improvements and purchases must comply with ADA standards and California building codes.
  • Completed work must be verified by the City and/or certified by a final CASp inspection.
• Reimbursement Process:
  1.  Phase one - CASp Selection and Inspection: Choose a CASp from the State of California's certified list and conduct an accessibility inspection. The CASp inspector must provide you with a compliance report prepared in accordance with Civil Code 55.51 et.
  2. Phase two - Design, Permitting, and Implementation: If required, hire a licensed Architect or Engineer for designing accessibility improvements and obtain City building permit.
  3. Phase three - Fixtures and Equipment: Purchase necessary accessible fixtures and Equipment.
  4. Request for Reimbursement: Submit a reimbursement package at time of a completed phase to the City's Building and Safety Division, which includes: 
     • Grant Agreement;
     • Copy of the CASp report;
     • Copies of paid invoices for the CASp report, design services, City permit fees, and fixture and equipment purchases; and
     • Copy of the CASp Certificate of Compliance, if one was issued.
• Funding and Reimbursement:
  • The City will reimburse eligible expenses up to the maximum grant amount.
  • Reimbursements will be processed per phase upon verification of expenses, work completed, and compliance with program guidelines. Phase three reimbursement payment will also require verification of final approved City inspection.