GAO urges GSA to publicize accessibility complaint process
The recommendation targets GSA's office buildings and will take effect once the agency implements the suggested signage.
The Government Accountability Office's latest report recommends that the General Services Administration increase public awareness of the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) complaint process for its office buildings. The recommendation, identified as Recommendation 1, calls for GSA to post signs with filing information at building entry areas.
GSA owns or leases more than 6,000 office buildings that serve federal employees and the public. Under the ABA, certain GSA buildings must be accessible to individuals with physical disabilities, and the U.S. Access Board enforces compliance primarily through public complaints. From October 2022 to June 2026, the Board received 41 ABA complaints about GSA buildings, closed 25, and left 16 still in process. Stakeholders and disability advocates interviewed by GAO said the public is generally unaware that it can file such complaints, and GSA has not publicized the process.
GSA officials acknowledged the recommendation and agreed to take steps to increase awareness. The GAO report lists the recommendation's status as "Open" pending confirmation of agency actions. No deadline or specific implementation timeline is provided in the report.
The GAO's findings underscore a gap between statutory accessibility requirements and public knowledge of enforcement mechanisms. By posting complaint-process signage, GSA could improve compliance monitoring and address barriers that might otherwise remain unremedied, thereby enhancing access for the tens of millions of Americans living with disabilities who use federal office facilities.
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