NYC Chapter members advocate for the rights of people with hearing loss to communication in public and private venues, as required under the Americans With Disabilities Act and state and local laws and ordinances.

HLAA’s NYC Chapter has long been one of its most active. This is especially true of the chapter’s history of advocacy for more and better accessibility in places of public accommodation. The achievements of the chapter are due not to the size of its membership but to the dedication of those members who have sought to make our needs known, promoted assistive listening and captioning technology, and persevered when, as often happens, they initially met with resistance.

OUR CAUSES

HEARING ACCESSIBILITY

The availability of CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) and other assistive listening devices at meetings, and at community and cultural events.

HEARING LOOP INSTALLATION

The installation of hearing loops for effective, wireless access to sound (via telecoils in hearing devices) in theaters, houses of worship, senior and community centers, retail stores, auditoriums, lecture halls, and government meetings. 

HEARING HEALTHCARE POLICY

Advocating for more favorable public policy and laws at the federal, state, and local levels in recognition that hearing loss affects people of all ages and impacts all aspects of their lives.

Geffen Hall

In the fall of 2019, we learned of the New York Philharmonic’s plan to proceed with a $550 million renovation of Geffen Hall, its home at Lincoln Center. After first being told simply that the new hall would include “state-of-the-art” technology, we contacted Lincoln Center’s executive in charge of accessibility to propose the inclusion of hearing loop technology. A meeting with five senior Lincoln Center/New York Philharmonic executives planning the renovation was scheduled for early March 2020. Jerry Bergman and Katherine Bouton attended in person, Shari Eberts and Juliette Sterkens by phone. Juliette provided a PowerPoint presentation, which Jerry narrated. That very afternoon, just after our meeting, Lincoln Center shut down all its arts venues, because of the pandemic -- ironically, providing the time needed for major construction to proceed ahead of schedule. In fall of 2022 the new Geffen Hall opened with loops on all four levels of concert seating in Wu Tsai Auditorium and at the ticket counter, patron’s lounge, sidewalk studio and bars on the grand promenade level. Lincoln Center continues to work with chapter members as the loops are made fully functional and with visible signage.

NYC MTA

New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, which oversees subways, buses, Access-a-Ride, the New York Ferry System and Metro North Railroad, has a strong professional team devoted to disability access. Katherine Bouton is a member of the MTA’s accessibility committee (ACTA), which meets monthly to discuss accessibility needs. The MTA has been testing hearing loops on buses and subway platforms, and ordered new subway cars with loops, but the primary change thus far is from PA announcements to LED screens. Not all the changes are directed specifically at people with disabilities, but we benefit from them. For instance, newer buses now have LED signage displaying the route, next stop, transfer availability and other information.

New York Airports

Periodic inquiries to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey dating back several years, by Ellen Semel and, more recently, by Jerry Bergman, have sought to obtain hearing loops at passenger gates and information counters at the area’s three major airports. In 2021, we were delighted to learn that the Port Authority’s revised accessibility requirements now specify that hearing loops be installed and meet the IEC-60118-4 standard in all new construction and major renovations of airports, as well as bus, rail and ferry facilities under its management. LaGuardia Airport’s Delta terminal, the first project under the new requirements,opened in 2022, with hearing loops at passenger gates and information counters.

Captioned Movies

In 2022, an ordinance sought by chapter members to require cinemas to show movies with open (on-screen) captions took effect. All movies being shown for a week or more must now advertise and show them with open captions at least once on weekdays and weekends, matinees, and evenings. AMC and Regal cinemas, as well as the City's smaller cinemas and non-profit art houses, indicate open-captioned showtimes in their online listings.

Representation in State Government

Members of the NYC Chapter joined HLAA members statewide in efforts toward the establishment of a State Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing. New York is one of only 12 states without such an agency. The legislation awaits signing into law by Governor Hochul and the subsequent authorization of funding for staffing and administrative costs.

Access in Health-Care Settings

Working with HLAA's Communication Access in Healthcare program, members of the New York City Chapter are approaching and educating New York City hospitals on awareness of hearing loss and the kinds of accommodations needed by patients who are hard of hearing or deaf. 

Closed Captions at Broadway Theaters

Chapter advocates and representatives of other disability groups consulted in 2017 with the Shubert Organization and Broadway League to bring closed-captioning technology to patrons of all shows, beginning three weeks after their opening.  The captions are accessible via the GalaPro smartphone app or devices available at theaters.

Hearing Loops in Taxicabs

In 2014, the chapter campaigned in support of an ordinance requiring hearing loops in taxicabs. Janice Lintz and Jerry Bergman testified before the City's Taxi & Limousine Commission, while other members of the chapter sent emails urging adoption of the ordinance. The next year, the ordinance took effect requiring that all newly purchased yellow cabs include hearing loops and display decals bearing the universal hearing loop / t-coil symbol.

Equity for people with hearing loss in the NYPD

The chapter joined HLAA's national office in supporting a lawsuit brought by two City police officers forced into early retirement for wearing hearing aids.  The plaintiffs' victory in 2015 led to a commitment by the NYPD to more fairly treat its uniformed officers who have or develop hearing loss.

Citywide Mandate for Hearing Loops

Also in 2015, the chapter collaborated with a City Council member on a bill that became law the following year requiring hearing loops in new construction or renovation projects receiving $950,000 or more of City funding. The historic City Council chamber at City Hall was subsequently looped, thanks to the chapter's further collaboration with the same City Council member.

School Hearing Loss Screening

There is a New York State law, from which NYC is exempt, requiring schools to screen for hearing loss. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, schools are required to give children the services they need, but screening is necessary in order to identify those needs. We have been lobbying to get screening in NYC schools because we believe it is essential for children to get the interventions they require for development of language and to succeed in school and in life.