Final answer:
Developers cannot generally obtain waivers from the ADA or federal building construction standards. Reasonable accommodations are required unless proven to impose an undue hardship. Non-compliance may lead to legal consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Obtaining a waiver from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other federal building construction standards is generally not an option for developers. The ADA was enacted in 1990 to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities by ensuring equal access and opportunities in public spaces, employment, and services. The law maintains strict requirements for public accommodations to be accessible to people with disabilities, including those in new construction and altered buildings.
Under Titles I and V of the ADA, entities are required to make reasonable accommodations unless doing so would result in an undue hardship on the operation of the business. This might include providing ramps, Braille instructions, and more accessible door levers. However, this provision is not equivalent to a waiver; it merely acknowledges that there might be exceptions if accommodations can be proved by the entity to be excessively burdensome financially or operationally.
Therefore, developers are expected to comply with the ADA and ensure that their buildings are accessible to all individuals, as civil rights for those with disabilities are a principle backed by federal law. Failure to do so can lead to legal consequences including fines and mandatory retrofitting of buildings to comply with standards.