Man Denied Permission to Build Wheelchair Ramp Outside Condo At His Own Expense; Told It Would Be an "Eyesore"

A wheelchair user in Ponte Vondra Beach, Florida, is a prisoner in his own condominium after being denied permission to build a wheelchair ramp around the stairs outside his condo. James Ballas, a stroke survivor and octogenarian, is preparing a federal lawsuit in hopes of obtaining permission to build his ramp.

Ballas and his wife, 84-year-old Lucille, have repeatedly over the course of a year requested the condominium association and management company's approval to build a wheelchair ramp at their own expense. The couple were told that the ramp would be an "eyesore."

James Ballas now considers calls home his "jail," and is unable to leave the house even to visit the beach or go to the grocery store with his wife. On the rare occasions that he must leave his condo in order to see a doctor, James must be carried down the steps by friends or family members, then placed back in his wheelchair.

The attorney representing James Ballas, David Cronin, says anyone willing to pay for reasonable modifications due to disability is entitled, and denying permission to build such a ramp is clearly illegal under federal guidelines. Similarly, enforcing a no-pets rule against a tenant who is blind and needs a guide dog would be illegal. 

Some people play the lottery and see if they don't get caught, or they simply don't know the law," said Roberto Ortiz, a Human Rights Commission specialist who investigates fair housing discrimination. "Condominiums are a big deal - they are not above the law."

What do you think? Should Ballas get permission to build his ramp? Will he win his lawsuit?

Of Interest:

DIY Dialysis Clinic Shuttered by Chinese Government