WHAT IS TITLE VI?

Title VI is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.  More specifically,  “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. 

WHAT IS ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Under this law, people with disabilities are entitled to all of the rights, privileges, advantages, and opportunities that others have when participating in civic activities.

ASSURANCE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency (RPA) and Chattanooga-Hamilton County / North Georgia (CHCNGA) Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) do not discriminate in their programs, activities, or employment policies and procedures against qualified individuals because of race, color, national origin, sex, or handicap.

No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance (Rehabilitation Act of 1973 29 U.S.C. § 794).

No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin or sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance (Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964 42 U.S.C. § 2000d, and as amended, and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 P.I. 100.259). This includes funds received through the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), or other entities.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency (RPA) further assures that every effort will be made to ensure non-discrimination in all of its programs and activities, whether or not those programs or activities are federally funded.

MORE INFORMATION ON TITLE VI AND ADA

Information on Title VI and ADA and your rights can be obtained by calling or writing the TPO.

Title VI Plan.pdf

2017 TDOT Compliance Letter.pdf

2020 GDOT Annual Title VI Assessment.pdf

2020 TDOT 2020 Metropolitan Planning Organization Title VI Compliance Assessment.pdf

 

For ADA or Title VI inquiries, contact:

Karen Rennich
Deputy Director / TPO Coordinator
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency
1250 Market Street
Development Resource Center, Suite 2000
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 643-5900
Email: tpo@chattanooga.gov

TO FILE A TITLE VI COMPLAINT

If you feel that your Title VI rights have been violated or that you may have been discriminated against by a TPO project or program, contact the City of Chattanooga’s Compliance Officer by phone or in writing.

Antonia “Toni” Morgan
Compliance Officer
City of Chattanooga
Amex Building
100 East 11th Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 643-8240
Fax: (423) 643-8239

The City of Chattanooga Title VI Coordinator will advise TDOT’s Title VI Program Director within five
(5) calendar days of receipt of the allegation.

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A person may also file a complaint directly with the Federal Transit Administration:
FTA Office of Civil Rights
Attention: Title VI Program Coordinator
East Building, 5th Floor – TCR
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590

A person may also file a complaint directly with the Federal Highway Administration:
If you would like to file your complaint via US Mail, you may contact the FHWA Office of Civil Rights at
202-366-0693 or via email at: FHWA.TitleVIcomplaints@dot.gov or FHWA.ADAcomplaints@dot.gov
to request hardcopy and send it to:

Federal Highway Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Civil Rights
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
8th Floor E81-105
Washington, DC 20590

A person may also file a complaint directly with the Tennessee Department of Transportation:
TN Department of Transportation
505 Deaderick Street Suite 1800,
James K. Polk Building Nashville,
TN 37243-0347
888.370.3647

A person may also file a complaint directly with the Georgia Department of Transportation:
Equal Employment Opportunity Office
Georgia DOT – One Georgia Center
600 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 631-1972 | TTY Help Desk: 711

ADA REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against a qualified individual with a
disability. For a reasonable accommodation request or if you require language assistance, please
notify the RPA three business days in advance of the meeting and staff will be glad to work with you
in obliging any reasonable request.

LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION/TRANSLATION SERVICES

Language interpretive services or document translation are available upon request.  Advance notification may be required.

Telephonic Interpretation Services
RPA has access to on-demand telephonic interpretation services with expert interpreters in more than 350 languages. Staff should be able to assist you with these interpretation services upon your call.  Alternatively, you are welcome to email rpa@chattanooa.gov and staff will use available translation services to respond.

Relay Service 711
The State of Tennessee provides a free, state-wide assisted relay service at 711 so people who use text telephone (TTY) or other assisted devices are able to have phone conversations with people who do not have TTY numbers.  This confidential service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere in the United States. There is no charge to either person in the conversation. Since operators who answer use voice and TTY, dialing 711 works whether or not the person placing the call is using a TTY.

Outside of the state, Tennessee residents may call the following numbers:
800-848-0298 — Person with TTY calling someone without TTY.
800-848-0299 — Person without TTY calling someone with TTY.