On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, people with disabilities and disability rights advocates, including Disability Law United, filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and their top elected officials, alleging that the jurisdictions’ emergency management systems fail to protect people with disabilities before, during, and after disasters — in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Oregon law.
“This isn’t a case of a government caught off guard,” said Ayelet Weiss at Disability Law United. “The City’s own auditor and community members have urged the Defendants to include individuals with disabilities in a comprehensive planning process for years. That hasn’t happened, and the needs of the disabled go unaddressed. As the City Auditor put it, ‘This lack of preparation puts the lives of people with disabilities at risk.’”
The lawsuit was filed by Disability Rights Oregon, Disability Law United, the ACLU, and law firm Cambreleng & Marton, and names the City of Portland, Multnomah County, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, and Multnomah County Board Chair Jessica Vega Pederson as defendants.
For more information, reach out to Patricia Cronin at pcronin@dlunited.org.
You can read the press release here:
You can read the complaint here: