Accessibility Statement

Building Status NYC is built for everyone, including people who rely on assistive technology. This page describes what we conform to, what we know is still broken, and how to tell us about a barrier.

Our goal

We target WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance. We build to that standard and test against it during every release.

Where we have not yet reached AA on a page or component, we list it honestly below and give you an estimate for the fix.

What we have done

Skip-to-main-content link on every page
Visible keyboard focus indicators on every interactive element
Color contrast meeting AA minimums for body text and UI controls
Form fields labeled with <label>, describing errors with aria-describedby
Semantic landmarks (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer>)
Alt text on every meaningful image; decorative images marked aria-hidden
Lucide icons wrapped to default to aria-hidden unless given an explicit label
Live regions for search and filter changes
prefers-reduced-motion respected — we disable non-essential animation
Dark mode and light mode both pass AA contrast

Assistive tech we test against

We test new UI work against:

VoiceOver on iOS (Safari) and macOS (Safari)
NVDA on Windows (Firefox and Chrome)
Keyboard-only navigation (Tab / Shift-Tab / Enter / Space / arrow keys)
200% zoom and reflow

We do not currently test against JAWS, TalkBack, or Dragon NaturallySpeaking on a regular cadence. If you use one of those and hit a barrier, please tell us — see below.

Known gaps

We publish the gaps so you know what to expect. Each item has an owner and a target.

PDF export accessibility — the Due Diligence PDF report is not yet fully tagged. Screen readers can open the file and read the text, but heading structure and table semantics are weak. Target: Phase 5.
Some MDX tables — a few long reference tables in our legal and data-sources pages are missing scope attributes and sufficient column headers. Target: the next content pass.
Map view — the building-pin map is not yet keyboard-operable end-to-end; we ship a textual list alternative on the same page. Target: map accessibility rework (no ETA).
Complex filter combinations — announcing the result count of a multi-filter change through a live region is inconsistent in some screen readers. Target: next release.
Non-text contrast on hover states — a handful of hover outlines are below 3:1 on light theme. Target: next release.

How to request remediation

If you run into a barrier — a control you cannot reach, a label you cannot read, a form that does not work with your screen reader — tell us:

Email: accessibility@buildingstatusnyc.com
Include: the page URL, what you were trying to do, the assistive tech + browser + OS you use, and what happened

Response SLA: we acknowledge within two (2) business days and aim to resolve or give you a fix plan within ten (10) business days. Critical barriers (you cannot sign up, sign in, or cancel) are prioritized.

Phone support: coming in Phase 3. Until then, please use email — we monitor it during business hours.

Alternatives while we fix things

If a specific feature is blocking you, email us with what you need and we will give you the information by email, phone, or screen-share. We will not charge you extra for an accessibility accommodation, and we will not require you to sign a waiver to use one.

VPAT

We publish a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) for procurement and RFP use. The current VPAT is in production and will be linked here once complete.

Standards we follow

WCAG 2.1 Level AA — Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (US federal procurement)
ADA Title III considerations for commercial websites
NY State Human Rights Law considerations

Feedback

We want to hear from you, even about small things. Write to accessibility@buildingstatusnyc.com and include the best way to reach you back.

Thank you.

What we have done

Skip-to-main-content link on every page

Visible keyboard focus indicators on every interactive element

Color contrast meeting AA minimums for body text and UI controls

Form fields labeled with <label>, describing errors with aria-describedby

Semantic landmarks (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer>)

Alt text on every meaningful image; decorative images marked aria-hidden

Lucide icons wrapped to default to aria-hidden unless given an explicit label

Live regions for search and filter changes

prefers-reduced-motion respected — we disable non-essential animation

Dark mode and light mode both pass AA contrast

Assistive tech we test against

We test new UI work against:

VoiceOver on iOS (Safari) and macOS (Safari)

NVDA on Windows (Firefox and Chrome)

Keyboard-only navigation (Tab / Shift-Tab / Enter / Space / arrow keys)

200% zoom and reflow

We do not currently test against JAWS, TalkBack, or Dragon NaturallySpeaking on a regular cadence. If you use one of those and hit a barrier, please tell us — see below.

Known gaps

We publish the gaps so you know what to expect. Each item has an owner and a target.

PDF export accessibility — the Due Diligence PDF report is not yet fully tagged. Screen readers can open the file and read the text, but heading structure and table semantics are weak. Target: Phase 5.

Some MDX tables — a few long reference tables in our legal and data-sources pages are missing scope attributes and sufficient column headers. Target: the next content pass.

Map view — the building-pin map is not yet keyboard-operable end-to-end; we ship a textual list alternative on the same page. Target: map accessibility rework (no ETA).

Complex filter combinations — announcing the result count of a multi-filter change through a live region is inconsistent in some screen readers. Target: next release.

Non-text contrast on hover states — a handful of hover outlines are below 3:1 on light theme. Target: next release.

How to request remediation

If you run into a barrier — a control you cannot reach, a label you cannot read, a form that does not work with your screen reader — tell us:

Email: accessibility@buildingstatusnyc.com

Include: the page URL, what you were trying to do, the assistive tech + browser + OS you use, and what happened

Phone support: coming in Phase 3. Until then, please use email — we monitor it during business hours.