Inclusive Access Starts Here: Tips for Special Districts

When Brenden Elwood first entered public service, he wasn’t seeking the spotlight. Elwood had a simple but powerful goal: to understand and represent the people around him.

Elwood is now in his third term as a city councilmember in North Bend, Washington, after serving six years as a special district park commissioner. He also serves as vice president of market research at CivicPlus, where he focuses on one of the most urgent challenges facing government agencies: digital accessibility.

Over the past decade, Elwood has walked neighborhoods, attended council meetings, and, in the last three years, worked with CivicPlus to help agencies understand what residents truly need. His conclusion is clear: accessibility is a fundamental test of a community’s inclusiveness.

A frequent speaker on the topic, Elwood hosted a recent CivicPlus webinar to discuss how accessibility initiatives can drive resident trust and long-term civic engagement.

“Residents who are engaged support tax allocations,” says Elwood. “Communication is important and helps share why investments are important.”

What Is Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility means designing websites, apps, and digital tools so people of differing abilities can fully access and use them. This includes being able to:

• Read and understand on-screen content
• Hear audio and understand video
• Access resident portals and online services
• Navigate menus, forms, and online payment portals
• Submit requests

Standards for Compliance

To meet accessibility requirements, most agencies follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, which address:

• Text readability and color contrast
• Keyboard-only navigation
• Alt text for images and icons
• Captioning for audio and video
• Screen reader compatibility

Why Web Accessibility Matters for Special Districts

Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state and local governments, including special districts, must ensure that all residents have equal access to public services, including those delivered online.

Using RSAT Data to Understand What Residents Really Need

The Resident Satisfaction and Trust (RSAT) study is a CivicPlus research initiative created to better understand the residents that government agencies serve. Separately, CivicPlus partnered with CivicPulse, an independent academic research firm, to gather insights from local leaders on ADA requirements and digital accessibility. While the CivicPulse findings are an important “spoke” in the research wheel, according to Elwood, RSAT is the larger “wheel,” and tracks resident sentiment over time.

By reviewing data from both sources and linking satisfaction scores to digital usability, Elwood and his team identified a clear trend: Residents who find their local government websites easy to navigate are more than four times as likely to be satisfied with their local government. In short, user-friendly websites drive resident satisfaction and trust.

This connection between ease of use and satisfaction underscores the growing importance of digital usability for special districts striving to meet both resident expectations and accessibility mandates.

“If a website is easy to navigate, residents assume the leadership is strong,” Elwood explains, “and we have data to back that.”

The most recent RSAT data highlights the opportunity:

• 84% of local government leaders say digital accessibility builds trust
• Only 13% of leaders say they are very familiar with updated ADA Title II requirements
• 68% of over 8,000 residents surveyed believe ADA compliance should be a top digital priority

These numbers matter, especially when juxtaposed with the CDC’s recent finding that one in four Americans, or over 70 million adults, lives with a disability.

Despite the ubiquity of the internet, many local government websites still lack the tools and features that allow everyone to participate.

What are Resident Satisfaction Surveys?

The Resident Satisfaction and Trust (RSAT) survey is an ongoing CivicPlus research initiative that measures how residents view government agencies in terms of accessibility, and transparency. It is drawn from a nationally representative panel.

Unlike one-time polls, the CivicPlus RSAT survey tracks changes in public opinion over time. It helps local leaders see what’s working, where gaps remain, and how digital tools and policy shifts are shaping public perception—while also incorporating insights from local leaders themselves.

Why Resident Satisfaction Data Matters:

RSAT data helps special districts and municipalities make informed, resident-centered decisions. It reveals where to invest in improvements, how to build trust through access and transparency, and where digital barriers may be excluding community members.

The Real-World Costs of Online Inaccessibility

In a conversation about digital accessibility, a civic leader once asked Elwood, “Why would someone who is blind go to the internet?” The question itself reveals a common gap in understanding.

Elwood says, “The fact is, your residents, including those with disabilities, depend on the internet to access services, civic opportunities, and critical information. For example, 82% of US residents we surveyed said they prefer to find legal notices online.”

But it’s not just legal notices residents are looking for. They also want access to everyday information and routine updates.

Inaccessible digital services exclude people from civic life, whether it’s reviewing hydrant maintenance schedules, submitting a housing application, or checking when the next bus is due. This also includes:

• Emergency alerts and notifications
• Utility rate charts and water quality reports
• Transit schedules and route maps
• Housing applications and voucher waitlists
• Parks and recreation event calendars
• Public meeting agendas and minutes
• Fire safety inspections and permit requests
• Online payment portals for utilities, tickets, or fees
• Service and maintenance request forms
• Capital improvement plans and planning documents
• Images and diagrams concerning district events, news, plans

When access to these essential files and services is denied, residents and communities face real consequences.

What’s at Stake When Special Districts Overlook Access?

• People with disabilities and underserved communities may be shut out of essential services and public information, leading to widening access gaps
• When digital tools don’t serve everyone, frustration builds, scrutiny follows, and trust in agencies and supporting jurisdictions starts to erode
• Residents may disengage from civic life, miss meetings, skip elections, and neglect to provide their input
• Legal risks may grow as accessibility standards are ignored or misunderstood
• Demands for new leadership can emerge when exclusion persists
• Residents can overwhelm email and phone lines when online access isn’t available

“We need to give folks access so everyone can be part of our democracy,” Elwood says.

Residents Care: Why Special Districts Should Act Sooner

Despite recent survey data showing accessibility is top of mind for their residents, many local governments struggle to prioritize it. The CivicPulse report identifies key barriers:

• 42% of leaders cite lack of staff time
• 35% cite lack of budget
• 32% cite insufficient training

But Elwood emphasizes that taking initial steps to promote accessibility doesn’t require perfection.

“Taking steps now is the best way toward compliance and helping residents,” he says.

He encourages special districts to take a phased approach, beginning with building awareness of the need for digital accessibility.

CivicPlus has responded by offering accessibility-focused tools such as its Municipal Websites and web accessibility solutions that help agencies identify gaps and create action plans.

Hear Directly from the Expert

In a recent CivicPlus webinar, Elwood presented new insights on digital accessibility, ADA compliance, and what the latest RSAT data reveals about resident expectations.

The webinar presented two key questions that frame the focus of the RSAT:

1. “Do your residents trust your agency’s leadership and management?”
2. “How satisfied are you with the services your agency provides?”

Elwood draws an important distinction between the two key metrics of trust and satisfaction. He explains that trust is emotional, while satisfaction is transactional and tied to moment-to-moment services, like water reliably flowing from the tap; the two are connected, but not the same.

Analyzing the RSAT data that’s been gathered since 2022 and includes over 26,000 survey answers, in total, the big picture is clear: “Being more transparent and having a greater digital presence with your resident base drives up satisfaction and trust.”

According to Elwood, residents value easy access to information, and their first stop in pursuit of it is often your district website. An overwhelming 88% of respondents say they prefer to access that information online, favoring digital formats over printed materials.

Drawing on his dual roles as a public servant and researcher, Elwood advises special districts to prioritize meeting evolving digital access standards and explains why action now matters more than ever. The ROI of earning trust is tangible.

“High-trust residents stay longer, which helps stimulate economic growth and community engagement. When they trust you and are satisfied with your services, they become champions for your causes in your community. They also support initiatives your district wants to take.”

This can help when it comes time to set your budget allocation. RSAT found that 77% of residents support spending tax dollars on software that makes it more efficient for them to get information out to the public.

“Digital-first is a winning leadership strategy; putting your resident first creates a win-win approach.”

Watch the Full Webinar

Building Resident Trust One Click at a Time

Accessibility is really about how residents experience their government day to day. When websites are intuitive and inclusive, people feel seen, frustrations go down, and trust goes up.

“Universal digital access is critical,” Elwood says. “It’s an efficient way to open doors to a whole area of the population you weren’t serving before.”

RSAT findings reinforce this: communities with accessible, easy-to-navigate websites report stronger satisfaction and confidence in local leadership. Behind every percentage point is a resident who found a service, met a deadline, or stayed engaged in civic life. That’s the real return on accessibility—stronger relationships between special districts and the people they serve.

The Department of Justice’s updated ADA Title II regulations took effect on April 24, 2024. Full compliance is required by April 24, 2026, for large entities (50,000+ residents) and by April 26, 2027, for smaller entities and all special districts. In short, every public entity must ensure its digital services are accessible to people with disabilities within the next few years.

ADA Title II Compliance Deadlines by Entity Type

The new rules incorporate Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA as the baseline for compliance. This means public websites, mobile apps, and digital documents must be POUR:

• Perceivable for users with low vision, hearing loss, or cognitive impairments
• Operable via keyboard and other non-mouse inputs
• Understandable by a wide range of users and residents
• Robust enough to work with assistive technologies now and in the future

Making your special district’s website accessible has numerous benefits beyond just meeting mandates and mitigating risk. Investing in accessibility improves usability for everyone in your district and expands your community’s participation while sending a clear message: everyone belongs here.

To get started, schedule a web accessibility audit with CivicPlus experts.