As a native Angeleno (LA resident) born with a disability who has lived all but 26 months of his almost-50 years of life in the LA area, I think I can give insight into this.

Right now, LA is doing pretty good. We’re getting more subway and light rail route extensions and stations throughout the region. We’re finally getting an automated transport system within LAX. However,…

We can’t depend on the very accessible public transit system alone to get around. While we are NOT a taxi city, residents without disabilities do use UBER, LYFT, and Waymo, the driverless taxi. We need WAVs 24/7 for those services. We shouldn’t have to depend on buses with only 2 wheelchair spots on routes that also serve the thousands who depend on them to survive here, but can’t afford a car.

I hope they’ll provide a lot of express shuttles that will go from one cluster of venues to another with ease. We have enough traffic as it is. People, incl. many with disabilities, will need a quick way to these venues without going through our worst neighborhoods.

Businesses are very accessible, so that won’t be an issue.

Hopefully, more hotels will have more accessible rooms. Not every local can host out-of-town friends and/or family with disabilities in their homes, so they’ll need a place to stay.

And, personally, as a gay man, I hope they’ll keep the Rainbow House (temporary entertainment venue to celebrate LGBT+ athletes and fans) open during the Paralympics. After all, there are many of us LGBTQIA+ in the Paralympic movement, from fans on up.