Our Commitment

​As a City, we are committed to ensuring that all of our programs, services, and activities are meaningfully accessible to all constituents. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has established provisions for written language assistance when a Limited English language group consists of more than 1,000 individuals or surpasses a 5 percent threshold of total population.

Although Newport’s limited English proficiency community is currently estimated to be below HUD’s minimum threshold, as part of the City’s mission to be the most welcoming community in New England, it is the opinion of staff that more indeed can be done to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access to vital City services and documents.

Newport's Language Access Plan was developed in consultation with community stakeholders, including valuable representation from the City Council and local non-proft groups. 

This policy seeks to establish guidelines and best practices for providing language accessible services to individuals that are limited English Proficient and/or Deaf or Hard of Hearing in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

It is intended to be an iterative, inclusive, and responsive document, and will be reviewed every two years in order to accurately reflect American Community Survey (ACS) and U.S. Census data.
 

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Public Meeting Assistance

Newport City Hall is accessible and meets ADA requirements. Individuals requiring an interpreter or other accomodation are aasked to notify the City Clerk's Office at (401) 845-5351 or the City Manager's Office at (401) 845-5429 no less than one week in advance of the meeting.