[Wasagdu] [nagdu] FYI FW: [GDBLounge] Fwd: landlords asking for serviceanimal documentation

[Debby Phillips]

For those who are not subscribed to the main NAGDU list.    Debby

 ---- Original Message ------
From: Michael Hingson via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] FYI FW: [GDBLounge] Fwd: landlords asking for 
serviceanimal documentation
Date sent: Mon, 8 Jun 2015 14:42:05 -0700

I thought this might be of interest to some.





Best,





Michael Hingson





From: GDBLounge 
[mailto:gdblounge-bounces at lists.blindcanadians.ca] On Behalf Of 
Sheila Styron
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2015 1:55 PM
To: Guide Dogs for the Blind Lounge
Subject: [GDBLounge] Fwd: landlords asking for service animal 
documentation



I am forwarding some applicable text cut and pasted, just the 
applicable section.  There is a link to the original PDF if 
anybody wants to read more.

Best, Sheila

816-896-6552


Begin forwarded message:

From: Sheila Styron <SStyron at thewholeperson.org 
<mailto:SStyron at thewholeperson.org
Date: June 8, 2015 at 3:44:58 PM CDT
To: "'sheilastyron at gmail.com <mailto:sheilastyron at gmail.com> '" 
<sheilastyron at gmail.com <mailto:sheilastyron at gmail.com
Subject: landlords asking for service animal documentation


On April 25th, 2013 HUD issued new guidelines for housing Service 
Dogs and Emotional Support Animals in an effort to clarify the 
law for landlords, Service Dog handlers and Emotional Support 
Animal owners.  The new wording brings it closer in-line with the 
ADA.  You may view the original PDF 
<http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=servanimals_
ntcfheo2013-01.pdf>  or review the text below.


U.S.  DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
WASHINGTON, DC 20410-2000
OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Housing providers may ask individuals who have disabilities that 
are not readily apparent or known to the provider to submit 
reliable documentation of a disability and their 
disability-related need for an assistance animal.  If the 
disability is readily apparent or known but the 
disability-related need for the assistance animal is not, the 
housing provider may ask the individual to provide documentation 
of the disability-related need for an assistance animal.  For 
example, the housing provider may ask persons who are seeking a 
reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal that provides 
emotional support to provide documentation from a physician, 
psychiatrist, social worker, or other mental health professional 
that the animal provides emotional support that alleviates one or 
more of the identified symptoms or effects of an existing 
disability.  Such documentation is sufficient if it establishes 
that an individual has a disability and that the animal in 
question will provide some type of disability-related assistance 
or emotional support.
However, a housing provider may not ask a tenant or applicant to 
provide documentation showing the disability or 
disability-related need for an assistance animal if the 
disability or disability-related need is readily apparent or 
already known to the provider.  For example, persons who are 
blind or have low vision may not be asked to provide 
documentation of their disability or their disability-related 
need for a guide dog.

A housing provider also may not ask an applicant or tenant to 
provide access to medical records or medical providers or provide 
detailed or extensive information or documentation of a 
person’s physical or mental impairments.  Like all reasonable 
accommodation requests, the determination of whether a person has 
a disability-related need for an assistance animal involves an 
individualized assessment.  A request for a reasonable 
accommodation may not be unreasonably denied, or conditioned on 
payment of a fee or deposit or other terms and conditions applied 
to applicants or residents with pets, and a response may not be 
unreasonably delayed.  Persons with disabilities who believe a 
request for a reasonable accommodation has been improperly denied 
may file a complaint with HUD.’

Section II: The ADA Definition of “Service Animal”
In addition to their reasonable accommodation obligations under 
the FHAct and Section 504, housing providers may also have 
separate obligations under the ADA.







Sheila Styron, ACTCP

Public Policy Specialist



The Whole Person

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