Feb 10

Here is the first “final” draft of the one page form and flowchart for animal accommodation request. This is only a draft, put out for feed back and comments. This form is based on HUD’s recently released Guidance on Documenting a Person’s Need for Assistance Animals in Housing.

I previously posted a draft flowchart for reasonable accommodation requests for assistance animals to use while making the determination.

Initially I did not feel the new HUD guidelines offered much relief from the problem with people who skirted no pet policies with fake “service animals”

After working through this I feel that this will prevent many of the problem we are currently experiencing, while protecting the tenant that has a true need for a service or support animal. While fake service animals concern me, I have no sympathy for the owner that would deny or charge extra for a seeing eye dog, a service dog for a person in a wheelchair, a person suffering from PTSD, etc.

Clarifying that the accommodation only applies if the requester has a disability that imposes a substantial limitation on major life activities is important.

Clarifying that property owners can request documentation of both a disability and the need for a disability-related need for the animal from a licensed professional rather than having to accept some $29 vest from Amazon as proof is important.

2 Responses to “Draft Form: Documentation Required from Tenants Requesting an Assistance Animal Accommodation”

  1. Cathy says:

    Thank you tackling this very irritating issue. The airline companies are also trying to clarify their position on this issue.
    Hopefully the standards used for a trained service animal can also be applied to emotional support animals as far as type, quantity per person, and detailed training requirements backed by a local certified entity. Not groups having doctors on the internet certifying the emotional support animal needs after an internet question and answer period.

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