Re: companion animals - Landlord Forum thread 230322

Re: companion animals by xxx on August 5, 2011 @12:12

you're pretty much screwed, but she needs to provide you with evidence of her DISABILITY (a letter from the doctor with the magic words "He/She meets the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.")

so NOT "she would benefit from" but "she is DISABLED as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973"

here is a good summary:

http://bazelon.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=mHq8GV0FI4c%3d&tabid=245

"The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act protect the right of people with disabilities to keep emotional support animals, even when a landlord's policy explicitly prohibits pets. Because emotional support and service animals are not "pets," but rather are considered to be more like assistive aids such as wheelchairs, the law will generally require the landlord to make an exception to its "no pet" policy so that a tenant with a disability can fully use and enjoy his or her dwelling. In most housing complexes, so long as the tenant has a letter or prescription from an appropriate professional, such as a therapist or physician, and meets the definition of a person with a disability, he or she is entitled to a reasonable accommodation that would allow an emotional support animal in the apartment."

that said, they knew in advance they were going to spring this on you, and waited until the lease was signed so you could not refuse them

they go on the bad list for that, and have to go at the first opportunity

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