Landlord-tenant
-
HUD was wrong about pet deposits – it’s as simple as that.
I’ve written quite a few times in the last decade about the absurdity of HUD’s position that landlords cannot charge a fee or deposit for an assistance or emotional support animal.¹ HUD’s position has never made sense because asking for the waiver of a fee or deposit is just another kind of accommodation claim that Continue reading
-
What’s bugging HUD – the latest HUD actions based on disability
HUD’s press releases are interesting reading, not because they help you understand the law, but because they help you understand what HUD thinks the law is, and because they are often object lessons in mistakes no housing provider should make. This is a round up of press releases in the last four or five months, Continue reading
-
Quick Hits – April Fools Edition
If foolishness were limited to one day a year this blog would be well overdue, but a glance at the news – legal, political or other, shows that every day in April can be April fools day, so I make no apologies for the delay in getting this out. The difference between accommodation and modification Continue reading
-
Fighting fake ESA’s – Guidance on what constitutes reliable evidence of disability
This week’s news is a year old, but very important for apartment owners and managers confronted by the increasing flood of fake emotional support animal requests.* In March of 2017 the Virginia Fair Housing Board, which carries out Virginia’s mandate for disability rights in housing, issued a formal guidance on what constitutes reliable evidence of Continue reading
-
Shoot the messenger! Agent liability under the Fair Housing Act
A brand new decision from Northern California, Hintz v. Chase, 17-CV-02198-JCS, 2017 WL 3421979 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 9, 2017) reminds both property owners and sales or leasing agents that no one can escape responsibility for making the right decision in cases under the Fair Housing Act. This is an especially important reminder for those in the market Continue reading
