Fair Housing Rights for People with Disabilities brochure

10 Fair Housing Rights for People with Disabilities Housing Discrimination Useful Tips What you should do if you believe you have experienced housing discrimination ? Contact the Fair Housing Project and report the discrimination to us ? Keep a journal of incidents of discrimination ? Write down what you experienced , including names , dates , addresses , rental terms , and any other details about your interaction ? Keep any documents related to the discrimination , including all emails and text communications ? Following the incident , you have one year to file an administrative complaint or two years to file a lawsuit in court The Fair Housing Project T he Fair Housing Project of Legal Aid of North Carolina is available to provide information concerning a person's rights under the federal Fair Housing Act If you believe you are a victim of housing discrimination , contact us for assistance at 1 - 855 - 797 - 3247 A project staff person will discuss the situation with you and help you to decide what to do next Your response to us will be kept confidential When necessary , our staff can assist you in filing a complaint with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD , local human relations commissions , or in court Fair Housing Project L EGAL A ID OF N ORTH C AROLINA PO Box 26087 Raleigh , NC 27611 855 797 - FAIR 855 797 - 3247 wwwfairhousingncorg " The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government "PageWhat is a Reasonable Accommodation A reasonable accommodation is a change in a rule , policy , practice , or service that allows a person with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling Examples include ? Allowing a service or assistance animal , despite a no - pet policy ? Allowing a tenant to have a live - in aide who is not on the lease to assist with daily care ? Assigning a reserved parking space to a tenant with a mobility impairment , even if parking is typically " first come first served " What is a Reasonable Modification A reasonable modification is a physical change to a unit or common area that allows a person with a disability to fully use and enjoy the premises In situations involving a private landlord , the person making the request generally must pay the cost of the modifications Examples include ? Installing a ramp ? Installing grab bars in the bathroom ? Widening doorways ? Installing lever door handles What Is a Disability The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against individuals who have disabilities or who are associated with people with disabilities A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities , such as walking , seeing , hearing , speaking , learning , working , caring for oneself People who are regarded as disabled or have a record of a disability are also protected Examples of disabilities include ? Hearing , mobility , and visual impairments ? Chronic mental illness ? Dementia ? AIDS HIV + status ? Developmental disabilities ? Alcoholism and past drug addiction Does Housing Have to be Accessible The Fair Housing Act requires multi - family housing built for first occupancy after March 13 , 1991 , to have certain accessibility features Some housing may be subject to accessibility requirements of other laws , such as the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA , and local building codes In addition , people with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations and modifications If you have questions about accessibility , contact the Fair Housing Project Examples of Possible Discrimination " Sorry , but after we spoke on the phone we rented the last unit " " You look fine to me Why are you getting disability payments " " We don't rent to people with AIDS " " You must obtain liability insurance because of your service animal " " We don't allow tenants to install accessibility features because we have ' ADA ' units " " Can you live independently " " I have to charge you a pet deposit for your assistance animal " May a Landlord Ask about a Person's Disability Inquiries into the nature or existence of someone's disability are generally prohibited by the Fair Housing Act Exceptions include ? If someone requests a reasonable accommodation or modification and his her disability is not obvious or otherwise known , the provider may ask for verification ? If the housing is designed for people with disabilities and the question is to determine program eligibility Page