By: Hope Williams, Supervising Attorney Note: This article is based on guidance that HUD has since rescinded. HUD issued new enforcement guidance about assistance animals available here. When Fair Housing Project staff conduct trainings, we often are asked: Can a person have a unique animal as an assistance animal? Can a household have more than …
assistance animal
Assistance Animals under the Fair Housing Act
Note: Some of the information provided in this article is based on guidance that HUD has rescinded. HUD issued new enforcement guidance related to assistance animals available here. Disability Discrimination The Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibits discrimination against individuals who have disabilities or who are associated with people with disabilities. A housing provider that refuses …
New Videos Educate Tenants & Others About Fair Housing Rights
The Fair Housing Project has released six new videos to educate the public about their fair housing rights. The videos provide information about reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, assistance animals, fair housing protections for families with children, and what a person should do if they believe they have been discriminated against. Videos in English: …
HUD’s New Guidance on Reasonable Accommodations under the Fair Housing Act related to Assistance Animals
Note: HUD has rescinded the January 2020 guidance referenced in this article. HUD issued new enforcement guidance about assistance animals in May 2026, available here. On January 28, 2020, HUD released a new guidance document on the rights of people with disabilities to obtain an assistance or service animal in their housing. The document, “Assessing …
Disability
The federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) prohibits discrimination in housing based on a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. 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 …