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Fair
Housing for People
Living with Physical Disabilities
The
Fair Housing Center of West Michigan investigates illegal housing discrimination
based on a person's disability. It is unlawful to refuse to sell or rent
to a person that is physically disabled. A person is considered
disabled if he or she has a physical impairment that substantially limits
a major life function; has a record of having an impairment, even if he
or she has recovered; or is regarded by others as having an impairment,
even if you don’t have such an impairment.
What
does the law require?
Landlords, housing providers and others involved in real state cannot
discriminate against someone who has a physical disability or because
the housing provider believes the person is physically disabled.
Discrimination can include:
- A refusal to rent or sell to a person because he or she is physically
disabled.
- Misleading physically disabled people.
- Having different terms and conditions, such as charging an extra deposit.
- Refusing
to make reasonable accommodations so that someone who is physically disabled
can use and enjoy a unit.
- Refusing to allow service animals because of a “no pet”
policy.
What
is a reasonable accommodation?
Reasonable accommodations are changes in rules, policies or practices
so that the disabled person can live in or use a housing unit.
When can I request an accommodation?
If a tenant, home buyer, or other home seeker needs a reasonable accommodation,
he or she may request it from the housing provider at any time. In addition,
he or she must provide information from a professional which documents
the disability and why the accommodation is needed.
A tenant can request as many accommodations as he or she needs. You are
not limited to just one accommodation.
Does
every
request for an accommodation have to be granted?
A landlord or other housing provider can deny a request for an accommodation
if it would create an unreasonable burden on the housing provider. Examples
of unreasonable burdens include not getting paid rent or damage that cannot
be repaired to a housing unit.
Do owners have to put in ramps or elevators?
Physical changes to an apartment or house that make the unit accessible
to someone who is disabled are called reasonable modifications. For the
most part landlords and housing providers in Michigan must allow the tenant
to make physical changes to the property at the tenants expense. However,
there are some federal laws which may require a landlord to make physical
changes to an apartment or house.
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Fair
Housing for People
Living with Mental Disabilities
The
Fair Housing Center of West Michigan investigates illegal housing discrimination
based on a person's disability. It is unlawful to refuse to sell or rent
to a person that is mentally disabled. Mental disability includes any
mental or psychological condition that impairs a major life function.
Such
conditions include mental and emotional illness such as depression or
schizophrenia; Autism, Alzheimer's or Tourette’s Syndrome; disabilities
caused by advanced mental conditions or senility; and/or being regarded
by others as having an impairment or having a history of impairment.
What
does the law require?
Landlords, housing providers and others involved in real state cannot
discriminate against someone who has a mental disability or because the
housing provider believes the person is mentally disabled.
Discrimination can include:
- A refusal to rent or sell to a person because he or she is mentally
disabled.
- A refusal to rent or sell to a person because he or she is related to
a person with a mental disability.
- Having different terms and conditions because of a mental disability.
- Asking a person if he or she has a mental impairment or requiring more
information from you than from other tenants.
- Refusing to make reasonable accommodations so that someone who is mentally
disabled can use a unit.
- Asking for your medical record or if you can live independently.
- Misleading a mentally disabled person.
Reasonable
Accommodation
Every housing provider must make reasonable accommodations to a person’s
disability. Reasonable accommodations are changes in rules, policies or
practices so that the disabled person can live in or use a housing unit.
If a tenant, home buyer, or other home seeker needs a reasonable accommodation,
he or she may request it from the housing provider at any time. In addition,
he or she must provide information from a professional which documents
the disability and why the accommodation is needed. A tenant can request
as many accommodations as he or she needs. You are not limited to just
one accommodation.
A
landlord or other housing provider can deny a request for an accommodation
if the accommodation would create an unreasonable burden on the housing
provider. Examples of unreasonable burdens include not getting paid rent
or damage that cannot be repaired to a housing unit.
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