HUD Issues New Guidance on Reasonable Accommodations for Assistance Animals

January 28, 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released its guidelines related to requests for an animal as a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act. These guidelines contain step-by-step instructions regarding what information may be requested when considering such a request.

In addition, HUD finally addressed under what situations an animal not commonly kept in a household must be approved as a reasonable accommodation. The burden has now been clearly placed on the requesting party to show a unique animal is needed to perform a specific disability-related need.

Stay tuned for a further review and analysis of these guidelines in our February 2020 Newsletter.