Housing Discrimination and Accommodations
for People with Disabilities
In New York State, the Fair Housing Act protects tenants with disabilities from housing discrimination.
WHAT IS HOUSING DISCRIMINATION?
Housing discrimination can include:
-
Failure to make older buildings accessible to people with disabilities•
-
Failure to meet accommodation requirements for new buildings
-
Exclusion based on disability
-
Exclusion based on source of income
WHAT ARE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS?
Tenants with disabilities are entitled to equal access and reasonable accommodations. A reasonable accommodation is a structural or policy change made by a property owner that gives a person with a disability the same use of the property as tenants without disabilities. If the accommodation is found to be architecturally and financially possible and will not negatively impact other tenants, then it must be paid for by the landlord. Common examples of reasonable accommodations include:
-
Building a ramp for wheelchair access
-
Allowing a service animal despite a no pets policy
-
Providing a reserved parking space
If you feel you have experienced housing discrimination, call the New York Regional Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (212) 542-7519.
For more information on the Fair Housing Act, visit goo.gl/FjLlZN.