Reasonable Accomodations: What Can You Ask? - Grace Hill
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Weekly Training Tip: Reasonable Accommodations Questions

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Grace Hill

Grace Hill Training Tip of the Week

 

What Questions Can You Ask Related to Reasonable Accommodations?

 

There are guidelines regarding what you may ask a person who is requesting reasonable accommodations. Be familiar with the guidelines to reduce risk and create a welcoming environment.

People with disabilities face particular challenges when it comes to housing and have special protections under fair housing law. Disabilities include both physical and mental impairments. It may not always be obvious that someone has a disability, which can make complying with fair housing law in this area a little tricky. Understanding how people with disabilities are protected by the law will help you avoid discriminatory practices and create a welcoming atmosphere for everyone who comes to your community.

 

 

 

Let’s take a short quiz!

 

True or false? When asked to make accommodations for a resident’s disability, you have the right to ask any questions necessary to verify the disability.

 

You may not ask a person whose disability is obvious or otherwise known to you for additional information if the requested accommodation is also obvious or known.

If you answered False, you are correct. There are guidelines regarding what you may ask a person who is requesting reasonable accommodations. Failure to adhere to these guidelines puts you at risk of a fair housing claim.

 

Here are some tips:

 

  • If a person’s disability is obvious or otherwise known to you, and if the need for the requested accommodation is also readily apparent or known, then you may not request any additional information.

 

  • If a person’s disability is obvious or known to you, but the need for the accommodation is not, you may request only information that is necessary to evaluate the need for the accommodation.

 

  • If a person’s disability is not obvious or known to you, you may request reliable documentation from a physician, psychiatrist, social worker, or other mental health professional that the person is indeed disabled and that the requested accommodation is necessary.

 

The law does not require any formal procedures for requesting a reasonable accommodation. However, having a formal process in place will be helpful to prospects, residents, and your community by making it easier to consider and respond to requests. Be aware, though, that if a prospect or resident does not submit the request according to your process, you cannot use that fact to deny the request. You must consider all requests, no matter how they are submitted.

 

Treat disability-related inquiries with great care. If you are unsure about the validity of a request, work with legal counsel to determine the lawful way to verify the legitimacy of the disability.

 

For more information, download the U.S. Department of Justice and HUD joint guidelines titled Reasonable Accommodations Under the Fair Housing Act.

 

Grace Hill’s marketing content team aims to create informative resources that help multifamily and commercial industry professionals elevate their performance. From blog posts and ebooks to infographics, checklists and webinars, the Grace Hill team has a singular focus: creating meaningful and engaging content that resonates with real estate professionals across the industry.    However, what makes Grace Hill so unique is the range of collective experience and collaborative spirit of its marketing content team. A group of talented writers with expertise in the real estate industry, overall management effectiveness, marketing strategy, and operational efficiency, the team provides new ideas to take performance to the next level. As a thought leader, Grace Hill's content team constantly pushes the envelope, experimenting with new resources and tools to keep industry professionals ahead of the curve.  Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out in the real estate industry, the content team at Grace Hill is creating resources to help you succeed. Learn more about Grace Hill on LinkedIn.

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