"Landlords have to put out the welcome mat for animals that help renters with depression or other disorders" wrote Dinah Eng in the L.A. Times. The 2006 article is more timely than ever in the wake of record numbers of owner surrenders at animal shelters.
The Federal Fair Housing Act (1968) added disability provisions by way of amendment. "Federal housing laws prohibit discrimination against people with physical and mental disabilities, and those certified to need an assistance animal of any kind must be allowed reasonable accommodation - even if the housing complex has a no-pets policy," wrote Eng.
Court cases involving assistance animals are becoming more commonplace, and although the court's rulings most often have been applied to condominium and apartment dwellers, the same principle applies to assisted-living facilities.
A staggering number of animals are surrendered to shelters due to "landlord" reasons. So does your furry friend help you through your depression but your landlord wants him gone? Get a doctor's note. See, the 2004 "Pooky" ruling in Auburn, California in which the 3rd District Court found that the condo association had discriminated against Pooky's owners, a couple diagnosed with severe depression. Pooky Prevailed.
For more information on housing law, contact the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing at (800) 233-3212; www.dfeh.ca.gov; the Housing Rights Center of Los Angeles at (800) 477-5977 or (213) 387-8400.
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