Assistance-Animal Accommodation Policy

1. Purpose

This policy explains how the property handles disability-related requests to live with or use an assistance animal.

An assistance animal is not automatically treated as a pet. A person with a disability may request an exception or adjustment to the property’s animal rules when the animal is needed to provide disability-related assistance or support. Michigan identifies permitting a service or support animal in housing with a no-pet rule as an example of a reasonable accommodation. MSHDA Fair Housing guidance

Requests will be reviewed individually, fairly, and without retaliation.

2. Who May Request an Accommodation

An applicant or resident may request an assistance-animal accommodation for themselves or another person with a disability who will lawfully reside in the room.

A request may be made at any stage of the:

➡️ Inquiry process

➡️ Application process

➡️ Screening process

➡️ Tour process

➡️ Move-in process

➡️ Residency

Whenever possible, a request should be made before the animal moves into the property. However, a request will not be rejected solely because it was not made before the person applied or moved in.

3. Assistance Animals and Pets

An assistance animal may include an animal that:

Performs work or tasks for a person with a disability

Provides other disability-related assistance

Provides emotional support that alleviates one or more effects of a disability

An assistance animal does not have to be called a “service animal” for the request to be considered under fair-housing requirements. Housing protections concerning assistance animals may be broader than the ADA rules that apply to service animals in public accommodations. Michigan Department of Civil Rights Service Animal FAQ

An animal that is not needed because of a disability will be evaluated under the property’s Pet Policy.

4. How to Make a Request

The person may make the request personally or through another person acting on their behalf.

The request does not require special legal language. The person should explain that:

➡️ They are requesting a disability-related accommodation; and

➡️ The accommodation involves living with or using an assistance animal.

The complete steps are provided in the property’s Assistance Animal Reasonable-Accommodation Procedure.

Requests may be directed to:

Property contact: [Name]
Phone: [Phone number]
Email: [Email address]

Reasonably available communication assistance or an alternative format may be requested.

5. Information That May Be Requested

When the disability and the disability-related need for the animal are apparent or already known, additional verification ordinarily will not be requested.

When either is not apparent or known, the property may request limited, reliable information reasonably necessary to determine:

Whether the person has a disability as defined by applicable fair-housing law; and

Whether there is a connection between the disability and the assistance or support the animal provides.

The property will not ordinarily request:

➡️ A complete medical history

➡️ Detailed medical records

➡️ A diagnosis when unnecessary

➡️ Information unrelated to the accommodation request

➡️ Proof of special assistance-animal registration

➡️ An identification card, vest, certificate, or online registration as the sole condition of approval

Michigan’s voluntary service-animal identification is not required as a condition of receiving legal protection, and identification by itself does not establish an animal’s legal status. Michigan Department of Civil Rights

All information received will be handled as confidentially as reasonably possible and shared only when needed to evaluate or administer the accommodation.

6. Individual Review

Each request will be considered based on its particular facts. The property will consider whether the requested accommodation may be necessary to give the person an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the dwelling.

The property will not make a decision based only on:

➡️ General assumptions about a disability

➡️ Fear or speculation about a type of animal

➡️ Stereotypes concerning a breed

➡️ The experiences or conduct of a different animal

A person’s appearance

Whether the person uses a particular phrase or form

If additional information is reasonably necessary, the person will ordinarily be given an opportunity to provide it before a final decision is made.

7. Decisions

The person requesting the accommodation will be notified whether:

➡️ The request is approved

➡️ Additional information is reasonably required

➡️ An alternative accommodation should be discussed

➡️ The request cannot be approved

A request will not be unreasonably delayed.

If the original request cannot be granted as proposed, the property may discuss whether another effective accommodation could meet the person’s disability-related need.

Any denial should be based on the individual circumstances and applicable law—not a general rule applied automatically to all assistance animals.

8. Fees and Deposits

An approved assistance animal will not be subject to:

➡️ A pet fee

➡️ Pet rent

➡️ A pet deposit

➡️ An assistance-animal application fee

HUD materials continue to recognize that housing providers may not charge a fee or deposit for an assistance animal, even when such charges apply to pets. HUD Fair Housing and Nondiscrimination Requirements

This does not prevent a resident from being held responsible, under the rental agreement and applicable law, for actual damage caused by the resident or animal. The property will not assume that damage will occur merely because an assistance animal is present.

9. Resident Responsibilities

The resident remains responsible for:

➡️ Providing proper care and supervision of the animal

➡️ Maintaining control of the animal

➡️ Following applicable licensing, vaccination, and public-health requirements

➡️ Cleaning up the animal’s waste

➡️ Preventing avoidable damage

➡️ Taking reasonable steps to prevent uncontrolled noise or behavior that interferes with the rights of others

➡️ Following lawful health and safety requirements

Rules will not be applied in a way that defeats the purpose of an approved accommodation.

Another resident’s fear, dislike, or preference regarding animals does not automatically determine whether a request will be approved. Conflicting disability-related needs will be considered individually.

10. Health, Safety, and Property Concerns

Approval may be reconsidered when objective evidence shows that the specific animal:

➡️ Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be sufficiently reduced by another reasonable measure; or

➡️ Is likely to cause substantial physical damage that cannot be sufficiently reduced by another reasonable measure.

Any decision will be based on the specific animal’s known conduct and the individual circumstances—not assumptions about animals of the same breed, size, or type.

Before withdrawing an accommodation when circumstances permit, the property may discuss whether another reasonable measure could resolve the concern.

11. Multiple Animals

A request involving more than one animal will be reviewed individually.

The person may be asked to provide information reasonably establishing the disability-related need for each animal when that need is not apparent or already known. Approval of one animal does not automatically establish the need for every additional animal.

12. Changes and Renewals

The resident should notify the property if:

➡️ The approved animal will be permanently replaced

➡️ An additional assistance animal is requested

➡️ The accommodation needs to be changed

➡️ The animal no longer resides at the property

The property will not require unnecessary recurring verification when the disability and disability-related need are already established and have not materially changed.

13. No Retaliation

The property will not retaliate against a person because they:

➡️ Requested an assistance-animal accommodation

➡️ Supplied information supporting a request

➡️ Asked questions about their fair-housing rights

➡️ Reported a concern

➡️ Participated in a fair-housing proceeding

Anyone who believes a request was handled unlawfully may contact:

Michigan Department of Civil Rights – Fair Housing

HUD – Housing Discrimination Complaints

Nothing in this policy limits rights or remedies available under applicable law.