由于残疾,房客要求一只辅助动物作为合理的住宿. Can a property owner require the tenant to pay an additional deposit as a condition for allowing an assistance animal in the dwelling?

No. The property owner cannot require the tenant to pay an additional deposit as a condition for allowing the assistance animal in the dwelling. 然而,租客仍然要对这种动物造成的任何损害承担法律责任.

一位房客要求允许她入住, 作为对她严重抑郁症的合理治疗, 在房子里有一只情感支持动物. 她想带进来的动物是一只比特犬. 业主听说过关于比特犬的可怕事情, 比如它们有多危险,不想让那种狗出现在家里. 业主可否拒绝此要求?

有可能,但必须先评估住宿是否必要和合理. 业主在收到有关要求后,必须考虑:
(1)使用动物并与之共同生活的人是否有残疾.e.一种严重限制一项或多项主要生活活动的身体或精神损伤?
(2)提出请求的人是否有与残疾有关的辅助动物需求?

如果问题(1)或(2)的答案是“否”,那么联邦《公平住房法》就不需要修改房主的“禁止养宠物”政策, 合理的住宿要求可能会被拒绝.

如果问题(1)和(2)的答案是“是”," the federal Fair Housing Act requires the property owner to make a reasonable accommodation to a "no pets" policy, unless doing so would impose an undue financial burden or would fundamentally alter the nature of the housing provider's services.

The request for the accommodation may also be denied if: (1) the specific assistance animal in question poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation, or (2) the specific assistance animal in question would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation.

品种、大小和体重限制不适用于辅助动物. A determination that an assistance animal poses a direct threat of harm to others or would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others must be based on an individualized assessment that relies on objective evidence about the specific animal's actual conduct — not on mere speculation or fear about the types of harm or damage an animal may cause and not on evidence about harm or damage that other animals have caused.

由于残疾,房客要求一只辅助动物作为合理的住宿. Can the property owner require the tenant to provide documentation evidencing the need for an assistance animal?

这取决于. 一旦请求被提出, 如果租客的残疾是已知的或业主很明显的, 但对住宿(辅助动物)的需求并不明显或不为人所知, the provider may request only information that is necessary to evaluate the disability-related need for the accommodation. 然而, 如果一个人的残疾是明显的, 或者以其他方式为提供者所知, 如果所要求的住宿需求也很明显或众所周知, then the provider may not request any additional information about the requester's disability or the disability-related need for the accommodation.

再一次。, 一旦请求被提出, 如果承租人的残疾不明显, a property owner may request information necessary to verify that the person meets the federal Fair Housing Act's definition of "disability" (i.e. 患有严重限制一项或多项主要生活活动的身体或精神障碍), 描述所需的住宿条件, 并说明租户的残疾与所要求的住宿需求之间的关系.

一位未来的房客从邻居那里得知,他以前的房客感染了艾滋病毒. 准租户与物业经理联系,询问情况是否属实. 物业经理是否须披露该等资料?

No. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits agents from making unsolicited disclosures concerning whether sellers or property occupants have tested positive for HIV or have been diagnosed with AIDS. 另外, 德克萨斯州2021十大正规彩票app许可法案(TRELA)规定,被许可人没有义务询问, 披露与…有关的信息, 或发布与以前或现在的2021十大正规彩票app占有者是否有相关的信息, 可能有过, 患有或可能患有艾滋病, HIV相关疾病或HIV感染.

The National Association of REALTORS® provides guidance on how to respond to an inquiry like this and suggests stating: “It is the policy of our firm not to answer inquiries of this nature one way or the other since the firm feels that this information is not material to the transaction. 除了, any type of response by me or other agents of our firm may be a violation of the federal fair housing laws. 如果您认为这些信息与您购买/租赁该物业的决定有关, 你必须自己进行调查.”

根据联邦公平住房法,什么是“残疾”?

"残疾" means a person with physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life activities; a record (history) of the impairment; or being regarded as having the impairment. 主要的生活活动是指照顾自己等功能, 执行手动任务, 走, 看到, 听力, 说话, 呼吸, 学习, 和工作. 该术语不包括目前非法使用或对受管制物质上瘾, 但可以保护那些正在从药物滥用中恢复的人.

什么是合理的住宿?

合理的迁就是规则的改变, 政策, 实践, 或者在这种情况下可行和实际的服务. 根据联邦公平住房法, 歧视可以包括业主拒绝在规则中作出合理的调整, 实践, 或者提供必要的服务, 或任何与承租人有关的人, 有平等的机会使用和享受住宅.

A property owner must grant a tenant’s request for a reasonable accommodation unless there is no disability, 该请求不需要与残疾有关, 该要求对其他居民的健康或安全构成直接威胁, 这一请求将对他人的财产造成实质性损害, 或者请求不合理. Unreasonable requests include requests that are unduly burdensome or would fundamentally alter the landlord's operations.

例如, a landlord of an apartment building may have a policy to assign parking places based on how long a tenant has lived at the building. 根据这项政策,新租户可以得到离大楼入口最远的停车位. A new tenant with a disability who asks for a parking place close to the door is making a request for reasonable accommodation.

如果这个新房客要求24小时代客泊车, 这可能是一个不合理的要求.

如果请求被拒绝, the landlord should consider and discuss with tenant whether there is an alternative accommodation that would address the disability related need without being unduly burdensome. 如果存在这样的替代方案,房东必须给予替代住宿.

什么是合理的修改?

A reasonable modification means a structural change to existing premises to allow a person with a disability the full enjoyment of the premises. 可以对内部进行合理的修改, 外, 公共区域, 或者建筑物的公用区域. 根据联邦公平住房法, 因残疾而造成的歧视包括拒绝允许, 以残疾人的利益为代价, a reasonable modification of an existing premises to be occupied by the person if the modification is necessary to afford the person full enjoyment of the premises of a dwelling.

例如, a tenant with mobility challenges who asks to add a ramp to the front door of his rental is making a request for a reasonable modification. 然而, 如果那个租户要求建一个穿过砖墙绕过楼梯的新入口, 他可能是在提出不合理的要求.

当合理的, a property owner may condition permission for a modification on the tenant agreeing to any of the following:

(1)除普通磨损外,将房屋内部恢复到原来的状态 

(2)对提议的修改提供合理的描述, as well as reasonable assurances that the work will be done in a workman-like manner and that any required building permits will be obtained 

(3)存入一个有息的托管账户, 经过一段合理的时间, 不超过修复费用的合理金额, 如有必要,确保有恢复所需的资金. 利息对承租人有利. 业主不得增加保证金. 注:居民不能因恢复公共区域或外部修改而收费.