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Housing
Rights for Tenants with Disabilities
Because persons with disabilities
are often the victims of discrimination, and have special needs and rights,
Housing Rights, Inc. has put together this web page to inform the disabled
of their rights. Much of the info on this page comes from the website
of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
If you are a senior citizen
living in the Bay Area and feel that you have been discriminated against,
call the Housing Rights Info Line: 1-800-261-2298
Who is Disabled?
Federal laws define a person with a disability as someone with a physical
or mental impairment that substantially limits a more major life activity.
A physical or mental impairment includes hearing, mobility and visual
impairments, chronic alcoholism, chronic mental illness, AIDS, AIDS Related
Complex, and mental retardation that substantially limits one or more
major life activity. Major life activities include walking, talking, hearing,
seeing, breathing, learning, performing manual tasks, and caring for oneself.
What Are People With Disabilities Protected
From?
It is unlawful for a housing provider to refuse to rent or sell to a person
because of a disability. A housing provider may not impose different application
or qualification criteria, rental fees or sales prices, and rental or
sales terms or conditions than those required of or provided to persons
who are not disabled.
What
Are People With Disabilities Entitled To?
Fair Housing laws require housing providers to make reasonable accommodations
for persons with disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is a change
in rules, policies, practices, or services so that a person with a disability
will have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling unit or common
space.
Fair Housing laws also require
housing providers to allow persons with disabilities to make reasonable
modifications. A reasonable modification is a structural modification
that is made to allow persons with disabilities the full enjoyment of
the housing and related facilities, such as installing a ramp or grab-bars.
(Note: Reasonable modifications are usually made at the resident's expense.
However, if you live in Federally assisted housing the housing provider
may be required to pay for the modification.)
More
Information:
Your local Center for Assisted Living offers a number of services to people
with disabilities, including help making important modifications to housing.
Contact: the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers at:
1-916-325-1690 or www.cfilc.org.
Or contact the Protection and Advocacy Agency near you through the National
Disability Rights Network at www.ndrn.org.
California Department of Fair Employment and Housing - 1-800-233-3212
or www.dfeh.ca.gov.
Federal Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) -1800-669-9777 or www.hud.gov.
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