Fair Housing Council
of Riverside County, Inc.
If You Have A Disability...
You have a right to the housing of your choice.
It is illegal for anyone to deny you housing because you have a mental
or physical disability, or a record of having had a mental or physical
disability, or because people think you have a mental or physical disability.
The Fair Housing Act protects people with mental retardation, mental illness, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, visual and hearing impairments, AIDS and other disabilities. People who use walkers, wheelchairs, service dogs, or a personal care attendant are all protected against housing discrimination.
How to recognize housing discrimination:
Landlords and real estate agents usually don't say, "You can't live here because you have a handicap."
Some of the things they do say are:
- "You can't live here because there's no one to take care of you."
- "I'd like to rent to you, but my insurance will go up."
- "How can I be sure that you can pay the rent."
- "We don't want alcoholics or drug addicts here, even if they're in recovery programs."
- "We have a no-pets rule and that includes your guide dog."
- "I want to see your medical records."
- "Your wheelchair will damage the carpet and walls, and you won't be able to get out if there's a fire."
You Are Entitled To Reasonable Accommodation
Landlords must let you make physical changes to your apartment if you need them, but landlords don't have to pay for them. For example, if you need grab bars in the bathroom or wider doors, the landlord must give you permission to make those changes.
Landlords must make reasonable exceptions to rules that interfere with
your ability to live comfortably in your home. For example, if you need
to make an extra key so a friend can come to help you, the landlord has
to bend the rule that only tenants may have keys. If you can't hear a smoke alarm, the landlord must install visual alarms in public areas and must let you put one in your apartment.
Where to get help
If you suspect you have experienced housing discrimination because
of a disability, contact:
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (1-800-669-9777/ TDD: 1-800-927-9275)
- Your state, local, or national protection and advocacy system
- Your state or local Civil/Human Rights Agency.
- Your private Fair Housing Agency.
- The Mental Health Law Project(1-202-467-5730).
- The U.S. Department of Justice (1-202-514-4713).
For more information on other specific issues of discrimination, please select from the following categories:
For additional information call 1-800-655-1812 or visit one of our conveniently located offices where walk-in services are available.
Return to Recognizing Discrimination
Copyright, 1998, Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Inc.
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