California Civil Rights Department, Housing Discrimination

Citation: California Civil Rights Department, Housing Discrimination
Jurisdiction: California (state)
Source: Official source
Original Source: https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/housing/ ↗

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No. Documentation can come from any reliable third party who is in a position to know about the individual’s disability or the disability-related need for accommodation, such as a health care provider, therapist, social worker, non-medical service provider, member of a peer support group, parent, child, or other relative. Reliable documentation of an individual’s disability and/or their need for a reasonable accommodation or modification can also be provided by the person making the request. This may include proof of receipt of disability-related benefits, such as SSI or SSDI or the requestor’s own credible statement. The determination of whether a third party is reliable is determined on a case-by-case basis and may take into account how the third party is familiar with the individual’s disability and/or the disability-related need for the accommodation.

Can a housing provider have a “no pets” rule?

Yes, but the housing provider must make exceptions to the rule as a reasonable accommodation if it is necessary to allow a person with a disability to have an equal opportunity to enjoy housing. Refusing to allow necessary service animals or emotional-support animals is illegal discrimination. Service animals and emotional-support animals are not subject to breed, size, or weight restrictions ordinarily applied to pets, and tenants cannot be charged pet deposits or pet rent for them.

What is the difference between an emotional support animal and a service animal?