A recent case from Florida highlights the need for Associations to carefully familiarize themselves with the laws regarding service dogs and other types of trained animals that might be needed by persons with disabilities. In Sabal Palm Condos. of Pine Island Ridge Ass’n v. Fischer, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36040 (S.D. Fla. Mar. 19, 2014),…
Tag Archive: fair housing act
Community Associations & the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA)
Some communities provide housing for persons of a certain age (usually 55) or older, and may also exclude persons under the age of 18. This type of community is governed by the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), part of the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA). The FHA prohibits discrimination in the rental and sale…
Reasonable Accommodation – Interpreters
Many clients ask us whether they are obligated to pay for a sign language interpreter to be present at meetings at the request of a deaf homeowner. The short answer to this questions is yes. A community association must provide interpreters to enable deaf or hearing-impaired owners to participate in the association meetings. The only…
Accommodating Owners with Disabilities
We receive many questions from our clients related to owner requests for disability accommodations, such as permission to install a wheelchair ramp on association property. Our research on this issue has led us to share the following information with our clients: Associations must follow the requirements of the Fair Housing Act (the “Act”), even those…
Tag Archive: fair housing act
Accommodation of Service Dogs Under Fair Housing Act
A recent case from Florida highlights the need for Associations to carefully familiarize themselves with the laws regarding service dogs and other types of trained animals that might be needed by persons with disabilities. In Sabal Palm Condos. of Pine Island Ridge Ass’n v. Fischer, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36040 (S.D. Fla. Mar. 19, 2014),…
Community Associations & the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA)
Some communities provide housing for persons of a certain age (usually 55) or older, and may also exclude persons under the age of 18. This type of community is governed by the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), part of the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA). The FHA prohibits discrimination in the rental and sale…
Reasonable Accommodation – Interpreters
Many clients ask us whether they are obligated to pay for a sign language interpreter to be present at meetings at the request of a deaf homeowner. The short answer to this questions is yes. A community association must provide interpreters to enable deaf or hearing-impaired owners to participate in the association meetings. The only…
Accommodating Owners with Disabilities
We receive many questions from our clients related to owner requests for disability accommodations, such as permission to install a wheelchair ramp on association property. Our research on this issue has led us to share the following information with our clients: Associations must follow the requirements of the Fair Housing Act (the “Act”), even those…