18 Your Rights to Housing Looking for a new place to live is tough under the best of circumstances. Whether you are renting or buying, you have so many things to consider: the deposit needed, the monthly cost, the convenience of the location, the state of the dwelling itself and how well it meets your needs, and the list goes on. One thing you should not have to worry about is how a property owner will feel about your MS. Similar to the ADA, under the Fair Housing Act, protection extends beyond those who are disabled. It also includes people who have a history of disability, those who are considered by others to have a disability, and people associated with someone who has a disability. Propertyowners maynot ask about disabilityorillness, orconsider this in their decision-making. Even if you are visibly disabled and likely to require some accommodation (such as a wheelchair-accessible parking space), a property owner may only apply the same criteria used for all other applicants when evaluating whether to do business with you, and only require the same financial arrangements from you that are required of others. If you are renting or leasing a home, what if you do need accommodations or modifications to the dwelling? What are your rights? Accommodations versus Modifications The Fair Housing Act discusses your rights to both accommodations and modifications to a dwelling. What is the difference? Accommodation: a change in rules, policies, practices, or services made to give you equal access to the property. Some examples include: • Allowing a service animal despite a “no pets” policy • Granting a closer parking space for someone with a mobility impairment • Permitting a live-in aide despite a policythat all residents must be named on the lease Modification: a physical change made to increase your access, safety, or comfort, whether to the common areas of a facility or to your own dwelling within it. Some examples include: • Installing grab bars in bathrooms • Widening doorways for wheelchair accessibility • Lowering door locks to within reach of a wheelchair user Any costs associated with reasonable accommodations usually fall to the property owner. However, the tenant is often responsible for the cost of modifications, unless the property is part of federally assisted housing program or the modification is needed because the property doesn’t meet basic accessibility standards. (For example, if the parking lot does not have the disabled parking spaces and curb cuts that are required by law, the property owner must assume the cost of creating those spaces.)