What You Need to Know About Accessible Housing

What is Accessible Housing?
Accessible housing is rented or purchased housing that has special built-in accommodations to make everyday living and mobility easier for residents with disabilities. This can range anywhere from wheelchair ramps to indoor modifications like handicap grab bars and accessible bathrooms and kitchens. Homeowners with accessibility needs can apply for home modification grants. But what if you aren’t a homeowner? Few rental locations are designed to accommodate individuals with disabilities. That’s where the Fair Housing Act comes into play.Understanding the Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act protects the right of disabled Americans to have safe housing accommodations. This government legislation requires housing providers to:- Make accommodations for disabled tenants so long as those accommodations don’t cause an undue financial or administrative burden
- Allow disabled tenants to make reasonable modifications to a rented housing space that are required for the unit to be fully usable
- Evict a tenant for his or her disability or the disability of a family member
- Refuse to sell or rent housing to an individual based on the disability of the primary tenant/owner or his or her family member
- To ask if an applicant or his or her family member has a disability
- To alter applications or buying/renting criteria due to a disability
- Segregate tenants to specific areas or units based on disability
- Refuse reasonable accommodation or modifications based on disability