HUD issuing new ESA guidelines

[Jen R.]

Sharing an article I just read that I thought would be of interest to the community, especially considering the confusion surrounding this issue. Hopefully good news - looks like HUD will soon be issuing more restrictive guidelines for what actually qualifies as an emotional support animal (the article references "service animals", but it's obvious from the language following that they are also referring to ESA's). An excerpt from the article:

"Lynn Grosso, director of HUD's Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Enforcement Office, told the Land Use, Property Rights & Environment Committee that a predatory cottage industry has developed for assistance animal certifications. Consumers are being misled to believe that an online verification letter—often provided by unlicensed medical professionals at a cost of a few hundred dollars—guarantees them the right to have an animal in multifamily housing regardless of pet policy...HUD is developing new guidance that will address for the first time what "reliable verification" means as it pertains to tenants' service animal requests. It's not clear when the guidance, which is currently under federal review, will be released....[it] also will address exotic animals such as alligators and the number of animals each individual tenant can request in their unit."

Let’s hope it comes out sooner than later, and actually clarifies the issue. It’s about time...

Full article: https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2019/05/15/hud-to-strengthen-landlords-rights-in-service-animal-requests