Emotional Support Animals Under the FHA - Fact, Fantasy, and Fraud

HUD now receives more disability related fair housing complaints than race, religion, and all other forms of discrimination combined. Many, if not most of those complaints concern emotional support animals. This course will teach you how to deal with requests related to emotional support animals by looking at the law, HUD's policies, the science of emotional support, and the growing industry that provides fake documentation to support ESA claims. At the end, you will understand a basic process for dealing with both legitimate and fake requests that minimizes your client's risk without just surrendering its rights as an owner or manager.

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss the FHA provisions that govern requests for emotional support animals and what the courts say about them

2. Identify what HUD and DOJ believe is appropriate when handling ESA requests and why they are wrong

3. Review the science of emotional support animals and mental impairment disabilities to distinguish between real and fake ESA requests

4. Recognize the fake ESA industry and fake ESA requests
   

5. Use your knowledge to develop a policy and procedure for ESA requests that minimizes your client's risks without giving up their rights