COACH's Pop Quiz!

Q:     You can take as long as you want to investigate and respond to requests for reasonable accommodations or reasonable modifications. True or false?

A: False. Although you don’t have to respond immediately to every request for reasonable accommodations or modifications, you can’t take as long as you want to formulate your response. The law permits communities to conduct a meaningful review of the accommodation and modification requests, but it treats an excessive or unnecessary delay in responding to such requests the same as an outright denial. 

In the March 2018 lesson, the Coach explains how fair housing rules play out in the real world by taking a close look at disputes resolved through the court system in the past year. A prime example is the case of a California community, which fought and won when accused by a former resident of mishandling her requests for reasonable accommodations and modifications. The case shows how prompt action—and thorough documentation—can help prove that you acted properly to address disability-related requests.

The March lesson, “Fair Housing in Action: How Fair Housing Rules Work in the Real World,” is available to subscribers here.