July 2020 COACH's Quiz

In this lesson, we’ve reviewed recent court rulings involving disability-related reasonable accommodation and modification requests. Now let’s look at how the rules might apply in the real world. Take the Coach’s Quiz to see what you’ve learned.

INSTRUCTIONS: Each of the following questions has only one correct answer. On a separate piece of paper, write down the number of each question, followed by the answer you think is correct—for example, (1) b, (2) a, and so on. The correct answers (with explanations) follow the quiz. Good luck!

QUESTION #1

We don’t have to allow pit bulls, even if they’re assistance animals. True or false?

a.            True.

b.            False.

QUESTION #2

Your community may regulate smoking in common areas, but you could face liability under fair housing law if you adopt policies to ban smoking inside individual units. True or false?

a.            True.

b.            False.

QUESTION #3

You could trigger a fair housing claim for failure to address complaints about secondhand smoke from a resident with a disability. True or false?

a.            True.

b.            False.

QUESTION #4

Once you receive notice of a request for a reasonable accommodation or modification, you could be accused of denying the request if you take too long to decide. True or false?

a.            True.

b.            False.

COACH’S ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS

QUESTION #1

Correct answer: b

Many communities have pet policies that ban so-called dangerous breeds, most notably pit bulls, but HUD says that breed, size, or weight limitations may not be applied to assistance animals. That doesn’t mean that you must allow a resident to keep a dangerous animal, even if it is an assistance animal. Although you can’t apply a policy banning certain dog breeds to assistance animals, you may exclude a specific animal that poses a direct threat to the safety of others. 

QUESTION #2

Correct answer: b

Subject to state and local laws, the FHA does not prevent communities from adopting a policy banning smoking in both common areas and inside individual units. In fact, HUD’s Smoke-Free Rule requires public housing authorities to ban smoking in all public housing units and interior areas, as well as outdoor areas within 25 feet from public housing and administrative offices.

QUESTION #3

Correct answer: a

Even if your community doesn’t restrict smoking, you could face a fair housing claim based on how you respond to a resident’s complaints about secondhand smoke. If the resident meets the criteria to qualify as an individual with a disability under the FHA, then the community must consider requests for reasonable accommodations to enable the resident to fully use and enjoy the dwelling. Nevertheless, fair housing law does not require communities to grant a disability-related request if it’s unreasonable—that is, it would impose an undue financial and administrative burden on the community or result in a fundamental alteration of its operations.

QUESTION #4

Correct answer: a

Upon receipt of a disability-related accommodation or modification request, communities are allowed an opportunity to conduct a meaningful review—just don’t take too long to respond. According to federal guidelines, communities have an obligation to provide prompt responses to reasonable accommodation and modification requests. An unreasonable delay in responding to such requests in treated the same as a denial under fair housing law.