Medical providers have an important role to play in patients’ access to fair housing. And yes, you read that right. Although healthcare and housing may seem like two completely separate worlds, the two industries have more intersections than one might think. For starters, when people have stable housing, they are more likely to have better health outcomes. But when it comes to renters with disabilities, there are some tangible ways that their medical providers can help them access fair housing.
The Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research recently developed a fact sheet, providing medical professionals with guidance on fair housing, so that they can better support their patients. The resource breaks down how disability is defined under fair housing law, the process of requesting a reasonable accommodation or modification, as well as how medical providers can assist patients in making these requests. In addition, the fact sheet offers a sample verification letter to give medical providers a better idea of what this type of letter should look like.
The Right to a Reasonable Accommodation or Modification
According to the Fair Housing Act, a person is protected from discrimination under the disability protection if they:
- have a physical and/or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities,
- have a record of such an impairment, or
- are regarded as having such an impairment
People associated with or living with a person with a disability are also protected from housing discrimination. This protection gives people with disabilities the right to request reasonable accommodations and/or modifications, in order to have equal use and enjoyment of their housing.
A reasonable accommodation is a change, exception, or adjustment to a rule, policy, practice, or
service that may be necessary for a person with a disability to have equal opportunity to use and enjoy
their residence, including public and common use spaces. A reasonable modification is a physical
change to the interior of a tenant’s own unit, or to the common use areas, that allows the person full
use and enjoyment of their housing. Accommodation and modification requests must be related to a person’s disability. In general, housing providers must grant requests for an accommodation or modification if they meet these criteria.
It is common for housing providers to request verification, and withhold their approval until they receive it, from a care provider. Care providers may include, but are not limited to, physicians, mental or behavioral health professionals, social workers, case managers, etc. Fair housing law directs housing providers to rely on the advice and recommendations of care providers when evaluating requests for accommodations or modifications. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also offers more detailed information on requesting reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications.
The Role of Medical Providers in Patients’ Access to Fair Housing
For tenants with disabilities, a verification letter from a healthcare provider is often their “ticket” to fair and accessible housing. When a tenant requests a reasonable accommodation or modification, their housing provider is entitled to request confirmation that they are a person with a disability, as defined within fair housing law, and that the requested accommodation or modification is necessary—because of their disability—to fully use and enjoy their housing. When a care provider is drafting a verification letter, both of the above statements should be included. It is important to note, however, that a housing provider is not permitted to ask a person with a disability any questions about the nature or extent of their disability.
In many cases, housing discrimination and inaccessible housing can negatively affect a person’s physical and mental health. But with the help of medical providers, renters with disabilities can live in housing that is fair and accessible. In turn, this is likely to result in better overall life outcomes for the tenant as well. Medical professionals can learn more by downloading the Guidance for Medical Professionals fact sheet, or by contacting The Fair Housing Center for more information on how to support patients in exercising their fair housing rights.
