Emotional Support Animals and Housing Law
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Emotional Support Animals and Fair Housing Law - Information from the California Civil Rights Department
The Civil Rights Department (CRD) is California’s civil rights agency. Among the laws enforced by CRD are the Fair Employment and Housing Act and its implementing regulations.
These laws protect tenants and residents from discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as require landlords, property management companies, homeowner associations, and other housing providers to reasonably accommodate people with disabilities so that they may use and enjoy a housing opportunity.
When a housing provider disallows pets or limits the kind, size, or number of pets that someone can have, California law generally requires the housing provider to provide a reasonable accommodation to a person with a disability in order to allow them to live with an emotional support animal (ESA) that assists that person in managing their disability.
To assist housing providers, tenants, residents, and others understand and comply with California law, CRD is providing answers to frequently asked questions about ESAs.