Rhode Island Human Rights Commission: Ensuring Fairness

The Rhode Island Human Rights Commission took positive steps to ensure fairness in housing concern.  

The Providence Journal reported that “Refusing to rent apartments to students, or anyone 18 or older on the basis of age, and failing to allow reasonable changes to accommodate people with disabilities, are common ways landlords can run afoul of federal and state fair housing laws.”

Engaging the landlords was an important step taken toward implenting remedies.  The Commisssion’s fair housing project director,  Angie Lovegrove, met with Rhode Island realators to explain ways in which landlords have been violating tenants’ housing rights and to discuss ways in which landlords can ensure compliance and protect themselves from suit.  

Lovegrove reported the following examples:

“In one case, a landlord was faulted for insisting that a couple leave their one-bedroom apartment, or move into a two-bedroom unit in the same building, because they had a baby after they moved in, Lovegrove said. It is illegal to refuse to rent to people with children, or to demand that people move because they have an infant, she said.

In another case, a condo association refused to allow a disabled person to install, at his own cost, a ramp to make it possible to use a parking space close to his home, Lovegrove said. There was an accessible parking space provided, but it was far from his unit. The association made no attempt to offer alternatives or even discuss the situation.”

Lovegrove suggested that landlords be open to active discussions with disabled tenants to see if  a mutaully satisfactory solution can be reached following a tenant’s request for accomodation.  She also suggested that the landlords document their discussions and proposed solutions to protect themselves from an unfavorable ruling, should a legal complaint be made.

In addition, Lovegrove addressed a tenant’s need for an emotional support animal.  A relatively new issue for landlords, Lovegrove gave important information to the audience on when an accomodation must be given and questions that cannot be asked.  While landlords can request documentation of the need for a support animal, they cannot ask for documentation of the specific underlying diagnosis.

One issue not addressed by Lovegrove, but which is of increasing concern, are tenants who request accomodation for an emotional support animal in a pet-free building without providing adequate documentation that the pet has been properly trained.  “Certification” that a pet is an emotional support animal can be obatined easily on the internet for a modest fee. Relevant laws are in need amendment to require that support animals be trained by professional and certified trainers.  Like any other concern, it no doubt will be addressed when a critical mass of such cases is reached.  

Dialogue is an important tool in advancing human rights.  The Rhode Island Commission on Human Rights took an important step in ensuring compliance by creating a forum for dialogue with those who are ultimately responsible for creating fairness in housing.