A Fair Housing Defense blog reader asked me an interesting question yesterday. Is there a numerical limit to the number of reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification requests that a resident (or applicant) can make of management pursuant to our federal Fair Housing Act? The answer is no.
While it remains the obligation of professional apartment management to engage in the interactive process with all of our residents, in practice, some residents take up more time than others. That is fine and we know it is a part of doing business in our industry. That being said, my reader wanted to know if there was a limit on the number of requests a resident could submit as the leasing office staff felt worn out and that that there was nothing they could do to satisfy the resident. The law and regulations are clear that we must simply work and evaluate each and every request received from our residents. Again, there is no requirement that management must grant every request in the specific form it was made, but the leasing office team absolutely must respond to every request.
Indeed, I am involved in one case right now in which the residents have made 16 reasonable accommodation and reasonable modification requests. As you likely suspect, particularly when multiple requests are submitted, management must also ensure the file is documented and that those requests receive appropriate responses. Failing the respond (even to a 15th request) will help ensure that you will really need to see a lawyer like me.
Just A Thought.
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