Survivors with disabilities are:

Example: “I am a person with disabilities, which were caused by an assault in my apartment after I moved in. When I was assaulted, I was physically injured in a way that affects my mobility, requires me to use a cane, and makes me unable to walk up and down stairs at the building. Additionally, being in my current unit has caused me intense physical and emotional reactions, nightmares, flashbacks, and stress.”

• Establishing a disability does not mean that you have to disclose a medical condition. Instead, survivors should focus on explaining that their impairment substantially limits one or more of their major life activities such as seeing, hearing, walking, breathing, or caring for themself. Survivors are also not required to disclose the details of the trauma they have experienced, and can decide how much information they want to share with their housing provider. In our example above, the survivor decided to share more detail about what happened to her because her disability status changed after she moved in. 
• If a survivor has a disability that is readily apparent (i.e., easily seen or recognized by others), then they may need to provide less information about their disability-related need. Examples of apparent disabilities can include physical disabilities that require a wheelchair or, for the survivor in our example, use of a cane.
• If a survivor has a disability that is not readily apparent (i.e., a housing provider may not know that the survivor has this disability unless it is disclosed), a housing provider can ask for information to evaluate the person’s need for the accommodation. This often includes contact information or a letter from a medical provider. Examples of non-apparent disabilities can include having anxiety, depression, cystic fibrosis, or epilepsy. The second impairment mentioned in our example–that the survivor is experiencing physical and emotional reactions, often at night and in the unit–is likely a non-apparent disability.

Example: “Moving to an accessible unit would allow me to safely access my unit without causing me further injury or pain because I would no longer need to climb the stairs each day. Additionally, moving to a different space will eliminate the parts of my unit that remind me of the violence I have experienced.”

• Housing providers may not understand why you need an accommodation, especially if the disability is non-apparent. Providing this explanation gives housing providers the information they need to understand and process your request.

Example: “I am requesting a reasonable accommodation that you allow me to move from my current unit to an accessible unit at the property.”

• Survivors should explain why they need an accommodation, including identifying what rule or policy needs to be adjusted so that they can access their housing. It is helpful if survivors identify a proposed accommodation that would work for them and their disability. 

• Survivors do not always know all solutions that are available to a housing provider considering a reasonable accommodation. However, by identifying an accommodation that works for the survivor and their disability-related need, the provider has a starting point with at least one acceptable option.

Example: “Maintaining my housing is very important to me, and I am eager to resolve this quickly so that I can safely remain in my home. If there are any other additional accommodations available to meet the need I addressed, please let me know in writing.”

• If the accommodation that you propose is an administrative/financial burden or a fundamental alteration to the housing program, housing providers are still required to engage in an interactive dialogue with you, to try and find an accommodation that meets your disability-related need. 

• Remember, the housing provider is not required to grant the exact accommodation requested–instead, the law focuses on meeting your disability-related need. There may be other accommodations that allow you to equally access your housing and, if so, you should communicate with the housing provider in trying to find an accommodation that will work.

If a disability isn’t readily visible, your provider can ask for verification. You do not need to give them your full medical record. What works best is either a letter from a medical professional or service provider detailing the disability.

You don’t need to use the language “reasonable accommodation,” though you should make the request in a way that a reasonable person would understand it as a request for a change or adjustment to housing policies, practices, or services because of a disability. It’s usually helpful to make the request in writing, to prevent misunderstanding. You may want to talk with the housing provider first to ask about their preferences on how you submit the request. For example, the Chicago Housing Authority has used this form in the past to assist residents in requesting a reasonable accommodation. 

The process involves communicating back and forth with your housing provider about your disability-related need, your requested accommodation, and alternate ways your need could be met.

A housing provider can deny a request if it was not made by (or on behalf of) you, if you don’t have a disability-related need for the request, or if the request would be an “undue financial and administrative burden” for the housing provider. 

Whether a request causes an “undue burden” is decided case-by-case, based on factors such as cost, the housing provider’s resources, the benefits of the accommodation, and the availability of alternate ways to meet your needs.

Anyone–the person with a disability or by someone else (such as a family member or advocate) acting on their behalf–can make the request. Even if you are the person making the request on behalf of the survivor, it is important to recognize that the survivor is the person with authority about what accommodation will meet their disability-related need.