Is a landlord allowed to deny my ADA accommodation request? How to ask for rental help

Alexia Aston, The Oklahoman
·2 min read

One Oklahoma woman who uses a wheelchair went viral this winter when she shared a video of the ramp in front of her apartment blocked by parked cars.

Because she can only walk short distances, tenant Gailina Grissom requested her apartment complex block the parking space so she could reach the parking lot while using her wheelchair.

Four months after her initial complaint and the day after KFOR published a story on Grissom's complaint, the complex addressed the issue.

"How do you think that makes me feel, and everyone else in the disabled community?" Grissom said. "Not only do we complain about things, but when we complain about things, nothing is done. It makes our lives even harder because we're like an afterthought."

The apartment management company released a statement in regards to the situation, stating the issues have been resolved and that they are "providing the resident with a telephone number to help facilitate further assistance from our team."

For other tenants in Oklahoma City in similar situations, what resources are available? And what are landlords legally required to do?

How to request a reasonable accommodation

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.

Apartment units like Grissom's do not have to be ADA-compliant. However, a renter can request a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act, according to Brenda Hoefar, the interim director of the Oklahoma Office of Disability Concerns.

A reasonable accommodation is a change, exception or adjustment to a rule, policy, practice orservice that may be necessary for a person with a disability to have equal opportunity to use and a dwelling.

Accommodations must be related to a person’s disability, and housing providers must generally grant requests for accommodation if they meet these criteria. Requests can be made anytime to a housing provider, written or verbal.

Examples of reasonable accommodations include an accessible parking space or curb cuts, according to Hoefar.

How to file a Fair Housing complaint

People can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development if they believe their rights have been violated.

To file a complaint, you can:

  • File using HUD's online form

  • Call toll-free 1 (800) 669-9777.

  • You can print out the 903.1 form, complete it and drop it or mail it to the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Department of Housing and Urban Development at 451 Seventh St. SW, Room 5204, Washington, DC 20410-2000

Oklahomans can write a letter to the nearest Fair Housing Hub with their name, address, the name and address of the person the complaint is about, the address of the house or apartment, the date of the incident and a short description.

Oklahoma's Fair Housing Hub is at 307 W. 7th Street, Suite 1000, Fort Worth, TX 76102.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How to request ADA accommodations on rentals for qualified disabilities