Are there any special rights or protections for individuals with disabilities under Fair Housing Law?

Yes, individuals with disabilities are provided some special rights and protections under Fair Housing Law in New York. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in housing based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or familial status. This law also includes individuals with disabilities, as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) interprets ‘disability’ to include physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities. This means that anyone with a disability—including mental illness, HIV infection, and hearing and mobility impairments—cannot be refused housing on the basis of their disability. Additionally, landlords are not allowed to modify their policies to restrict or exclude people with disabilities. They must also make reasonable accommodations in order to allow individuals with disabilities to use and enjoy shared facilities, services, and activities. For example, they must modify their no-pets policy in order to allow for the use of service animals or make changes to the building in order to make it wheelchair accessible. Furthermore, HUD has set a “maximum feasible accessibility” requirement for public housing projects, which requires that all such projects are designed and constructed to make them accessible to people with disabilities. This is just one more way in which Fair Housing Law in New York ensures fair and equal rights for individuals with disabilities.

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