HUD CHARGES CALIFORNIA MOBILE HOME PARK WITH HOUSING DISCRIMINATION
Charge alleges that resident with mental health disabilities was denied an assistance animal

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has charged San Luis Rey Homes, Inc., a mobile home community in Oceanside, CA, with violating the Fair Housing Act by refusing to grant a resident with mental health disabilities an accommodation to allow her to keep an assistance animal. Read HUD's charge.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from discriminating against individuals with disabilities, including refusing to make reasonable accommodations in policies or practices when such accommodations may be necessary to provide such individuals an equal opportunity to use or enjoy a dwelling. This includes permitting persons with disabilities to have service or assistance animals. It also requires housing providers that have "no-pets" policies to waive those for individuals who use assistance animals because of their disability.

"No one who relies on an assistance animal should be denied an accommodation to live with their animal," said Jeanine Worden, HUD's Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "HUD remains committed to taking action whenever the owners of housing developments and other providers of housing fail to meet their obligations under the nation's housing laws."

"A 'no pets' policy does not allow a housing provider to deny people with disabilities the right to needed assistance animals," said Sasha Samberg-Champion, Deputy General Counsel for Enforcement and Fair Housing. "HUD will enforce the Fair Housing Act to ensure that persons with disabilities have the reasonable accommodations they need to use and enjoy their homes."

HUD's charge alleges that San Luis Rey Homes, Inc., refused to allow a woman with mental health disabilities to have an assistance animal, a cat, in her mobile home. According to the charge, San Luis Rey Homes initially granted the woman a reasonable accommodation from its "no-pets" policy but later reneged, telling her that only service dogs were permitted. San Luis Rey Homes also allegedly sought to fine the woman for failure to comply with its policy.

###

HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.
More information about HUD and its programs is available at www.hud.gov and https://espanol.hud.gov.

You can also connect with HUD on social media and follow Secretary Fudge on Twitter and Facebook or sign up for news alerts on HUD's Email List.

HUD COVID-19 Resources and Fact Sheets