2-40 Key Principles Regarding Reasonable Accommodations

• A. When a family member requires an accessible feature(s), policy modification, or other reasonable accommodation to accommodate a disability, the owner must provide the requested accommodation unless doing so would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program or an undue financial and administrative burden. A fundamental alteration is a modification that is so significant that it alters the essential nature of the provider’s operations.

• B. If providing such accommodation(s) would result in an undue financial and administrative burden, the owner must take any other action that would not result in an undue burden. See Section 2-46 B.

HUD Occupancy Handbook Chapter 2: Civil Rights and Nondiscrimination Requirements

6/07

2-37

Section 3: Additional Nondiscrimination and Accessibility Requirements for Persons with Disabilities

4350.3 REV-1

Subsection 4: Reasonable Accomodations

• C. If a provider refuses a requested accommodation because it is not reasonable, the provider should engage in an interactive dialogue with the requester to determine if there is an alternative accommodation that would adequately address the requester’s disability-related needs. If an alternative accommodation would meet the individuals needs and is reasonable, the provider must grant it.

• D. Under both Section 504 and the Fair Housing Act, a tenant or applicant for housing makes a reasonable accommodation request whenever he or she makes it clear to the housing provider that a request is being made for an exception, change, or adjustment to a rule, policy, practice, service, or physical structure because of his or her disability. A request can be made by the person with the disability, a family member, or someone else acting on the individual’s behalf.

• E. Although a request can be made orally or in writing, it is usually helpful for both the individual with the disability and the housing provider if the request is reduced to writing. If the individual with a disability requires assistance in providing a written reasonable accommodation request, the housing provider should assist the individual with a disability with this request.

• F. Providers have an obligation to provide prompt responses to reasonable accommodations requests.