Medical Providers can Play Important Role in Patients’ Access to Fair Housing

A verification letter from a health care provider can translate into tenants with disabilities securing fair and accessible housing, according to the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research. This assistance will also likely result in better health outcomes overall for these tenants. A fact sheet developed by the Center, which includes a sample verification letter, provides guidance on how providers can better support their patients. 

The fact sheet covers how disability is defined under fair housing law, the process of requesting a reasonable accommodation or modification, as well as how medical providers can assist patients in making these requests. In addition, the fact sheet offers a sample verification letter to give medical providers a better idea of what this type of letter should look like.

According to the Fair Housing Act, a person is protected from discrimination under the disability protection if they:

  • have a physical and/or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
  • have a record of such an impairment
  • are regarded as having such an impairment

Reasonable accommodation and modification requests must be related to a person’s disability. In general, housing providers must grant requests for an accommodation or modification if they meet these criteria.

It is common for housing providers to request verification, and withhold their approval until they receive it, from a care provider. Care providers may include, but are not limited to, physicians and mental or behavioral health professionals. Fair housing law directs housing providers to rely on the advice and recommendations of care providers when evaluating requests for accommodations or modifications. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also offers more detailed information on requesting reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications.

Medical professionals can learn more by downloading the Guidance for Medical Professionals fact sheet, or by contacting The Fair Housing Center for more information on how to support patients in exercising their fair housing rights.