TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,126
Posts: 21,126
Posted:
I've seen a few recent posts about ESA animals. I think that they were attempts at advertising online companies to provide a letter.
However, it's good to review the issue from time to time for those Associations with pet polices.
From an attorneys site: https://www.wilsonelser.com/publications/hud-issues-new-guidance-on-emotional-support-animals-under-the-fair-housing-act
HUD’s New Guidance on Assistance Animals Under the FHA
HUD’s May 22, 2026 guidance begins by explaining why the 2020 guidance was rescinded, stating that it failed to provide housing providers with greater clarity on the distinction between pets and Emotional Support Animals and, instead, led to the emergence of an entire industry to convert pets into ESAs.1 The May 22, 2026 guidance provides that, effective immediately, HUD will only find “reasonable cause” and recommended charges with respect to complaints on animal-related reasonable accommodations in cases involving animals trained to provide disability-related assistance (i.e., service animals as opposed to ESAs). The new guidance further states that HUD will only find violations of the FHA for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation involving the waiver of a pet policy when the animal has been individually trained to perform work or tasks directly related to the individual’s disability. It further states that requests to waive pet policies for untrained ESAs are no longer presumptively reasonable, as opposed to requests to waive such policies for animals trained to perform specific disability-related services.
HUD’s May 22, 2026 guidance begins by explaining why the 2020 guidance was rescinded, stating that it failed to provide housing providers with greater clarity on the distinction between pets and Emotional Support Animals and, instead, led to the emergence of an entire industry to convert pets into ESAs.1 The May 22, 2026 guidance provides that, effective immediately, HUD will only find “reasonable cause” and recommended charges with respect to complaints on animal-related reasonable accommodations in cases involving animals trained to provide disability-related assistance (i.e., service animals as opposed to ESAs). The new guidance further states that HUD will only find violations of the FHA for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation involving the waiver of a pet policy when the animal has been individually trained to perform work or tasks directly related to the individual’s disability. It further states that requests to waive pet policies for untrained ESAs are no longer presumptively reasonable, as opposed to requests to waive such policies for animals trained to perform specific disability-related services.
However, HUDs decision does not invalidate any State or local laws on the issue. Therefore, it's always best to verify if there are any applicable State or local laws when considering an ESA accommodation.
The site continues:
It is worth noting that this new HUD guidance was created in the wake of the Loper Bright decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2024, which noted the Court’s power to reject interpretations of statutes adopted by federal administrative agencies.3 In recent cases, such as Watts v. Joggers Run Prop. Owners Ass’n, courts are still deferring to HUD’s interpretation and regulations related to the FHA.4
The changes unfolding as a result of this new guidance will have far-reaching implications for housing providers’ operations. However, it does not change the current case law interpreting the FHA with respect to housing providers’ accommodations for ESAs.
The changes unfolding as a result of this new guidance will have far-reaching implications for housing providers’ operations. However, it does not change the current case law interpreting the FHA with respect to housing providers’ accommodations for ESAs.
Best advice might be to always check with an attorney but that could become expensive.