Reasonable accommodation requests are powerful tools that allow tenants with disabilities to request changes in their lease or an additional service. These include, but are not limited to, requests allowing a disabled tenant to keep an emotional support animal despite a no pets policy, having an assigned parking space closer to a mobility-impaired tenant’s unit, and giving a second chance for tenants with mental-disability related hoarding issues. However, these requests are not automatic. This toolkit is a step-by-step guide for both disabled tenants and their advocates showing how to request a disability-related reasonable accommodation.

Do you know your tenants’ rights? Project Sentinel’s presentations are tailored to educate tenants on their fair housing rights and what to do if these rights are violated. We will provide examples of discriminatory actions and statements to look out for and answer any questions you may have. If you would like to be informed of your tenants’ rights, click here and schedule a free presentation for your community.

How can you help?

If you would like to promote fair housing in your community, there are ways to get involved! Project Sentinel is recruiting volunteers to serve as fair housing testers and surveyors.

Fair housing testers help expose discrimination in the housing market by posing as homeseekers.

Fair housing surveyors gather evidence of illegal housing practices by interviewing residents about their housing experience.

To participate, you must be 18 or older, attend an in-person training session, complete a practice test, and pass a criminal background check. Testers and surveyors receive a stipend for each completed assignment. To register for training or for more information, click here or ( 408) 749-1856.