Reasonable Accommodation

Question: We have an RV park with quite a few long-term tenants. Our problem tenant ("Kris") has been here for for what seems like ages. This time every year around the holidays, Kris has a whole group of elves stay with him for a couple of months and they never register as guests. He claims he needs a "reasonable accommodation" for them because he has a bad back and they help him do a lot of lifting. He also brings in a herd of reindeer (Kris doesn't have a pet agreement), and he parks a red sleigh on the street (where parking isn't allowed). What can we do?

Question: Our RV park allows pets, but we have a specific rule that prohibits dangerous breeds, including pit bulls. One of our tenants just brought us a doctor's note saying that she needs her pit bull as an "emotional support" animal. Do we have to let her keep a pit bull in the park?

On July 26, 1990, President Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), The Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (the “1991 Regulations") were shortly thereafter developed to guide new construction and alterations undertaken by covered entities and established the minimum requirements for "accessibility" for disabled persons in buildings and facilities and in transportation vehicles. After more than twenty years, the Department of Justice implemented new regulations, which became mandatory in 2012 (the “2012 Regulations.”) Your state may have passed parallel laws, which could increase the protection of individuals with disabilities, e.g., the Unruh Act in California. However, this article focuses on Federal ADA compliance. Keep in mind that the ADA is a civil rights law, which addresses a number of subjects, but this article focuses on ac- cessibility (no longer called “handicap”) issues only.

A well management community is essential to making life easier and more pleasant for management and residents. Here are 10 mistakes to avoid in the management of your community. Remember - a well managed community - good property management - results in happier residents, pride in the community, encourages resident referrals and discourages the need or desire for additional landlord-tenant legislation.

So - here are ten mistakes to avoid: