Nuisance or Necessary: Solving the "Pet" Problem with JoAnn Nesta Burnett

Although intended to empower people with physical or emotional disabilities, service animals can create quite the conundrum for no-pet and pet restricted communities. If your board is struggling to provide reasonable accommodations for all community members – those with disabilities requiring service/support animals and those with animal phobias or allergies – and balance these competing interests in communal spaces - pools, elevators, and lobbies - this is the episode for you!

Donna and JoAnn outline why no-pet or pet restricted communities MUST have an enforceable clause in their governing documents and enforce it equally and objectively. The conversation covers how the law differentiates between a service/support animal and a pet, whether the ADA or Fair Housing Act applies, what types of animals can shoulder service responsibilities, how to evaluate the legitimacy of a request for service animal accommodation, how to recognize the red flags of fraud, and so much more. BONUS: Get an overview on how to navigate the HUD complaint process.