June 2025 - Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)
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Welcome Note
This month, we’re focusing on Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) and their role as reasonable accommodations under the disability protected class. Both ESAs and Service Animals are recognized as important supports for individuals with disabilities. We’ll explore the key differences between ESAs and Service Animals, what disability-based discrimination can look like in this context, and what steps you can take if you believe your rights are being violated.
When ‘No Pets’ Doesn’t Apply
Did You Know…
A study conducted by Colorado State University determined that 44.7% of people mistakenly believed it was legally permissible to require a certificate or identification for someone’s emotional support animal (ESA) or service dog. In reality, the law does not require individuals to provide documentation like an ID or certificate for either type of assistance animal.
It's important to understand the difference between Emotional Support Animals and Service Animals. Service Animals are specially trained to perform specific tasks that assist a person with a disability—such as guiding someone who is blind or alerting someone with epilepsy before a seizure. ESAs, on the other hand, do not require specialized training and provide comfort and emotional support to individuals with mental health disabilities.
ESAs can play a vital role in managing conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. The American Psychiatric Association found that 88% of ESA owners reported their ESA resulted in a positive impact on their mental health and improved their quality of life.
Disability-related discrimination remains the most common type of fair housing violation. In 2024, there were 17,986 disability-based complaints—making up 52.61% of all Fair Housing Act complaints nationwide.
So What Does It All Mean?
Despite legal protections, people with disabilities continue to face discrimination in housing. One common example is when a housing provider ignores or denies a request for a reasonable accommodation or modification.
A reasonable accommodation is a change to rules, policies, or practices that allows a person with a disability equal access to housing. This could include things like allowing an assistance animal, assigning an accessible parking spot, or permitting modifications to a unit.
In fact, nearly 60% of the fair housing complaints received by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2020 were related to the denial of reasonable accommodations.
Disability discrimination can also occur when housing providers ask inappropriate questions—such as inquiring about the nature of a disability, medical treatment, or specific medications.
Knowing your rights is the first step in protecting them. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against, you don’t have to face it alone—resources and legal support are available.
What Can We Do?
If you have a letter from a licensed medical professional supporting your need for an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) and your request for reasonable accommodation has been denied or ignored, our Fair Housing Project attorneys may be able to help. We can assist by drafting and sending a formal letter requesting the accommodation on your behalf.
Reasonable accommodations for ESAs can include waived pet fees and deposits, exceptions to “no pet” policies, and even adjustments to breed or size restrictions. If you’re facing barriers, know that support is available.
Unfortunately, there are specific circumstances where landlords can still evict tenants for having an ESA. For example, if you have improper, fake, or fraudulent documentation, there was damage to the property caused by your ESA, other tenants feel threatened or are attacked, or there is undue hardship for the landlord to accommodate an ESA.
Be aware that if you were served with an eviction notice, you can call our Alachua County Eviction Prevention helpline for FREE legal assistance. Call us today at 888-780-0443!
If you or someone you know has a disability and would like legal assistance navigating housing with an ESA, do not hesitate to give us a call at 407-801-4224 or email us at fairhousing@floridalegal.org
Community Outreach
Upcoming Outreach Events
What We’ve Been Up To
Hawthorne Area Resource Center Food Drive
Getting out to our more rural areas is very important to us- which is why we are extremely grateful to the Hawthorne community for allowing us to share Fair Housing information at their food distributions. The Hawthorne Area Resource Center (HARC) has food and community resource information available and open to the public on weekdays.
Ocala Library Presentation
The Fair Housing Team got together in Ocala earlier this month for a Fair Housing Rights Presentation. We are very thankful to the Ocala Library team for opening their doors and being so welcoming to us. We were able to share information on the Fair Housing Act to library patrons as well as staff who can then disperse what they learned with other community members!
Gainesville Summer Kick-Off
Members of our Fair Housing and Eviction Prevention Team participated in a Summer Kick-Off event in Gainesville! It is always so fun to meet families in the communities we serve and get to know other community partners. We are looking forward to a summer filled with lots of engaging activities and community events for families.
Daytona College Summer Kick-Off
Pablo, Mary Claire, Lola, and Joe met up at Daytona College for a resource fair where they shared information about Fair Housing protections to students advancing their educational careers. It was an amazing opportunity to engage with students and other members of the Daytona community. Thank you to Daytona College for inviting us to such an awesome event!
Young Fathers of Greater Orlando Resource Fair
Our Fair Housing Outreach Coordinator, Lola, and our returning summer intern Mary Claire, attended a Father’s Day event in Orlando. The event was the finale of an entire week dedicated to young fathers and equipping them with helpful resources. We are always happy to build new connections with community organizations and are grateful for the opportunity to share Fair Housing information with young fathers in the Orlando area.
Micanopy Health Fair
Marissa and Lola were invited to attend the MASS Health Screening Event hosted by the Willie-Mae Stokes Resource Center in Micanopy. They met with local patrons and shared both Fair Housing and Eviction Prevention resources. We are proud to have strong relationships with our rural communities and are grateful for the chance to bring our services to these areas.
Juneteenth Freedom Day Event in Gainesville
In honor of Juneteenth, the Association of Black Faculty and Staff at Santa Fe College, hosted a Juneteenth Celebration at the Santa Fe Blount Center. It was a beautiful day filled with hope, love, and community togetherness. We were grateful to be in attendance and witness such support from different community resources.
New Homebuyers Class - St. Johns County HUD Counseling Program
Just because you’re becoming a homeowner, doesn’t mean you’re immune from housing discrimination. Lenders, HOA’s, and appraisers still find ways to limit one’s access to equal choice housing via discriminatory practices. Thank you St. Johns County for inviting us in to be your Fair Housing speaker for your full day New Homebuyers workshop.
Tabling at Alachua Headquarters Library
In a joint effort to reach as many community members as possible, the Eviction Prevention and Fair Housing team tabled at the Alachua Count Headquarters Library. They shared information about FLS and the services we offer with patrons that walked in. Your local library is a great resource and we are blessed to have an ongoing relationship with ours!
Financial Empowerment Summit-Securing the Bag
A huge thank you to the Gainesville Fire Rescue’s Community Health Division for hosting an outstanding community event! We were honored to take part in a hands-on disaster preparedness simulation aimed at helping our community plan for and respond to natural disasters. The event offered a dynamic learning experience for both you and adults, featuring interactive scenarios and the use of real-life ‘lifelines’- essential community resources that participants could explore and become familiar with. This creative and engaging approach brought critical information directly to the community and we are grateful to GFR for the invitation and for their continued commitment to the community!
United As One Resource Fair
Attending community fairs is a great way to network with other community resources, and this event was a prime example of that! United As One brought together multiple community organizations that partnered to bring resources to members of the community that are unhoused. The Sunday event consisted of chefs grilling and barbequing, clothing and hygiene product donations, as well as barbers giving free hair cuts. It was a beautiful depiction of community and we were fortunate to be part of such a wonderful event.
Tenant’s Rights Presentation
The Eviction Prevention Team held a Tenant’s Rights presentation at Library Partnership towards the end of the month to educate tenants on their housing rights. We would like to extend a big thank you to Library Partnership for their continued support and allowing us the space to share important housing information with the community!
Eviction Prevention in Alachua County:
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Legal Clinic - If you have a housing or legal question that you would like to consult an attorney about, please join us on July 22nd at One Community Family Resource Center from 10am-1pm, located on 1725 SE 1st Ave, Gainesville, FL 32641. You can speak to an attorney for FREE, if you have any questions or concerns, stop by!
Know Your Rights Workshops - The Alachua County Eviction Prevention team is hosting FREE monthly legal clinics “Know Your Rights As A Renter” at public locations throughout the county. Join the Eviction Prevention team this month on July 15th at Gainesville Housing Authority from 9am-10:30am located at 1900 SE 4th St, Gainesville, FL 32641. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear advice and ask questions of experienced housing attorneys.
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Helpline - CALL: 888-780-0443
This helpline aimed at serving Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) recipients and other members of the Alachua community is up and running! Helpline operators are accepting phone calls regarding housing, landlord-tenant issues, child support, or any other legal issue faced by low-income Alachua County renters. Callers will be connected with an attorney who can provide legal assistance over the phone and in some cases, direct legal representation. EMAIL TO JOIN MAILING LIST FOR UPCOMING FREE LEGAL CLINIC!
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects you from discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. This applies to renting, buying, mortgages, appraisals, insurance, and looking for a place to live.
IF YOU THINK YOU’VE BEEN THE VICTIM OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT:
407-801- 4224 (English)
850-680-1729 (Spanish)
fairhousing@floridalegal.org
www.floridalegal.org/fairhousing
IF YOU ARE AN ALACHUA COUNTY RESIDENT FACING BARRIERS TO HOUSING OR AN EVICTION, PLEASE CALL AND FOLLOW THE PROMPTS TO REACH A LIVE ALACHUA COUNTY OPERATOR:
888-780-0443 (English and Spanish)
www.floridalegal.org/evictionprevention
The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.