charlotteobserver.com: HOA boards should tread carefully on assistance animals
By Michael Hunter
January 24, 2015
Editor’s note: this week’s column was researched and written by Mr. Hunter’s associate attorney, Michael Tarwater Jr.
We are often asked about pet restrictions in the context of homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and their enforceability with respect to assistance animals for persons with disabilities.
An HOA’s governing documents often restrict the type, size, and quantity of pets allowed. Like all good rules, there are exceptions.
In this case, they come in the form of the federal Fair Housing Act. The act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or familial status in the sale, rental, and financing of housing, mandates that HOAs provide reasonable accommodations to homeowners with disabilities. Read more: