Board tool

HOA Reasonable Accommodation Request Form

A free form residents can use to ask for a disability-related change to a rule or to their home, plus a board response letter. Both ask only for what federal and California fair housing law allow.

Open the Form What boards can ask about support animals

Free board tool

Make or Answer a Request

2Request form

For a resident who wants a change to a rule or a physical change to the home or common area because of a disability. Fill it in with them, or print it blank. It asks only what the law allows.

Date

Name of the person asking

The person asking is

Resident who needs it, if different

Unit or address

Phone

Best way to reach youInclude any format you need, such as large print or email only.

What kind of request is it?

Which rule, policy or area is involved?

What are you asking for?

How does the request relate to the disability?Describe the need in your own words. You don’t need to name a diagnosis or share medical records.

Description of the physical change

Who will do the work?

Will a building permit be needed?

Type of animal

If the animal is trained to do work or a task related to the disability, what is it? (optional)

When is it needed?

Everything you enter stays in your browser and is saved there so you can come back later. Nothing is sent to How2HOA. Disability information is private, so clear this form with Start over when you’re done on a shared computer. The forms follow the federal Fair Housing Act, California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act regulations and Civil Code section 4760, reviewed November 2026. This tool is general educational information, not legal advice. Check with your association’s attorney about your situation.

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How the form works

What Fair Housing Law Allows

A board may ask only what it needs to decide the request, and never for a diagnosis or medical records.

Every question on the form traces back to a rule. Here’s what the law requires and what is good practice.

Two kinds of requests. A reasonable accommodation is a change to a rule, policy, practice or service. A reasonable modification is a physical change to the home or common area. Federal law treats refusing either one as discrimination when it’s needed for a person with a disability to use and enjoy their home (42 U.S.C. 3604(f)(3)). California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act regulations set out the same duties and apply to HOAs (2 CCR 12176).
Any form of request. A request can be spoken or written. It can come from the person, a family member or someone acting for them, and it doesn’t need special words. The association may offer a form but can’t refuse a request because the form wasn’t used (2 CCR 12176).
What the board may ask. Nothing more when the disability and the need are obvious or known. If only the need is unclear, a description of the request and how the disability makes it necessary. If the disability isn’t obvious, reliable information that establishes it too. Never the diagnosis, severity, medical records or medical history (2 CCR 12178).
Reliable information. It can be the person’s own credible statement, proof of disability benefits or a statement from a doctor, a service agency, a caregiving relative or someone else in a position to know (2 CCR 12178).
Physical changes. The resident generally pays (42 U.S.C. 3604(f)(3)(A)). In California, an owner may modify their home at their own expense for access, submitting plans for review, and the association can’t deny approval without good cause (Civil Code section 4760). The association may ask for a description of the work and assurance it will be done competently with any permits. It can’t require a particular contractor, insurance, a liability waiver or, in an HOA, removal later (2 CCR 12181).
Prompt, good faith answers. Undue delay can count as a denial. Before denying for lack of information, the board must ask for it and allow a reasonable chance to respond. If a request can’t be granted for a lawful reason, the board must discuss an equally effective alternative (2 CCR 12177).
Confidentiality. Disability information goes only to the people deciding or carrying out the request, unless the person authorizes more in writing or the law requires it (2 CCR 12176).

For animals, see Service and Support Animals in an HOA: What Boards Can Ask. For approvals in general, see California HOA Architectural Review and Owner Rights.

How to use it

Handling a Request Step by Step

Answer promptly, ask only what’s allowed and talk to the attorney before saying no.

Each step below is good practice unless it says it’s the law.

Recognize a request. Train the manager and directors to spot one, even when it comes by phone and never uses the words “reasonable accommodation.” Note the date it came in.
Offer the form, don’t require it. Send the blank request form if it helps the resident, but start on the request right away. The law doesn’t let the board wait for the form.
Decide what you may ask. In the response letter, choose what the board already knows. The tool drafts only the questions the regulations allow, and none at all when the board may not ask anything.
Keep it private. Limit who sees disability information, keep it out of open session and the minutes and store it apart from general association files.
Respond in writing. Approve with only lawful conditions, ask for allowed information or invite a conversation about an alternative.
Use the normal review for physical changes. Collect plans through your usual architectural review, using the Architectural Application Template if you like, but drop any condition the regulations forbid.
Call the attorney before any denial. The grounds for denying are narrow, and fair housing claims are expensive to defend.

Sources

The Law Behind This Page

The legal points on this page come from the official text. Each link below opens it in a new tab.

Civil Code sections: 4760

California Code of Regulations, title 2: 12176 · 12177 · 12178 · 12181 · 12185

Other sources: 42 U.S.C. 3604: Fair Housing Act · California Civil Rights Department: Complaint process

Keep going

Related Resources

Architectural Review and Owner Rights

Approvals, owner rights and protected uses.

Service and Support Animals in an HOA

What boards can and can’t ask.

Architectural Application Template

A clear form for home improvement requests.

The Rights of HOA Members

What every owner is entitled to.

All Board Tools

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California HOA Board Toolkit

The board templates in one free Word file.

Get help

Want Help Handling Owner Requests?

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Last reviewed November 2, 2026. Sources: 42 U.S.C. section 3604; California Code of Regulations, title 2, sections 12176, 12177, 12178, 12181 and 12185; and Civil Code section 4760. By the How2HOA Editorial Team. This tool is general educational information, not legal advice. Check with your association’s attorney about your situation.