Prevent Fires.

Fair housing laws require landlords to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when such accommodations may be necessary to afford a disabled tenant an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a rental unit. Accordingly, a landlord may have to allow a tenant to keep a service or comfort animal in a no-pet building when having that animal reasonably accommodates the tenant’s disability. An example may be a tenant with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder who has a dog that enables the tenant to feel safer and more secure in the rental unit and consequently alleviate the symptoms of the disorder.

Medical Marijuana

Tape and Bag Lithium Batteries

What should you do with old lithium batteries? A big part of the answer is clear tape. Old lithium batteries may no longer have the power to run devices, but they can still release energy though their contact points. Lithium batteries that are not taped can cause fires in collection trucks and recycling facilities, and harm workers.

• Place clear tape over the contact points of used lithium batteries.

• Put taped lithium batteries in a clear plastic bag, and seal it shut.

• Place the bag on top of your landfill bin. Recology will collect the bag, sort the batteries, and safely ship them to companies that specialize in battery recycling.

Recreational marijuana use is now legal in California. But that does not entitle tenants to smoke marijuana regardless of rental agreement prohibitions. Nevertheless, for the same reasons fair housing laws may compel a landlord to allow a tenant to have an animal, they may compel a landlord to allow a tenant to smoke or grow marijuana. This is because marijuana use may be needed to accommodate a disability.

Marijuana has long been used and is lawful for medicinal purposes in California. And not only may fair housing laws enable a disabled tenant to smoke marijuana in a rental unit, but they may also enable a disabled tenant to cultivate marijuana plants in the rental unit for medical use. San Francisco laws permit a tenant to cultivate up to 24 plants for this purpose.

Conclusion

Landlords must be cognizant of the broad fair housing laws. They must not indicate any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on a person’s protected characteristic. They must make reasonable accommodations for disabled tenants when requested and needed. It is a good idea to regularly participate in fair housing training and classes. Discriminating against a person and violating fair housing laws may have costly consequences and get a landlord sued.

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