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Administrative Plan 4/1/16 Page 2-5 PART II: POLICIES RELATED TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 2-II.A. OVERVIEW One type of disability discrimination prohibited by the Fair Housing Act is the refusal to make reasonable accommodation in rules, policies, practices, or services when such accommodation may be necessary to afford a person with a disability the equal opportunity to use and enjoy a program or dwelling under the program. SAHA must ensure that persons with disabilities have full access to SAHA’s programs and services. This responsibility begins with the first contact by an interested family and continues through every aspect of the program. SAHA Policy SAHA will notify all applicants and participants if they require any type of accommodations, in writing, on the intake application, reexamination documents, and notices of adverse action by SAHA, by including the following language: “If you or anyone in your family is a person with disabilities, and you require a specific accommodation in order to fully utilize our programs and services, please contact our office.” Requests for reasonable accommodation will be directed to a Senior Housing Specialist and/or Supervisor. All requests will be forwarded to the Reasonable Accommodation Committee for review. SAHA will display posters and other housing information and signage in locations throughout the office in such a manner as to be easily readable from a wheelchair. 2-II.B. DEFINITION OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION A person with a disability may require certain types of accommodation in order to have equal access to the HCV program. The types of reasonable accommodations SAHA can provide include changes, exceptions, or adjustments to a rule, policy, practice, or service. Federal regulations stipulate that requests for accommodations will be considered reasonable if they do not create an "undue financial and administrative burden" for SAHA, or result in a “fundamental alteration” in the nature of the program or service offered. A fundamental alteration is a modification that alters the essential nature of a provider’s operations. Types of Reasonable Accommodations When needed, SAHA will modify normal procedures to accommodate the needs of a person with disabilities. Examples include: • Permitting applications and reexaminations to be completed by mail • Conducting home visits • Using higher payment standards (either within the acceptable range or with HUD approval of a payment standard outside SAHA range) if SAHA determines this is necessary to enable a 3-61