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Administrative Plan 7/1/2025 Page 2-9 <br />2-II.D. VERIFICATION OF DISABILITY <br />The regulatory civil rights definition for persons with disabilities is provided in Exhibit 2-1 at the <br />end of this chapter. The definition of a person with a disability for the purpose of obtaining a <br />reasonable accommodation is much broader than the HUD definition of disability which is used <br />for waiting list preferences and income allowances. <br />Before providing an accommodation, the PHA must determine that the person meets the <br />definition of a person with a disability, and that the accommodation will enhance the family’s <br />access to the PHA’s programs and services. <br />If a person’s disability is obvious or otherwise known to the PHA, and if the need for the <br />requested accommodation is also readily apparent or known, no further verification will be <br />required [Joint Statement of the Departments of HUD and Justice: Reasonable Accommodations <br />under the Fair Housing Act]. <br />If a family indicates that an accommodation is required for a disability that is not obvious or <br />otherwise known to the PHA, the PHA must verify that the person meets the definition of a <br />person with a disability, and that the limitations imposed by the disability require the requested <br />accommodation. <br />When verifying a disability, the PHA will follow the verification policies provided in Chapter 7. <br />All information related to a person’s disability will be treated in accordance with the <br />confidentiality policies provided in Chapter 16. In addition to the general requirements that <br />govern all verification efforts, the following requirements apply when verifying a disability: <br /> Third-party verification must be obtained from an individual identified by the family who is <br />competent to make the determination. A doctor or other medical professional, a peer support <br />group, a non-medical service agency, or a reliable third party who is in a position to know <br />about the individual’s disability may provide verification of a disability [Joint Statement of <br />the Departments of HUD and Justice: Reasonable Accommodations under the Fair Housing <br />Act] <br /> The PHA must request only information that is necessary to evaluate the disability-related <br />need for the accommodation. The PHA will not inquire about the nature or extent of any <br />disability. <br /> Medical records will not be accepted or retained in the participant file. <br /> In the event that the PHA does receive confidential information about a person’s specific <br />diagnosis, treatment, or the nature or severity of the disability, the PHA will dispose of it. In <br />place of the information, the PHA will note in the file that the disability and other requested <br />information have been verified, the date the verification was received, and the name and <br />address of the knowledgeable professional who sent the information [Notice PIH 2010-26]. <br />EXHIBIT 1