Filing a fair housing complaint
Answers
Free, and after May 2026 no longer the strongest route for an untrained animal.
Where it goes
To your state or local fair housing agency, or to HUD. Most states have an agency HUD recognises as substantially equivalent, and a complaint filed with HUD is commonly referred to it. Two states have no fair housing statute of their own, so the federal route is the only administrative one there.
What it costs and what it takes
- No fee, and no lawyer required.
- A one year deadline from the discriminatory act for a HUD complaint. State deadlines vary and some are shorter.
- Investigation, then conciliation, then a determination. It is not fast; months is normal.
What changed in May 2026
HUD now finds reasonable cause on an animal complaint only where the animal is individually trained to perform work or tasks. For an untrained emotional support animal a federal complaint is much less likely to produce a finding than it was. A state complaint runs on state law and is unaffected, which makes the state route the better one in most of the country now.
The private suit
Still available, unchanged by anything HUD did, and where the meaningful remedies are: actual and punitive damages, injunctive relief, and attorney fees. The fee provision is what makes these cases viable for a tenant without money, and it is worth a consultation even when a complaint is also filed.
Common questions
- Can I do both?
- Generally yes, with timing rules that interact. Take advice before filing both rather than after.