Legal news for California social disability attorneys. Los Angeles area homeless shelters sued over not allowing service animals to stay with owners.
California disability attorney’s alerts disability discrimination case- Los Angeles homeless shelters deny service animals violating disability rights.
Los Angeles, CA—The Housing Rights Center http://www.hrc-la.org and the Disability Rights Legal Center http://disabilityrightslegalcenter.org/ has named the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) http://www.lahsa.org/ and numerous other shelters they fund in a lawsuit. The disability discrimination lawsuit alleges the ban in which the shelters impose against sheltering service animals is against the law.
Homeless shelters across the Los Angeles area are constantly turning away homeless people with service animals. The service providers at the homeless shelter are claiming it is difficult to allow and accommodate service animals in shelters. Other homeless people who are sleeping nearby in the cramped quarters may be allergic or afraid of the animals, which makes it uncomfortable for everyone. According to the Americans With Disabilities Act and the fair housing laws, it is illegal to discriminate against citizens who require aid from service animals. Shockingly, when personnel from the Housing Rights Center began researching emergency shelters, funded by the city and county, which would allow service animals to stay, not one of them would accommodate service animals. The lack of shelters willing to accommodate service animals have left many people to fend for themselves in public parks, or on the streets.
One shelter in Hollywood, called PATH has an animal center to care for the pets of their clients. But the animal facility is on another floor, which will not properly accommodate owners who need their service animal at their side at all times. The lack of homeless services for our nations unfortunate leaves the most needy out in the cold.
Nicole Howley-Legal news information for California lawyers representing social disability plaintiffs.
