Page 13 - CooperatorNews New Jersey Winter 2022

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But expected of them. They have every right by the same token, such requests must be to get one, but they do have the responsi- vetted for legitimacy, and approvals only bility that comes with it as well.” given when the accommodation does not interfere with the housing rights or safety of other residents. As an example, Yost re- lates how one Southern New Jersey condo plateau, since buildings and communi- board handled a suspicious medical letter ties throughout the country are increas- submitted as documentation for a resi- dent’s ESA accommodation request: “The mean amending rules to allow animals board notified the author of the letter that that were previously forbidden, while for they were submitting the correspondence others it may include adding pet-specific to the State medical oversight board,” he amenities to their offerings. There are a says. “The author immediately retracted number of reasons for this reconsidera- their supporting correspondence, and the tion. For one thing, many building own- request for the emotional support animal ers and operators understand that there was withdrawn.” Similarly, adds Stiell, whether a pet, an allowing pets; the National Association of ESA, or a service animal, “If the animal in Realtors® (NAR) found that pet-friendly question were a type of animal that was deemed to be unsafe or unsanitary, either because of a health code limitation, or because the animal was disruptive or dangerous or caused a lot of damage,” then it is no long consid- ered “reasonable” to accommodate that animal. “Buildings are not required to accept an animal if it would pose an undue burden to the building, or to the residents of the building.” Aside from having a valid, medically differentials could be attributed to other recommended claim for an animal com- panion, Yost strongly advises anyone tion of buildings with more liberal pet seeking ESA accommodations to make policies). Statistics from the following that claim, provide the proper documen- tation, and receive board approval before obtaining the animal. Even associations overwhelming majority—68%—of U.S. and corporations with longstanding pet- friendly policies typically require some kind of board notification and docu- mentation (municipal licensure, updated rus pandemic in March 2020. According vaccinations, and in some cases proof of to the American Society for the Preven- spaying or neutering) before any animal tion of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 23 can reside on the property, including million American households have ac- pets, ESAs, and service animals. Along with the surge in requests (le- gitimate or not) for ESAs, housing profes- sionals say they’ve also noticed a miscon- ception circulating among owners once emotional support animals, whether spe- their requests are approved: many seem cifically ESA-identified or not. The orga- to think the established rules about pets nization’s website reminds us that “pets in their building or community don’t ap- ply to them and their ESAs. “There have been issues with people positive impacts on us at every stage of not realizing that their service \\\\\\\[or emo- tional support\\\\\\\] animals still have to abide pet owners live longer, visit doctors less by the pet policies in the building,” says Alison Phillips, CMCA, AMS, CAM, vice president of multifamily and commer- cial real estate at FirstService Residential based in Massachusetts. “If somebody is going to have an emotional service ani- mal, they have to fully understand what’s Pets Can Make Great Neighbors It may be that the rise in ESA ac- commodation requests may eventually ingly pet friendly. For some that may is an underlying economic incentive to properties are more profitable for inves- tors, and a three- year study by real estate appraiser Jon- athan Miller of New York-Based Miller Samuel found that as of September 2015, the average sale price of an apartment in a pet-friendly build- ing in New York is $2.18 million, ver- sus $1.03 million for no-pets build- ings, and $830,000 for buildings barring dogs. (He notes, however, that the price factors, such as the size, type, and loca- year attributed to the American Pet Prod- ucts Association (APPA) showed that an households had a pet. That number has undoubtedly in- creased since the start of the coronavi- quired a pet during the COVID-19 cri- sis. Given the mental and emotional toll that the pandemic has taken on all of us, it could be argued that these are indeed provide companionship, comfort, conso- lation, and a sense of security. They have life—numerous studies have shown that PANDEMIC PETS continued from page 6 “Th is stressful period has motivated many people to foster and adopt animals—as well as further cherish the pets already in their lives.” —ASPCA continued on page 14