Reasonable Accommodations
The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) is committed to making its housing and programs fully accessible to persons with disabilities. For a disabled applicant, guest, participant, or tenant, CMHA has an obligation to make reasonable accommodations and modifications.
A reasonable accommodation is an exception or change that a housing provider makes to rules, policies, services, practices or regulations that will assist a resident or applicant with a disability in taking advantage of a housing program or dwelling.
A reasonable modification is a change to the physical premises allowing a person with a disability to overcome physical obstacles that interfere with his/her use of the dwelling or common areas.
The accommodation or modification must be necessary for the individual with the disability to fully use and enjoy their home or to participate in programs/services offered to other residents.
CMHA will accept accommodation/modification requests in any format (e.g. verbal or written). But completing the applicable request forms below will ensure we have all the details we need to effectively process your request:
- Complete these forms if you are requesting an accommodation or modification for someone who resides in (or has applied for) housing that is owned, managed, and controlled by CMHA, including multi-family/RAD-converted properties (Please fill out and submit both of these forms to complete your request):
- Complete these forms if you are requesting an accommodation for someone who uses (or has applied for) a voucher for housing (Please fill out and submit both of these forms to complete your request):
At CMHA, requests for accommodations or modifications are generally processed as follows:
Individual Submits a Request
- The completed Request (Form RA-1H or RA-1L) will inform CMHA about the individual's identity, the accommodation/modification being requested, and why they need it.
- The individual will also submit an Authorization (Form RA-2H or RA-2L) authorizing CMHA to contact someone who can verify the disability and its relationship to the requested accommodation/modification ("Verifier").
CMHA Verifies Disability
- CMHA will contact the Verifier and ask them to:
- Verify that the individual has a disability;
- Explain how the requested accommodation or modification will help the individual; and
- Describe any other equally-effective accommodations or modifications for the individual.
CMHA Gathers and Reviews Information
- CMHA will compile the information its Reasonable Accommodations Committee (RA Committee) needs to evaluate the request.
- CMHA might contact the individual or their Verifier to ask follow-up questions about the request or the verification.
RA Committee Evaluates Request
- The RA Committee will evaluate whether:
- The individual is in fact disabled;
- There is a relationship between the disability and the requested accommodation/modification (i.e., a "nexus");
- Granting the request would be financially or administratively burdensome to CMHA; and
- Granting the request would be a fundamental alteration of CMHA's programming.
CMHA Issues Determination
- CMHA will send the individual a determination letter explaining CMHA's approval or denial of the request.
- If CMHA approves the request, it will follow up with next steps.
- If CMHA denies the request, the individual can appeal the decision.
If you have questions about the accommodation/modification process, please contact the Reasonable Accommodations team at (216) 271-2438 or RA@cmha.net.
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