American Muslim Today asked DRTx attorney Afnan Akram if she would write an article for them on Disability related housing issues during COVID. The goal was to talk about protections for people with disabilities so that anyone reading the article (not just disability rights advocates) would understand and identify situations in their own lives.
“The term “disability” is very broad and includes many people living with diagnoses that come under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), a seminal piece of civil rights legislation passed in 1968. This prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. “Disability” is defined as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities…a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.”
While this includes commonly known impairments such as blindness, hearing loss, or mobility impairments, it also includes health conditions that require medication such as diabetes, heart problems, weakened immune systems and chronic pain. Additionally, mental and emotional conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and anything else that impacts a person’s ability to live and enjoy life.”
Read the full article at American Muslim Today.