Effective date: October 1, 2026

MWN Property Solutions shared-living rental properties

1. Purpose

MWN Property Solutions has a no-pets policy. However, an assistance animal is not automatically treated as a pet.

This policy explains how MWN Property Solutions, operated by MWN Solutions, handles disability-related requests to live with or use an assistance animal.

A person with a disability may request an exception or adjustment to the property’s animal rules when an animal is needed to provide disability-related work, assistance, support, or another disability-related benefit.

Every request will be reviewed individually, fairly, and without retaliation.

2. Who May Make a Request

An applicant or resident may request an assistance-animal accommodation for themselves or another person with a disability who will lawfully reside at the property.

A request may also be made by an authorized representative acting on the person’s behalf.

A request may be submitted during the:

• Inquiry process

• Application process

• Screening process

• Tour process

• Move-in process

• Residency

Whenever reasonably possible, the request should be submitted before the animal moves into the property. However, a request will not be rejected solely because it was made after the person applied, moved in, or obtained the animal.

3. Assistance Animals and Pets

An assistance animal may include an animal that:

• Performs disability-related work or tasks

• Provides disability-related assistance

• Provides disability-related support

• Provides emotional support that alleviates one or more effects of a disability

An animal does not have to be described using a particular label for a request to be considered.

Housing rules concerning assistance animals may differ from the Americans with Disabilities Act rules governing service animals in public accommodations.

An animal that is not needed because of a disability is subject to the property’s no-pets policy.

4. How to Make a Request

A person does not have to use special legal language or a particular form.

The person should communicate that:

• They are requesting a disability-related accommodation; and

• The request involves living with or using an assistance animal.

Requests may be made by:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 616-730-8565

A person may also use an assistance-animal request form or written procedure provided by MWN Property Solutions, but use of a particular form is not required for the request to be considered.

Reasonably available communication assistance or an alternative format may also be requested.

5. Information That May Be Requested

When the disability and disability-related need for the animal are apparent or already known, MWN Property Solutions generally will not request additional verification.

When either the disability or the disability-related need is not apparent or already known, MWN Property Solutions may request limited, reliable information reasonably necessary to determine:

• Whether the person has a disability covered by applicable law; and

• Whether there is a connection between the disability and the work, assistance, support, or other benefit provided by the animal.

Depending on the request, MWN Property Solutions may also ask for a reasonable description of the disability-related work, task, assistance, support, or benefit provided by the animal.

MWN Property Solutions will not ordinarily require:

• A complete medical history

• Detailed medical records

• Access to the person’s healthcare records

• A medical-record release

• A diagnosis when the diagnosis is unnecessary

• Information unrelated to the accommodation request

• Proof of special assistance-animal registration

• An identification card

• A vest

• A certificate

• An online registration

• Use of a particular commercial service

Michigan’s voluntary service-animal identification program is not required as a condition of requesting an accommodation. Identification or online registration by itself does not establish that an animal qualifies as an assistance animal.

6. Privacy of Accommodation Information

Disability and accommodation information will be:

• Collected only when reasonably necessary

• Used to evaluate or administer the request

• Shared only with people who reasonably need the information

• Kept separate from routine rental records when practical

• Protected using reasonable administrative and security measures

Applicants and residents should not submit detailed medical records or unnecessary medical information through a general Room Inquiry, Room Fit Check, or other public website form.

7. Individual Review

Each request will be reviewed according to its specific facts.

The review will consider whether the requested accommodation may be necessary to give the person an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the dwelling.

A decision will not be based solely on:

• General assumptions about a disability

• Fear or speculation about a type of animal

• Stereotypes concerning a breed, size, or species

• The behavior of a different animal

• The person’s appearance

• Whether the person used a particular phrase

• Whether the person used a particular form

• The absence of a vest, identification card, certificate, or online registration

If additional information is reasonably necessary, the person will ordinarily be given an opportunity to provide it before a final decision is made.

8. Decisions

The person requesting the accommodation will be notified whether:

• The request is approved

• Additional information is reasonably necessary

• An alternative accommodation should be discussed

• The request cannot be approved

Requests will be handled within a reasonable period based on the circumstances and information available.

If a request cannot be granted exactly as proposed, MWN Property Solutions may discuss whether another effective accommodation could meet the person’s disability-related need.

A denial will be based on the individual circumstances and applicable law rather than a rule automatically applied to every assistance animal.

The person may request reconsideration by providing relevant additional information.

9. Fees and Deposits

MWN Property Solutions will not charge the following for an approved assistance animal:

• A pet fee

• Pet rent

• A pet deposit

• An assistance-animal application fee

• An increased security deposit imposed because of the animal

This does not prevent a resident from being held responsible, under the rental agreement and applicable law, for actual damage caused by the resident or animal.

Charges for actual damage will be determined using the same reasonable standards applied to other resident-caused damage. MWN Property Solutions will not presume that damage will occur merely because an assistance animal is present.

10. Resident Responsibilities

The resident remains responsible for:

• Providing proper care and supervision

• Maintaining reasonable control of the animal

• Following applicable licensing, vaccination, and public-health requirements

• Cleaning up animal waste

• Preventing avoidable property damage

• Taking reasonable steps to prevent uncontrolled noise

• Preventing behavior that materially interferes with the rights of others

• Following lawful health and safety requirements

Rules will not be applied in a way that defeats the purpose of an approved accommodation.

Another person’s fear, dislike, or preference regarding animals does not automatically determine whether a request will be approved.

If another resident has a conflicting disability-related need, both needs will be considered individually and MWN Property Solutions will explore whether a reasonable solution is available.

11. Health, Safety, and Property Concerns

A request may be denied, or an existing approval may be reconsidered, when objective evidence establishes that the specific animal:

• Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be sufficiently reduced through another reasonable measure;

• Is likely to cause substantial physical damage that cannot be sufficiently reduced through another reasonable measure; or

• Creates another circumstance under which the accommodation is not required by applicable law.

Any decision will be based on the known behavior of the specific animal and the individual circumstances—not assumptions about animals of the same breed, size, species, or type.

When circumstances reasonably permit, MWN Property Solutions will discuss whether another reasonable measure could resolve the concern before withdrawing an accommodation.

12. Multiple Animals

A request involving more than one animal will be reviewed individually.

When the need is not apparent or already known, the person may be asked for information reasonably establishing the disability-related need for each animal.

Approval of one animal does not automatically establish the disability-related need for every additional animal.

13. Replacements and Changes

The resident should notify MWN Property Solutions if:

• An approved animal will be permanently replaced

• An additional assistance animal is requested

• The accommodation needs to change

• The approved animal no longer resides at the property

MWN Property Solutions will not require unnecessary recurring verification when the disability and disability-related need have already been established and have not materially changed.

14. No Retaliation

MWN Property Solutions will not retaliate against a person because that person:

• Requested an assistance-animal accommodation

• Provided information supporting a request

• Asked questions about fair-housing rights

• Reported a concern

• Assisted another person with an accommodation request

• Participated in a fair-housing investigation or proceeding

• Exercised another right protected by applicable law

15. Complaints and Additional Information

Anyone who believes an accommodation request was handled unlawfully may contact:

• Michigan Department of Civil Rights

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

See also the MWN Property Solutions Fair Housing and Nondiscrimination Notice.

Nothing in this policy limits any rights, deadlines, claims, defenses, or remedies available under applicable law.