Landlords, managers back study into emotional‑support animal verification

Property‑management groups and the Greater Boston Real Estate Board urged the Joint Committee on Housing to favorably report House Bill 15,34, which would create a commission to study access to emotional‑support animals (ESAs) in residential housing.

Why it matters: Managers reported a steep rise in ESA documentation since 2022 and said current verification practices are inconsistent and sometimes inadequate. They urged a commission composed of housing providers, disability advocates and animal‑welfare stakeholders to develop clearer verification standards and protections for common areas and other residents.

Ben Levinson of The Copley Group said he has approved dozens of ESA requests since 2022 compared with “one hand” of prior requests, and described letters that lacked signatures, dates, letterhead or clinical specificity. Levinson said ESA requests are often difficult to vet and sometimes are used to circumvent no‑pet rules. Heather Perry of Chestnut Hill Realty and Jackie McCarthy of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board supported the study and said owners need balanced guidance that protects tenants with disabilities while safeguarding communal spaces and other residents’ safety.

The commission proposal would collect stakeholder input and recommend standards for documentation, animal training expectations and landlord processes so that multifamily properties can manage access without undermining safety. Committee members asked about federal reasonable‑accommodation law and disability rights; witnesses said the commission could coordinate with advocates and legal experts to ensure any recommendations respect federal requirements.

No vote was taken; proponents asked the committee to report the bill favorably to allow a deliberative, multi‑stakeholder approach to ESA verification and property management issues.