Monthly Meet-Up Sep 15, 2026

DON'T GET CAUGHT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINT

New York State Human Rights Law & Emotional Support Animals

A Practical Legal Guide for Housing Providers

Presented by Jaime Michelle Cain
Senior Partner
Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP

Disability accommodation requests involving Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) remain one of the most heavily litigated and misunderstood areas of fair housing law. Housing providers face increasing scrutiny from the New York State Division of Human Rights, HUD, and the courts, making it more important than ever to understand your legal obligations—and your legal rights.

Join Jaime Michelle Cain, Senior Partner at Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP, whose practice focuses on representing landlords, owners, investors, and housing providers throughout New York. Ms. Cain regularly advises clients on compliance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Fair Housing Act and provides fair housing training throughout the state.

During this interactive program, you'll learn:

✔ When an animal qualifies as an Emotional Support Animal versus a service animal

✔ What questions you may legally ask—and the questions you should never ask

✔ What documentation may be requested to verify a disability-related accommodation

✔ How to identify insufficient, unreliable, or questionable documentation

✔ The proper way to conduct and document the interactive process

✔ Understanding the Direct Threat exception and when an accommodation may legally be denied

✔ Whether veterinary records, vaccination records, licensing information, or other documentation may be requested

✔ How to evaluate accommodation requests involving multiple animals, aggressive behavior, property damage, or safety concerns

✔ Common mistakes that trigger disability discrimination complaints

✔ Best practices for documenting every step of the decision-making process to help defend against fair housing claims

✔ Recent legal developments and practical guidance every housing provider should know

Who Should Attend?

• Property Owners
• Property Managers
• Leasing Professionals
• Housing Authorities
• Apartment Communities
• Manufactured Home Communities
• Affordable Housing Providers
• Real Estate Professionals
• In-House Counsel
• Anyone responsible for evaluating reasonable accommodation requests

Why Attend?

This is not a lecture on legal theory. It is a practical, real-world program designed to give you the knowledge, tools, and documentation strategies necessary to confidently evaluate accommodation requests while reducing your exposure to costly disability discrimination claims.

Whether you are new to fair housing compliance or have years of experience, this program will provide valuable legal insight into one of the hottest and most rapidly evolving issues affecting housing providers today.

Understand the law. Protect your property. Reduce your risk.