Fair Housing & Century Village

Fair housing concerns more than buying or renting

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. Florida’s Fair Housing Act provides parallel protections, including housing-related services and facilities.

For a condominium board, this reaches decisions about applications, occupancy, rules, access, and requests for exceptions. A restriction written into a governing document does not automatically make every application of it lawful.

Clear standards. Equal respect. Better decisions.

55+ status is a specific exemption, not a blanket exemption

Qualifying housing for older persons may be exempt from familial-status protections. That does not remove protections concerning disability, religion, race, or the other protected categories.

For the 55+ exemption, Florida § 760.29 requires at least 80% of occupied units to have at least one occupant age 55 or older, policies demonstrating the required intent, and compliant age-verification procedures.

The remaining 20% is not an automatic right to younger occupancy. Apply lawful governing-document requirements and verify the association’s actual eligibility and records. Ownership and occupancy are different questions.

The 55+ / 80–20 Rule

Suggested practice: review age records before an approval decision instead of assuming the entire community’s reputation as “55+” proves your association’s compliance.

Where boards should pay particular attention

These are recommended review practices, not a universal screening policy. A rule applied identically can still require a lawful accommodation or other legal review.

UCO involvement does not finish the board’s review

Suggested Century Village practice: identify what the screening provider reports and what the association decides under its documents. Seek clarification about disputed information. Do not assume another organization’s report guarantees that the board’s decision is lawful.

Recognize accommodation and modification requests

Florida § 760.23 distinguishes a reasonable accommodation—an adjustment to a rule, practice, or service—from a reasonable modification—a physical change. Necessary accommodations provide an equal opportunity to use and enjoy housing; reasonable physical modifications generally are at the requesting person’s expense under this statute.

Possible requests include a parking adjustment, an assistance-animal exception, or an accessibility alteration. Evaluate the specific need and proposal. Other laws and funding arrangements can affect costs and duties; ask counsel before assigning responsibility.

An older building’s age does not eliminate the duty to consider accommodation requests. New-construction design requirements are a separate issue.

Assistance animals: keep the legal updates in view

HUD’s May 22, 2026 memorandum narrows its animal-complaint enforcement position to trained disability-assistance animals. Florida’s ESA statute remains relevant. Have counsel review current federal and state law before denying an animal request or changing policy.

Emotional Support & Service Animals

Fair treatment includes considering individual needs.

A suggested checklist before an adverse decision

1. Confirm authority. Identify the applicable provision and the board’s role.
2. Verify facts. Separate documents and observations from assumptions or rumors.
3. Check consistency. Review comparable decisions and explain material differences.
4. Identify accommodation issues. Pause escalation for appropriate review when disability-related needs are raised.
5. Get legal review. Obtain advice for uncertain denials, disputed screening, harassment, access restrictions, or removal proceedings.
6. Record and communicate. Explain the outcome respectfully, preserve relevant records, and protect sensitive information.

Suggested complaint practice: acknowledge the concern, preserve evidence, avoid retaliatory action, and alert counsel and the insurer as appropriate. Do not dismiss an allegation as merely a personal disagreement.

Official resources & related pages

People alleging housing discrimination may pursue administrative complaints or court remedies. Obtain current guidance promptly because filing deadlines and jurisdiction matter.

• U.S. Department of Justice — Fair Housing Act overview
• HUD — Report housing discrimination
• Florida Commission on Human Relations
• Florida § 760.23 — Prohibited practices and disability protections
• Florida § 760.29 — Housing-for-older-persons exemption
• HUD’s May 2026 animal enforcement memorandum (PDF)

Owners & Rules Board Enforcement Denied Renewals

Reviewed October 17, 2026. General education. Consult association counsel about individual decisions and current federal, state, and local protections.

Give accommodation and complaint reviews a clear owner

Board Synergy recommended practice Designate a contact and backup, acknowledge the request, record the date received and requested adjustment, and identify the next step. Avoid letting a change of manager or director restart the process or lose supporting records.

• Separate the underlying screening, enforcement, or access issue from a request for a disability-related exception.
• Request only information appropriate to the issue; keep sensitive disability details out of general minutes, neighbor discussions, and website postings.
• Use individual facts and qualified advice before adverse action; do not require residents to defend a medical need in a public meeting.
• Communicate the outcome privately and clearly, preserve relevant records, and track unresolved questions or follow-up.

Florida law Section 760.23 addresses necessary reasonable accommodations and physical modifications. The correct legal framework, responsibility for costs, and applicable process require the actual facts. A parking rule, pet restriction, or 55+ designation is not a complete answer to a disability request.

For suspected discrimination, consult the linked official complaint resources promptly. Do not assume an internal review or a conversation with management extends an outside filing deadline.

Connected Board Synergy guides

• Emotional support and service animals
• Pets
• Have a problem? Start here
• Screening buyers
• Rule enforcement
• Legal advice

Independent educational guidance. Applicable law, governing documents, contracts, and operator procedures have different sources of authority. The checklists are recommended practices, not decisions on an individual dispute.