Which of the following is a broader definition of disability used for granting reasonable accommodation requests?

The answer focuses on the ADA/504/HFA definition of disability, which is the appropriate choice because it encompasses a wider range of impairments and provides a more inclusive framework for understanding disabilities in the context of housing and accommodations. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Fair Housing Act (HFA) together create a comprehensive definition that encompasses not just physical disabilities but also mental health conditions and other impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities.

This broader definition is crucial for granting reasonable accommodations because it recognizes the varying forms of disabilities that individuals may experience. By using a more inclusive definition, housing authorities and landlords are better equipped to consider a wider array of accommodation requests, thus promoting fairer access to housing for individuals with disabilities.

Narrow definitions typically focus strictly on specific physical disabilities, limiting the types of conditions recognized, which would not account for many applicants who may require accommodations. General definitions might still lack the specificity needed for legal protections and fail to cover all necessary conditions. Specific medical definitions would not capture the social and functional aspects of disability as required by housing law, thereby restricting the scope of how disability is interpreted in these essential contexts.