Sec. 506a.

(1) A person shall not do any of the following in connection with a real estate transaction:

(a) Refuse to permit, at the expense of the person with a disability, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by the person with a disability if those modifications may be necessary to afford the person with a disability full enjoyment of the premises. In the case of a rental, the landlord may, if reasonable, make permission for a modification contingent on the renter's agreement to restore the interior of the premises to the condition that existed before the modification, reasonable wear and tear excepted.

(b) Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when the accommodations may be necessary to afford the person with a disability equal opportunity to use and enjoy residential real property.

(c) In connection with the design and construction of covered multifamily dwellings for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, fail to include all of the following features:

(i) The dwellings have at least 1 building entrance on an accessible route, unless that is impractical because of the terrain or unusual characteristics of the site.

(ii) The public and common use portions of the dwellings are readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities.

(iii) All the doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises within the dwellings are sufficiently wide to allow passage by persons with disabilities in wheelchairs.

(iv) All premises within covered multifamily dwellings contain an accessible route into and through the dwelling; light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats, and other environmental controls in accessible locations; reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars; and kitchens and bathrooms designed so that an individual in a wheelchair can maneuver about the space.

(2) As used in this section, “covered multifamily dwellings” means buildings consisting of 4 or more units if the buildings have 1 or more elevators, and ground floor units in other buildings consisting of 4 or more units.

History: Add. 1992, Act 123, Imd. Eff. June 29, 1992 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 20, Imd. Eff. Mar. 12, 1998