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Are you in recovery and need to ask a landlord to ignore your criminal history so you can rent an apartment? Our Opioid Use Disorder Accommodation Request Tool can help.
Renting if you are in recovery
If you have a criminal history that is related to Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), you may have a hard time renting an apartment because some landlords won’t rent to people with a criminal history.
However, did you know OUD is considered a disability and that people with disabilities have certain protections under the Fair Housing Act?
Under the Fair Housing Act, you are protected from housing discrimination that is based on your criminal history if that criminal history is a result of your disability.
If you are in recovery from OUD and your criminal history is a result of your disability (i.e., OUD), you can ask a landlord to ignore your criminal history when they are considering your application to rent an apartment.
When you ask a landlord to ignore your disability-related criminal history, this is called requesting a reasonable accommodation. The best way to request a reasonable accommodation is by sending a letter to the landlord.
Submit your request
If you would like to request an accommodation, you can use our OUD Accommodation Request Tool to create a letter.
With the tool, you fill out a short form that asks for information about you, how OUD impacted you, and what you are doing to recover. The form also asks for information about the landlord you are trying to rent from.
The information you provide will be added to a formatted letter that you can download or print. Then you send your letter to the landlord via certified mail and/or email.
To get started with your request, click the button below.
Publication Code: HS21
www.DRTx.org
Statewide Intake: 1-800-252-9108
Sign Language Video Phone: 1-866-362-2851
Purple 2 Video Phone: 512-271-9391
Online Intake available 24/7: intake.DRTx.org
Disclaimer: Disability Rights Texas strives to update its materials on an annual basis, and this handout is based upon the law at the time it was written. The law changes frequently and is subject to various interpretations by different courts. Future changes in the law may make some information in this handout inaccurate.
The handout is not intended to and does not replace an attorney’s advice or assistance based on your particular situation.
To request this handout in ASL, Braille, or as an audio file, contact us.
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