All housing accommodations are subject to availability, determined on a case-by-case basis, and are approved based on the individual's disability-related needs. A diagnosis alone may not guarantee specific accommodations, and all requests must be deemed reasonable before approval.
Reasonable housing accommodations are intended to remove disability-related barriers and ensure equal access to university housing—not to provide an unfair advantage, meet personal preferences, or guarantee a specific housing outcome. Accommodations must be based on necessity and must not fundamentally alter the nature of the housing program, compromise health or safety, or impose undue administrative or financial burden on the university. Requests that violate these principles are considered unreasonable and will not be approved.
Housing accommodations may include the following, as available:
Students with a qualifying mental health diagnosis may be approved to have an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) in campus housing as a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). To be considered, students must complete the university’s ESA application process and provide the necessary documentation, demonstrating a clear connection between the animal and the student’s disability-related need as outlined in USAO’s Animal Policy and Procedure Handbook on the Animal Policy section of this website.
Please note: ESA approval applies only to on-campus housing and does not permit animals in classrooms or other campus buildings.
Students with documented disabilities may be approved for a private bedroom when shared housing presents disability-related barriers, such as sensory overstimulation, medical privacy concerns, or other functional limitations.
Availability Note
Private rooms are limited and may not always be guaranteed. Placement decisions are based on:
- The severity of the students’ need, as documented by a qualified healthcare provider,
- The timing of the accommodation request, and
- Room availability at the time of placement.
Approved accommodations will be provided as space reasonably allows, following the ADA and Fair Housing Act (FHA).
Accessible housing units are available for students who use mobility aids or require features such as widened doorways, lowered countertops, roll-in showers, or other ADA-compliant design features.
Availability Note
Students requesting accessible housing are encouraged to submit their documentation as early as possible to support appropriate placement and allow time for any necessary modifications. Placement is determined based on:
- The severity of the students’ need, as documented by a qualified provider when appropriate,
- The timing of the accommodation request, and
- Room availability at the time of placement.
Approved accommodations will be provided as space reasonably allows, following the ADA and Fair Housing Act (FHA).