另外,mental illness不一定是残疾。
An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.
https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm?
所以,医生的处方是一定要有的。医生必须说明“ a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, ”必须列明什么life activity受到限制。否则不是残疾。
如果有医生处方证明是残疾,如果背景调查合格你决定收录,FHA要求你对残疾人要有“reasonable accomodation”。reasonable accomodation在这个情况下是指:你必须接受他的所谓治病的宠物(accomodation),但是你也可以收宠物租金(reasonable)。