106.50(2r)(br) (br) Emotional support animals.

106.50(2r)(br)1. 1. If an individual has a disability and a disability-related need for an emotional support animal, it is discrimination for a person to refuse to rent or sell housing to the individual, cause the eviction of the individual from housing, require extra compensation from the individual as a condition of continued residence in housing, or engage in the harassment of the individual because he or she keeps such an animal.

106.50(2r)(br)2. 2. If an individual keeps or is seeking to keep an emotional support animal in housing, an owner, lessor, lessor’s agent, owner’s agent, or representative of a condominium association may request that the individual submit to the owner, lessor, agent, or representative reliable documentation that the individual has a disability and reliable documentation of the disability-related need for the emotional support animal from a licensed health professional.

106.50(2r)(br)3. 3. An individual with a disability who keeps an emotional support animal in housing shall accept liability for sanitation with respect to, and damage to the premises caused by, the animal.

106.50(2r)(br)4. 4. Nothing in this subsection prohibits an owner, lessor, lessor’s agent, owner’s agent, or representative of a condominium association from denying an individual the ability to keep an animal in housing if any of the following applies:

106.50(2r)(br)4.a. a. The individual is not disabled, does not have a disability-related need for the animal, or fails to provide the documentation requested under subd. 2.

106.50(2r)(br)4.b. b. Allowing the animal would impose an undue financial and administrative burden or would fundamentally alter the nature of services provided by the lessor, owner, or representative.

106.50(2r)(br)4.c. c. The specific animal in question poses a direct threat to a person’s health or safety that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation.

106.50(2r)(br)4.d. d. The specific animal in question would cause substantial physical damage to a person’s property that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation.

106.50(2r)(br)5. 5. An individual shall forfeit not less than $500 if he or she, for the purpose of obtaining housing, intentionally misrepresents that he or she has a disability or misrepresents the need for an emotional support animal to assist with his or her disability.

106.50(2r)(br)6. 6. A licensed health professional shall forfeit not less than $500 if he or she, for the purpose of allowing the patient to obtain housing, misrepresents that his or her patient has a disability or misrepresents his or her patient’s need for an emotional support animal to assist with his or her patient’s disability.

106.50(2r)(c) (c) Design and construction of covered multifamily housing. In addition to discrimination prohibited under pars. (b), (bg), and (br) and subs. (2) and (2m), no person may design or construct covered multifamily housing, as defined in s. 101.132 (1) (d), unless it meets the standards specified in s. 101.132 (2) (a) 1. to 4. In addition, no person may remodel, as defined in s. 101.132 (1) (h), housing with 3 or more dwelling units unless the remodeled housing meets the standards specified in s. 101.132 (2) (a) 1. to 4. as required under s. 101.132 (2) (b) 1., 2. or 3., whichever is applicable.

106.50(5m) (5m) Exemptions and exclusions.

106.50(5m)(a) (a)

106.50(5m)(a)1. 1. Nothing in this section prohibits discrimination based on age or family status with respect to housing for older persons.

106.50(5m)(a)1e. 1e. Under this paragraph, housing under sub. (1m) (m) 3. may qualify as housing for older persons only if the owner of the housing maintains records containing written verification that all of the following factors apply to the housing:

106.50(5m)(a)1e.b. b. At least 80 percent of the dwelling units under sub. (1m) (m) 3. are occupied by at least one person 55 years of age or older.

106.50(5m)(a)1e.c. c. Policies are published and procedures are adhered to that demonstrate an intent by the owner or manager to provide housing under sub. (1m) (m) 3. for persons 55 years of age or older. The owner or manager may document compliance with this subd. 1e. c. by maintaining records containing written verification of the ages of the occupants of the housing.

106.50(5m)(a)1m. 1m. No person may discriminate by refusing to continue renting to a person living in housing for older persons under sub. (1m) (m) 3. who is subject to a hardship condition.

106.50(5m)(a)2. 2. Under this paragraph, housing may qualify as housing for older persons with respect to persons first occupying the housing on or after September 1, 1992, regardless of whether a person who had not attained the age of 62 resided in the housing on that date or regardless of whether one or more dwelling units were unoccupied on that date, if the persons who first occupy the housing on or after that date have attained the age of 62.

106.50(5m)(am) (am) Nothing in this section prohibits an authority, as defined in s. 66.1201 (3) (b), created by a 1st class city or an instrumentality, subsidiary, or not-for-profit affiliate of an authority created by a 1st class city from discriminating based on source of income when renting housing units located in a property wholly or partially owned before October 1, 2021, by the authority, provided that the discrimination is material to an identified objective of the authority or for the purpose of transitioning the renter to economic self-sufficiency and is consistent with federal law.

106.50(5m)(b) (b) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a person from exacting different or more stringent terms or conditions for financing housing based on the age of the individual applicant for financing if the terms or conditions are reasonably related to the individual applicant.

106.50(5m)(c) (c) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the development of housing designed specifically for persons with disabilities and preference in favor of persons with disabilities in relation to such housing.

106.50(5m)(d) (d) Nothing in this section requires that housing be made available to an individual whose tenancy would constitute a direct threat to the safety of other tenants or persons employed on the property or whose tenancy would result in substantial physical damage to the property of others, if the risk of direct threat or damage cannot be eliminated or sufficiently reduced through reasonable accommodations. A claim that an individual’s tenancy poses a direct threat or a substantial risk of harm or damage must be evidenced by behavior by the individual that caused harm or damage, that directly threatened harm or damage, or that caused a reasonable fear of harm or damage to other tenants, persons employed on the property, or the property. No claim that an individual’s tenancy would constitute a direct threat to the safety of other persons or would result in substantial damage to property may be based on the tenant’s status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.

106.50(5m)(dm) (dm) It is not discrimination based on status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking for a landlord to bring an action for eviction of a tenant based on a violation of the rental agreement or of a statute that entitles the landlord to possession of the premises, unless subd. 1. or 2. applies. A tenant has a defense to an action for eviction brought by a landlord if the tenant proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the landlord knew or should have known any of the following:

106.50(5m)(dm)1. 1. That the tenant is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking and that the basis for the action for eviction is conduct that related to the commission of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking by a person who was not the invited guest of the tenant.

106.50(5m)(dm)2. 2. That the tenant is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, that the basis for the action for eviction is conduct that related to the commission of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking by a person who was the invited guest of the tenant, and that the tenant has done one of the following:

106.50(5m)(dm)2.a. a. Sought an injunction under s. 813.12, 813.122, 813.123, or 813.125 enjoining the person from appearing on the premises.

106.50(5m)(dm)2.b. b. Upon receiving notice under s. 704.17, provided a written statement to the landlord indicating that the person will no longer be an invited guest of the tenant and has not subsequently invited the person to be a guest of the tenant.