Your ESA letter and Dallas fair housing law

Chapter 20A and the Fair Housing Division

Chapter 20A of the Dallas City Code is the local fair housing law. HUD certified it as substantially equivalent to federal law on April 24, 1995, which is why HUD lists the City of Dallas Fair Housing Office as a Fair Housing Assistance Program agency.

The Fair Housing Division handles complaint intake, investigation, enforcement, conciliation and mediation, plus training for housing providers. You can reach it at 214-670-FAIR (3247), TTY 214-670-6936, or in person at 1500 Marilla St., Room 1B South.

Like the state statute, Chapter 20A has no animal-specific provisions. What it adds is practical: an office devoted to Dallas housing that can open a case without you having to deal with Austin or a federal regional office.

Inside city limits or not

Dallas County holds dozens of cities. An apartment with a Dallas mailing address can sit in Garland, Mesquite or another city, and complexes in Plano, Irving, Richardson and Addison are in separate municipalities altogether. Chapter 20A covers housing within the City of Dallas only.

Before you pick an agency, check your property tax listing or city utility bill to see which city you're actually in. If you're outside Dallas, the Texas Workforce Commission and HUD remain fully available, so you haven't lost any protection, just the local option.

Uptown towers and Oak Cliff bungalows

Uptown, Downtown and Victory Park high-rises are typically run by management firms with concierge desks, strict animal policies and online portals. Many Texas apartment communities, including plenty in Dallas, use Texas Apartment Association lease forms with an Animal Addendum. The 2015 edition of that addendum said the property wouldn't charge an animal deposit, extra rent or other fee for an authorized assistance or service animal. Current editions may word it differently, so read the addendum you actually sign.

In Oak Cliff, Lakewood or East Dallas you're more likely to rent a house or a duplex from an individual. Texas exempts some small landlords from the accommodation duty, such as an owner of three or fewer houses renting without an agent. If that sounds like your situation, call the Fair Housing Division to ask whether Chapter 20A or federal law still applies.

Choosing where to file

You have three possible agencies, but a single complaint generally belongs with one of them. TWC's own page says a complaint can't be filed with both TWC and HUD, and state law lets TWC defer a complaint to a city HUD has certified, which includes Dallas.

SMU and UT Dallas housing

SMU routes housing accommodation requests through Disability Accommodation and Success Strategies, known as DASS. The housing office asks for disability-related housing requests by June 1, so a student who wants an ESA in fall housing should finish the evaluation in spring.

UT Dallas sits in Richardson, outside Dallas city limits. Its AccessAbility Resource Center handles ESA requests with its own form, and housing follows City of Richardson rules that call for the animal to be microchipped. In both cases the ESA is limited to your residence, not classrooms or dining halls.

DFW, Love Field and your animal

Two airports serve the city: Dallas Fort Worth International and Dallas Love Field. Southwest Airlines, based in Dallas, stopped accepting emotional support animals on March 1, 2021, and now carries some animals as paid pets. American Airlines says emotional support animals may travel as pets, with its usual fees. That follows the federal rule that took effect in January 2021 and lets airlines treat ESAs as pets.

Getting evaluated from Dallas

Evaluations are brief and run over video or phone, so the process is identical whether you're in Bishop Arts or a Frisco apartment. When the clinician supports an ESA, the signed PDF often follows that day.

Pricing is simple: $129 for a letter that names one or two animals, $199 when it names three or more. Scheduling is free, and your card is charged only after a clinician signs a letter for you.

Each letter states the clinician's credential, license number and the state that granted it, and the booking flow confirms a clinician is available for Texas. When things feel too heavy, 988 answers calls and texts at any hour, and 911 is the number for emergencies. North Texas Behavioral Health Authority's line, 866-260-8000, serves Dallas County.