Housing

Residential Student Housing - Students

Students who wish to request housing accommodations should contact their school's Local Disability Coordinator (LDC). Many LDCs have resources and forms posted on their website to initiate a request. Please see the LDC List to find your School’s contact person or office for this interactive process. 

Harvard University Housing - Students, Faculty, and Staff

Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students who are applying to or who live in Harvard University Housing (HUH) and wish to request reasonable housing accommodations should follow the appropriate policies & procedures listed below.  

University Disability Resources will partner with Harvard University Housing  (HUH)to explore requests for housing accommodations. To initiate the process please complete and submit the Housing Reasonable Accommodation Request Form.  The requestor may also submit medical documentation from a qualified health care provider. Medical documentation must identify functional limitations that support the requested accommodation is necessary to allow an equal opportunity to participate in the housing program.   

Housing accommodations in HUH are explored after a unit has been secured via the housing lottery.   

Please note HUH residents who wish to live with animals are encouraged to apply for HUH’s pet-friendly residences. Exceptions to the HUH pet policies may be granted based on an approved reasonable accommodation. While the University engages in an individualized assessment of each reasonable accommodation request, it is rare that more than one assistance animal will be approved as an accommodation.  

Requests for assistance animals in housing can be initiated by submitting supporting medical documentation that includes: 

  • current diagnosis and date tenant began treatment;
  • date of most recent appointment with tenant;
  • severity of the condition(s);
  • current functional limitations, and how they affect the ability to live in Harvard University Housing;
  • if the responsibility of caring for an animal full-time in Harvard University Housing would exacerbate the effects of the disability;
  • if there is an established relationship between the tenant and the specific assistance animal;
  • an explanation of the relationship between the disability and the support that the animal provides.  

Requestors may ask their health care provider to complete the Assistance Animal Supporting Medical Documentation Form OR submit a note on letterhead with the information above which can be returned to our UDR email or via fax at (617) 495-8520. Documentation that does not provide all of the above information will likely be determined insufficient to support a request.  

Please see our Housing Documentation Guidelines for more information on required documentation elements for reasonable housing accommodation requests.   

If someone is unable to utilize the digital forms above, then these documents may also be sent to our UDR email or via fax at (617) 495-8520.  

For an overview of Harvard University Housing information see:  
Harvard University Housing (HUH): Prospective Residents with Disabilities  

Visitors

Hotel Accommodations: Many Metro Boston and Cambridge Hotels offer accessible lodging. The Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA) maintains a List of Harvard Square Hotels that is searchable by feature including whether rooms include “HCP Access.” Family and friends needing accessible lodging are strongly encouraged to reserve accessible hotel rooms as far in advance as possible. Please note HSBA's harvardsquare.com is not Harvard affiliated and Harvard is not responsible for availability, accuracy, or changes in service.