Renting with an ESA in Ann Arbor
In Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan calendar sets the rental market. Leases for fall are often signed nearly a year ahead, so if you need an ESA in your unit, raise it while you're negotiating rather than after keys change hands. Expect old houses carved into apartments around Kerrytown and the Old West Side, high-rise student buildings near South University and quieter complexes on the north and south edges. The city's Human Rights Commission accepts discrimination complaints, which gives tenants a local place to turn if a landlord refuses to engage.
Neighborhoods we often hear from
- Kerrytown
- Old West Side
- Burns Park
- North Campus area
- Water Hill
- South University
Local help: Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission
Michigan ESA laws for Ann Arbor renters
Michigan does not have a separate emotional support animal statute, so an ESA request to a landlord in Detroit, Grand Rapids or Ann Arbor is a reasonable accommodation request under the federal Fair Housing Act. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights runs a fair housing program and accepts discrimination complaints online or by phone, which gives renters a state-level option alongside HUD.
- The Michigan Department of Civil Rights takes fair housing complaints through its online portal or at 1-800-482-3604.
- MDCR says that being required by a landlord to get a service animal ID or put an animal on a list is itself something you can report.
- An emotional support animal is not a service animal under Michigan's public-access laws, so the letter matters for housing, not for stores or restaurants.
Your Ann Arbor ESA letter, step by step
Book a time
Pick a phone or video slot online and answer a short questionnaire about how you are feeling and the animal you live with in Ann Arbor.
Talk with a licensed clinician
A licensed clinician spends about 5–10 minutes with you and decides whether an emotional support animal is part of your care.
Get your signed letter
If the clinician approves, your letter is emailed to you as a PDF with their license details. If not, you are not charged.
Share it with your housing provider
Send the letter with a short reasonable accommodation request. Keep copies of everything you send and receive.
Ann Arbor ESA letter cost
| Letter | Covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ESA letter | Up to 2 animals | $129 |
| ESA letter | 3 or more animals | $199 |
Booking is free and you're charged only if your letter is approved.