South Carolina issued a specific 2026 clarification
On August 13, 2026, the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission stated that the federal ESA enforcement shift did not change protections under the South Carolina Fair Housing Law. That is a current state-specific source, and it should not be replaced with a blanket claim that federal changes ended all ESA housing protection.
The announcement does not remove the need to examine an individual request, the home involved, or the supporting facts.
Build the request around the policy adjustment
Identify the animal restriction and explain the accommodation sought. Include appropriate professional support and send the request to the person responsible for the property’s accommodation process. Save the submission and acknowledgment rather than relying on a sales agent’s verbal assurance.
If your property cites the federal change, keep the exact explanation and seek advice about the applicable South Carolina provisions. Our housing update explains the distinction at a national level.
Keep the clinical process independent
Ask the evaluating professional to confirm authorization for your location and assess your actual circumstances. Explain the animal’s support role and any existing documentation. Ask how the practice handles forms, factual corrections, and reasonable verification questions.
If a letter is appropriate, retain the original. Do not modify its clinical content to answer a landlord’s objection. An unresolved accommodation dispute may require housing advice in addition to clinician clarification; a new paid certificate is not automatically the solution.
Sources & reading notes
Sources consulted September 8, 2026. Source addresses are provided as text for reference. General information does not replace individual medical or legal advice.
South Carolina Human Affairs Commission — federal ESA shift and state protections, August 13, 2026https://schac.sc.gov/news/2026-08/hud-shifts-federal-esa-enforcement-schac-confirms-state-protections-unaffected