The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development no longer requires landlords to waive pet policies for untrained emotional support animals. HUD has determined that requests to waive pet policies for animals trained to perform specific disability-related services are reasonable, but requests to waive pet policies for untrained ESAs are not. HUD no longer expects housing providers to extend accommodations intended for trained assistance animals to untrained ESAs.
HUD will only investigate cases involving animals trained to provide disability-related assistance. Untrained emotional support animals will no longer be considered exempt from pet fees in rental property.
The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a service animal as “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.” To be a service animal, the tasks performed by the animal “must be directly related” to the disability. Providing emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship does not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
Going forward, HUD will use the training component of the ADA’s definition for service animals to assess animal-related reasonable accommodation complaints under the Fair Housing Act. Defining an assistance animal as an animal trained to assist with a disability is the best guarantee of evenhanded enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.
On Aug. 26, the Fort Worth City Council approved $28.6 million to modernize the historic landmark, contributing to a yearslong $50.5 million effort to renovate the Will Rogers Memorial Center.
Will Rogers is the historic home of the annual Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. The 90-year-old coliseum hosted events ranging from bull riding to concerts to circuses to boxing matches.
The city’s funds will go to preserving the coliseum while updating amenities, including its restrooms, HVAC system, food facilities and electrical system.
Renderings depict what Will Rogers Coliseum could look like once renovations are completed. (Courtesy images | Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo)
“It’s a pretty extensive facelift for the building,” said Mike Crum, director of the Fort Worth Public Events Department.
The money — which will be doled out over the next four years — comes in part from hotel tax revenue in the Culture and Tourism Fund. Another $12.5 million for the project is being reallocated from other memorial center renovations.
Event Facilities Fort Worth Inc., a nonprofit supporting organization for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, is chipping in $5 million.
“Our visitors are paying for this project, and this project will enable the coliseum to keep on attracting visitors to our community,” Crum said.
The renovations continue recent efforts to revitalize the entire Will Rogers Memorial Center by the time it turns 100 in 2036, Crum said. The center reopened in late 2024 with updated sheep and swine barns. In the last five years, it also saw improvements to its poultry building and cattle barns.
A man walks down a swine barn aisle on Dec. 17, 2024, during the unveiling ceremony for the sheep and swine barns and new show arena at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)
Matt Carter, president of the stock show and rodeo, said in a statement that keeping costs low while ensuring renovations will complement future improvements were top priorities. The coliseum is in its first phase of projects that will take place over the next 11 years.
Will Rogers generates more than $217 million annually for the local economy, Carter said, describing it as the “epicenter of the Western equestrian competitive world.”
Dickies Arena, which opened in November 2019, neighbors Will Rogers and also hosts stock show events and other acts.
The coliseum has been closed since March for renovation work and is expected to reopen mid-November through mid-December, Crum said.
Nine decades of heavy use, foot traffic and hoof traffic created the need for improvements, stock show officials have said.
Carter remembers being 8 years old, coming to Fort Worth from Amarillo, and visiting the stock show with his father and grandfather. He recalled sitting in the coliseum and watching a rodeo, then getting his first-ever boot shine in the hall outside.
Will Rogers is “part of Fort Worth’s DNA,” Crum said, adding that it’s worth investing in.
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Excellent location with approx. 279 ft of frontage on State Hwy 171. This property has multiple buildings suitable for numerous businesses, a good layout and use of the property, and several loading docks for your business. The main building has loading in the front and back, freezer spaces, a kitchen, and office space. Remodels and renovations were done in 2023, which is what TAX shows as the year built.
Approx halfway between Cresson and Cleburne on Highway 171 on the west side of Highway. From Ft W go S on Chisholm Trl Pkwy, then right on FM 917, cross 171 & property just to your right. Coming from Burleson, 174 s to 917 then west steve@steveyoung.pro
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