I Asked for an ESA Letter After a 10-Minute Chat. He Said Yes.

By Chaz Stevens
Founder, REVOLT Training
System Failure Boot Camp™

Want a letter for four emotional support animals? $150 and ten minutes of your time. That’s what “Jared Kreisberg” from Broward Counseling offered me in writing.

This isn’t satire. This is Florida’s mental health care marketplace, stripped of ethics and boxed up like a late-night infomercial.

And I caught him red-handed.

The Setup: FHA Testing, Chaz-Style

I reached out posing as myself—disclosing ASD and GAD, noting my own PsyD wouldn’t write an ESA letter. All true, by the way. I asked about the process: How long? What’s required? Can I get it same day?

“The evaluation does not have to take too long… I can try to accommodate you within 10 minutes or so… The price for four dogs I can do for $150.”

That’s the full quote. No intake. No clinical relationship. No records requested. Just $150, and boom—you’re emotionally supported by a Yorkie named Meatloaf.

The Legal Reality: That’s a Problem, Jared

Under Florida Statute 760.27, licensed professionals must have personal knowledge of your disability and be acting within the scope of their license. You can’t run a drive-thru ESA mill like you’re slinging Happy Meals.

10 minutes isn’t treatment. It’s malpractice disguised as convenience.

HUD’s own guidance (FHEO-2020-01) spells it out: these letters must not be issued casually, must involve a legitimate clinical relationship, and must clearly support a documented disability-related need.

Jared ignored all of it—and put himself, and his clients, at possible legal risk.

Why This Matters

Landlords aren’t stupid. Fake ESA letters cause:

• Denied housing for real people with real disabilities.
• Lawsuits against tenants.
• Retaliation against ethical providers.
• Crackdowns that hurt everyone in the mental health space.

This isn’t just unethical—it’s weaponized incompetence.

My Role: Not Just Exposing It. Testing It.

As a federal disability rights tester, this isn’t my first rodeo. I do this legally, methodically, and with precision.

Just like I forced Ron DeSantis to roll back his book ban law using his own censorship rules against the Bible, I’m using FHA and state law to flush out ESA grift. And trust me—this is just the beginning.

FAQs

Is it legal to test ESA providers for compliance?

Yes. Under the Fair Housing Act, civil rights testers are protected when gathering evidence of potential violations. HUD and courts have upheld this role as essential for enforcing fair housing laws.

Can a therapist issue an ESA letter after a 10-minute session?

No, not legally. Both federal HUD guidance and Florida law (F.S. 760.27) require a therapeutic relationship and personal knowledge of the individual’s disability. A quick chat is not sufficient.

What happens if someone uses a fake ESA letter?

Landlords may reject the accommodation, deny housing, or file fraud complaints. The provider may also face licensing board action, and the tenant could lose legal protections under the FHA.

What is FHEO-2020-01?

It’s the 2020 HUD guidance that outlines standards for emotional support animal documentation under the Fair Housing Act. It emphasizes clinical legitimacy and cautions against quick, pay-for-play letters.

Where can I report an unethical ESA provider?

You can file complaints with:

• Florida Department of Health
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• Professional licensing boards in the provider’s state

Coming Soon: The Complaints Are Already in Motion

I’ll be filing complaints with:

• Florida Department of Health
• HUD
• Possibly the IRS, depending on the business structure

And I’m just warming up. There’s a long list of providers who think disability accommodations are for sale. I’ve got inbox receipts, payment offers, and entire email chains ready to make noise.

I have a decent list of South Florida providers who are very likely bad actors, and we shall see, and you shall read about it.

Final Thought

If you’re selling ESA letters after 10 minutes on Zoom, you’re not a clinician. You’re a hustler in a lab coat.

And hustlers get exposed.

Want to blow the whistle on a fake ESA provider?

Join the fight. REVOLT Training will teach you how to weaponize bureaucracy, test for violations, and take the system down from the inside.

UPDATE:

Wrote this email to Jared Kreisberg

Hi Jared,

My name is Chaz Stevens. I’m a Fair Housing Act (FHA) tester focused on evaluating compliance with disability accommodation laws—particularly as they relate to Emotional Support Animal (ESA) documentation.

You recently responded to my inquiry regarding an ESA letter after a brief evaluation. As part of my testing, I posed as a prospective client to assess your process. Based on your written reply—offering ESA documentation for multiple animals after a 10-minute session and for a flat fee—it appears your practices may fall short of both HUD guidance (FHEO-2020-01) and Florida Statute 760.27.

To be clear, this was a lawful and documented civil rights test. The goal is not entrapment—it’s accountability. Under HUD precedent, ESA documentation must be based on a legitimate therapeutic relationship and personal knowledge of the individual’s disability. Quick-pay evaluations conducted without proper clinical foundation expose both clients and housing providers to significant risk.

At this time, I am in the process of documenting these findings for review by appropriate state and federal agencies, including the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

If you believe there was any misunderstanding, I welcome a written response clarifying your position and evaluation procedures.  I ask any response be sent to me within 72 hours.

Sincerely,
Chaz Stevens
Fair Housing Tester | Investigative Advocate

REVOLT Training
Dr. T. Chaz Stevens, Founder
980 N. Federal Highway, Suite 110
Boca Raton, FL 33432
561-765-7944
disrupt@revolt.training
revolt.training

UPDATE 2:

Jared writes back:

Hi Chaz,
Please understand I am away with family on a vacation we have been planning for a year. I only wanted to quickly reply to you and inform you it could be done and that i would try my best. Once i was back, i would have requested more info from you.

My main business is psychotherapy/counseling. I recently started this on the side. ASD/GAD can absolutely be a diagnosis that can justify an ESA letter. I would need a formal diagnosis from your current or previous therapist along with an evaluation. If everything adds up and the correct feedback is given, it can be done. But this is not how i prefer to conduct these evals. At this point in my life it is strange to feel I need to explain myself..

I began advertising for this ESA business service only two months ago. I’ve been a psychotherapist for 20 years without esa letters. So i have only done a handful. Despite the impression you got, my goal is to stand out from all the others by offering a thorough evaluation.

Your email was the first I have received with this type of request and I have been extremely thorough with the few I have done. There is technically no official time frame on how long an evaluation is. I just need all the relevant information.

I also was unaware that Florida required a therapeutic relationship and “personal knowledge of the patient’s disability” which I’m not sure what the latter statement refers to. Regarding having a therapeutic relationship, I do remember doing my due diligence on that but couldn’t find anything stating you need one for an ESA letter in Florida. PLEASE provide me a link or something as there would be no point in me marketing or launching an ESA business for non established patients that i can’t be writing ESA letters for.

* Editor’s Note: According to the Wayback machine, a site capture in Jan2025 indicates he’s offering ESA services.

UPDATE 3:

I respond:

Hi Jared,

Thanks again for your reply. I appreciate your openness and your willingness to engage on this issue. I hope you’re enjoying your time away with family.

As part of my role as a Fair Housing Act (FHA) compliance tester, I’m obligated to address the legal and ethical concerns raised by your initial response and subsequent statements. This communication serves as documentation of the results of that test.

Summary of Test Results

Your initial email offered to complete an ESA evaluation in approximately 10 minutes for four animals, at a flat rate of $150, without requesting clinical documentation, conducting an intake, or establishing a therapeutic relationship. Regardless of any clarification after the fact, this offer—on its face—raises serious red flags under both state and federal law.

Legal Requirements and Scope of Practice

Under Florida Statute 760.27(2)(b), a licensed healthcare provider may not issue ESA documentation unless they (1) have personal knowledge of the individual’s disability and (2) are acting within the scope of their license. HUD’s FHEO-2020-01 guidance echoes these requirements. Providers must rely on clinical judgment, not transactional convenience, and must be practicing lawfully within their licensed capacity in the jurisdiction where the client resides.

Establishing Both a Disability and a Disability-Related Need

To legally issue an ESA letter under the FHA, documentation must establish two distinct elements:

1. A qualifying disability – defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

2. A disability-related need for the animal – a clear explanation of how the animal alleviates specific symptoms or effects of that disability.

These are not interchangeable concepts. It is not enough to confirm that someone has anxiety or ASD. A provider must also determine and document that the animal provides therapeutic benefit tied directly to that condition. Without this second component, the letter fails to meet legal standards.

Concerns Raised by Your Own Statements

Your follow-up email included several admissions that reinforce these concerns:

• “I recently started this on the side.” This suggests ESA evaluations are not formally integrated into your clinical practice and may not be supported by proper supervision, procedures, or oversight.

• “I have only done a handful.” A lack of experience in this area increases the risk of improper documentation.

• “I was unaware that Florida required a therapeutic relationship.” This is a direct admission of unfamiliarity with the very law governing ESA practice in your state, which strongly suggests you may be operating outside your scope.

• “I just need all the relevant information.” This language signals a passive intake process inconsistent with HUD’s requirement for informed, individualized clinical evaluation.

Relevant Law and Guidance

• Florida Statute 760.27:
  https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0760/Sections/0760.27.html

• HUD FHEO-2020-01 Guidance:
  https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/HUDAsstAnimalNC1-28-20.pdf

Context from HUD’s General Counsel

In 2018, then-HUD General Counsel Paul Compton wrote to the Federal Trade Commission warning against ESA services that rely on short online questionnaires or quick interviews. He stated:

“These websites are using questionable business practices that exploit consumers, prejudice the legal rights of individuals with disabilities, dupe landlords, and generally interfere with good faith efforts to comply with the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.”

The scenario reflected in your initial response—offering a letter for four animals after a 10-minute session—closely aligns with the practices HUD has condemned.

Conclusion

You appear to be someone who wants to operate ethically in a space filled with questionable actors. That’s commendable. But the requirements here are non-negotiable: ESA documentation must be rooted in professional standards, legal compliance, and clinically justified assessment.

This correspondence and your original email have been documented as part of my FHA testing record. If you’d like to provide an updated statement or revised policy, I welcome it.

Update 4:

Hi Chaz,

I see you are the owner of ESA doggy. You have sat on the housing authority board. 

Please be aware that your current antics are that of harassment and defamation. You are contacting me as a direct competitor in which you may financially gain. I will also be documenting this and notifying appropriate parties.

Regards,
Jared

Update 5:

Jared;

Thank you for your response.

To clarify, this exchange is part of a federally protected Fair Housing Act (FHA) compliance testing effort. I am acting in the role of a civil rights tester—an activity that is well-established under federal law, routinely recognized by HUD, and consistently upheld by the courts as a lawful mechanism to detect and document housing-related violations.

Your reference to my affiliation with ESADoggy or prior public service is irrelevant to the legal status of this test. The focus here is solely on your professional conduct and compliance with applicable law—specifically, your written offer to provide ESA documentation for multiple animals after a brief exchange, without intake or documentation. That interaction has been logged, preserved, and evaluated under both Florida Statute 760.27 and HUD’s FHEO-2020-01 guidance.

Your accusation of harassment and defamation is legally unfounded. I have made no false statements, nor have I published any defamatory claims. All communications to date have been fact-based, accurate, and protected under the First Amendment and FHA tester immunity doctrines. Expressing concern about potential legal violations—supported by direct evidence—is not defamation. It’s accountability.

More concerning is your statement that you will be “notifying appropriate parties.” Please be advised that threatening retaliation against a civil rights tester may itself constitute unlawful conduct under the Fair Housing Act. Courts take a dim view of providers who attempt to chill testing efforts through intimidation.

If you’d like to provide a written clarification of your ESA evaluation policies or correct your prior statements, I’m open to including it in the record.

Sincerely,
Chaz Stevens
Fair Housing Compliance Tester

Fair Housing Compliance Tester