This week, the American Psychiatric Association released the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, for short), which for the first time identifies compulsive hoarding as a disorder a problem that has put many property managers in difficult or dangerous situations.

Hoarding is not only a cleanliness issue but introduces occupational hazards for apartment owners and managers and safety concerns for fellow residents, says National Apartment Association staff writer Lauren Boston, who researched the topic for a 2012 article in NAAsunitsmagazine. Often times, they're hard to spot: Hoarders can have professionalcareers and keep to themselves. "They appear to be the perfect resident," she says. But there are ways to identify a hoarder: refusal to allow maintenance technicians into the unit for a routine inspection, a constant odor near the apartment, and sudden pest infestations popping up in neighboring units.

Many apartment professionals dont understand how to handle a hoarder, particularly since its now recognized as a disorder, Lauren notes.Despite the situation, she points out that hoarders have a rightto requestreasonable accommodations, which typically means giving them additional time to get their apartment "back into asafe and livable condition, as outlined in their lease." Apartment pros should be sensitive and can assist them by creating a permanent plan for the resident to prevent future incidents.

Kathy Belville, a partner at law firm Kimball, Tirey & St. John, helps apartment professionals in dealing with hoarding situations. For instance, landlords can come up with a plan to help the tenant,like instituting a written policy on what steps needs to be taken first and provides assurance that the owner will be able routinely inspect for mold, pests, and other conditions. Her firm also offerseducational seminars about hoarding through organizations like the NAA.

Unfortunately, hoarders are not always able to successfully manage this disorder. Someare in total denial and dont want anyone interfering, Kathy says, recalling the case of a hoarder who stored papers in her gas heater. When the landlord immediately removed them, she replied, Ill just put them back when youre gone. The resident then had to be evicted over fire safety concerns. Kathy says there are even fire departments that wont enter houses that dont have safe pathways for them to maneuver. Another tenant hoarded boxes, she says, and when asked to remove,got rid of his furniture instead.