Why would a care giver to a person with a disability have such a hard time getting a key? I might mention the American's with Disabilities Act that requires reasonable accommodation.

Pretty much every apartment I've had, I've been given two keys, even though I live alone. It's helpful to have a spare key--keys can be lost, you have a friend come to stay and want to give them a key, you go away for a weekend and need a pet sitter--all sorts of reasons.

I'd just tell the landlord you *need* a second key. Offer to pay for it, but act as though it's a perfectly normal request, which it is.

Has the landlord given you any reason why he/she won't give you a second key?

I found the link below which has a regulation from San Francsico about landlords being required to provide spare keys.

It's worth checking landlord/tenant law in your area to see if there are any similar provisions.

I'd also advise that you ask for the spare key by email, and force your landlord to reply by email as well. That will give you a paper trail, if you have to take this issue further up the chain of command.

If you can't get the landlord to commit to anything in writing, do start documenting this. Write down the date you first asked for another key, and what the response was, and any other further conversations you have had with the landlord about the key.

I'm a bit concerned about this "awesome" landlord. I consider spare keys to an apartment as a given, or I can make copies of the keys if I need more. To have a landlord refuse a spare key, when you have such a reasonable need for one, is mind-boggling.

Here is a link that might be useful: spare keys

Well the OP said "gate key" so it sounds like this would be access to the property not just his or her unit. There may not be the same requirements for such a key.

However, it seems likely that accessibility for people with disabilities would be a consideration here, you should check with the ADA:

http://www.ada.gov