Answering questions is part of the routine in property management. Some questions can lead us into fair housing hot water if we are not careful with our answers.
[Read more…]Fair Housing and Answering Questions – Be Compliant
Episode 1 – Fair Housing and the Future
The Fair Housing Institute is happy to provide you with this Fair Housing on-demand webinar. The seven protected classes are one thing. Service animals, assistance animals, marijuana, and website accessibility are all micro topics that housing providers are keenly interested in.
[Read more…]Sexual Harassment Claims – Best Practices For Compliance
Sexual Harassment Allegations
Sexual harassment allegations are a serious matter. The Department of Justice and HUD are working together in a task force to investigate and prosecute cases of sexual harassment in housing.
As serious (and expensive) as allegations of sexual harassment are for employers, housing providers have even wider concerns since housing providers need to adopt policies and best practices to prevent their employees from causing sexual harassment violations against both coworkers and residents.
[Read more…]Fair Housing and the Future
The Fair Housing future has a lot in store for us. What is on the Fair Housing horizon? For property management professionals this is an important question. We can never sit on our hands when it comes to Fair Housing compliance. So what have we learned from the previous year and what can we expect moving into this new year?
[Read more…]Dear Fair Housing Insiders – Roommates In Single-Family
Dear Fair Housing Insiders:
We have an owner who is getting very frustrated with roommate situations in single-family home rentals where there are three roommates qualified together but no one qualifies on their own. So when one of them decides to leave, we end up typically in an eviction/skip situation. So he has asked us to add the following paragraph to our rental criteria for his 230+ single-family rental homes “Should two (2) or more people be applying together for a property at least one of the applicants must qualify on their own. If neither/none of the applicants qualify as individuals each applicant must have a qualified cosigner.” Thoughts?
Signed ~~ Qualification Question
[Read more…]Dear Fair Housing Insiders – Resident With Special Needs
Dear Fair Housing Insiders:
We have a resident who is special needs. He comes into our office daily and spends all day on the computer and in our community center. That would not be an issue except he will stand around and stare at prospects, makes messes, and harrases my staff. We have had a couple of prospects who have made comments that him staring or listening in on them while with our leasing agent makes them uncomfortable. We are a tax credit community and I have tried being nice and talking to him but he lashes out and says he will sue us for discriminating against him. I am worried about a lawsuit but he has called my staff racial slurs. Could he file a complaint? What can we do to protect ourselves?
[Read more…]Fair Housing and Corporate Social Responsibility – The Connection
We recently had an opportunity to interview Jen Piccotti, Chief Operating Officer from ManagInc. We wanted her perspective on the connection between Fair Housing and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Enjoy her comments to our questions below. [Read more…]
Does This Resident Pose A Direct Threat?
Can some extreme actions by a resident be deemed a “direct threat,” thereby exempting property management from being required to make reasonable accommodation to the resident? [Read more…]
The Fair Housing Act 50 Year Anniversary
On April 11, 1968, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act was signed into law. The Fair Housing Act continues to pave the way for housing equal opportunity, equal access, and equal enjoyment for anyone who meets a community’s qualifying standards. It is the law. [Read more…]
Proper Documentation Aids In Fair Housing Defense
Proper documentation can help you defend against an allegation of housing discrimination. It’s pretty safe to say that all property management companies would like to avoid a lawsuit for a Fair Housing violation if at all possible.
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