In this four-part series we’re featuring answers to some tricky questions attendees asked during our recent webinar, How to Handle Requests for Assistance Animals, presented by attorney Theresa L. Kitay.
On Jan. 26, President Biden signed several new executive orders addressing racial equity, including a memorandum that directs HUD to mitigate racial bias in housing and advance fair housing laws. Biden said in a press conference, “We need to make equity and justice part of what we do every...
Q: A criminal records check reveals that a rental applicant was arrested on rape charges twice, once in 1997 and again in 2009. Do you have legitimate, nondiscriminatory grounds to reject his application?
A New York City co-op board sued a shareholder resident for violating her proprietary lease by keeping eight dogs and two cats in her apartment. This created noise and odors that other residents complained about. The co-op board didn't seek eviction but sought removal of five of the eight...
A tenant sued her landlord for disability discrimination in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. The tenant lived in a ground-floor unit in an apartment complex. Due to multiple disabilities, the tenant used a motorized scooter to get from her apartment's patio door across a lawn to...
During the pandemic, many communities have been negotiating rent repayment plans to help residents who are struggling financially avoid eviction due to what may be only a temporary financial setback. The common practice of negotiating with residents on an individual basis results in different...
Are COVID-Related Reasons for Nonrenewal Discriminatory?
Q: A resident who owes you a lot of money in unpaid rent and who has a history of disturbing her neighbors is finally coming to the end of her lease. She wants to renew, but...
A federal judge recently issued a preliminary injunction to stop HUD from implementing a rule that would have made it harder to bring discrimination claims under the Fair Housing Act. The rule would have required plaintiffs to meet a higher threshold to prove unintentional discrimination, known...
The share of voucher holders covered by voucher protection laws is growing, according to a recent report from The Urban Institute and the Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC). Their dataset and accompanying report entitled, “...
The Justice Department recently announced that it has filed a lawsuit against a Staten Island, N.Y., realty company and its former rental agent, alleging discrimination against African Americans in violation of federal fair housing law when offering housing units for rent. The lawsuit is based...
Q: Your community was built in the 1980s. The leasing office is on the first floor, but there’s a step at the building entrance. Although it’s not covered under the FHA’s design and construction standards, your community could still face a...
The Justice Department recently announced that a manager of rental properties in and around Harrisonburg, Va., together with owners of the properties, will pay $335,000 to resolve allegations that the manager sexually harassed multiple female residents and discriminated in housing on the basis...
