Q: A resident reports that his upstairs neighbor has been harassing him because of his race. If you ignore his complaint, your community could be sued for harassment under fair housing law. True or false?
Q: Your community recently broke ground on a renovation project. A few weeks into the construction, you receive a request from a resident for a transfer to another unit away from the construction as a reasonable accommodation. The resident,...
The Coach recently examined fair housing requirements in 30 of the nation’s largest cities. The focus on local fair housing laws will only intensify in large cities—where the rental population is booming, but many struggle to find available units, according to a new report...
Q: A resident keeps calling about the status of a reasonable accommodation request she just submitted. The last time, she got nasty, calling you names and threatening to sue you if you don’t give her what she wants. Try as you might,...
On June 26, Fair Housing Coach was awarded First Place, 2015 Best Newsletter, by the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE), at their annual conference in Miami, Fla.
The judges, a panel of experts from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio...
In the July issue on fair housing requirements in the nation’s largest cities, the Coach emphasized the importance of keeping track of changes to state and local fair housing laws. In Austin, Texas, for example, local lawmakers adopted an ordinance banning...
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin recently marked the anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act by declaring April Fair Housing Month and signing two housing protection bills into law. One bill, H.123, ensures mobile home parks are safely maintained and abandoned mobile homes can be dealt with fairly...
Q: The only elevator at your community needs extensive renovations, which will take it out of service for several months. Two residents living on upper floors have disabilities that make it very difficult to go up and down stairs. You’...
On March 12, 2015, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed new legislation aimed at banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, while preserving religious liberty.
Earlier this month, the federal appeals court issued an emergency order temporarily blocking Austin, Texas, from enforcing a new law to ban discrimination based on source of income, according to the American-Statesman.
Q: Several employees in the leasing office have been out sick, leaving the office short-staffed. You expect them back soon, but you need someone to help answer the phones and cover the office for a week or two. You can’t man the office...
Q: In a recent dispute over parking, a resident filed a fair housing claim, but you settled the case by giving her an assigned space as a reasonable accommodation. Soon after, she fell behind on her rent and hasn’t made a payment in two...
