Accommodations, Advertising/Applications, Complaints/Investigations, Eviction, Leasing, Employees/Contractors, Other Issues

Excluding Drug Users Without Committing Disability Discrimination

May 17, 2022    

Tenants who abuse drugs and alcohol may be endangering not only themselves but also their neighbors. Tenant substance abuse can result in criminal activity, violence, fires, disturbances, and other threats to apartment community health, safety, and tranquility. But, from a legal standpoint,...

May 2022 Coach's Quiz

April 19, 2022    

QUESTION #1

A tenant who hasn’t paid rent in three months files a fair housing complaint against you. What should you do?

a.            Evict her immediately for suing you

...

7 Pitfalls to Avoid When Responding to Fair Housing Complaints

April 19, 2022    

On average, 25,000 to 30,000 fair housing complaints are filed against landlords in the U.S. each year. Fueling this massive wave of litigation isn’t just the national determination to crack down on discrimination but the glut of potential plaintiffs, including not just the individual...

March 2022 Coach's Quiz

February 16, 2022    

We’ve explained how you can be liable for harassment and other fair housing violations that your contractors commit. We’ve also outlined six things you can do to minimize these liability risks. Now it’s your turn to see if you can apply the principles to real-life situations...

Avoiding Liability Risks for Fair Housing Violations Committed by Contractors

February 16, 2022    

One reason that complying with fair housing laws is so challenging is that you can’t delegate your nondiscrimination duties the way you can with other legal obligations. Managing your own personal conduct isn’t enough; you’re also responsible for the third parties you hire to...

2021 Scorecard: Using Fair Housing Court Cases to Improve Your Compliance Efforts

January 24, 2022    

A look at recent cases yields some important lessons.

 

It’s against the law to commit housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status and handicap (disability).

January 2022 Coach's Quiz

December 23, 2021    

QUESTION #1

Which of the following phrases is it NOT appropriate for a landlord to include in an online ad for a property in Stanley Town, a neighborhood known for being almost entirely white?

a.         ...

Avoiding Inadvertent Discrimination When Advertising Your Community

December 23, 2021    

In today’s highly competitive rental market, effective advertising is crucial to attracting the right renters. But for these very same reasons, your advertising and marketing practices can get you into fair housing hot water. The advertising media you select and the message you craft may...

Avoiding Liability for Discrimination Under State & Local Fair Housing Laws

November 21, 2021    

Because enforcement is so active and penalties are so high, it’s easy to forget that complying with the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) may not be enough to insulate your community from liability. That’s because most states (and many municipalities) have adopted their own fair housing...

December 2021 Coach's Quiz

November 21, 2021    

Now that we’ve explained the eight common forms of discrimination banned by state and local fair housing laws, let’s see how well you learned the material. Take the Coach’s Quiz below to see if you can apply the rules to real-life situations. Each question has one and...

November 2021 Coach's Quiz

October 22, 2021    

Now it’s your turn to apply the rules for avoiding liability under the FHA and other laws protecting victims of domestic violence and evaluate how well you’ve learned the material. Take the Coach’s Quiz below. Each question has one and only one correct answer. ...

Dealing with Domestic Violence: How to Avoid Fair Housing and Other Legal Traps

October 22, 2021    

Look at your watch and count off 60 seconds. If the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) averages hold true, by the time you’re done, 20 people in the U.S. will have suffered physical abuse at the hands of an intimate partner. What people do to each other in their own homes is directly...