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In this lesson, the Coach reviews fair housing rules banning discriminatory statements. The rules apply to discriminatory advertising, but there’s more to it than that, since they apply to all kinds of statements, including:

This month, the Coach reviews fair housing laws in 30 of the nation’s largest cities (based on the size of the population). It’s a must-read if you’re in those cities, but it’s helpful even if you’re not, since it shows how there can be different fair housing rules even for communities in the same state.

In this month’s lesson, the Coach reviews what happens if someone files a fair housing claim against you. It’s probably not a regular occurrence at your community, so you may be taken aback and not know what to do, particularly if you’ve never or only rarely received a formal fair housing complaint.

In honor of Fair Housing Month, we’re going to tackle a subject that you may be losing sleep over but don’t talk about: fear of getting a fair housing complaint. No doubt, you’re well aware of the potentially devastating consequences faced by communities embroiled in fair housing litigation. With increasing regularity, there’s news of yet another community paying out thousands—sometimes millions—to resolve fair housing disputes.

For this month’s lesson, the Coach gathered some interesting fair housing cases from the past few months. In some, communities are called to defend their actions when dealing with prospects—over the phone and during on-site visits. Others involve disputes with residents in how they handled maintenance problems and enforcement of rules governing common areas. And there’s a recent case over what property managers did—or should have done—about an offensive joke that circulated among the residents via email.

We’ve given you eight Dos & Don’ts for dealing with residents who break the rules. Now let’s look at how the rules might apply in the real world. Take the Coach’s Quiz to see what you have learned.

INSTRUCTIONS: Each of the following questions has only one correct answer. On a separate piece of paper, write down the number of each question, followed by the answer you think is correct—for example, (1) b, (2) a, and so on. The correct answers (with explanations) follow the quiz. Good luck!

In this month’s lesson, the Coach looks at fair housing problems that can arise when dealing with residents who break the rules. The specifics will vary, but all residents have to abide by some basic rules: They must pay rent, avoid damage to the unit (subject to reasonable wear and tear), and refrain from interfering with the quiet enjoyment of other residents.

This month, the Coach takes a look at recent trends—and what they may mean for your fair housing program. The big news is a U.S. Supreme Court case on whether federal fair housing law imposes liability for discrimination based on disparate impact—that is, when a housing practice has a discriminatory effect on a protected class, even when there’s no intent to discriminate. A ruling in the case, expected later this year, has the potential to significantly change the legal landscape in fair housing law.

This month, the Coach focuses on the rules banning retaliation—a separate, and often overlooked, source of liability under fair housing law. Under the retaliation rules, it’s unlawful to “coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with” anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise that right.

In this Special Issue, we’re going to wrap up 2014 with a summary of all the lessons covered over the year. Keep it handy—it’s a brief refresher on top fair housing concerns and a helpful index to the full lessons, all of which are available to subscribers to review on—or download from—FairHousingCoach.com. At the end of each summary, you’ll find a Quiz question—with a link to the Answer—so you can see how much you’ve learned.