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Q: A woman applies for a one-bedroom unit for herself and her baby. During the screening process, you learn that she’s currently staying with family members after moving out of her previous rental unit because of domestic abuse by her former boyfriend. She says that she’s now got a protective order against him, but you’re worried that he may show up and cause problems at your community.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently announced changes to its mandatory ethical code to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. The organization had previously added sexual harassment to its mandatory ethical standards in 2011.
Q: If you say “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” to prospects or residents this time of year, then you could be accused of—and a court could find you liable for—religious discrimination under fair housing law. True or false?
Q: My city recently passed an ordinance protecting students against housing discrimination. The community I manage, however, receives low-income housing tax credits, so I must comply with federal tax credit rules—including the “student rule.” Under this rule, I can’t rent low-income units to households comprised entirely of full-time students, except in very limited circumstances. But if I reject such applicants, could I be liable for violating fair housing law?
In its October 2013 lesson, the Coach reviews fair housing protections based on familial status. The phrase “familial status” isn’t that common in everyday life, so it’s easy to get confused over exactly what it means.
Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) introduced the Veterans and Service Members Employment Rights and Housing Act of 2013, a bill that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of military service or veteran status. The bill would amend the federal Fair Housing Act to add military status as being protected under the law for service members or veterans who want to rent or purchase a home.
In a Special Issue, Fair Housing Coach reviews HUD’s new discriminatory effects regulations—and what they may mean for your community. HUD issued the rules earlier this year to formalize the national standard for determining whether a housing practice violates the Fair Housing Act (FHA) based on disparate impact—that is, practices that may have a discriminatory effect on protected classes, regardless of intent to discriminate.
In the July 2013 lesson, Fair Housing Coach explains how to comply with fair housing laws banning discrimination based on source of income. Federal fair housing law doesn’t prohibit discrimination based on source of income, but an increasing number of states and municipalities have added these provisions to their fair housing or civil rights laws in recent years.
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