Other

RSS

The Coach’s June 2013 lesson discusses how to comply with fair housing rules in post-9/11 America. Though much has changed since Sept. 11, 2001, the recent bombings at this year’s Boston Marathon serve as a reminder that our nation remains vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

For multifamily housing communities, the challenge is to continue in efforts to safeguard property and residents while ensuring that everyone is treated fairly, regardless of race, color, religion, and national origin. Here are some tips from the June lesson:

Q: A community may require all applicants who have animals to pay any extra fees or an additional security deposit to cover any potential property damage the animal may cause. True or false?

Measures affecting veterans housing and fair housing law are among amendments that have been accepted and approved as part of the House Financial Services Committee Oversight Plan. The amendments passed by voice vote on Feb. 14, 2013, according to a statement released by Rep. Al Green, who sponsored the measures.

In its March lesson, Fair Housing Coach tackles one of the most challenging aspects of fair housing law: how to handle requests for assistance animals as a reasonable accommodation for an individual with a disability.

In general, communities may set their own policies regulating pet ownership, but fair housing laws don’t consider assistance animals as pets. Whatever your policy, federal law requires communities to consider a request for an exception to allow an individual with a disability to have an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation.

In January 2013, legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives to authorize $15 million annually over five years for HUD to administer nationwide fair housing testing to measure patterns of adverse treatment in the housing market.

Congressman Al Green of Texas introduced the Veterans, Women, Families with Children, Race, and Persons with Disabilities Housing Fairness Act of 2013, also known as the Housing Fairness Act of 2013, on Jan. 15, 2013, to coincide with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 84th birthday.

In the February 2013 lesson, the Coach finishes its two-part lesson on deadly fair housing sins, old and new. Last month, Part I of the lesson covered the old—violation of federal fair housing rules that have been on the books for many years, but continue to trigger costly fair housing claims. Part II covers emerging issues and trends that could lead to fair housing trouble.

With the January 2013 issue of Fair Housing Coach, we begin a two-part lesson on the deadly sins of fair housing law. Among the sins is racial discrimination. Though it’s been outlawed for more than 40 years, federal officials continue to pursue complaints against communities accused of denying housing to African-American prospects because of their race.

Same-sex marriage was on the ballot in four states this November. Voters in Maine, Maryland, and Washington approved ballot initiatives to recognize same-sex marriage, while voters in Minnesota rejected a measure to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman, according to the National Conference of State Legislators (NSCL). Once the new laws go into effect, 10 states, plus the District of Columbia, will permit gay and lesbian couples to marry.

In the December lesson, Fair Housing Coach reviews fair housing requirements when dealing with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The law’s disability provisions apply to millions of Americans, including people who are profoundly deaf as well as those with various hearing impairments caused by accident, injury, illness, or the aging process.

Here are some tips from the December lesson on how to ensure fair housing compliance when dealing with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing:

In the October 2012 lesson, Fair Housing Coach reviews the fair housing implications of environmental concerns involved in the maintenance and upkeep of the community.