1. Fair Housing Compliance & HUD Regulations
Finding Simple Answers to All Your Complex Fair Housing Requirements
Fair housing violations can result in penalties as high as $100,000 within a seven-year period, as well as claims for compensatory damages and attorney fees. Don’t let HUD or a lawsuit trip you up on things you can easily fix with the right instruction and knowledge.
Join this information-packed 120 Mins seminar by nationally recognized fair housing expert Paul Flogstad and get answers to all your basic fair housing questions at one time. This webinar will cover all the basics of fair housing. It will include the basics of fair housing including the protected classes. Also included is a section on fair housing for maintenance staff. Over 62% of complaints to HUD are related to maintenance issues. During the webinar, Paul will also cover the latest updates to criminal screening, reasonable accommodation and service/companion animals, disparate impact, and limited English proficiency.
Webinar Objectives
The goal of this session is to provide a better understanding of fair housing laws and how they affect property managers and owners on a daily basis. This information will help you avoid a fair housing complaint. These complaints could result in penalties and court judgments running into thousands of dollars. By having this knowledge, you will avoid complaints and treat all your tenants fairly.
Webinar Agenda
- What are the seven protected classes?
- Who enforces fair housing laws?
- What to do if I have a complaint filed against me.
- What are reasonable accommodations and modifications?
- How do I handle requests for service/assistance animals?
- What can I ask when screening an applicant?
- What is an individualized assessment concerning criminal screening?
- How do I handle maintenance requests?
- Many other tips on typical questions that come
Webinar Highlights
During the session, Paul will provide many “real world” examples that will be of value.
Along with the presentation handouts, you will also get a chance to ask questions, discuss your challenges with Paul and get specific answers relative to your property and situation.
Who Should Attend
- Property Owners
- Property Managers
- Compliance Staff
- Housing Authority Staff
- Leasing Agents
2. Everything You Need to Know Now About Fair Housing
We have had more changes in fair housing laws and rulings in the past 3 years since 1988. We often feel like we are swimming in muddy waters due to unclear changes. Plus, we listen to rumours and receive misinformation.
Get clear on correct information and changes regarding each Federally protected class. Learn what the laws address regarding Race, Color and National Origin. Gender/Sex is more than male and female. The LGBTQA community has gained a great deal of attention and protection. Our industry seems confused about allowing religious symbols on display. Family status, number of occupants and occupancy standards are in question and changing. Handicapped/Disability protection is a challenge especially regarding service/support animals.
Join this webinar as our expert speaker Anne reviews the status of all the protected classes and the challenges the onsite teams are experiencing.
Webinar Highlights
- Racial unrest in America is at a boiling point…how does that show up in apartment communities? What is the manager/staff responsibilities?
- People from all over the world occupy apartments in America. Many different languages create misunderstandings.
- Sexual Harassment cases are on the uprise. Many properties, owners and onsite team members are being sued.
- Get a clear definition of family status and occupancy standards
The biggest number of complaints filed today are disability related, biggest issues are animals and parking.
Who Should Attend
- Property owners
- Managers
- Leasing
- Maintenance teams
3. Fair Housing and Disparate Impact Update
The United States Supreme Court on June 25, 2015, issued a long-awaited fair housing discrimination ruling. On April 4, 2016, HUD released a guidance letter regarding blanket criminal background checks. This is basically a type of disparate impact that affects those with criminal backgrounds. Under this guidance letter, Paul will examine the changes in policies and procedures of multifamily properties as to how to implement this guidance.
During the webinar, Paul will examine in detail all facets of this ruling and what it means under fair housing guidelines.
Webinar Objectives
- Definition of Disparate Impact
- What is “Adverse Impact”
- How does this affect the protected classes?
- How does this ruling affect development activities going forward?
- Understanding the new HUD guidance letter and the impacts it will have on property owners and managers when it comes to applicants applying to your property who have a criminal or felony background, especially when you have a blanket policy of not allowing anyone with a criminal background.
- How the ruling affects certain protected and non-protected classes.
- What is the difference between arrests and convictions and how does that pertain to the guidance letter.
Webinar Agenda
- Understanding the new HUD guidance letter and the impacts it will have on property owners and managers when it comes to applicants applying to your property who have a criminal or felony background, especially when you have a blanket policy of not allowing anyone with a criminal background.
- How the ruling affects certain protected and non- protected classes.
- What is the difference between arrests and convictions and how does that pertain to the guidance letter.
Webinar Highlights
This webinar will explore the basics of fair housing, disparate impact, and the new HUD ruling. There are going to be many changes coming because of this new guidance and after this webinar, attendees will understand the implications of all of these rulings and guidance. There will be time allowed for questions at the end of the webinar.
Who Should Attend
- Owners
- Property managers
- Compliance staff
- Housing Authorities
4. Fair Housing: State vs. Federal Claims & How the Laws are Enforced
Recognize how State, Local, and Federal protections can conflict, and what it means to you
You should be familiar with the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), but did you know that your state and local municipalities can adopt fair housing laws as well? Sometimes state and local protected classes mirror the federally protected classes; sometimes they’re quite different. Sometimes they dramatically increase the number of protections you need to be aware of… and sometimes the federal and state or local protections even conflict. There are a lot of rules, regulations, and legislation that impact the housing industry. When it comes to fair housing laws specifically – that is civil rights in housing.
Arm yourself with information and bone up on the enforcement process in order to protect your business interests. Sign up today to learn how long a resident or prospect has to file a suit or complaint and what each process entails.
This webinar by industry expert speaker Jo Becker will explain how fair housing laws are enforced at each level, ranging from private lawsuits to formal complaints filed with administrative agencies. Sign up today to learn about the process and, just importantly, to assure you and your team aren’t focused on the forest while missing the trees.
In addition to the presentation, hand-outs attendees will also receive extra resource handout including:
- Key Dept. of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) memos and federal register documents pertaining to various federally protected classes
- A multitude of HUD & Dept. of Justice documents pertaining to assistance and service animals
- And more!
Webinar Objectives
After attending this session you will be able to:
- Appreciate the differences between state and local vs. federal fair housing protections
- Recognize how state, local, and federal protections can conflict, and what it means to you
- Locate the governmental agencies and/or nonprofit organizations HUD works with that are operating in your area
- Realize how HUD’s state and local partners can be a resource to you
- Understand applicable statutes of limitations, possible damages, and suit/complaint processes
- Arm yourself with information about the enforcement process (be it a lawsuit in court or an administrative process conducted by HUD or one of its partners) in order to protect your business
Webinar Highlights
- Review of the Fair Housing Act’s 7 protected classes
- Examples of additional protected classes sometimes added by state or local jurisdictions
- The statute of limitations on fair housing complaints
- The different processes for lawsuits vs. formal, administrative complaints
- Possible damages for fair housing violations
Who Should Attend
- Leasing and on-site managers
- Portfolio managers
- Compliance officers
- Resident services coordinators (in affordable housing communities)
- Community concierges (in high-end housing communities)
- Independent landlords or small, “Mom and Pop” operators
- Service technicians, lead technicians, maintenance supervisors
- Homeowners association and community managers
5. How to complete a AFHMP (Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan)
Many federal or state funded, insured, or assisted housing programs have an obligation to create and implement an Affirmatively Fair Housing Marketing (AFHM) Plan. The AFMH Plan is a marketing strategy designed to attract buyers and renters of all majority and minority groups, regardless of sex, handicap, familial status, etc. to assisted and insured rental projects and sales dwellings which are being marketed.
The Plan describes initial advertising, outreach (community contacts) and other marketing activities which inform potential buyers and renters of the existence of the units. No applications for applicable HUD-assisted programs may be funded without an approved AFMH Plan.
Webinar Highlights
- Who should create an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan? – Federal Housing Programs All applicants for subsidized and unsubsidized multifamily projects, mobile home parks and single-family subdivisions of five or more units, spaces or lots which are funded or insured under certain HUD programs are subject to program requirements which carry an obligation to create an AFHM Plan. Applicants may include Public Housing Authorities, non-profit developers or housing providers, and other HUD program participants.
- Many of the following questions will be answered:
- Creating an Affirmative Fair Housing Market Plan
- Targeting
- Outreach
- Indicators
- Staff Training
- How long does the AFMH Plan last and how often does it need to be updated?
- Common AFHM Plan Mistakes
Who Should Attend
- Property Owners
- Property Managers
- Compliance Staff
- Housing Authority Staff
