Fair housing: What Everyone Should Know

We will cover the protected classes and how they are applied in the daily operations of a property. Covered will be a reasonable accommodation. Understanding disability and the procedures for granting reasonable accommodation, especially, when it involves assistance and service animals.

• Protected classes
• Definitions
• Reasonable accommodation
• Reasonable modification
• Assistance animals
• Applications
• Fair housing for maintenance staff
• Verifications
• How to make a fair housing complaint with HUD?

Everyone should know their rights under the Fair Housing Act. There are seven federal protected classes, and one must understand each of them so one does not discriminate. By understanding the basics of fair housing you will avoid being charged with a fair housing violation by HUD. If you violate the law it can cost you in time, reputation, and money. This course teaches all you need to know to understand the law.

• Property managers
• Property owners
• Public Housing Authority staff
• Maintenance staff

Paul has been involved in the real estate industry for the past 38 years.He has been involved in sales, construction, project management, appraisal, mortgage consulting and brokerage, property management and property management consulting/training. Through his consulting company, Property Management Solutions, he provides training and consulting services nationwide to owners, management companies, multi-housing associations, as well as state and federal agencies. He specializes in fair housing issues and has developed fair housing and outreach programs for governmental agencies as well as conducting seminars which are presented to property management companies, apartment associations and the general public. He also conducts research analysis for impediments to fair housing for grantees of federal CDBG funds. Most recently, he has been a consultant to the State of South Dakota. In this assignment he has developed a program that is one of the first of its kind in the nation. It involves being an Ombudsman for fair housing issues. In this role he takes calls from anyone who may have a fair housing or landlord tenant question. He attempts to resolve the issue before it has to go to HUD. This has been a successful program and he takes over 900 calls a year. For over twenty years was involved in appraisal of residential, multi-family, farm and commercial properties throughout the Midwest. Most recently, he was a consultant for affordable, multi-housing properties in 22 different states. This involved properties in HUD, Rural Development, HOME and Tax Credit programs. He is a certified trainer for a national company which specializes in HUD and Tax Credit education. He holds numerous professional property management designations and currently holds the prestigious RHM designation from the National Center for Housing Management. Paul has served on numerous boards and commissions that deal with real estate, property management and fair housing issues and is in demand as a speaker in the affordable housing industry.