COACH's Pop Quiz!

Q: An African-American prospect asks an employee in your leasing office a question about how many African Americans live at your community. Can your community get into fair housing trouble if the employee answers the question, even though the person asking is African American?

A: Yes. Answering questions from prospects could lead to fair housing trouble if the response involves the race, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics of other residents in your community. When talking to prospects, don’t discuss the personal attributes of your residents, regardless of who brings up the subject.

For more tips on what not to do in the leasing office, see “Fair Housing Dos & Don'ts for Dealing with Prospects,” available to subscribers here.