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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 rej...

Q: If your state has passed a medical marijuana law, then you must allow residents to use medical marijuana on your property. True or false?

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.

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 fair...

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...