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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 coi...

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 w...

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.

In the September 2012 lesson, Fair Housing Coach reviews fair housing requirements with respect to older applicants and residents. Aging is not a protected characteristic under federal fair housing law, but there are many ways in which communities could face fair housing problems when dealing with older applicants and residents. Here are some tips from the September lesson:

Fair housing was on the table at the National Apartment Association’s annual Educational Conference & Exposition held in Boston last month. Among the many educational sessions were presentations by Fair Housing Coach Advisory Board members on key fair housing challenges faced by rental housing owners and managers. Here are some highlights:

Q: Even though federal fair housing law doesn’t ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, a community could face a fair housing complaint if it treats applicants or residents differently because of their sexual orientation. True or false?

In the July Fair Housing Coach, we take an in-depth look at some recent court rulings from around the country involving fair housing disputes. The people and particulars of each case may be unique, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn something by examining the details of each story like a detective. By reviewing the clues about what happened—and why—you can gain insight into how to handle similar problems that could arise in your ...