More by Laurence Jankelow

Penalties for Fair Housing Violations

Penalties for Fair Housing violations can vary depending on whether the case is processed via court, HUD, or elsewhere. Penalties can include fines, punitive damages, and attorney fees. This is why it’s important to follow a consistent process with every applicant and keep clear records of communications along the way. Consult a Lawyer If you …

Fair Housing Protected Classes

Those protected by antidiscrimination laws will fit into what is known as “protected categories”— that is, certain characteristics of a person are protected by federal, state, and local laws that define these categories. What Are the Protected Classes? Race: The physical characteristics of a person that can generally be considered common across a group of …

Valid Reasons to Reject Applicants

So how do you avoid discriminating? It’s easy to adopt tenant screening policies that minimize such a risk, and applying standard policies across every aspect of your rental business will help you avoid a lawsuit. These are the questions you can legally ask a tenant when assessing applications. The single best practice is to treat …

Fair Housing Complaints

How Do You Know If Your Actions Are Discriminatory? Housing discrimination is often very subtle and you may not even know that you’re doing it. For instance, a family of four was looking to rent a townhome in a rental community. When they came to view the property, the twin five-year-old boys were running about, …
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