LANDLORD BEST PRACTICES FOR
FAIR HOUSING COMPLIANCE
Why Make Fair Housing Compliance
a Priority

It’s the law

Noncompliance = Denial of Civil Rights

Noncompliance is expensive
Hiring Staff

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Make Fair Housing part of the hiring process
Interview prospective employees about Fair
Housing knowledge and experience
Determine the training necessary for new hires,
including volunteers and temporary staff
Include Fair Housing policy statement in employee
hiring packet
Training

Early and often

All staff

In-house Training
 Regular

Outside Training
 New

staff meetings
Hires – 30 days of hire date
Fair Housing update annually
Marketing

Display Fair Housing posters in office

Post Fair Housing policy

Ensure advertising is Fair Housing Compliant

Advertise attributes and amenities

Don’t advertise who you are looking for in a resident

No steering when showing property

Don’t make assumptions about what an applicant may
want or not want
Screening

Develop written rental policy with criteria with application
process description

Post rental criteria at property

Give rental criteria and application to every perspective resident


Do not ask about physical or mental disabilities, drugs/alcohol
use, or lawsuits
As questions regarding prior evictions, money judgments,
bankruptcy, and rental history

Keep good records of all inquiries and applications

Use third party screening service for all rental applications

Formalize and document the appeal process for denials

Develop a formalized waiting list policy
Apartment Rules

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



Core set of basic rules
Written rules provided to all tenants and posted in
office
Rules must be applicable to all residents
Rules must be enforced uniformly against all residents
Rule violations must be investigated by questioning
both sides to a dispute
Records must be kept regarding rule violations and
investigations
Rule Enforcement



Enforce equally as to all tenants
Serious violations of lease that endanger others,
drugs, or destruction of property
Repeated minor violations

System of lease violation warnings and opportunity to
cure
Reasonable Accommodations




Written accommodation request procedure
Fair Housing compliant accommodation request
and verification form
Designate a senior individual with the company to
oversee accommodation requests process and
make determinations
Incorporated interactive process in accommodation
review and response
Miscellaneous Points



Monitor and review your policies, procedures, and
practices for compliance
Implement good, thorough recordkeeping (i.e.
inquiries/applications, manager logs, rule
violations/disciplinary matters, accommodation
requests
Don’t be afraid to ask for help (HUD, Intermountain
Fair Housing Council, knowledgeable legal
representation)