In recent years, the LGBT community has earned additional rights under the law in many different contexts. From same-sex marriage recognition to restroom access corresponding to a person’s gender identity, the law is constantly evolving. The Federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) does not specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes. However, discrimination…
Here are some tips for conducting applicant screening in a way that complies with Fair Housing law and makes all people feel welcome in your community. They will help you avoid screening pitfalls.
Think Before You Speak It is natural to make friendly conversation with prospects during the application process.
Avoiding Discriminatory Practices Before the Tenancy As stated above, one of the best ways to avoid Fair Housing complaints is to ensure fair and professional management practices for your marketing, application, and screening procedures. For example, by establishing written, objective criteria and policies that are both in compliance with Fair Housing laws and applied consistently…
California’s SB 721 and SB 326 laws were created with good intentions. Following the tragic 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse that killed six young people, lawmakers moved quickly to require periodic inspections of balconies, decks, walkways, stairs, and other elevated exterior structures in multifamily housing. The goal was simple: identify hidden structural dangers before another preventable…
California housing providers are accustomed to bad news coming out of Sacramento. Every legislative session seems to bring a fresh wave of proposals aimed at expanding tenant protections, restricting property rights, or imposing new obligations on landlords. 2026 will be no exception. While some measures continue to advance through the legislative process, lawmakers also rejected…
The moment a property manager issues a denial letter, the professional relationship enters a high-stakes phase. While automated screening tools provide a necessary first layer of defense, they often lack the nuance required by modern fair housing standards. The core conflict lies in the tension between a property’s need for uniform safety standards and the…
How LA’s Rental Policies are Dismantling the Private Investor – and What We Should Do About It I spent eighteen years as a sports agent and another eighteen in commercial real estate. In both worlds, I learned the same lesson: the most dangerous systems are the ones that sound the most reasonable, and the most dangerous…
The natural instinct for any good property manager is to double-check everything. You have a duty to protect the property and follow the rules fairly for everyone on the rent roll. However, in the world of Fair Housing, that “trust but verify” mindset can actually become a major legal headache. The real challenge is mastering…
A lawsuit in Oakland may do what legislation hasn’t: crack open the door to rent control on newer housing. At first glance, it looks like a narrow disability-access claim, but in reality, it could upend one of the pillars of California rent control: the exemption for newer construction under the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Let’s…