Fair housing compliance, equal housing opportunity compliance workshop

Equal Housing Opportunity Compliance

Understand Your Organization’s Equal Housing Opportunity Compliance Responsibilities

Every successful organization and individual involved in the real estate industry must have a solid understanding of the Fair Housing legal requirements. This understanding is the basis for building effective management policies and practices that help to prevent housing discrimination complaints and provide a solid foundation for an open housing market.

Who Should Attend?
Albion’s Fair Housing workshop takes those involved in the real estate industry and those involved in enforcing the Fair Housing laws through the Equal Housing Opportunity laws from the ground up. Our interactive, fun and legally compliant course is four hours in length; the eight- hour version allows time for skill practice. Designed for landlords, real estate professionals, property managers, owners, loan originators, bankers, mortgage bankers, brokers, contractors, or anyone involved directly or indirectly in the real estate industry, its focus is two-pronged:

1. How to prevent Fair Housing complaints
2. How to conduct a thorough and successful investigation when they do occur

Blueprint for Prevention
The course begins with a practical guide on how to recognize discriminatory housing and lending practices and the components of the Fair Housing laws, including:

• Housing discrimination based on what characteristics are prohibited by the Fair Housing laws
• What types of activities are covered by the Fair Housing laws
• What limitations are contained in the Fair Housing laws

Next, the workshop presents a thorough survey of the federal, state, and local laws that may be applicable. These include:

• Fair Housing Act (FHA)
• Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
• Federal Trade Act (FTA)
• Truth in Lending + Reg. Z
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
• Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act + Reg. X (RESPA)
• Home Ownership & Equity Protection Act (HOEPA)
• Common Law Frauds
• Deceptive Practices Act
• Breach of Contract
• Conspiracy to Commit Fraud
• Truth in Lending laws

Introducing the HEQI: What kinds residential real estate related acts may violate the Fair Housing laws? To clearly present the broad spectrum of Fair Housing Conduct to course participants, Albion has developed the Housing Environment Quality Index (HEQI). Similar in principle to an air quality index, this ingenious gauge employs the following scale: Green – In Compliance with Fair Housing Laws Orange – Potential Non-Compliance with Fair Housing Laws Red – Non-Compliance with Fair Housing Laws

During the workshop, each participant receives a HEQI and learns to use it to rate situations that are constructed from the Elements of Equal Housing Opportunity Model. The elements include:

Equal Housing Opportunity Pollutants – identity (dignity) characteristics as defined by Fair Housing Laws

• Race
• Religion
• Color
• Sex
• Disability
• Familia Status
• National Origin

Pollutant Sources – The activities that the pollution impacts

• Sell
• Rent
• Refusal to Negotiate
• Otherwise Make Unavailable
• Denial
• Terms or Conditions
• Advertise
• Represent
• Induce
• Reasonable Accommodation
• Residential Real Estate Transaction
• Brokering
• Appraising
• Contracting
• Lending
• Predatory Lending
• Constructing
• Blockbusting
• Steering
• Red Lining

Potentioal Pollutant Victims and Perpatrators

• Applicants
• Testers
• Renters
• Buyers
• Seekers
• Targets
• Bankers
• Loan Originators
• Mortgage Bankers
• Contractors
• Owners
• Real Estate Agents
• Brokers
• Appraisers
• Property Managers
• Condominium Associations
• Others

Limitation on Pollutants

• Religious Organizations
• Private Clubs
• Older Persons
• Occupancy Standards
• Mrs. Murphy
• 4-Units
• Others

CONTINUE