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Non Discrimination in housing is required in all housing-related activities.
In advertising: When you advertise a vacant unit you want to find the most the
most qualified applicant(s) for the type of unit available.
"Qualified" means person(s) who:
1) meet income requirements in relation to rent,
2) will pay the rent in full and on time,
3) will be considerate of other renters, and
4) will respect the property.
You may not express a preference or limitation for or against a specific class of persons enumerated by the statute.
You may indicate the size and location of the unit, the monthly rental
price any features, such as utilities included, laundry room, pool or
other amenities which would make the unit desirable.
Try to include minority newspapers or place listings with publications
that reach a diverse group of people.
Include the Fair Housing Equal Opportunity logo as words
of inclusion and welcome.
If you use human models in your advertising, remember to reflect
the diversity of the community. For example, all Caucasian models
could discourage people of color from applying .
Internet advertising: Fair housing laws apply the same on the
Web. You can not indicate any preference, limitation or discrimina-
tion based on any of the protected categories. Do not believe the
Net is uncontrolled. Fair housing agencies are monitoring it and filing complaints against discriminatory advertisement publishers.
In Screening
Establish written policies and procedures and apply them equally to all persons requesting information or application forms.
Be sure to use standardized forms and keep in mind that what all you want to
know is if they have the ability to pay the rent or to carry out the rental agreement.
You may not:
• Ask about the applicant’s class status or about disability
• Run credit checks or verify applications on only some potential tenants
and not others. For instance, single mothers or only minorities;
• Show less desirable apartments to home seekers of non-favored groups
in order to discourage them from desiring to rent;
• Quote a higher security deposit to a person of one group than to a person
of another group;
• Apply different eligibility or income standards for different applicants
based on their belonging to a certain group of persons;
• Give different information regarding vacancy dates, availability, move-in
costs, waiting lists or any other part of the application process based on
the home seeker's class; and
• Arrange tenancy so that members of the same group are limited to the
same area of the Complex. For example, having a special section for
families with children.
How to handle eviction:
When you are considering an eviction, you should determine whether such
eviction is based on a valid, non-discriminatory reason. In other words, would
everyone who plays loud music and repeatedly disturbs other tenants be
warned and evicted if their behavior did not change? Would everyone who
failed to pay rent, damage furniture or walls, created a disturbance that involved the police or threatened other tenants be evicted?
It is important to look at kinds of behavior that would justify eviction and set
policies regarding each of these types of situations. It is more important to apply these policies consistently and even-handely over time.
How to avoid complaints of Harassment:
It is unprofessional and illegal to harass a person by making derogatory remarks based on any protected category. Sexual harassment is an illegal form
of sex discrimination. It may include threats of physical or psychological harm,
requests for sexual favors against a person’s will, assault, offering privileges
in exchange for sexual favors, threatening to evict a person if favors are not
granted
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