Fair Housing & Reasonable Accommodation
PURPOSE: This class is a comprehensive overview of all essential federal fair housing laws relevant to public housing and HCV program operations. Upon completion, participants will leave with a better understanding of fair housing law, HUD regulations, and fair housing resources. Participants will also gain the ability to apply the laws and regulations to PHA policies, procedures, and practices, assuring best efforts with compliance.
Topics addressed will include:
- How are reasonable accommodation requests handled at your PHA?
- Is your PHA prepared for upcoming HUD and FHEO civil rights monitoring fair housing reviews?
- Has your agency thought through possible VAWA situations and best practices?
This course was developed to educate and support PHA staff members and administrators on fair housing issues that every PHA should be aware of and have a plan to address. Case study activities are developed from current, real life fair housing legal actions against PHAs and through review of recent HUD VCA agreements and PHA fair housing audits.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the Fair Housing & Reasonable Accommodation Course, using HUD regulations and guidance, you should be able to:
- Understand how fair housing laws apply to public housing authority (PHA) admission, occupancy, and termination policies, procedures, and decision making processes.
- This includes discussion of what discrimination means in application and the role of the PHA in the community to affirmatively further fair housing.
- This also includes a brief discussion of customer service, language use, and disability-related communication etiquette
- From practice through case study examples, apply the reasonable accommodation process at all program levels including application, occupancy, and termination.
- Recognize the difference between HUD’s definition of "disability" as it relates to PHA eligibility, rent calculation, PIC reporting, and the Fair Housing Act’s broader definition of disability as it relates to reasonable accommodation, by reviewing the HUD regulations and HUD/DOJ Joint Statements.
- Understand PHA legal mandates under the Violence against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) by reading parts of VAWA legislation and participating in group discussions of VAWA scenarios.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge through discussion and assessment of HUD’s factors for compliance assessment under HUD’s Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Guidance; including analysis of the four factor analysis as well as development and implementation options for Language Assistance Plans.
- Exhibit awareness of PHA issues regarding hate crimes (using DOJ resources), race, sexual harassment (using HUD’s recent guidance), disability, and familial status discrimination (using recent news reports and HUD charges).
- Be aware of fair housing PHA best practice models and common PHA errors that have resulted in lawsuits, voluntary compliance agreements, and PHA monetary loss by discussing and reading real life legal actions brought by HUD, DOJ, and legal aid groups.
- Locate and use critical fair housing resources such as:
- HUD/DOJ Joint Statements on Reasonable Accommodations/Modifications
- HUD PIH notices on reasonable accommodation including Notice PIH 2006-13 (extended by Letter 2007-05)
- HUD guidance on sexual harassment and housing
- DOJ resources for LEP and disability rights information
- HUD regulations including Part 8 and Part 100
| COURSE NO: |
455-018 |
| MATERIALS: |
Fair Housing and Reasonable Accommodation Workbook |
| METHOD: |
Online seminar |
| LENGTH: |
6 hours and 49 minutes |
| AUDIENCE: |
All PHA staff |
| EXAM: |
The certification exam is available for $150. |
| CREDITS: |
CPE units w/ exam = 15 CEU units w/ exam =1.3
No prerequisites or advanced preparation required for this course |
| REGISTER: |
Register online at http://htvn.maplelearn.com/nanmckay/ |
| PRICE: |
HTVN Subscriber Fee: $295
Policy Holders: $495
Non-subscribers: $495 |