Today's blog post brought to you by "The Legal Beagle"                                                                                                     
While I was driving around the Seattle area today, I came across this sign for an apartment community.  I have blocked out the name and contact information to protect the ignorant.

A shiny gold star to the person who can tell me what's wrong with this picture!




"Family Friendly" isn't so friendly when you're staring down a HUD violation.  Phrases like "Family Friendly," or "Singles Welcome," are definite violations of the Federal Fair Housing act under the section of Familial Status.   What made this stand out to me was that usually this is the kind of slip that you see in advertisements on Craigslist, not on main community signs. 

Do you have any questionable signage on your property?  Did you know that things like "Adult Pool," besides conjuring a terrible mental image, are also fair housing violations?  If you haven't taken or haven't put your team through a recent fair housing training, it might be time for a refresher course.  The laws change often with more and more protected classes in your area, so it's best to offer refresher courses on Fair Housing at least once every 6-12 months.  There are some great online resources for training, or you could even book an outside speaker to come in and meet with your team for an hour or so.  Check with your local NAA chapter or WMFHA in the Seattle Area for help in getting a referral for a good trainer!

 

 

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Heather is a consultant, staffing facilitator, recruiter and trainer in the Seattle area with Career Strategies Inc.  Check out more of her property management ideas at www.behindtheleasingdesk.com .