Fair Housing Training

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Health and Service Providers can help rental households stabilize their homes

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Wednesday, September 12th, 1 PM- 4 PM

Welcome and Introductions

1.15 -1.30: Overview of Fair Housing

why are there fair housing laws?
what are the Protected classes under Federal and State laws and regulations? 7/2/1 rule!
what is the Fair Housing Rule of Thumb? BE CONSISTENT!
what's the exception to the Rule of Thumb? Except when someone says..

1.30-1.45 Recognizing discrimination in practice

denial
difference in treatment (location, amenities, etc
difference in terms and conditions: (extra security deposits, lease addenda)
for female headed households: intrusive inspection, sexual harassment

1.45-2 PM: Protections for persons with disabilities

1973 Rehabilitation Act, section 504
Fair Housing Act Amendments of 1988 and Ohio Revised Code 4112
Other legal protections
Americans with Disabilities Act (public accommodations)
Unified Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS)
What is a disability under the law?

2.00-2.15: What's the GENERAL RULE for RA/RM (Fair housing Act and ORC 4112)?

landlord may not unreasonably refuse to provide a reasonable accommodation of a rule, policy, or procedure to address the needs of a person with a disability
landlord may not unreasonably deny permission to a tenant to make a modification of the premise to address the needs of a person with a disability
What's the RULE for RA/RM where there is direct Federal Assistance (Section 504)?
Who's covered by Section 504?

BREAK

2.30 PM-3 PM Ohio landlord tenant law-common issues and resources. Protections for victims of domestic violence-Robin Bozin-Southeastern Ohio Legal Services

3.00-3.30: How to?

Framing a RA/RM request

document disabilty
document the nexus
engage in the interactive process

Recognizing and documenting discrimination

walks like a duck-start a written record,
identify witnesses, gather witness statements,
informal testing,
refer to an enforcement organization,
filing a complaint.

Using HUD regulations to open doors to special need populations

challenging tenant selection plans
challenging HOPA claims

3.30-4 PM: Other housing resources: Misty Tolzda GMN Tri-County CAC.

Here's who presented

Robin Bozin, SEOLS
427 Second Street                  Marietta, OH 45750
Phone: 740-374-2629           toll free: 800-837-2630
Fax: 740-374-2656                  Email:marietta@oslsa.org

Lillian Siebieda

52234 Key Bellaire Road

Bellaire, OH 43906

LBS Consultants
52234 Key Bellaire Road, Bellaire, OH 43906
phone: 740-676-7086 Cell 304-281-5845

Spencer Wells
Tenant Outreach Director COHHIO

Special Thanks to:
Mary Jo Westfall, OSU Cooperative Extension for helping with the space and the outreach
Misty Tolzda, GMN Tri County for providing info on emergency rental assistance from GMN. Sorry about the injury that kept you from participating!

Here's what participants asked
What about Bedbugs?
Spencer said: not 'vermin' so not a health code violation. Hard to make a legal argument under the landlord tenant law. Robin said: NOT HARD, SEOLS in Athens does it all the time. Conclusion: Call Robin!
more bedbug resources here and here.

What about land contracts? Robin says: you have to go by what the contract says. Spencer adds: all land contracts are different. Many that say they are land contracts aren't!

Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence in private housing? Robin says: NOPE. Federal Rules only apply to HUD assisted housing. However-sometimes there are protections in Ohio Landlord Tenant Law. Send these cases to us. Spencer adds: sometimes Victims of domestic violence have some protections in the Fair Housing Act's protections for Female headed households and Households with children under 18 (Familial status).

Your comments

Suggest to improve training?

Future training

handouts for suspected victims of violations with a step-by-step of what to do/who to contact; flow chart?
Awareness of bad laws
Tenant Landlord laws

Other comments

Our local landlords could really use this presentation

Sponsored by COHHIO in partnership with the Monroe County Commissioners Funding for this workshop is provided under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Notes & Links