April is Fair Housing Month
Association offers fun, interactive Fair Housing class for the new millennium
The sale and purchase of a home is one of the most significant events that any person will experience in his or her lifetime. It is more than the simple purchase of housing, for it includes the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and economic destiny of those involved.
Helping consumers from all walks of life to achieve this dream is a big responsibility. April’s Fair Housing Month is a good reminder that agents must stay current on related issues.
The Aurora Association of REALTORS® offers the dynamic class “Fair Housing – The New Millennium” April 26 from 9 a.m. – Noon. Instructor LaChun Ellison features the dos and don’ts of advertising and how to apply Fair Housing laws to everyday practice in a diverse marketplace. There is also a section on predatory lending.
But this won’t be just a boring lecture. Students will participate in a game show complete with prizes and a question and answer session.
The class carries three hours of C.E. credit; cost is only $10 for AAR members; $25 all others.
A short history lesson
What exactly is fair housing law? Federal fair housing law consists of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, otherwise known as the Fair Housing Act. The act, as amended in 1988, provides that no one can be discriminated against in the sale, rental, or financing of residential dwellings on the basis of these protected classes: Race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status & national origin (individual states may have additional protected classes).
In addition, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 provides that all U.S. citizens have the same rights as white citizens to “inherit, purchase, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property.” The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted this act to prohibit all forms of racial discrimination with regard to real estate - even discrimination by private individuals. Penalties can include punitive as well as actual damages.
Compliance is critical
Bringing your office into Fair Housing compliance may be one of the most important things you do. Below is a Fair Housing Compliance Checklist…check your office, then make any necessary changes immediately.
Fair Housing Compliance Checklist
If you answer “no” to any of the questions below, evaluate the impact of those responses on your fair housing responsibilities and adjust your office practices accordingly.
• Do you have a written fair housing policy?
• Do you publicize your commitment to fair housing in your office, in your advertising, and to sellers and buyers?
• Is fair housing training required in your company?
• Have you developed procedures to provide equal professional service?
• Do you review your offices’ compliance with your procedures on a regular basis?
• Do you have a corrective action policy?
• Do you regularly review and modify your procedures to respond to changes in the law or new fair housing issues and to correct deficiencies in your office?
• Do you have a mechanism for feedback from customers and prospects?
Having a Fair Housing Policy Statement for your office is an important step in instituting good Fair Housing policies.
Your policy statement should say unequivocally that you support all applicable laws, and state specifically what the provisions of those laws are. For example:
“This company conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local fair housing laws. It is our policy to provide housing opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, handicap, or national origin. The company’s fair housing procedures are not recommendations. They must be followed by everyone associated with the company.”
For more information, visit www.Realtor.org and type “Fair Housing” into the search engine at the top left of the page. Portions of above information reprinted from Fair Housing: Shared Neighborhoods, Equal Opportunities, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, 1998. Additional information from www.Realtor.org.
REALTOR® Fair Housing Declaration
I agree to:
• Provide equal professional service without regard to the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of any prospective client, customer, or of the residents of any community.
• Keep informed about fair housing law and practices, improving my clients’ and customers’ opportunities and my business.
• Develop advertising that indicates that everyone is welcome and no one is excluded, expanding my clients’ and customers’ opportunities to see, buy, or lease property.
• Inform my clients and customers about their rights and responsibilities under the fair housing laws by providing brochures and other information.
• Document my efforts to provide professional service, which will assist me in becoming a more responsive and successful REALTOR®.
• Refuse to tolerate non-compliance.
• Learn about those who are different from me and celebrate those differences.
• Take a positive approach to fair housing practices and aspire to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law.
• Develop and implement fair housing practices for my firm to carry out the spirit of this declaration.
Fair Housing – The New Millennium
April 26 ~ 9 a.m. – Noon ~ Instructor LaChun Ellison
• The dos and don’ts of advertising
• How to apply fair housing laws to everyday practice in a diverse marketplace
• How to spot predatory lending
• Fun game show format
• Three easy continuing education credits
$10 REALTORS® / $25 all others. Call (303) 369-5549 to register.
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