In separate releases issued earlier today, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) announced that it settled two housing discrimination matters: one from California for $6,000 and one from Hawaii for $8,000. In the California case, the complainants claimed that housing providers declined to offer them a two bedroom unit because they have…

In a bit of a surprise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just issued a nationwide order halting many pandemic-related residential evictions through the end of 2020. At first glance, the order looks to cover more than 40 million residential renters if they meet certain defined income and other eligibility requirements. This new…

A couple of (well, four) quick pandemic-centric questions today:

1.  As we have all seen over the past few months, some amenities at apartment communities (gyms, pools, fitness centers, community rooms, games rooms, and the like) were closed or remain closed because of government health restrictions. Can residents pay reduced rent because amenities bargained for are

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Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) announced it resolved three fair housing cases from Arkansas, settling allegations that the owners and property management company discriminated against a number of residents because of their national origin. Additionally, one of the now settled claims asserted that management retaliated against an employee who…

I get questions from time to time about the status of evictions during the pandemic. In short, there are no easy answers and guidance changes monthly (or even weekly). Displacing anyone from their home is unpleasant at any time. And the pandemic makes it even worse. While I certainly understand the reasoning around stopping evictions…

With the 2020 presidential election less than three months away, I had an interesting question hit my desk: can a property management company restrict residents from placing political signs on their exterior windows, doors, and/or balconies? With some exceptions (noted below), the answer looks to generally be yes. Now, of course residents have First Amendment…

As written here and elsewhere, navigating traditional landlord/tenant legal matters during the past few months has been complicated. Management wants and needs to have compassion for all of our residents who have been impacted by the global pandemic. I know many leasing offices and legal departments have been evaluating hardships and literally working side by…

If professional apartment management thought that fair housing enforcement would stop because of a global pandemic, well – think again. Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) announced over $40 million in grants to local fair housing advocacy groups from coast to coast. These individual grants, running in the hundreds of…