AUTOMATED LATE FEES ARE A FAIR HOUSING RISK Software can track balances, apply late fees, send reminders, and flag delinquent accounts without requiring someone to review every payment by hand. However, therein lies a challenge: technology only knows the rules it has been given. It does not understand why a resident paid late, whether an exception has been approved, or when a standard policy may need to be adjusted because of a reasonable accommodation. That is where human judgment still matters. When automated late fees intersect with fair housing, the risk is not necessarily the technology itself. The risk is assuming the system can make decisions that still require people. CAUTION:
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