Fair Housing Compliance and LGBTQ+ Prospects Consider a few situations that may arise. A same- sex couple is interested in renting an apartment. Can you ask them for a marriage certificate? How would you handle an individual who is dressed as a woman and the name they give doesn’t match their government-issued ID? Fair housing best practices in both of these situations are to ensure your policies are up to date according to the new laws and that they are applied across the board. If your policy does not require a heterosexual couple to produce a marriage certificate, then you cannot request one from any other type of couple. As for a person who uses a name other than what is on their ID, your policy needs to be the same for everyone regardless of how they are dressed.
NOW IS THE TIME TO REVIEW YOUR POLICIES AND MAKE ANY NEEDED CHANGES ACCORDING TO THE EXPANDED UNDERSTANDING OF THE CATEGORY OF SEX.
Expect that testers will be focusing their attention on compliance with the new law. Up-to-date training is also absolutely necessary to make sure that every staff member is prepared to handle any situations that will arise. Remember the best way to avoid a fair housing complaint is to be fair housing compliant!
KATHELENE WILLIAMS Attorney and President The Fair Housing Institute
Kathi Williams is one of the founders of Fair Housing Institute. FHI is the accomplished vision of Kathi who views its educational courses as the best method housing providers can use to accomplish compliance and avoid litigation. Kathi is also a partner in the Law Firm of Williams Edelstein Tucker, P.C. providing defense and preventative representation for the housing industry in all civil rights matters. During the many decades Kathi has been advising her housing provider clients, she developed a unique understanding of the most effective methods of communicating fair housing best practices through training. Click here to watch Fair Housing Educational Videos.
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