NAVIGATING THE NEW REALITY OF FAIR HOUSING The decentralization of enforcement does not
residents are becoming increasingly aware of their rights and are willing to take action when they believe those rights have been violated. Cutting back on training or taking a passive approach in today’s climate is a risk few companies can afford. The path forward is to remain proactive by investing in fair housing training, staying alert to enforcement trends, and reaffirming a commitment to equitable treatment for all applicants and residents. Fair housing is not going away. If anything, decentralized enforcement means the risks are rising, and only those who prepare now will be positioned to succeed.
change the fundamental responsibilities of housing providers. Residents and applicants still have rights, and property managers still have obligations. What has shifted is the source of the pressure. Instead of HUD driving most investigations, state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private law firms are now taking the lead. These groups are motivated to act, and many pursue claims aggressively, often through litigation that can be costly and damaging to a company’s reputation. For housing providers, the message is clear: compliance cannot wait. The record number of complaints filed in recent years indicates that
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.
Sources: • Fair Housing Justice Center. Act Now: Tell Congress to Support Strong Fair Housing Enforcement Funding in FY25. Fair Housing Justice Center, 2024, https:// fairhousingjustice.org/policy/act-now-tell-congress-to-support-strong-fair-housing-enforcement-funding-in-fy-25. • National Fair Housing Alliance. 2024 Fair Housing Trends Report. National Fair Housing Alliance, July 2024, https://nationalfairhousing.org/resource/2024-fair- housing-trends-report. • ---. 2024 Fair Housing Trends Report – Final PDF. National Fair Housing Alliance, July 2024, https://nationalfairhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2024- Fair-Housing-Trends-Report-FINAL_07.2024.pdf. • “NFHA Reports Record-Breaking Number of Fair Housing Complaints.” National Mortgage Professional, 2024, https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news/ nfha-reports-record-breaking-number-fair-housing-complaints. • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Civil Penalty Amounts for Fair Housing Act Violations. HUD, 2023–2024.
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