CLP Regulatory & Fair Housing Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to housing primarily in which context?
- All residential rental units
- Common areas and leasing offices open to the public (Correct answer)
- Only federally subsidized housing
- Single-family homes sold by owner
Correct answer: Common areas and leasing offices open to the public
The ADA applies to commercial facilities and public accommodations, including leasing offices and common areas, but not to individual dwelling units (which are covered by the FHA).
Question 2: A tenant with a hearing disability requests a visual smoke alarm as a reasonable modification. Who is responsible for paying for this modification in a private rental?
- The housing provider must pay for all disability-related modifications
- The tenant pays for the modification, and the landlord may require restoration upon move-out (Correct answer)
- The federal government reimburses the cost through HUD grants
- Costs are split 50/50 between tenant and landlord
Correct answer: The tenant pays for the modification, and the landlord may require restoration upon move-out
In private housing, tenants with disabilities may make reasonable modifications at their own expense, and landlords may require restoration to original condition upon move-out.
Question 3: Redlining in the context of fair housing refers to:
- Adding red borders to lease agreements for emphasis
- Refusing to provide services or loans to residents of certain neighborhoods based on race (Correct answer)
- Marking up rental rates in high-demand areas
- A method of screening applicants using credit reports
Correct answer: Refusing to provide services or loans to residents of certain neighborhoods based on race
Redlining is the illegal practice of refusing housing-related services to residents of certain areas based on the racial or ethnic composition of those neighborhoods.
Question 4: Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a leasing professional must understand that victims of domestic violence:
- Can be evicted for calling police too frequently
- Cannot be denied housing solely because of their status as a victim (Correct answer)
- Are not protected if the abuse occurred off the property
- Lose VAWA protections if they allow the abuser back on premises
Correct answer: Cannot be denied housing solely because of their status as a victim
VAWA prohibits housing providers from denying, terminating, or evicting a person based solely on their status as a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking.
Question 5: A landlord in a 55+ community requires that all residents be 55 or older. Under the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), this community is exempt from familial status rules only if:
- At least 80% of units are occupied by at least one person 55 or older and it publishes policies demonstrating that intent (Correct answer)
- 100% of residents are 55 or older
- The community has more than 100 units
- It was built before 1968
Correct answer: At least 80% of units are occupied by at least one person 55 or older and it publishes policies demonstrating that intent
Under HOPA, a 55+ community is exempt from familial status provisions if at least 80% of units have one occupant aged 55+, and it publishes intent to be such housing.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of disparate impact discrimination?
- A manager explicitly refuses to rent to Latino applicants
- A neutral policy that requires a minimum income of 3x rent, disproportionately excluding protected groups (Correct answer)
- An agent steering Asian applicants to a specific building
- A landlord verbally harassing a disabled tenant
Correct answer: A neutral policy that requires a minimum income of 3x rent, disproportionately excluding protected groups
Disparate impact occurs when a facially neutral policy has a disproportionate adverse effect on a protected class, even without discriminatory intent.
Question 7: A leasing agent receives a Fair Housing complaint. The housing provider has how many days to respond to a HUD complaint investigation notice?
- 10 days
- 20 days (Correct answer)
- 30 days
- 60 days
Correct answer: 20 days
A respondent in a HUD Fair Housing complaint has 20 days to file an answer after receiving notice of the complaint.
CLP Regulatory & Fair Housing Compliance 3
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to housing primarily in which context?