If you own an apartment building, housing complex, condominiums, rental property or other housing development, you have guidelines you must adhere to. Your building must be up to code, water, heat and electricity must be properly functioning, and you must be FHA complaint.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) requires property owners to treat all tenants and potential tenants fairly—meaning they cannot be discriminated against.
Certain protected classes cannot be discriminated against when renting or purchasing a house, apartment, getting a mortgage or seeking housing assistance.
People cannot be discriminated against based on:
- Race
- National Origin
- Religious beliefs
- Sex/gender
- Disability
This means that your advertisements, property and applicant selections must not be biased or discriminatory against any person based on a protected class.
Being sure your housing development is accommodating to individuals with disabilities may be challenging. There are many aspects to consider.
Is your co-op accessible for people with disabilities?
Your housing property must accommodate those with physical and mental disabilities. Ensure it has handicap accessible entry, assistance features, parking, service animal allowance, properly functioning safety measures and is accessible for people with disabilities—including those who use wheelchairs.
Additionally, you may not make housing unavailable, fail or delay maintenance repairs, discourage an individual from your property, limit their privileges or otherwise unfairly treat a person with a disability.
Stay up-to-date on new regulations to ensure your property is FHA compliant.