Fair Housing Laws Flashcards

A condominium association requires all residents to speak English at common area meetings. This rule most likely violates which protected class under the Fair Housing Act?

Answer: National origin

Imposing English-only rules that exclude residents based on their primary language can constitute national origin discrimination under the Fair Housing Act.

Under the Housing for Older Persons Act (HOPA), a condominium community may lawfully restrict residency to persons 55 and older if it meets which condition?

Answer: At least 80% of occupied units have one resident aged 55 or older

HOPA's 55+ exemption requires that at least 80% of the community's occupied units have at least one resident who is 55 years of age or older.

A condominium board denies approval to a buyer whose offer is accompanied by an FHA-insured mortgage. This practice is best described as:

Answer: Potentially discriminatory if it disproportionately affects protected classes who rely on FHA financing

Blanket rejection of FHA-financed buyers could violate fair housing law if it has a disparate impact on protected classes who disproportionately use FHA loans.

Which of the following best describes a 'reasonable modification' under fair housing disability protections in a condominium setting?

Answer: A physical change to a unit or common area that a resident with a disability makes at their own expense

A reasonable modification is a structural change made at the resident's expense that allows a person with a disability to enjoy full use of the housing.

A prospective condo buyer uses a guide dog. The association's no-animals policy allows the association to:

Answer: Permit the guide dog as a reasonable accommodation without additional fees

Service animals used by persons with disabilities must be permitted as a reasonable accommodation to no-pet policies, and associations may not charge additional fees for them.

Under the Fair Housing Act, 'redlining' in the context of condominium financing refers to:

Answer: Refusing to provide mortgage financing or insurance in specific geographic areas based on racial composition

Redlining is the discriminatory practice of denying financial services to residents of certain areas based on the racial or ethnic composition of those areas.

A condo association's rule that bars residents from hosting short-term guests for more than 14 days is challenged by a resident who claims it discriminates against her extended family. Under the Fair Housing Act, this rule is most likely:

Answer: Legal if uniformly enforced and not targeted at a protected class

Neutral guest restrictions that apply uniformly to all residents and are not designed to target a protected class are generally permissible under fair housing law.