COS Fair Housing Laws 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following actions by a property manager constitutes 'steering'?
- Directing minority applicants away from certain buildings or neighborhoods (Correct answer)
- Charging higher security deposits to all new applicants
- Refusing to accept Section 8 vouchers
- Requiring all applicants to provide pay stubs
Correct answer: Directing minority applicants away from certain buildings or neighborhoods
Steering is the illegal practice of directing protected class members toward or away from certain units, buildings, or neighborhoods based on their protected status.
Question 2: A property owner refuses to rent to a person because she is pregnant. Which protected class does this violate under the Fair Housing Act?
- Disability
- Sex/Gender
- Familial status (Correct answer)
- National origin
Correct answer: Familial status
Pregnancy is covered under the familial status protected class, which includes pregnant women and families with children under 18.
Question 3: Which federal agency is primarily responsible for enforcing the Fair Housing Act?
- Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (Correct answer)
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Correct answer: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD is the primary federal agency responsible for administering and enforcing the Fair Housing Act.
Question 4: A manager posts an ad saying 'Quiet building, ideal for working professionals, no children.' This advertisement most likely violates which protected class?
- Race
- Disability
- Familial status (Correct answer)
- Religion
Correct answer: Familial status
Advertising preferences for 'no children' or 'working professionals only' discriminates against families with children, which is protected under familial status.
Question 5: Under the FHA, what must a housing provider do when a resident with a disability requests a reasonable accommodation?
- Approve all requests immediately without review
- Engage in an interactive process to determine if the accommodation is reasonable (Correct answer)
- Deny requests that cost any money
- Only consider requests submitted in writing on an official form
Correct answer: Engage in an interactive process to determine if the accommodation is reasonable
Housing providers must engage in an interactive, good-faith process with the requester to evaluate whether the accommodation is reasonable and necessary.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of 'blockbusting' under the Fair Housing Act?
- Refusing to show units on weekends
- Convincing homeowners to sell by claiming minorities are moving into the neighborhood (Correct answer)
- Requiring co-signers for applicants with poor credit
- Setting income requirements at 2.5 times the rent
Correct answer: Convincing homeowners to sell by claiming minorities are moving into the neighborhood
Blockbusting is the illegal practice of inducing homeowners to sell by suggesting that the entry of a protected class will lower property values.
Question 7: A disabled resident requests permission to install grab bars in the bathroom at their own expense. Under the FHA, this is considered a:
- Reasonable accommodation
- Reasonable modification (Correct answer)
- Structural alteration requiring landlord approval under ADA
- Lease violation
Correct answer: Reasonable modification
Physical changes to a unit or common area made at the resident's expense to meet a disability-related need are called reasonable modifications under the FHA.
COS Fair Housing Laws 2
Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following actions by a property manager constitutes 'steering'?