COS Real Estate Law & Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a housing provider must allow a victim of domestic violence to:
- Terminate a lease early without penalty (Correct answer)
- Sublet the unit to another tenant
- Refuse all future inspections
- Transfer utilities to a third party
Correct answer: Terminate a lease early without penalty
VAWA allows survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking to terminate their lease early without penalty to protect their safety.
Question 2: The HOME Investment Partnerships Program is administered by which federal agency?
- HUD (Correct answer)
- USDA
- Treasury
- FHA
Correct answer: HUD
The HOME Investment Partnerships Program is administered by HUD and provides formula grants to states and localities to create affordable housing.
Question 3: Which law prohibits housing discrimination based on disability and requires reasonable accommodations?
- Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 (Correct answer)
- Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Correct answer: Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988
The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 added disability and familial status as protected classes and mandated reasonable accommodations in housing.
Question 4: A property manager receives a request from a resident for a reserved parking space near the entrance due to a mobility impairment. This is an example of a:
- Reasonable accommodation (Correct answer)
- Reasonable modification
- ADA structural upgrade
- Lease addendum requirement
Correct answer: Reasonable accommodation
A reserved parking space is a change in rules or policies to meet a disabled resident's needs, which qualifies as a reasonable accommodation rather than a physical modification.
Question 5: Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which housing providers are subject to its requirements?
- Recipients of federal financial assistance (Correct answer)
- All private landlords nationwide
- Only HUD-owned properties
- Properties with 50+ units only
Correct answer: Recipients of federal financial assistance
Section 504 applies to recipients of federal financial assistance, requiring them to make programs accessible to persons with disabilities.
Question 6: The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) in the housing context prohibits discrimination in:
- Mortgage lending based on race, sex, or national origin (Correct answer)
- Setting rental rates for Section 8 tenants
- Denying occupancy to families with children
- Requiring security deposits from non-citizens
Correct answer: Mortgage lending based on race, sex, or national origin
ECOA prohibits creditors from discriminating in credit transactions, including mortgage lending, based on protected characteristics such as race, sex, and national origin.
Question 7: Which HUD regulation establishes the minimum occupancy standard commonly referenced as the '2+1 rule'?
- HUD Memorandum on Occupancy Standards (Keating Memo) (Correct answer)
- Fair Housing Act Title VIII
- Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments regulations
- 24 CFR Part 966
Correct answer: HUD Memorandum on Occupancy Standards (Keating Memo)
The 1998 Keating Memorandum from HUD clarified that a general standard of two persons per bedroom is reasonable, allowing flexibility based on unit size and other factors.
COS Real Estate Law & Regulations 2
Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a housing provider must allow a victim of domestic violence to: