Fair Housing Laws Flashcards

Which of the following best describes 'disparate impact' under fair housing law?

Answer: A neutral policy that disproportionately affects a protected class

Disparate impact refers to a facially neutral policy or practice that, without justification, has a disproportionately adverse effect on members of a protected class.

An MRP specialist is asked by a relocating military family if a neighborhood has 'a lot of people like us.' The correct response is to:

Answer: Direct them to public resources and decline to steer

An agent must not steer clients based on protected characteristics and should direct them to public sources such as census data while refusing to characterize neighborhoods by demographic composition.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits discrimination in credit transactions based on all of the following EXCEPT:

Answer: Credit score

Credit score is not a protected class under ECOA — lenders may legally consider creditworthiness; ECOA prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, and receipt of public assistance.

A veteran with PTSD requests that a property manager waive a no-pets policy to allow an emotional support animal. The manager should:

Answer: Grant the request as a reasonable accommodation if documentation is provided

Under the Fair Housing Act, emotional support animals are a recognized reasonable accommodation for individuals with mental health disabilities, and landlords cannot charge pet fees for them.

Under the Fair Housing Act, which of the following landlord actions constitutes illegal discrimination?

Answer: Setting a higher security deposit for a tenant with a service dog

Charging a higher security deposit specifically because a tenant has a service animal or emotional support animal constitutes disability discrimination under the Fair Housing Act.

Which statement about the Fair Housing Act's exemption for owner-occupied buildings is CORRECT?

Answer: An owner-occupant of a 1-4 unit building may be exempt if no discriminatory advertising is used

Owner-occupants of buildings with up to four units (Mrs. Murphy exemption) may be exempt from the Fair Housing Act, provided they do not use a real estate agent or publish discriminatory advertising.

Which of the following is the best example of blockbusting?

Answer: An agent persuading homeowners to sell quickly by warning that minorities are moving in

Blockbusting is the illegal practice of inducing homeowners to sell by suggesting that the entry of protected-class members into the neighborhood will lower property values.