*Please disregard the October 31 "Start Date." This training is self-paced and available immediately. You will have access to this class until you complete it. There is no deadline.*

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics

Regardless of your funding type, dive into the Fair Housing Act’s seven protected characteristics. Each 30-minute class will focus on a different topic in the “SCRRDNF” acronym (Sex, Color, Race, Religion, Disability, National Origin, and Familial Status), plus the complaint process. Once you complete the first class (Sex), you will then take each class in the order listed below. Each will demonstrate Fair Housing in action, and at the end of the series, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance for four hours of continuing education.

• Basics of Fair Housing
• Definition of the protected characteristics
• What discrimination looks like for each
• Hypothetical and real-life examples

Time: Approximately 4 hours

Level: Introductory

Target Audience: All funding types; Site Staff, Management, Owners/Agents, Syndicators, Developers, Lenders

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics: Sex 

The first letter in the “SCRRDNF” acronym, sex goes beyond a person’s physical characteristics to the heart of who that person is, how they see themselves, and how they present themselves to the world. The umbrella term “sex” also includes actual or perceived gender identity and sexual orientation.

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics: Color 

The second letter in the “SCRRDNF” acronym, “C” stands for color. Discover what color discrimination is, how it differs from race discrimination, and what it looks like in the housing industry.

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics: Race

Discrimination based on race is one of the most pervasive types of discrimination. Learn what race really is – and isn’t – and how to recognize race discrimination.

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics: Religion 

Discover how religion and non-religious practices from around the world influence the housing industry, and what to look for when it comes to preventing discrimination based on religion.

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics: Disability 

Historically, disability accounts for the majority of Fair Housing complaints each year. It's a complicated topic, so learn the basics, what to do, and what not to do so you can best serve your property, clients, applicants, and tenants. 

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics: National Origin 

Closely tied to – yet different from – race and color, national origin is the specific state, country, or nation a person or their ancestors were born in. Discrimination against a person’s national origin can include their culture and language, as well.

Fair Housing - Seven Protected Characteristics: Familial Status

Representing the last letter in the “SCRRDNF” acronym, familial status is the composition of a family or household that includes a child or children under the age of 18, a pregnant person, or anyone in the process of securing legal custody of a child under age 18.    

Fair Housing – Seven Protected Characteristics: Complaint Process

Anyone can file a Fair Housing complaint, but what happens next? Learn about HUD’s process for evaluating, investigating, and addressing complaints, from intake to hearings before a HUD Administrative Law Judge or federal district court. This class ties together all the discrimination theory threads from previous classes.

Essentials of Fair Housing

This introduction to fair housing principles and protected classes sets the foundation for policies and practices free from discrimination. You will explore the history of fair housing and how it applies today, in addition to learning about prohibited actions, monitoring, and discrimination-free advertising.

• Fair housing history, the Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act
• Defining discrimination and protected classes
• Monitoring compliance
• Advertising

Time: Approximately 1 hour
Level: Introductory
Target Audience: Site staff, Management, Owners/Agents, Syndicators, Developers, Real Estate

The Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan

Learn how to successfully prepare an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP), the guide to help ensure that providers offer equal housing opportunities regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. Additionally, the AFHMP helps Owners/Agents to effectively market the availability of housing opportunities to individuals of both minority and non-minority groups that are least likely to apply for occupancy. This class will take you through Form HUD-935.2A section by section.

• Form HUD-935.2A
• Programs requiring an AFHMP
• Required information and where to find it

Time: Approximately 30 minutes
Level: Introductory
Target Audience: Site staff, Management, Owners/Agents, Syndicators, Developers, Real Estate

Housing Compliance Manager of Fair Housing "HCM-FH" Designation Exam 

The Housing Compliance Manager of Fair Housing “HCM-FH” designation exam is designed to help you take the next step in your career toward becoming a Fair Housing professional. This 40-question exam is open-book. The class manuals from the Essentials of Fair Housing and the Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan courses will be useful to have on hand when taking this exam. A score of 67% is required to pass.

Time: 1.5-hour limit
Level: Intermediate 
Target Audience: Owner/Agents, Syndicators, Developers, Site staff, Maintenance

Note: These Fair Housing training classes do not provide or replace legal advice in any way. Legal advice is specific to local and state laws and myriad other possible variables that cannot be addressed in this format.

Refund Policy:

• If notice of cancellation is received in the first 48 hours of purchase: Full refund
• If notice of cancellation is received in the first 48 hours of purchase but the class has already been started: No refund
• If notice of cancellation is received after 48 hours of purchase: No refund; funds can be applied to other staff or training, funds can be held as a credit for up to one year from original purchase date