In honor of Fair Housing Month, we’ve compiled our top blog posts on the issue of Fair Housing and community associations. Community Associations Institute (CAI) supports the right of all individuals to be free from illegal discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identify.
HUD to Prohibit Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
by Dawn Bauman, CAE | Feb 19, 2021 | Federal Advocacy | 0 Comments
On January 20, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 13988 on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation. In the executive action, President Biden stated, “Every person should be treated with respect and dignity…
An Unfortunate Legacy: A Brief History of Racially Restrictive Covenants
by Dawn Bauman, CAE | Feb 18, 2021 | Community Association Guidance, Court Cases | 1 Comment
February is Black History Month, a time when we recognize the contributions of African Americans throughout U.S. history and remember the challenges they have overcome and continue to face in the pursuit of equality. When it comes to housing, discriminatory practices…
Fair Housing Act Ruling Aligns with CAI’s Public Policy
by Phoebe E. Neseth, Esq. | Jan 26, 2021 | Court Cases
On November 5, 2020, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an association did not violate the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) when it denied a resident’s request for a reasonable accommodation when the disability was not specified, and there was nothing in the…
Fair Housing Matters: How CAI Is Advocating to End Housing Discrimination
by Dawn Bauman, CAE | Jun 11, 2020 | Community Association Guidance
Last week, Thomas M. Skiba, CAE, CAI’s chief executive officer, and Ursula K. Burgess, Esq., president of CAI’s Board of Trustees, released a statement calling for equality and justice. As communities continue to navigate the current crisis, CAI shares an unwavering…
CAI Board of Trustees Adopts Public Policy on Assistance Animals
by Dawn Bauman, CAE | Nov 7, 2019 | Federal Advocacy, Public Policies
Last month, the CAI Board of Trustees adopted a new public policy, Assistance Animals and Pets in Community Associations, that recognizes and supports the rights of residential community associations to regulate and adopt rules pertaining to pets and assistance…
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act
by Dawn Bauman, CAE | Apr 11, 2018 | Federal Advocacy
Fifty years ago today, seven days after Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the federal Fair Housing Act into law. In his speech, President Johnson acknowledged “the roots of injustice run deep” but proclaimed, “the voice of…
CAI Board Adopts Public Policy on Removing Discriminatory Covenants
by Phoebe E. Neseth, Esq. | Feb 27, 2020 | State Advocacy
The CAI Board of Trustees adopted a new public policy, Amendment Process to Remove Discriminatory Restrictive Covenants, that allows a community association board to remove antiquated and unenforceable discriminatory restrictions contained in covenants without a vote…
HUD Releases Final Rule Updating Fair Housing Act
by C. Scott Canady | Sep 15, 2016 | Federal Advocacy
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released final regulations September 13, 2016 related to the Fair Housing Act that impact community associations. The final rule is effective October 14, 2016, and CAI will provide additional information…
CAI Calls on HUD to Clarify Emotional Support Animals
by C. Scott Canady | May 17, 2019 | Community Association Guidance
Assistance animals are not pets. Federal, state, and local fair housing laws require that community associations accommodate residents who have a disability-related need for an assistance animal, including emotional support animals. Fraudulently claiming a pet as an assistance animal demeans fair housing rights, violates the rights of other community residents, and can lead to legal troubles.
Pool Rules & Discrimination
by C. Scott Canady | May 1, 2019 | Federal Advocacy
A federal court has struck down, another restrictive pool use rule. On April 22, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that the A Country Place Condominiums in New Jersey violated the Fair Housing Act by implementing pool rules for male and female only swim times.
