In recognition of Fair Housing Month, we’ve compiled our most-read blog posts on the history of fair housing and its influence on community associations. We support 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 identity.
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HUD to Prohibit Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identityby Dawn Bauman, CAE | Feb 19, 2021 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… |
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An Unfortunate Legacy: A Brief History of Racially Restrictive Covenantsby Dawn Bauman, CAE | Feb 18, 2021 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… |
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Fair Housing Act Ruling Aligns with CAI’s Public Policyby Phoebe E. Neseth, Esq. | Jan 26, 2021 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… |
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Fair Housing Matters: How CAI Is Advocating to End Housing Discriminationby Dawn Bauman, CAE | Jun 11, 2020 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… |
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CAI Board of Trustees Adopts Public Policy on Assistance Animalsby Dawn Bauman, CAE | Nov 7, 2019 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… |
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Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Actby Dawn Bauman, CAE | Apr 11, 2018 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… |
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CAI Board Adopts Public Policy on Removing Discriminatory Covenantsby Phoebe E. Neseth, Esq. | Feb 27, 2020 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… |
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HUD Releases Final Rule Updating Fair Housing Actby C. Scott Canady | Sep 15, 2016 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… |
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CAI Calls on HUD to Clarify Emotional Support Animalsby C. Scott Canady | May 17, 2019 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. |
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Pool Rules & Discriminationby C. Scott Canady | May 1, 2019 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. |
