March 2008 Special Issue Coach's Quiz

We have summarized some recent court decisions on fair housing law. Now let's look at how the rulings might apply in the real world. Take the COACH's Quiz to see what you have learned. 

INSTRUCTIONS: Each of the following questions has only one correct answer. On a separate piece of paper, write down the number of each question, followed by the answer you think is correct—for example, 1)b, 2)a, and so on.

COACH's TIP: The correct answers (with explanations) follow the quiz. Good luck!

QUESTION #1

You receive a complaint from an applicant with young children that a staff member discouraged her from moving into the community and recommended a nearby community that had more places for the children to play. When you ask your employee about it, she says she thought the children would be happier in the other community, which was closer to the neighborhood school and playground. You could be liable for discrimination based on familial status. True or false?

1. True.

2. False.

QUESTION #2

Your community just received notice that you are being sued by a resident who alleges that she was sexually harassed by a member of your staff. You are not liable under fair housing law, because this is the first time that you have heard about any complaints from this resident or about this employee. True or false?

1. True.

2. False.

QUESTION #3

Despite your community's policy prohibiting residents from having pets in their units, you receive a complaint from a resident about barking emanating from a neighbor's unit. When you investigate, you discover the resident has a small dog in the unit. When you tell him that, under your community's no-pet policy, he must remove the dog, he says he is disabled and needs the dog as a service animal. You should:

1. Insist that he remove the dog under your community's no-pet policy.

2. Let him keep the dog, but urge him to keep it quiet to avoid bothering the neighbors.

3. Explain your policies on requests for reasonable accommodations by residents with disabilities.

QUESTION #4

Your community has a number of residents with Section 8 housing vouchers, but you make a business decision to withdraw from the program because of the administrative burden of complying with program requirements. Since participation in the program is voluntary under federal law, you are free to withdraw from the program without violating the FHA. True or false?

1. True.

2. False.

3. It depends on where your community is located.