Free fair housing class for landlords

Pike and Wayne Counties are offering a free Fair Housing Training for landlords on May 31, at 6:30 p.m. In this online 30-minute class, landlords will learn about their rights and responsibilities under federal and state fair housing laws, how to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, what is and is not allowed in advertising, and best practices in fair housing. More information and registration is available at https://www.pikeforward.com/fairhousing or by contacting Jessica Dreistadt from Hailstone Economic at (484) 225-4929 or jdreistadt@hailstoneeconomic.com.

Under the federal Fair Housing Act and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, landlords are prohibited from discriminating against prospective and current tenants on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age (40 and over), sex, familial status, disability, and the use, handling, or training of support or guide animals for disability. Landlords that violate federal or state fair housing laws can be fined more than $21,000 for a first offense.

“Our goal is for this training to protect both renters and landlords from fair housing violations,” said Heather Miszler, Housing Administrative Officer for Wayne County. Stephanie Everson, Human Services Housing Coordinator for Pike County, added that “fair housing laws can be complex. We are going to present the key information that landlords need to follow federal and state rules.”

This project was financed by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the administration of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.