Are your criminal background screening policies putting your property at legal risk? In today's evolving fair housing landscape, outdated and overly restrictive screening practices can expose your properties to discrimination claims, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage, and financial penalties.

Join us for a fast-paced 60-minute webinar designed specifically for multifamily professionals and learn how to navigate the complex intersection of criminal history screening and fair housing laws while maintaining safe communities and minimizing legal exposure. With an increasing number of jurisdictions passing so-called “Fair Chance” laws, the continuing focus on Disparate Impact and increased testing conducted by fair housing advocacy organizations, it is essential to stay current on compliance policies and procedures.

Most importantly, HUD’s guidance on criminal background checks has fundamentally changed how property managers must approach applicant screening. Recent court decisions have reinforced that blanket criminal history bans may violate fair housing protections, as they often have a disparate impact on protected classes.

With increased regulatory enforcement and growing litigation in this area, property managers need clear, actionable strategies that balance community safety with fair housing compliance.

Learning Objectives:-

• Participants will be able to explain the key provisions of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) as they pertain to criminal background checks in housing.
• Participants will be able to recognize actions related to criminal background checks that may violate the FHA, especially concerning disparate impact.
• Participants will be able to establish consistent criteria for evaluating criminal history that are fair housing compliant.
• Participants will be able to conduct individualized assessments of applicants with criminal records, considering factors such as the nature and severity of the offense and evidence of rehabilitation.
• Participants will be able to develop draft policies and procedures outlining the steps to be taken when considering criminal history in housing decisions, ensuring that these policies are consistently applied.
• Participants will be able to create policies for the maintenance of accurate records of all housing decisions related to criminal history, including documentation of the reasons for any denials.

Areas Covered:-

• Disparate Impact Doctrine
• HUD Guidance on Criminal Backgrounds
• Individualized Assessment
• Arrest records and blanket policies
• State and local laws
• Communications with applicants
• The Interactive Process
• Documentation
• Fair Chance laws and conditional offers to lease
• Best practices for compliance

Who Should Attend:-

• Multi-site Manager (Area, Regional).
• Leasing Manager/Director.
• Compliance Staff. 
• Community Manager/Director.
• Training and HR Professionals.