June 2023 Coach's Quiz

COACH’S ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS

QUESTION #1

Correct answer: a

Reason: The principles discussed in Rule 1 and Rule 5 apply to this situation:

Rule 1: Don’t Exclude Families to Protect Their Children

Rule 5: Don’t Fail to Tell Families About Vacancies Because the Unit Contains Lead

Your obligation in this situation is to fully disclose the presence of lead hazards in the apartment so that the couple can make an informed decision about whether they want to lease it and then honor that decision once they make it. What you can’t do is deny them the apartment because it’s unsafe. If they still want the unit, you’ll also have to take steps to control the lead hazards before allowing the couple to move in, particularly if you’re housing is federally assisted or located in Massachusetts or another state or municipality with a law that bans leasing apartments containing lead hazards to families with children under age 6. So, a. is the right answer.

Wrong answers explained:

b. is wrong because failing to provide comprehensive and accurate information about availabilities is a classic form of housing discrimination. This is especially true when you deliberately don’t tell prospects about available units in an attempt to deny them the housing on the basis of their protected characteristics, such as concealing available units that contain lead hazards from families.

c. is also wrong because disclosure of lead hazards is only part of what landlords must do; the other element necessary to ensure compliance is to allow and respect families’ decisions to lease housing containing lead, provided that they meet your credit history and other legitimate qualifications.  

QUESTION #2

Correct answer: b

Reason: The principles discussed in Rule 3 and Rule 4 come into play in this situation:

Rule 3: Directing Families to De-Leaded Units Isn’t Illegal Steering

Rule 4: Directing Families Away from Leaded Units Is Illegal Steering

The general rule is that trying to influence a prospect’s choice of housing on the basis of what you think would be best for their children is illegal steering. Accordingly, steering families away from units because they contain lead hazards is a no-no, even if protecting the child’s health and safety is your sincere and sole motive for doing so. As a result, b. is the correct answer.  

Wrong answers explained:

a. also involves steering. The reason it’s not illegal, and thus not the correct answer, is that HUD says it’s acceptable for landlords to try to steer families toward de-leaded housing. “Affirmatively marketing units where lead-based paint hazards have been controlled to families with children is consistent with fair housing laws and with the need to protect the public welfare,” according to HUD Guidance.  

c. is also the wrong answer because while affording preferences in housing to certain groups on the basis of protected characteristics goes against the grain of fair housing laws, the HUD Guidance gives the green light to letting families with young children have first dibs on de-leaded apartments when there’s only a limited number of such units available.