Understanding HUD’s New Guidance on Criminal Background Checks

In April 2016, HUD released new guidance on how federal fair housing law applies to the use of criminal records in both conventional and assisted housing communities. The new guidelines spell out how HUD will evaluate fair housing complaints in cases where a community refuses to rent or renew a lease based on an individual’s criminal history. Based on the latest guidance, you may have many questions about whether—and when—you can use criminal background checks when screening applicants at your community.

In the June lesson, the Coach aims to answer those questions—with the help of our fair housing experts—to help you reduce the risks of a fair housing complaint based on your criminal background policy. The bottom line: It’s not illegal to conduct criminal background checks when screening applicants: It’s how you do it—and what you do with the results—that can trigger fair housing trouble.

The June lesson, “Q&A on HUD’s New Guidance on Criminal Background Checks,” is available to subscribers here.