Unfolding Fair Housing: Equal Access For LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ adolescents account for up to 40% of the homeless youth population, which is estimated to be somewhere between 400,000 and 2.8 million per year [1]. Part of the HUD's movement is to provide affordable housing with equal opportunity to become a tenant. However, not many citizens are aware of the rules and regulations, which can deter them from applying. As a property manager, it's important to gain knowledge in all HUD programs to provide safe and secure housing.  In this blog post, we will look into the measures taken to overcome this predicament, which further makes it indispensable to look for affordable housing webinars.

 

What is the  2012 Equal Access Rule?  

HUD began adopting administrative actions to ensure individuals in the LGBTQ+ community have equitable access to HUD-assisted housing, beginning with the Obama administration. On February 3, 2012, the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a final rule called "Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity," which refrains asking people about their sexual orientation or gender identity when determining eligibility or making housing available. Individuals, on the other hand, can choose to self-identify their sexual orientation or gender identity.

 

The "Equal Access Rule" enabled questions concerning an applicant's or occupant's sex to be asked for the restricted purpose of deciding placement in temporary, emergency shelters with shared bedrooms or bathrooms, or establishing the number of bedrooms a household may be entitled to. Without regard to actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status, the rule defines "family" to include single people or groups of people who live together, including the elderly, disabled, and those with or without children.

 

Tracing the Changes in Equal Access Rule 

On September 21, 2016, HUD issued a final rule titled "Equal Access in Community Planning and Development Programs based on an Individual's Gender Identity," which required housing, facilities, and services funded through the CPD program to establish, amend, or maintain program admissions, occupancy, and operating policies and procedures to ensure equal access to program, benefits, and services.

 

HUD Actions to Combat Gender-Based Identity and Sexual Orientation Discrimination

The HUD stated on February 11, 2021 that it will administer and enforce a fair housing rule prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The affordable housing management training began enforcing the policy outlined in Executive Order 138988 on "Preventing and Combating Discrimination based on Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation," according to a memo dated February 4, 2021.

 

The Federal Fair Housing Act forbids discrimination in housing based on gender identification. Nearly all housing and housing-related services, including shelter programs, are covered by the Fair Housing Act. A housing or shelter provider is prohibited from denying entry, imposing alternative terms or conditions, or harassing a person because they are transgender or because of their actual or perceived gender identity under the Act. Providers must record explicit standards in personnel handbooks and other policy documents, as well as publicly publish rules where residents, volunteers, visitors, and staff can see them, to create an -inclusive environments.

Unfolding The Best Practices for Managing Your Housing Waiting List

A waiting list is a valuable item in the audit-preparation toolkit of a public housing authority. As a result, regardless of geographic location, effective administration of housing wait lists remains a basic capability of PHAs. Maintaining compliance in this area ensures clean audits and lowers the chances of a negative fair housing claim. Overall, following HUD-established best practices for managing wait list openings, ensuring equal access, choosing applicants, and documenting these actions is critical. Our HUD training workshop can impart a better understanding of how to manage your waiting list. 

Prepare and Experience the Best Affordable Housing Solutions 

Preparing internally for a wait list opening is a fantastic method to start or update your policy. If you haven't opened your waitlist in years, you may notice an influx of candidates when you do. Worried that your organization will take too long to process your waiting list? Consider using a lottery technique to distribute waiting list spots to a set number of candidates who are picked at random.

You should aggressively market the opening to ensure equal housing and equitable notice. As a result, you'll be able to contact as many eligible families as possible, including those who aren't likely to apply on their own. Begin by determining the specific needs of your local housing market. You will be able to target your outreach efforts more effectively if you go through this procedure from the beginning.

Distribute your advertisements in as many languages as possible to reach a targeted audience. Keep meticulous records of your efforts here as proof of your organization's commitment to fair housing compliance. Also, remember to review your waiting list regularly. Examine your waiting list: Does it appropriately reflect the goals of your housing choice voucher program? If this isn't the case, it's time to rethink your outreach strategy.

Purge Your Waiting List 

If your waitlists are short or leasing is scheduled within a year, you may not need to go through the purging procedure if you work for a smaller housing authority. Regardless of the size of your authority, it's a good idea to follow this procedure. This will allow you to keep track of whether applicants have had significant life changes, such as changes in welfare benefits, family composition, or income.

If you do decide to purge, send a letter to everyone on your waiting list asking if they want to be removed, or set up an online system where applicants must log in regularly to be on the list. Again, you want to make sure you comply with fair housing laws by accommodating people on the list who can't answer your request, such as a disabled applicant. You should put the family back on the list as a reasonable concession in this circumstance. So, you can look for affordable housing solutions. 

Guidance Book or HUD Training Workshop 

The busy schedules of people have led them to look for workshops to confirm that they are following both HUD and local rules for selection to manage their housing wait list effectively. As a best practice, organize your list such that it's simple to figure out who should be chosen next for a specific program. At the very least, your list must include the applicant's name, application date and time, geographical preferences, household size, and racial or ethnic identification.

You must preserve applicants' records for three years after they are removed or choose to withdraw from your waiting list, and even longer if they become a legal resident, according to HUD standards. So, to get the best affordable housing solutions, you should look for the best workshops to gain useful insights. 

Related Posts-

https://trainingprogramforhousing.wordpress.com/2021/11/15/importance-of-housing-management-training-for-property-managers/

https://e3housingsolutions.blogspot.com/2021/10/how-do-housing-webinars-work.html