All About Fair Housing - the Screening Process!

You finally finish the rehab and hurrah - it's finally ready for rent!  The 2nd R of the BRRRR strategy...
BUT HOLD ON! 
There's specific laws in place to ensure you are leasing your property without any bias or prejudices. 
Like it or not - we all have them and we have to ensure our screening and selection
process of potential residents is not only legal - but fair! 

What conditions do you disqualify rental applicants? 
Are you sure you're still in conformance with current Fair Housing Laws? 
Societal changes and case law continue to have an ongoing impact on what
was acceptable in the past versus what is acceptable today.  
Come to this meeting to find out the current conditions that we must be in compliance with. 
This is not something to play around with - ignorance is no excuse - make sure you know the rules and laws!   

Valerie Watson, the Fair Housing Manager for the Stark County Regional Planning Commission & Stark County Fair Housing Department returns for part 2 of this ongoing series to share with us the current applicant screening guidelines. 

As Fair Housing Manager, Ms. Watson’s main responsibilities include counseling clients on the Landlord-Tenant Law; interviewing, investigating, counseling and conciliating fair housing cases; developing educational programs, workshops and seminars that expand and improve the fair housing department’s efforts in equal housing opportunity and justice; developing educational literature; and supervising and overseeing the fair housing program for the city of Alliance.
Ms. Watson is also a Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realty. She has been a licensed realtor for more than 25 years. During that time, she has assisted sellers in marketing and selling their properties. In addition, she assisted buyers in helping them find and purchase the homes of their dreams. 
Ms. Watson is a graduate from Bowling Green State University and Malone University. She is a member and former Administrative Assistant at LIFE Ministries International Church. Ms. Watson resides in Canton, Ohio.

This presentation also provides 1.5 hour credit towards the difficult Fair Housing Law OPHP requirements.