A. J. Johnson Consulting Services, Inc.

Fair Housing

Courts Provide Conflicting VAWA Decisions

September 13, 2025

VAWA Notices in Eviction Cases: Conflicting Court Interpretations and Best Practices for Owners & Managers Recent court decisions reveal conflicting interpretations of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) related to eviction and termination notices. Although the statute itself is clear,…

Federal Court Orders HUD to Release Withheld Fair Housing Funds

September 6, 2025

In June 2025, two national fair housing organizations—the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) and the Tennessee Fair Housing Council (TFHC)—filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban…

HUD Abandons Fair Housing Enforcement

August 31, 2025

HUD Retreats from Fair Housing Enforcement: Why Compliance Still Matters The federal Fair Housing Act requires the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to enforce laws prohibiting discrimination in housing. However, by late 2025, it has become increasingly…

HUD’s Proposed Rule to Eliminate Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans: A Critical Analysis

June 7, 2025

Introduction The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed eliminating the requirement for Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans (AFHMPs), a cornerstone of fair housing enforcement for decades. This proposed rule, published on June 3, 2025, represents a significant…

A. J. Johnson Partners with Mid-Atlantic AHMA for December Training on Affordable Housing—April 2025

March 10, 2025

In April 2025, A. J. Johnson will partner with the MidAtlantic Affordable Housing Management Association for four live webinar training sessions for real estate professionals, particularly those in the affordable multifamily housing field. The following sessions will be presented: April…

Dealing with Federal Immigration Agents at Apartment Communities

February 2, 2025

Not surprisingly, we are starting to receive inquiries from property managers about how they should respond if federal immigration officials enter a property searching for individuals without legal immigration documents. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at apartment communities are…

New York City Reaches Landmark Settlement Agreement on Fair Housing Practices

October 6, 2024

In a significant development for fair housing in New York City, Parkchester, a major residential complex in the Bronx, has entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement to address allegations of discriminatory rental practices. The deal, reached with the New York…

A. J. Johnson Offers Live Webinar on Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment

June 16, 2024

A. J. Johnson will conduct a webinar on June 20, 2024, on Navigating the Challenges—Dealing with Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment in Multifamily Housing. The Webinar will be held from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Eastern time. Attending a webinar on Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment…

Navigating Fair Housing in Digital Advertising – Ensuring Non-Discriminatory Ad Delivery

May 25, 2024

Introduction: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has released crucial guidance on how the Fair Housing Act applies to digital advertising in the housing and real estate sectors. With the…

Webinar Announcement: Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment in Multifamily Housing

May 20, 2024

A.J. Johnson will host a pivotal webinar titled “Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment in Multifamily Housing: Navigating the Challenges” on June 20, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Webinar Overview This essential webinar addresses the pressing issue of tenant-on-tenant harassment…

“HUD Issues New Guidelines on AI Usage in Applicant Screening”

May 18, 2024

On May 2, 2024, the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) released two crucial guidance documents. These documents address the Fair Housing Act (FHA) application to two areas where the use of artificial intelligence (AI) poses particular concerns: the…

HUD Issues Fair Housing Act Guidance on Use of Artificial Intelligence

May 11, 2024

On May 2, 2024, the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) released two guidance documents addressing the application of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to two areas in which the use of artificial intelligence (AI) poses particular concerns: the…

HUD Publishes Final Rule Persons with Criminal Convictions to Engage in Testing for Fair Housing Violations

April 27, 2024

On April 1, 2024, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a final rule on Expanding the Fair Housing Testing Pool for FHIP and FHAP Funded Entities. This document is a final rule issued by the Department of…

A. J. Johnson to Offer Live Webinar on Assistance Animals

December 26, 2023

A. J. Johnson will be conducting a one-hour webinar on January 24, 2024, on Assistance Animals in Multifamily Housing – Avoiding Fair Housing Violations. The Webinar will begin at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. Understanding Fair Housing Law regarding assistance animals…

A. J. Johnson to Offer Last 2023 Fair Housing Webinar

December 11, 2023

A. J. Johnson will be conducting a webinar on December 27, 2023, on Compliance with Federal and state Fair Housing Requirements. This is A.J.’s last Fair Housing training of 2023 and is a must for individuals required to take Fair…

A. J. Johnson to Provide Live Webinar on Assistance Animals in Multifamily Housing

December 4, 2023

A. J. Johnson will be conducting a one-hour webinar on January 24, 2024, on Assistance Animals in Multifamily Housing – Avoiding Fair Housing Violations. The Webinar will begin at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. Understanding Fair Housing Law concerning assistance animals…

Medical Marijuana – Is It a Fair Housing Issue?

September 9, 2023

Medically prescribed marijuana use is permitted in 37 states and the District of Columbia, specifically for medical purposes. In addition, 18 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico,…

Take Care When Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Marketing Purposes

August 20, 2023

There is an emerging trend within the real estate sector involving the utilization of Artificial Intelligence, exemplified by tools like ChatGPT, Bard, Bing, and other similar products commonly referred to as chatbots, all for the purpose of enhancing marketing strategies.…

A. J. Johnson to Conduct Live Webinar on Multifamily Occupancy Standards

July 20, 2023

A. J. Johnson will be conducting a webinar on August 29, 2023, on Occupancy Standards for Multifamily Housing. The Webinar will be held at 1:00 PM Eastern Time and will last approximately one hour. Owners and managers of multifamily housing…

A. J. Johnson to Provide Live Webinar on Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

July 9, 2023

A. J. Johnson will be conducting a webinar on July 11, 2023, on Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. The Webinar will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern time. Dealing with tenant-on-tenant harassment is an…

Live-in Aide Has No Survivorship Right for Apartment

June 11, 2023

In Senior Citizens Housing Development Corporation of Stonington v. Heath, April 2023, a court ruled that if a Live-in Aide is not a party to a lease, the person has no right to remain in the unit after the death…

A. J. Johnson to Offer Webinar on Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

June 9, 2023

A. J. Johnson will be conducting a webinar on July 11, 2023, on Tenant-on-Tenant Harassment and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. The Webinar will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern time. Dealing with tenant-on-tenant harassment is an…

Owner Successfully Uses “Mrs. Murphy” Fair Housing Exemption

May 13, 2023

In Weilburg v. Castellane, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of NY ruled in favor of an apartment building owner in a religious discrimination case. The fair housing suit was brought by one of the tenants on the…

Department of Justice Shows Interest in Algorithm-Based Tenant Selection Case

May 7, 2023

Algorithms are increasingly being used by landlords and property managers to select tenants. These algorithms use data such as credit scores, criminal records, and rental history to determine a potential tenant’s suitability. One common algorithm used in tenant selection is…

Understanding the Federal Fair Housing Testing Program

April 17, 2023

Since its creation in 1991, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Fair Housing Testing Program has used covert testing to uncover evidence of discrimination and unlawful treatment by landlords, lenders, places of public accommodation, and others in all 50 states and…

Guest Cards – A Fair Housing Best Practice

April 15, 2023

Housing operators are constantly looking for ways to prevent fair housing complaints, and when the inevitable complaints do come, managers need to apply an effective defense. One of the best (and most overlooked) tools for defense against a fair housing…

Federal Court Rules that Applicant May Request Reasonable Accommodation on Behalf of Roommate

February 26, 2023

In McClendon v. Bresler, the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court decision that statements made in an email by a rental co-applicant to an apartment owner supporting the need for a reasonable accommodation (a support animal) suffice as a request…

HUD Announces New Proposed “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule”

January 29, 2023

The Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) is preparing to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register. The rule will be titled “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH),” and is designed to meet President Biden’s call to…

Dealing with Drug Use Without Violating Fair Housing Law

January 22, 2023

Drug users are not a protected class under either federal or state fair housing laws. Drug abuse may result in criminal activity, violence, and property destruction. However, drug and alcohol dependency are also considered diseases and may be considered “disabilities”…

A. J. Johnson to Offer Last Fair Housing Training of 2022

November 14, 2022

A. J. Johnson will be conducting a webinar on December 28, 2022, on Compliance with Federal & State Fair Housing Requirements. This is A.J.’s last Fair Housing training of 2022 and is a must for individuals required to take fair…

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