The Language of Fair Housing: What You Say Can Make All the Difference

One casual comment. One poorly worded email. One seemingly helpful suggestion. Could your everyday communication create a Fair Housing concern?

Every conversation with a prospect or resident matters. From answering leasing inquiries and conducting property tours to responding to complaints and accommodation requests, the words you choose can have a lasting impact.

Fair Housing issues don't always stem from intentional discrimination. Sometimes, they arise from seemingly innocent remarks, inconsistent explanations, or well-meaning advice that sends the wrong message.

Are your leasing and property management teams communicating consistently? Could a casual comment about neighborhood safety, school districts, occupancy, or available amenities be misunderstood as steering or unequal treatment?

In this practical, scenario-based webinar, Doug Chasick will explore how everyday language, tone, and communication habits can influence Fair Housing compliance. Learn how to handle sensitive conversations, respond to challenging questions, and communicate with confidence without unintentionally crossing legal boundaries.

Because in Fair Housing, it's not just what you mean - it's also how your words may be understood.

Areas Covered

• The Power of Consistent Communication: Why standardized messaging matters in leasing, resident interactions, and property management.
• Steering or Simply Providing Information? How property descriptions, neighborhood comments, and recommendations can create Fair Housing concerns.
• The Right Words for Reasonable Accommodations: How to respond to accommodation requests without making assumptions or asking inappropriate questions.
• Familial Status and the Safety Trap: Navigating questions about children, amenities, neighborhood safety, and occupancy without discriminatory implications.
• Linguistic Profiling and Phone Inquiries: Recognizing how tone, word choices, and assumptions during initial conversations can lead to inconsistent treatment.
• Assistance Animals vs. Pets: Communicating about assistance animals, documentation, and property policies appropriately.
• When Conversations Turn Difficult: Responding professionally to complaints, allegations, and emotionally charged Fair Housing discussions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify everyday communication habits that may create Fair Housing concerns.
• Distinguish between neutral property information and language that could suggest steering or discriminatory preferences.
• Deliver consistent information to prospects and residents to reduce the risk of unequal treatment.
• Respond appropriately to reasonable accommodation and assistance animal inquiries.
• Recognize potentially problematic language related to familial status, disability, and other protected characteristics.
• Use professional, respectful communication techniques to manage sensitive conversations and resident disputes.
• Apply practical communication standards to everyday leasing and property management interactions.

Who Should Attend?

• Community Managers and Property Directors
• Regional, Area, and Multi-Site Managers
• Leasing Managers and Leasing Professionals
• Affordable Housing Property Managers
• Maintenance and Service Managers and Staff
• Fair Housing and Compliance Officers
• Training and HR Professionals
• Anyone involved in resident relations, leasing, or property management

Speaker(s)

Doug Chasick

Doug Chasick, CPM®, CAPS, Adv. RAM, SLE, That Fair Housing Guy™, is the former President of the Fair Housing Institute, Inc. With more than 46 years of investment real estate experience, he began as the Resident Manager of a 524-unit apartment property and has been the President or CEO of five real estate companies, responsible for portfolios of over 28,000 apartments. Doug was awarded his CPM® in 1979 and was a member of the IREM National Faculty for eight years. A Senior Instructor member of the NAAEI Faculty, he leads the Advanced Facilitator Training course, is the co-author of “Outstanding Facilitation Techniques”, and a co-author of the joint IREM & NAAEI “Fair Housing and Beyond” course. He is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Florida, a licensed Expert Fair Housing Instructor in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the recipient of the NAAEI Apartment Career & Education award.

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