Developers of multifamily communities have to comply with the accessibility guidelines in the Fair Housing Act. A number of disability-rights advocates receive funding from HUD to go to properties and check for violations. If violations are found, that information is passed along to the Department of Justice, which may elect to take the developer to court. Developers who have had such lawsuits filed against them have often elected to settle. While such settlements can be costly, extended legal battles are generally thought to be more costly.  (See accompanying story on the Statute of Limitations for such lawsuits by geographic region.)

Take a first step toward avoiding this situation by taking part in HUD's Fair Housing Accessibility First program, which offers training for compliance with the Act's requirements at no cost. The group's calendar lists upcoming training for the following cities:

Pittsburgh, Pa.                      April 23
Austin, Texas                        April 23
Baton Rouge, La.                 April 28
Denver, Colo.                        June 11
Las Vegas, Nev.                   June 18
Idaho Falls, Idaho                July 8

For more information, or to register for these events, view this page.

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