Presented by: James Whiteside and Kate Boyd, Balanced Housing Solutions

Location: Attendee Hub, https://cvent.me/2o2L01

Sign in: 12:55pm MT

Class: 1:00pm to 2:30pm MT

Fair housing professionals are routinely asked to evaluate accommodation requests, but determining when a requested accommodation is reasonable can be challenging.

In this 90-minute interactive webinar, participants will explore practical strategies for responding to customers with disabilities and evaluating reasonable accommodation requests under the Fair Housing Act. The training will move beyond the basics to examine circumstances in which an accommodation request may be considered unreasonable or may not be required.

Topics will include situations involving:

• direct threat concerns and the importance of relying on an individualized assessment rather than assumptions or stereotypes;
• insurance-related issues, including how increased costs, coverage restrictions, or other insurance considerations may affect an accommodation analysis;
• lack of a nexus between the requested accommodation and the individual's disability;
• fundamental alterations that would substantially change the nature of a housing provider's operations, policies, or services; and
• administrative and financial burdens, including factors that may be relevant when evaluating whether a particular request imposes an undue burden.

Throughout the webinar, we will use realistic case studies and practical scenarios to examine how these principles apply in day-to-day housing operations. Participants will consider not only whether a particular request should be granted or denied, but also what questions housing professionals may appropriately ask, what information may be needed to evaluate a request, and whether an alternative accommodation could effectively address the customer's disability-related need.

Special emphasis will be placed on the interactive dialogue that should occur when evaluating accommodation requests. Participants will explore strategies for communicating with customers, requesting additional information when appropriate, considering alternative accommodations, documenting the process, and avoiding common mistakes that can turn a difficult accommodation request into a potential fair housing concern.

This session is designed to provide participants with a practical framework they can use when accommodation requests are complicated, unusual, or difficult to resolve—helping housing professionals move from simply asking “Can we deny this request?” to determining “What is the appropriate next step in the reasonable accommodation process?”

This session will not be recorded.

Cost: $50 nonmember