Description : The purpose of this training is to increase the knowledge and skills of fair housing professionals to improve the quality of services they provide to their jurisdictions. This training will include substantive sessions on the following subjects: Leadership in Fair Housing, State of Fair Housing, FHAP role in AFFH, and Systemic Investigations.

Leadership in Fair housing: This training prepares participants to successfully confront the challenges of fair housing leadership in the 21st century. Topics include: Leadership in a civil rights organization; creating vision statements and strategic planning; working with boards and commissions; managing and training staff; supervising investigations including, overseeing investigative planning, reviewing FIR’s and determinations; and fiscal oversight.

State of Fair Housing: This session will examine the history of fair housing, the state of fair housing in 2021, and planning for the future of fair housing. This training will also explore how to build the programs and partnerships and take actions necessary to advance the cause of fair housing.

FHAP role in AFFH: The duty to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH) has been an important mandate of the Fair Housing Act since 1968. FHAP agencies are the most informed government stakeholder about fair housing issues in their community and therefore play an essential role in assessing and addressing impediments to fair housing choice. This session explores the important role of FHAP agencies in this process. Topics include taking a leadership role in fair housing planning and the AFFH process; and working with a variety of stakeholders to further provisions of the Act.

Systemic investigations: FHAP agencies have authority which is substantially equivalent to the Secretary’s authority under the Fair Housing Act to initiate systemic investigations through commission or director-initiated complaints. This session will explore how to develop and file systemic complaints in the areas of mortgage lending, homeowner’s insurance, accessible design and construction, and other practices which otherwise make housing unavailable or deny housing opportunities. This session will explore how FHAP agencies can individually or collectively enforce the fair housing laws through systemic investigations.