Date: February 27th , 2026

Time: 1pmET | 12pm CT | 11am MT | 10am PT

Duration: 60 Minutes

Description:

Recent administrative developments have introduced uncertainty across the fair housing enforcement landscape. Staffing reductions at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), restructuring within the HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), and the withdrawal or suspension of certain long-standing guidance documents have left housing providers with pressing questions:

• What rules still apply?

• What guidance can be relied upon?

• Who is enforcing what—and how aggressively?

• Where does real liability still exist?

Despite shifting policy priorities and messaging, the Fair Housing Act and related federal, state, and local fair housing laws remain fully enforceable. Courts continue to adjudicate claims, private plaintiffs continue to file complaints, and state agencies remain active—regardless of federal administrative changes.

This timely and practical session provides property owners, operators, compliance professionals, and counsel with a clear, grounded understanding of what has changed, what has not, and how to reduce risk in today’s evolving environment.

Participants will leave with actionable strategies to maintain compliance, document defensible decisions, and avoid the practices most likely to trigger investigations or litigation.

Learning Objectives:

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

• Identify which fair housing obligations remain fully enforceable despite administrative changes.
• Distinguish between withdrawn guidance and binding statutory or regulatory requirements.
• Assess current litigation and complaint trends to prioritize compliance efforts.
• Implement defensible screening policies, including criminal history review protocols.
• Apply legally sound standards for handling accommodation and modification requests.
• Develop harassment response procedures that reduce liability exposure.
• Evaluate marketing and application practices for disparate treatment and disparate impact risk.
• Understand ongoing obligations related to LEP, AFHMPs, and VAWA compliance.
• Create documentation practices that strengthen defensibility in audits, investigations, and lawsuits.

Topics Covered:

• The Current Enforcement Landscape
• Application Taking and Marketing Practices
• Criminal Records in Screening
• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Protections
• Harassment Prevention and Response
• Service Animals and Other Assistance Animals
• Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
• Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans (AFHMPs)
• Current Status of VAWA Regulations and Forms

Who Should Attend :

• Property owners and multifamily operators

• Property managers, regional managers, and on-site management teams

• Asset managers and portfolio supervisors

• Compliance officers and fair housing coordinators

• In-house counsel and outside attorneys representing housing providers

• Public housing authority staff and affordable housing administrators

• Leasing professionals and marketing teams

About Our Speaker 

Gwen Volk

Gwen Volk has worked in the affordable housing industry since 1983. She has been president and CEO of a Midwest property management company and chief compliance officer over a Dallas firm’s national portfolio. She has a Master’s degree in Business and is a Certified Property Manager through the Institute of Real Estate Management. Gwen holds certifications as a National Affordable Housing Professional – Executive Level, Specialist in Housing Credit Management, Housing Credit Certified Professional, Certified Professional of Occupancy, and in Fair Housing Compliance and has been a servant leader in the AHMAs, NAHMA and IREM throughout her career. Gwen is a nationally recognized expert in the tax credit, bond, HOME, and Section 8 programs and enjoys helping agents, owners, and managers make sense of it all.