Posted on November 6, 2015
LAWRENCE --- MHP wrapped up its two-part workshop series on fair housing marketing with a half-day session that focused on how to comply with fair housing requirements when conducting a housing lottery for affordable units.
The two-part series was held on Oct. 21 and Nov. 5 at the Northern Essex Community College Riverwalk Campus. The sessions were attended by rental property managers, monitoring agents, community development staff, housing trust members, and Community Preservation Committee members. Both sessions were at maximum capacity with 65 to 70 attendees at each session.
At the first session on Oct. 21, MHP's Laura Shufelt provided a general overview of federal fair housing laws and the requirements that need to be followed when public funds are used to create affordable housing. Consultants Lynne Sweet and Liz Rust wrapped up the first session with a presentation on the proper marketing of affordable units.
The second session on Nov. 5 reviewed fair housing goals and requirements and then focused on the details of conducting a housing lottery. Housing consultant Liz Rust walked attendees through the lottery process for rental developments focusing on the timeline, applications, determination of eligibility, assignment of household size and local preference, as well as holding the actual lottery.
Housing consultant Lynne Sweet walked attendees through a similar process but focused on differences that homeownership developments face in conducting a lottery. She also walked attendees through the steps that occur after a homeownership or rental development lottery takes place including the establishment and maintenance of a wait list and more in-depth income verification. Before the lunch break, Rust and Sweet walked attendees through step-by-step mock lotteries for both homeownership and rental developments.
MHP is planning more fair housing workshop sessions for the spring. If you missed these sessions but wanted to review some of the materials presented, go to MHP's events page and scroll down to the Nov. 5 fair housing event listing.