In April 2025, A. J. Johnson will partner with the MidAtlantic Affordable Housing Management Association for four live webinar training sessions for real estate professionals, particularly those in the affordable multifamily housing field. The following sessions will be presented:
April 15: Pets/Pot/Service Animals: Navigating Fair Housing
A Comprehensive 90-Minute Webinar for Housing Professionals
Join us for an essential training session that tackles three of the most challenging areas in fair housing compliance today. This practical webinar will equip affordable housing providers with clear guidance on:
- Service and Emotional Support Animals: Learn the crucial legal distinctions between pets and assistance animals, proper verification procedures, and how to handle accommodation requests while complying with FHA regulations.
- Pet Policy Development: Explore effective strategies for creating and enforcing fair pet policies that address resident needs while considering property management concerns.
- Medical Marijuana Considerations: Explore the intricate relationship between federal and state laws concerning medical marijuana use in housing, including the requirements for reasonable accommodation.
Through case studies, interactive discussions, and expert analysis of recent court decisions, you will gain actionable strategies for confidently addressing these challenging issues.
This tool is perfect for property managers, leasing agents, compliance officers, and housing administrators who want to minimize legal risk while creating inclusive communities.
April 16: VAWA with Tips on Communicating with Victims – The Violence Against Women (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2013 expanded VAWA protections to many different affordable housing programs, including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program. While HUD has provided detailed requirements on VAWA implementation at HUD properties, there has been no uniform guidance for LIHTC owners and managers. A proposal before Congress would legislate that LIHTC Extended Use Agreements contain VAWA requirements. The IRS has not provided guidance, and while many state agencies are requiring VAWA plans, they are not providing information on what the plans should look like. This two-hour training, when combined with the course materials, will review VAWA requirements and recommend best practices for developing VAWA plans at LIHTC and other non-HUD properties. The session will be presented by A. J. Johnson, a recognized expert in the affordable housing field and the author of “A Property Manager’s Guide to the Violence Against Women Act.”
April 24: Preparation for Physical Inspections – Agency inspections of affordable housing properties are required for all affordable housing programs, and failure to meet the required inspection standards can result in significant financial and administrative penalties for property owners. This four-hour training focuses on how owners and managers may prepare for such inspections, with a concentration on HUD NSPIRE inspections and State Housing Finance Agency inspections for the LIHTC program. Specific training areas include (1) a complete discussion of the most serious violations, including health & safety; (2) how vacant units are addressed during inspections; (3) when violations will be reported to the IRS; (4) the 20 most common deficiencies; (5) how to prepare a property for an inspection; (6) strategies for successful inspections; and (7) a review of the most important NSPIRE Standards as they relate to the three inspectable areas [Units/Interior/Exterior]. The training will summarize the HUD Final Rule on NSPIRE with a discussion of (1) the new Self-Inspection Requirement and Reports; (2) Timeline for Deficiency Correction; (3) New Affirmative Requirements; and (4) Tenant Involvement. At the end of the training, attendees will have a blueprint they can use to prepare their properties for agency-required physical inspections, regardless of the program under which they operate.
April 29: Understanding and Managing Hoarding in Residential Properties: A Fair Housing Compliance Workshop – In May 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) confirmed that Compulsive Hoarding is a mental disability and a protected class. More than 15 million Americans suffer from the mental health problem of hoarding and potential problems from hoarding include noxious odors, pest infestation, mold growth, increased risk of injury or disease, fire hazards and even structural damage.
Hoarding is the one class of disability that requires landlords to offer an accommodation—even if an accommodation is not requested!
This 1.5-hour live webinar is designed to assist multifamily managers in understanding how to deal with hoarding problems in a way that will prevent liability under fair housing law. The session will define hoarding and provide detailed recommendations on how to deal with a hoarding problem. It will outline examples of accommodations for hoarding, how to engage in the “interactive process” with residents who hoard, and the steps necessary to remove uncooperative residents. Finally, a recent court case regarding hoarding will be reviewed as an illustration of the potential difficulties managers face in hoarding situations.
This is an evolving area of fair housing law, and this webinar will provide the guidance necessary to approach the problem in a systematic way that will give multifamily operators the best chance at avoiding the legal traps that exist when dealing with this unique disability.
These sessions are part of the year-long collaboration between A. J. Johnson and MidAtlantic AHMA and are designed to provide affordable housing professionals with the knowledge to effectively manage the complex requirements of the various agencies overseeing these programs.
Persons interested in any (or all) training sessions may register by visiting either www.ajjcs.net or https://www.mid-atlanticahma.org.