Training

Informing Oregonians About Their Fair Housing Rights & Responsibilities

The Fair Housing Council of Oregon has dedicated itself for over 30 years to educating Oregonians about their obligations and responsibilities under fair housing law. One way we do that is by providing training and outreach sessions that inform housing consumers and providers about the historic challenges that protected class members have faced and the proactive solutions implemented to overcome them.

Anyone dealing with fair housing matters or who have interest in learning more about fair housing law can sign up for training sessions, which are held either live in-person or online. Our trainers are experienced facilitators who have extensive knowledge about past fair housing issues and stay current on recent changes to fair housing law, relevant federal and state agency rulings, and case law.

 

TRAINING SESSIONS & PROGRAMS

Fair Housing Basics

Most training sessions start with our Fair Housing Basics course that runs approximately one hour and includes a general overview of fair housing law and principles, housing discrimination red flags, and a general overview of what protected classes are.

Fundamentals of Fair Housing

This program is a comprehensive analysis of fair housing law and common challenges that housing providers such as rental owners, property management companies, homeowners’ associations, real estate professionals, public housing authorities, and nonprofit housing providers face in their everyday environment. We tailor our training to the needs of the organization and incorporate various training techniques, which may include scenario analysis, small group discussion, and Q&A sessions.

Fair Housing History & Current Trends

Explore the ghosts from Oregon’s history for insights on fair housing challenges facing your industry or public service sector today. For example, did you know that Oregon was once known as the most discriminatory state north of the Mason-Dixon Line, and that its constitution prevented Black and Chinese Americans from owning real estate? This class is appropriate for any audience and can be easily modified to highlight regional content and to target particular groups such as law firms, housing providers, students, and corporate audiences.

Fair Housing Jeopardy or Bingo

These fun and challenging interactive games can be incorporated into any of our training sessions and invite participants to put on their thinking caps while engaging their competitive spirits to test their fair housing knowledge. Questions can be modified for a range of groups. Either game is followed by a Q&A session and prizes!

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH)

These classes are for jurisdictional staff and elected officials statewide and provides one-on-one technical assistance to city councils, county boards, planners, community development specialists, code enforcement professionals, housing authorities, and other staff members to help them carry out their fair housing responsibilities and ensure their policies do not have a negative impact on protected classes, diversity, and inclusion.

AFFH BASICS (FEDERAL)

This 90-minute presentation contains all the information that pertains to federal law and includes:

  • Fair Housing Basics
  • Brief History of Discriminatory Land Use Practices
  • Jurisdictions and Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
    • HUD’s obligation to AFFH since 1968
    • Where do zoning/planning and fair housing intersect?
    • Indicators of barriers to equal opportunities in housing
    • HUD/DOJ joint statement on land use
    • Examples of common fair housing land use violations
    • Disparate impact and jurisdictions
  • Barriers to Development of Affordable Housing
    • Addressing community acceptance issues (NIMBYism)

AFFH BASICS (STATE/LOCAL)

This program lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes and contains all the information included in the federal presentation along with the following information specific to Oregon fair housing statutes:

  • Oregon Land Use Goal 10
  • Local Land Use Approval Process & Oregon Revised Statutes
    • Clear and objective standards
    • Unreasonable cost or delay
  • Special Rules for:
    • Licensed residential care homes and facilities
    • Mobile homes and parks
    • Farmworker housing
  • Ideas to Promote Housing Production in Your City
    • HB 2003: Housing Production Strategies Guide

Fair Housing Presentations

These sessions can be customized to best fit the needs of your organization (e.g., law firms, housing providers, policymakers, or corporate audiences), either in-person or virtually. They can include in-depth information and deeper dives into topics such as:

  • Disability as a Protected Class
  • Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications
  • Familial Status
  • Criminal History
  • Hate and Harassment Fair Housing Protections
  • Domestic Violence
  • LGBTQIA+ Protections