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HUD Threatens To Sue Landlords Who Screen Tenants For Felonies
Investor's Business Daily ^ | April 11, 2016

Posted on 04/13/2016 9:25:46 AM PDT by reaganaut1

Crime: The Obama administration has just made it easier for felons to move in next door. Landlords who don’t want tenants who are going to mug their neighbors or deal drugs will now be treated as racists and potentially sued.

Last week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued new guidelines to landlords, warning that bans against renters with criminal convictions violate the Fair Housing Act because they disproportionately affect minorities.

In effect, the Obama regime is now outlawing criminal background checks for apartment rentals, even though such screening is critical for the protection and security of tenants and property, and serves a legitimate business need.

In a newly released 10-page missive, HUD warns landlords they can be held liable for discrimination if they deny housing over criminal records.

“HUD will use the full force of the law to protect the fair housing rights of folks who’ve been arrested or who’re returning to their communities after serving time in jail or prison,” HUD Secretary Julian Castro warned.

By “full force,” he means the “disparate impact” theory of civil-rights enforcement, which HUD claims is written into the Fair Housing Act even though the phrase appears nowhere in the statute.

Disparate impact holds businesses liable for colorblind policies and practices that may have adverse outcomes for minorities — in this case, screening all apartment applicants for criminal histories. It doesn’t matter if there is zero intent to discriminate in carrying out such polices. The policies will be condemned as racist regardless.

“The ‘disparate impact’ standard is one of the most powerful tools we have to stamp out discrimination,” Castro said. “And I want you to know that HUD will not be shy about using it.”

(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: discrimination; hud; hudoutofcontrol; juliancastro; renttofelons
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To: b4its2late

Total breakdown of the system. It seems crime does pay. What really is going on is what the Muslim stated when he got elected Fundamentally change America! This is what it is.


61 posted on 04/13/2016 10:37:20 AM PDT by Busko (The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.)
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To: b4its2late
Unbelievable.

What's unbelievable is when a landlord is sued for a renter (previous criminal) attacks another renter and the landlord tries to use the defense of the Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines. Guess the judge will take say 30 seconds to rule on that defense and award damages to the renter.

62 posted on 04/13/2016 10:38:43 AM PDT by Lockbox
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To: Lockbox

Good point.


63 posted on 04/13/2016 10:40:48 AM PDT by b4its2late (A Liberal is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own.)
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To: Busko

Yes, all part of his plan. And his approval ratings continue to get better.


64 posted on 04/13/2016 10:41:28 AM PDT by b4its2late (A Liberal is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own.)
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To: reaganaut1

So much for the concept of private property, tovarishchi. I’m afraid we’re going to have to round the leftists up and keep them in cages if national tragedy is to be averted.


65 posted on 04/13/2016 10:50:51 AM PDT by Trod Upon (To be labelled "far-right" by modern journalists, one need do no more than NOT be far-left.)
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To: reaganaut1
All they need to do now is get rid of our guns and the Criminal Party and their enforcers will own us.
66 posted on 04/13/2016 10:54:35 AM PDT by Gritty (Freedom begins with speaking truth. A muzzle is a muzzle even if it is made of silk.-Viktor Orban)
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To: Gritty

That’s why the inherent right to keep and bear arms is the hill to die on. Give that up and you’re nothing more than another man’s property.


67 posted on 04/13/2016 11:01:02 AM PDT by Trod Upon (To be labelled "far-right" by modern journalists, one need do no more than NOT be far-left.)
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To: Jewbacca

Don’t even need to go that far. Just remove a single knob from the stove and the aparment will fail a compliance inspection :)


68 posted on 04/13/2016 11:03:03 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: reaganaut1

Everything from this monster is about punishing white people and succesful American citizens.


69 posted on 04/13/2016 11:04:35 AM PDT by Organic Panic
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To: A CA Guy

The problem is, it doesn’t matter why you deny them, if they can show that any criteria you use has a “disparate impact”, they’ll say that criteria is forbidden.

The safest way is simply not to tell prospective tenants why they were denied. Of course, you will lose rentals that way, since many people could requalify if they got a cosigner. However, there would be no evidence for the government to pursue you in these kinds of lawsuits, because there would be no record of the criteria you are using.


70 posted on 04/13/2016 11:09:05 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: George from New England

He does, but had to move for a job and tried to rent an apartment when they first got there until they could find a house. He had owned his own house for so long and didn’t need to rent, and they were shocked to find out that apartments would not rent to a felon for 100 years.


71 posted on 04/13/2016 11:09:08 AM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: George from New England

Banks don’t like to give ex-felons loans too much either...


72 posted on 04/13/2016 11:12:25 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: reaganaut1

What about those that are on predator lists? Domestic violence orders? Drug dealers?

How about laws which have landlord liability FOR renting to felons committing crimes?

There is no way this will sustain b/c it is way too vaugue.


73 posted on 04/13/2016 11:13:14 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: cld51860

Well, it’s not that we are too lazy necessarily, it’s that we are too content. People don’t join a revolution when their bellies are full, they have air conditioning, cable tv and smart phones. Those people have too much to lose by revolting.

That’s why communism could never succeed in America with the standard game plan that worked in most of the rest of the world. It’s also why we aren’t going to revolt to restore the Constitution, at least not until things get a LOT worse.


74 posted on 04/13/2016 11:15:15 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Boogieman

You should request a fee for checking the credit of each person and then go do it.

You can’t be sued for that.


75 posted on 04/13/2016 11:20:32 AM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.e)
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To: reaganaut1

This law is obviously needed because as it stands, no felons rent apartments, anywhere.


76 posted on 04/13/2016 11:33:27 AM PDT by subterfuge (TED CRUZ FOR POTUS!)
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To: TexasCajun

Let Obama take them into his new home after HJan 21m 2017/ He has 2 nice ripe daughters. Let him get a taste of his own medicine.


77 posted on 04/13/2016 12:42:55 PM PDT by ridesthemiles
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To: reaganaut1

Let’s do away with HUD, ok.


78 posted on 04/13/2016 1:13:52 PM PDT by jch10 (Hillary in the Big House, not the White House .)
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To: reaganaut1

bkmk


79 posted on 04/13/2016 1:21:25 PM PDT by AllAmericanGirl44 (Teddy the TOOL - being used and lovin' it)
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To: Boogieman

Al,I know is if the govt is tracking these people out of jail , like probation,or other terms of release like sex offenders, then regular citizens can too.

If they are barred from certain jobs due to felonies then that info is germaine to landlords.


80 posted on 04/13/2016 1:40:59 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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