“I’ve had a fair housing violation, so I am taking this journey so that doesn’t happen again,” said one agent.
Student of Dr. Lee Davenport
“The majority of my life I have been surrounded by white people. Growing up, I was taught that racism was bad… During the Rodney King riots, I asked my black fraternity brother what was going on.
There were black students visibly angry, and it felt like they were looking to take the anger out on any white person.
He replied “You’ve never been black.” That comment struck me. I had been insulated from witnessing racism and frankly couldn’t understand what it must be like.
Upon reading the book “Color of Law,” I gained understanding of the fundamental mistrust of leadership in the U.S. I believe this is a bridge that must be repaired by our actions moving forward. I am looking forward to implementing the fascinating solutions this class offered!”
Student of Dr. Lee Davenport
These are just a couple of the comments I received from real estate agents who take the fair housing course I teach. And, I noticed something peculiar. In today’s political climate, I am consistently asked if I have to run for my life after teaching this course.
Typically, the feedback is like what I have shared above. It’s a mix of people that have fair housing violations, those that are already fair housing advocates and those that have learned something new that they want to implement.
Here’s what I have come to believe
Real estate pros that want to see fair housing realized for everyone (we know some oppose fair housing), need more instruction on what I call how to “advocate — not alienate”.
To be frank, I think this is the key way forward. I believe we have an opportunity to serve our communities without alienating anyone.
To that point, I think Dr. King said it best, “Our aim has never been to put the bus company out of business, but rather to put justice in business.” — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Statement on Ending the Bus Boycott,” 1956
For us, we can swap out “bus” for “real estate.” In short, we want fair housing in business not other real estate pros out of business. To do my part, I want to get this framework of How to Be a Fair Housing DECODER© in the hands of every real estate pro possible.
Fair housing is not intuitive for everyone
Time has shown us that fair housing is not automatic or intuitive for everyone (with examples like this in the 54 years since federal fair housing laws being enacted). That means we have to do a better job with education.
The DECODERS acronym offers these important things to consider:
Dissed deactivator — To borrow from the 1980s, our clients should not feel disrespected (dissed) during their real estate deal. If they do, it is our job to deactivate the situation.
Energy booster — Penalties like this seem to take center stage. They have a rightful place but we need to do more to motivate with the carrot and not just the stick. That means our annual award seasons should include awards for top fair housing advocates and even those most improved because having a fair housing violation should not be a career death sentence.
Community supporter — How can we better serve the community? This is rarely asked during a transaction. Thus, instead of myopically focusing on how we can close this one deal; let’s think about the bigger picture and our community at large. The more value we can add to our communities, the more raving fans we will have, which is great for business.
Options broker — This is not in reference to stocks but rather being resourceful and helping our customers and communities ethically expand the possibilities in a given transaction. For example, if appraisal bias is a concern of our clients, how about we request a desktop appraisal? Our industry is replete with options and we should be proactive in offering them.
“Debbie Downer” assessor — We can always ask “why?” Why was she turned down? Why did you say this is not the right neighborhood for that couple? Sometimes just having to answer why, may snap a potential violator out of causing un-fair housing.
Empathy mirror — We can reflect back to our sellers, buyers, other agents and vendors that may be on the edge of causing un-fair housing how this would feel if the tables were turned and they were on the receiving end. Again, for those that may be making unconscious associations, simple questions may be just what they need to snap them out of a violation.
Reporter — Last but certainly not least, if our customer (or community member) confides in us that they feel un-fair housing is at play, let’s give them the resources to file a report. That includes:
- National Fair Housing Alliance
- HUD
- Appraisal Complaint National Hotline
- Submit a complaint | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Contact FHEO | HUD.gov / US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Housing Enforcement Centers
