Get Out of Jail Free Card: “Legal Update on What You Need to Know in 2017”

Fri. 12/2

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Community Event

Join everyone at Kent State University Stark Campus Conference Center

6000 Frank Ave NW

Canton, OH

44720

USA

Questions? 330-942-0151

A MUST ATTEND legal update for all landlords. Educate yourself on the new laws that impact your business so that you don't end up in court fighting a legal battle that you could have prevented with education.

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View the Agenda

Topics to be addressed include:

The impact of Medical marijuana on Residential Landlords
The impact of HUD’s April 2016 notice on criminal background screening---Don’t believe the negative hype and learn best practices
7 Deadly Landlord Sins
10 Most Common Assistive Animal Questions

Programming Description:

10 Most Common Assistive Animal Questions: Attorney Morelli will present on (1) size, (2) breed, (3) limit on number, (4) animals other than dogs and cats, (5) pet deposit and fee waivers, (6) animal-caused damages, (7) tenancy termination for owner violations, (8) interactive dialogue, (9) criteria for an unreasonable request, and (10) best landlord and property management practices. She will also explain that landlords are allowed to verify the disability-related need for an assistive animal if the need is not obvious.

Impact of Ohio’s New Medical Marijuana Law on Landlords: Attorney Morelli will give an overview of what landlords can do proactively to prepare for the medical marijuana program that must be fully operational by September 2018.

Overview of the new law in the housing context only (e.g. it is not for smokeable marijuana or growing plants)

Summary of the federal Controlled Substances Act which prohibits all marijuana, including prescribed marijuana, and how that affects residential landlords. Also there will be a brief discussion about the lack of federal law enforcement by the current administration.

Must tenants and employees be allowed to use medical marijuana as a reasonable accommodation? I will discuss my own 2014 federal decision herein.

What can proactive landlords do now with lease clauses and policies and procedures?

The Impact of HUD’s April 2016 Notice on Criminal Background Screening by Landlords: Attorney Morelli will overview (1) what the HUD Notice really advises and dispel hysteria and misconceptions, (2) how not to create disparate treatment, disparate impact, or disability discrimination claims, (3) screening factors allowed by HUD and 2 examples by others, and (4) best practices to adopt to comply with the federal Fair Housing Act and Ohio’s Civil Rights Act.

7 Deadliest Landlord Sins: Attorney Morelli will give an overview of what landlords and their attorneys can do proactively to avoid the 7 deadly fair housing sins and costly administrative fair housing complaints and lawsuits.

Attorney Morelli will present these sins: (1) No training for landlord or employees: (2) Idea that it is better to pay as a nuisance when lawsuits or administrative charges are filed than to defend if the facts and law are on the landlord’s side; (3) Impermissible questions about the 7 federally protected classes and Ohio’s and your city’s protected classes; (4) No or poor documentation; (5) Having no system for processing requested accommodations and modifications; (6) Improper denial of assistive animals is a costly violation (I will feature a case from the 2016 KSU settlement with the Dept. of Justice); and (7) Taking undue and foolish risks to save a few dollars.

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