Resources

CDC Order Regarding Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an agency order which implements a nationwide eviction moratorium through the end of the year in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. According to the CDC order, during the period of 9/04/20 through 12/31/20, a landlord, owner of a residential property, or other person with a legal right to pursue an eviction action, shall NOT evict any “covered person” from any residential property for failure to pay rent.

To invoke the CDC’s order, a tenant must provide a completed, signed copy of a DECLARATION to his/her landlord, owner of the residential property where the tenant lives, or other person who has a right to have the tenant evicted or removed from where the tenant lives. Each adult listed on the lease, rental agreement, or housing contract should complete this declaration.

You can access a sample tenant declaration form here: SAMPLE TENANT DECLARATION

UPDATE: You can access the CDC's Declaration Form here: CDC DECLARATION FORM

Responsible Advertising: Understanding the Impact of the Fair Housing Act on Advertising
This web article created by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) provides educational information on discriminatory advertising under the federal Fair Housing Act.

Joint Statement Of The Department Of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) And The Department Of Justice (DOJ): Reasonable Accommodations Under the Fair Housing Act (May 17, 2004)
This document provides technical assistance regarding the rights and obligations of persons with disabilities and housing providers under the federal Fair Housing Act relating to reasonable accommodations.

Joint Statement Of The Department Of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) And The Department Of Justice (DOJ): Reasonable Modifications Under the Fair Housing Act (March 5, 2008)
This document provides technical assistance regarding the rights and obligations of persons with disabilities and housing providers under the federal Fair Housing Act relating to reasonable modifications.

Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST is a HUD-funded education program that will help home builders and architects design and construct housing that meets the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act.

Visitability Principles can be incorporated in the design and construction of housing to enable persons with disabilities to visit friends, relatives, and neighbors in their homes within a community. HUD encourages Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) to incorporate accessible design and construction features into all housing developed with HOME funds in order to provide "visitability." According to HUD, visitability can be achieved for little cost with the use of two simple design standards: (1) providing a 32-inch clear width opening in all interior and bathroom doorways and (2) providing at least one accessible means of egress/ingress for each unit.

Universal Design is a design concept that encourages the construction or rehabilitation of housing and elements of the living environment in a way that makes them usable by all people, regardless of ability, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

Foreclosure Prevention Programs have been implemented by the Obama Aministration to assist homeowners who are at risk of foreclosure and otherwise struggling with their monthly mortgage payments. The majority of these programs are administered through the United States Treasury Department & the United States Department of Housing and Urban Developement (HUD).

Mortgage Rescue Scams have been on the rise. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has published helpful consumer tips for avoiding mortgage modification scams and foreclosure rescue scams. The OCC's Consumer Advisory describe common scams, suggests ways to protect yourself, provides information on U. S. government loan programs, provides counseling resouces, and lists ten warning signs of a mortgage modification scam.

Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.