Robert Celt
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The Northampton Housing Partnership is offering local landlords a chance to catch up on reasonable accommodation regulations in a session Thursday evening – including their obligations related to medical marijuana, service animals and domestic violence protections.
"Even with the best of intentions landlords can end up violating certain laws," said John Fisher of HAP Housing, who will lead the workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Florence Community Center at 140 Pine St.
The Northampton Housing Partnership, which works to promote affordable housing, is sponsoring the meeting as a way to ensure that small-time landlords feel supported, chairman Gordon Shaw said.
Since Northampton is a desirable and thus expensive place to live, "we need to be intentional if we want to be welcoming to all people," Shaw said. This involves not only what he calls "big-A affordable housing" like the Housing Authority properties, but also "small-A affordable housing" – units that property owners may rent out in their own home, for example.
Thursday's session is geared for this group of landlords – connecting them to local resources and "making sure they don't feel like the business of renting out their homes is too costly or too cumbersome," Shaw said.
Landlords' obligations are constantly changing, and the issue of medical marijuana is a particular minefield. Landlords must navigate competing state and federal regulations, which can be tricky especially if a tenant's rent is federally subsidized, as well as balance that with other tenants' experiences, Fisher said.
Accommodating service animals, which is sometimes necessary for tenants with disabilities, can also be logistically complicated, he said.
"All these things are evolving as society evolves," Fisher said. "And I think we become more and more aware of what fair housing can and should be."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Accommodating MMJ, Service Animals On The Agenda For Fair Housing Law In Northampton
Author: Stephanie McFeeters
Contact: GAZETTENET
Photo Credit: None found
Website: GAZETTENET
"Even with the best of intentions landlords can end up violating certain laws," said John Fisher of HAP Housing, who will lead the workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Florence Community Center at 140 Pine St.
The Northampton Housing Partnership, which works to promote affordable housing, is sponsoring the meeting as a way to ensure that small-time landlords feel supported, chairman Gordon Shaw said.
Since Northampton is a desirable and thus expensive place to live, "we need to be intentional if we want to be welcoming to all people," Shaw said. This involves not only what he calls "big-A affordable housing" like the Housing Authority properties, but also "small-A affordable housing" – units that property owners may rent out in their own home, for example.
Thursday's session is geared for this group of landlords – connecting them to local resources and "making sure they don't feel like the business of renting out their homes is too costly or too cumbersome," Shaw said.
Landlords' obligations are constantly changing, and the issue of medical marijuana is a particular minefield. Landlords must navigate competing state and federal regulations, which can be tricky especially if a tenant's rent is federally subsidized, as well as balance that with other tenants' experiences, Fisher said.
Accommodating service animals, which is sometimes necessary for tenants with disabilities, can also be logistically complicated, he said.
"All these things are evolving as society evolves," Fisher said. "And I think we become more and more aware of what fair housing can and should be."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Accommodating MMJ, Service Animals On The Agenda For Fair Housing Law In Northampton
Author: Stephanie McFeeters
Contact: GAZETTENET
Photo Credit: None found
Website: GAZETTENET
