Can Tenants in Privately Owned Apartments Be Drug Tested?

This article is the winner of the Apartments manuscript prize [sponsored by the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC)] presented at the 2001 American Real Estate Society Annual Meeting. Drug use is a serious problem in many apartment complexes where innocent tenants are victimized by violent crime, robberies and burglaries perpetuated by drug dealers and users. Recently the popular press has been reporting that apartment owners are requiring prospective and existing tenants to submit to drug tests. This article addresses the legalities of drug testing tenants under federal law in privately owned apartment. Federal statutes that may offer tenants legal recourse against landlords include the Fair Housing Act Amendments of 1988, the Rehabilitation Act of 1974, Section 504, and the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

Appraisers and the Fair Housing Law: Accessibility Requirements for the Disabled

In 1988 the Fair Housing Act of 1968 was amended to include the "handicapped" as being protected from discrimination in multiunit housing. The three general categories of discriminatory acts are refusal to make or allow reasonable physical modifications to a covered multiunit dwelling, refusal to make reasonable accommodations in rules and practices, and failure to follow certain design and construction standards. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines, which provide technical guidance on multiunit dwelling design and construction standards. This study examines these guidelines and the impact the Act may have upon value when discriminatory practices are observed.

Public Defender\u27s Conundrum: Signaling Professionalism and Quality in the Absence of Price

This Essay, the result of an extensive empirical study in the state of Nevada, attempts to ascertain factors among criminal defendants that may predict how they perceive a level of quality and satisfaction with their lawyers as service providers, as well as policy proposals for improving the perceptions of public defenders