Rules & compliance
23 pieces, newest first.
Fair Housing Risk Doesn't Start in the Ad, It Starts in the Work Order
A new rundown of maintenance-side fair housing pitfalls is a reminder that compliance training can't live only in the leasing office.
Google Defines Sexually Suggestive Ads. Your Pool Shots Are at Risk
Google's new policy spells out exactly what crosses the line, and some of your lifestyle creative probably does.
Senators Want a Closer Look at Your Lead Vendors
A new Senate letter puts lead-gen referrals, steering, and exclusive listing deals in the FTC's crosshairs, and ILS contracts are squarely in the blast radius.
Meta's Housing Ad Rules Still Apply to You
PPC Land's explainer on Meta's special ad category is a reminder, not news: the targeting restrictions on housing ads are not optional and not new.
RealPage Buys Time on New York's Pricing Ban
A federal court paused New York's algorithmic rent-setting ban while it weighs RealPage's First Amendment claim, so revenue management software lives to see another lease cycle.
Chicago's rent ordinance fight is a preview, not a local story
Two competing Chicago ordinances are fighting over renter protections and supply incentives, and whichever one wins could dictate how you advertise rent and renewals.
RealPage's Settlement Doesn't Settle Anything With States
RealPage and two landlords say the federal deal closes the book on price-fixing claims. The states suing them disagree, and that disagreement is now your problem too.
Self-Represented Tenants Now Have AI on Their Side
A real estate attorney warns that AI is helping pro se tenants build litigation cases operators used to win by default.
MAA and JBG Just Wrote DC a $9.3M Check
Two operators settled the RealPage antitrust case with DC's AG, and the price for guessing wrong on pricing software just got a number attached.
DOJ's RealPage Sweep Is Nearly Done. Now What
Pinnacle just settled, leaving one holdout in the DOJ's algorithmic pricing case, and the message for marketing directors is getting hard to ignore.
Zillow's Discrimination Suit Is Every Operator's Problem
A former manager's discrimination claims against Zillow are headed to arbitration, and the exposure doesn't stop at Zillow's door.
Landlords Could Get Paid Back for the Eviction Freeze
A federal court says the CDC's eviction moratorium violated landlords' Fifth Amendment rights, and 2,600-plus owners are now in line for compensation.
HUD Sets a One-Year Clock on Accessibility Claims
New HUD guidance gives fair housing accessibility complaints on construction and design a one-year deadline from the first certificate of occupancy.
Fair Housing Enforcement Funding Restored, So Audit Your Stack Now
A federal judge blocked HUD's plan to gut fair housing grant funding, which means the groups that investigate discrimination complaints are back in business.
Your Pet Fee Line Item Just Became a Legal Document
A handful of states now require upfront pet fee disclosure, and if your listing copy still says "call for details," you're the reason your leasing team is fielding angry calls.
Publishing Your Screening Criteria Cuts Both Ways
Posting minimum income and credit thresholds saves your leasing team time, but the wrong wording can turn a marketing page into a fair housing exhibit.
Your Pet Policy Page Is Making Fair Housing Promises
Marketing copy about ESAs and service animals is where good intentions turn into HUD complaints.
The Junk Fee Rule You Think Applies to You Doesn't
The FTC's junk fee rule covers ticketing and short-term lodging, not apartment leases, but state pricing laws are already doing the work federal law hasn't.
Your AI Vendor Doesn't Answer for Fair Housing. You Do.
If a language model wrote your listing copy, the liability sits with you, not the tool, so the review process has to scale with the volume.
The Word "Walkable" Won't Get You Sued. "Perfect For" Might
Fair housing risk in listing copy isn't about slurs anymore. It's about the friendly, ordinary phrases that quietly describe who a unit is for.
Your Hero Photo Is a Legal Claim, Not Marketing
The gallery you inherited from the last renovation cycle isn't a style choice anymore, it's a representation your leasing team has to keep.
California's New Pet Law Hits Your Listings, Not Just Leasing
The state legislature passed a pet policy transparency act, and it lands squarely on marketing's desk, not just leasing's.
HUD's ESA Guidance Change Is Not A Denial License
New HUD guidance on emotional support animals does not let leasing teams auto-deny untrained ESA requests.