September Chapter Meeting- Avoiding FHA Lawsuits on Multifamily Projects

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When:  Sep 16, 2021 from 05:30 PM to 08:00 PM (CT)
Associated with  Indianapolis

PLEASE NOTE THE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE RATHSEKLLER

Design and Construction to

AVOID FHA LAWSUITS in Multifamily Projects

Presenter: Steve Cain - President SJC Architecture, Inc.
ICC Certified Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner, AIA, CSI, APA, CCS, CCCA, NCARB

Program Description:

In 1988, the US Congress passed the Fair Housing Amendments Act. These amendments expanded the coverage of the Fair Housing Act to prohibit housing discrimination based on disability. Since that time, it has been unlawful to deny the rental or sale of multifamily dwelling units to a person because of a disability. Persons with disabilities can be discriminated against solely by how the built environment is designed and constructed. While the intent of the Fair Housing Amendments Act was to place modest accessibility requirements on multifamily projects, more than 30 years after its passage, there is still much confusion and misinformation in the design and construction industry on exactly what the requirements are, when those requirements apply and even what document or standard should be referenced to find the answer. The primary enforcement of the FHA accessibility requirements is through legal action brought by those who feel they have been discriminated against. For this reason, apartment owners, developers, property managers, architects, designers, engineers and construction professionals could all learn more about the details of these accessibility requirements and how to AVOID FHA LAWSUITS in Multifamily Projects.

Learning Objectives:

  • Develop a better understanding of the Fair Housing Act Design Manual, the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, the International Building Code and the ICC A117.1-2009 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities as related to multifamily projects.
  • Learn differences between the various accessibility codes and standards related to multifamily projects and understand which documents are recognized as FHA Safe Harbors.
  • Learn the 7 Requirements of the FHA Design Manual.
  • Learn the most common accessibility mistakes made in the design and construction of multifamily projects and how to avoid them.
  • Acquire real world strategies to AVOID FHA LAWSUITS in Multifamily Projects.

Speaker Bio:

Steve Cain is an ADA/FHA Accessibility Consultant and Architect with over 35 years of experience in the design and construction industry. For the past 15-years his work has had a major focus on accessibility, especially related to hospitality and multifamily projects. He has served as an expert witness defending property owners, developers, and design professionals on numerous ADA and FHA lawsuits. He has become a respected project resource with a history of providing sensible accessibility solutions to property owners, developers, facility managers, architects and contractors throughout all phases of the design, construction and use of facilities.

Steve is a graduate of Purdue University and holds a Masters of Architecture Degree from the University of Illinois. The International Code Council has certified him as an Accessibility Inspector and Plan Reviewer. He is a Registered Architect in multiple states and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Construction Specifications Institute, and the Accessibility Professionals Association.

Contact Information:

Steven J. Cain, President

SJC Architecture, Inc.

12125 Annette Lane  -  Fishers, Indiana 46037

(317) 353-7763  -  scain@sjcarch.com

Location

The Rathskeller
401 East Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204