Fair Housing Education

“When I went to my first fair housing training in the industry, it was obvious from the snoring & noticeable boredom that the people sent to that training didn’t want to be there. I decided in that moment that I’d make training for fair housing something the average person could enjoy… & wouldn’t sleep through.” -Heather Blume

Knowing where it came from

It isn’t enough to know the laws. Heather wants people to CARE about the laws in word & spirit, & to care about them, a student has to know what it took to get us to this position. Heather puts the laws as they were written in the context of the times they were written, leading to better understanding. She teaches from a “Human Rights” point of view, & takes the time to dig deep, exploring topics such as systemic bias. Connecting knowledge to emotion helps with application on a day-to-day basis when it comes to fair housing laws.

CLARIFYING misconceptions

One of the things that makes people wary of fair housing laws & how they apply day-to-day on site. Employees become very aware of the danger of lawsuits & try to do everything correctly, but the information can be overwhelming, especially if they don’t feel confident in their own knowledge. Heather helps to clarify subjects such as disparate impact, best practices, & working animals. Having a service dog herself, Heather understands firsthand both sides of how confusing it can be to deal with working animals on site.

Interactive Education

Heather loves a great lecture as much as the next person, but research has shown conclusively that interactive learning is far more effective for retention of material & when it comes to fair housing education, Heather believes it is VITAL that attendees truly learn. Her sessions are packed with interactive activities, critical thought exercises, & open discussions. Though her slides may not change, Heather says that she’s never given the same Fair Housing class twice, because she tailors each class on-the-fly to the group she is working with.

Heather’s Current Fair Housing Class Options