Fair Housing Act: The Most Common Accessibility Questions

Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST Training Event

DATE: Tuesday, July 21, 2026

TIMES: 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM (Eastern Time) – OR – 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern Time)

Description:

This 90-minute Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST (FHAF) training highlights the accessibility questions most frequently received by the Design and Construction Resource Center (DCRC) and Fair Housing Act (FHA) subject matter experts. Participants will explore common challenges encountered in kitchens, bathrooms, public and common-use spaces, parking, vertical access, and student housing, along with clarifications on service animals and support animals. The session uses real-world examples to explain how FHA requirements apply across a wide range of design and construction scenarios and provides practical guidance to help attendees identify and avoid recurring compliance issues. This training serves as an effective refresher for experienced professionals and a helpful overview for those new to FHA accessibility.

An accessibility subject matter expert (SME), Eric Contreras, will be available during the dedicated Q&A portion to answer design and construction accessibility questions.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to address common accessibility-related questions and issues in design and construction by applying Fair Housing Act requirements and best practices, including:

identifying essential considerations for accessible kitchens and bathrooms,
understanding requirements for public and common-use areas and vertical access,
recognizing unique conditions in student housing,
distinguishing service animals from support animals,
evaluating accessible parking needs and accommodation requests,
reviewing key disability laws, and more.

This training offers:

one hour of focused training on the Fair Housing Act
knowledge checks to strengthen memory and understanding
30+ minute live Q&A session with accessibility expert Eric Contreras
a download of all webinar materials in the participant workbook.

Each attendee who attends for 45 minutes or longer will receive a certificate of attendance. Certificates are also available for passing the final quiz.

The 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern Time) training session includes ASL interpreters.

Who Should Attend?

Architects and Designers
Contractors
Civil Engineers and Landscape Architects
Developers and Builders
Disability and Housing Advocates
Other Individuals interested in Fair Housing Accessibility

Note: This 90-minute training with be offered twice on July 21, 2026. Both sessions will include the same information.

The 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern Time) training session includes ASL interpreters.

Format: Webinar using Zoom platform.

Cost: Free

Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST Training Calendar

Web: hud.gov/hud-partners/accessibility-first-training

Tags: ADA - general, enforcement, facility access, Fair Housing Act, legal concepts, service animals