In keeping with the educational aspect of its mission, Project Sentinel offers
special training for owners and managers of rental property designed
to provide a comprehensive explanation of Fair Housing and Tenant/Landlord
Law. These workshops are offered at two levels:
Voluntary Training - These training sessions can be arranged by individuals,
companies, nonprofits, and government agencies who proactively seek to increase
their knowledge base about laws relevant to Fair Housing and Tenant/Landlord
issues or wish to train groups of housing providers. They are especially recommended
to new owners and/or managers of rental property.
Mandatory Training - These training sessions occur when a Fair Housing law
has been violated. As a part of the settlement to the injured party, property
owners can be required to attend a training session, at their expense,
in order to prevent further occurrences of the violation by becoming better
informed about housing laws.
For more information on this program please call us toll free at 1-888-324-7468.
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For those seeking rental housing and for those with questions about their
current rental housing Project Sentinel offers a free workshop to address
tenants’ rights and responsibilities, answering questions such as:
- Conducting a successful rental housing search
- Understanding and improving your credit rating to qualify for acceptance
- Avoiding discrimination and other potential pitfalls
- Handling repair issues
- Dealing with rent increases and other changes in rental agreement terms
- Terminating the rental and recovering the security deposit
For more information on this program please call us toll free at 1-888-331-3332.
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Project Sentinel offers a free half-day workshop for mobilehome owners that
covers the unique questions and issues they face, including:
- The dual nature of being an owner and a renter in the mobilehome park
- The governing statutes such as the Mobilehome Residency Law
- The applicable anti-discrimination rules
- Safeguarding and improving your credit and avoiding predatory lending
For more information on this program please call us toll free at 1-888-331-3332.
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As a HUD-certified counseling agency, Project Sentinel offers a free workshop
to those considering their options in becoming a first time homebuyer. The
workshop covers topics such as:
- Deciding whether you are ready to be a homeowner – what are the
advantages and disadvantages?
- Calculating what you can truly afford to purchase, looking for financing
and obtaining credit approval, understanding factors like income to debt
ratio, types of loans, working with mortgage providers and finding other
sources of funding
- Shopping for the right home, planning your search,
working with realtors, choosing condos versus single family dwelling
properties
- Navigating the mechanics of escrow and dealing with the
various participants such as title companies
For more information on this program please call us toll free at 1-888-331-3332.
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Project Sentinel offers training in mediation, facilitation, and conflict
management skills, tailored to the needs of a particular organization or community
group. Depending on the needs of the particular organization or group, our agency
can provide sessions for a half-day, full day or multiple days to cover topics such as:
- Turning conflict into a productive process
- Understanding how to react to negative behavior
- Using communication skills to move conflict toward resolution
- Employing facilitation skills to bring meetings and discussions to the desired goal
- Understanding the basic principles underlying a mediation approach to dispute resolution
For more information on this program please call us toll free at 1-888-331-3332.
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Project Sentinel offers training sessions to individuals who would like to
assist the agency with its investigation of alleged violations of Fair Housing
laws. These individuals are called ’testers’ and gather information that provides
evidence of discrimination that is used to substantiate or invalidate a complaint
of alleged discrimination.
Training sessions are offered quarterly and testers are compensated with a small
stipend for their services. Please see the calendar of events for training schedules
and sites.
For more information on this program please call us toll free at 1-888-324-7468.
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Project Sentinel can prepare a broad-spectrum review of private and public
practices and policies that may impact people's ability to choose housing
in an environment free from discrimination. The stated purpose of the Analysis
of Impediments is to increase housing choices, identify problems and assemble
fair housing information.
To assist policy makers, an Analysis of Impediments consolidates fair housing
information otherwise located in a variety of sources. It also brings
together information not otherwise perceived as related to fair housing.
Project Sentinel has been commissioned to prepared AI reports for numerous
cities in California.
To make an inquiry or complaint about accessibility in housing, call Project
Sentinel at (888)FAIRHOUsing, (888)324-7468 or email us at info@housing.org.
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The federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 prohibits discriminatory
housing practices based on disability. Since tenants and prospective tenants
with disabilities can experience difficulty in physically accessing a housing
environment, this minority of persons can pursue a housing discrimination
lawsuit based solely on the building's design and construction. Design elements
such as door width, outlet and light switch height, use of lever handles instead
of doorknobs, and clear floor space in kitchens and bathrooms are just some
of the elements that can prove troublesome to persons with disabilities. Exterior
elements can also be a deterrent to housing access. Mailboxes that are
installed too high for someone in a wheelchair to reach, Dumpsters that require
garbage bags to be deposited over too high a top, ramps leading into the building
that are inclined at too high a percentage, and doors that are too heavy
to open are just a few of the exterior elements.
The Fair Housing Amendments Act requires construction of multifamily housing
built after March 13, 1991 and consisting of four or more dwellings,
to follow not only the state and city codes for building, but also the federal
accessibility guidelines as outlined in the Fair Housing Act Design Manual.
The Manual can be obtained from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Project Sentinel conducts random audits of new construction within our service
area to measure compliance of the accessibility guidelines. Project Sentinel
staff visits sites randomly for audits, as well as investigates complaints
from persons who may have experienced discriminatory housing practices.
To make an inquiry or complaint about accessibility in housing, call Project
Sentinel at (888)FAIRHOUsing, (888)324-7468 or email us with the address
of the site at info@housing.org.
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