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Realtors urge mandatory fair-housing education for licensees
Summary
The Massachusetts Association of Realtors asked the committee to support legislation requiring fair-housing education for all real estate licensees, citing persistent discrimination and the organization's existing voluntary training resources.
Nick Pelletier, chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, told the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure that House Bill 343 and Senate Bill 232 would require fair-housing education for all real-estate licensees.
“Fair housing touches every transaction,” Pelletier said, describing industry resources his association provides, including a simulation program and updated transactional forms intended to prevent discriminatory language and practices. He told the panel that REALTORS® represent roughly one-third of licensees in Massachusetts and that no statewide licensing rule currently requires fair-housing coursework in each renewal cycle.
Pelletier recounted a personal case in which a single Hispanic renter who submitted a qualified application received no response and was later asked whether she lived with her biological mother, a line of questioning the witness described as unacceptable. He urged committee support, noting the timing during Fair Housing Month.
A committee member asked whether other states have similar requirements; Pelletier asked staff—Tristan Davidson, general counsel for MAR—to provide comparative data after the hearing.
Ending: The committee received testimony and indicated staff will supply information about other states’ approaches for the record.
