Sham Reddy urges clearer, consistently applied fair-housing practices for Dayton landlords

At a March 2 Human Relations Council meeting, Dayton real-estate professional Sham Reddy told board members that clearer, consistently applied policies and regular training could reduce many common fair-housing disputes.

Reddy, a longtime property owner who has held leadership roles with Dayton Realtors and the Ohio Association of Realtors, outlined four areas of focus for housing providers: consistent treatment of applicants and residents, tenant conflict resolution, objective screening and participation in local housing associations for education and peer support.

Reddy emphasized that inconsistent treatment is a primary source of fair-housing complaints and singled out emotional support animals (ESAs) and reasonable accommodation requests as frequent areas of confusion. He said ESAs are “distinct from pets” and should not be subject to pet fees or deposits, and recommended that providers verify documentation without over-questioning online certifications and process accommodation requests through an interactive, case-by-case approach.

On tenant disputes, Reddy recommended prompt responses to maintenance requests—citing examples such as resolving issues within 72 hours—documenting communications in writing and using leases as the governing document for expectations and enforcement. He told the board that small “mom-and-pop” landlords often lack formal training and that education for both providers and residents can prevent disputes.

For tenant screening, Reddy urged objective criteria—income, rental history and criminal-background review—applied uniformly to every applicant. He recommended avoiding blanket denials based on older evictions or criminal records, considering the nature of an offense and the time elapsed, and issuing required adverse-action notices when applications are denied.

Reddy also encouraged greater participation in professional housing organizations for ongoing training and peer networking, saying collective learning strengthens policies, reduces liability and improves housing standards. He suggested the Greater Dayton Real Estate Investors Association as a resource for smaller providers and distinguished its role from the Greater Dayton Apartment Association, which primarily serves larger multifamily operators.

During a brief Q&A, board members asked about training resources, engagement with out-of-state investors and eviction-avoidance strategies. Reddy described using detailed lease reviews at signing to improve resident understanding and said limited relocation assistance can sometimes prevent eviction filings.

The board thanked Reddy for the training; he offered to remain available for future questions and collaboration.