4/22/2026
11 am PT / 12 pm MT / 1 pm CT / 2 pm ET
*approximate length: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Presenters:
William P. Cannon, III, Managing Principal at Offit | Kurman
Gwen Roy-Harrison, Principal and Co-Chair of the DEI Committee at Offit | Kurman
In January 2026, HUD proposed revisions to its Fair Housing Act regulations that would remove references to unintentional discrimination, including disparate impact claims. These claims, which often arise from neutral tenant screening policies—particularly criminal background screening - have long been a focus of fair housing enforcement.
This session will explore the potential implications of HUD’s pending decision and what it may mean for housing providers navigating an evolving enforcement landscape. The discussion will highlight criminal screening practices and compliance challenges in highly regulated jurisdictions such as Washington, D.C., including conditional offers, lookback periods, and local requirements.
Join Gwen Roy-Harrison and William P. Cannon for a timely conversation on how HUD’s forthcoming decision, expected after the close of the public comment period on February 13, 2026, could shape fair housing policies and leasing practices nationwide - regardless of the ultimate outcome.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the evolving landscape of disparate impact claims, including potential shifts in how HUD and the courts approach these claims.
- Examine why criminal background screening continues to be a key focus in fair housing compliance, and how enforcement priorities and legal risk may vary across jurisdictions.
- Assess how changes to HUD guidance and enforcement frameworks may affect housing providers’ leasing and screening practices.
William “Billy” Cannon is the firm’s managing principal and heads the Office of Managing Principal. The Office of Managing Principal is responsible for the management of the firm’s Practice of Law Division, focusing on practice group management and performance, timekeeper performance and morale, cross-referrals, quality assurance/quality control, marketing, and organic growth.
In addition to Billy’s Managing Principal responsibilities, his law practice focuses on the representation of property owners and property management companies in litigation, mediations, administrative agency hearings and leasing, with a special emphasis on fair housing compliance and defense of fair housing and discrimination complaints. Billy routinely provides fair housing training and frequently presents and writes on topics related to property management, Fair housing and affordable housing management. Billy has been certified in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) compliance and represents many LIHTC properties and other affordable housing providers. He additionally represents sellers and purchasers in both residential and commercial transactions and litigation, including handling matters related to the District of Columbia Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA).
Billy sits on the boards for Special Love, a non-profit that provides cancer families with a community of support, and the Willie Strong Foundation, a non-profit that raises funds to find a cure for pediatric brain cancer.
Prior to attending law school, Billy taught English at his alma mater, Gonzaga College High School, from 2001-2008. After law school, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable William P. Greene, Jr., Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Gwen Roy-Harrison is the Principal and Co-Chair of the DEI Committee at Offit | Kurman. Gwen’s practice focuses on representing multi-family housing providers, developers, and business owners of all sizes, including litigating residential and commercial landlord disputes. She spends much of her time in court prosecuting and defending cases on behalf of large property management companies, small to medium businesses, and individual owners. Gwen has honed an expertise in The Fair Housing Act (FHA) and The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with respect to housing providers and HUD compliance. She advises and represents clients involved in HUD complaints, state/local discrimination investigations, regulatory compliance, and conducts Fair Housing Act trainings. Gwen has also honed a specialty in resolving disputes for condominium and cooperative associations. Outside of the courtroom, she devotes considerable time to the transactional sphere, including lease review and drafting, non-disclosure agreements, and confidential settlement or general release agreements.
Gwen is frequently conducting virtual and in-person presentations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia on HUD compliance, FHA training, and best practices for housing providers to avoid a fair housing/discrimination complaint.