Important changes to housing and employment laws are coming in 2026. For regional property managers, HR leaders, and compliance officers, these updates aren’t just legal headlines—they shape how your on-site teams are staffed, trained, scheduled, and documented every day.
This article highlights what’s on the horizon for property management compliance, why it matters for on-site teams, and how The Liberty Group helps you stay ahead with a compliance-first staffing approach.
Two Sides of Property Management Compliance
Fair housing compliance protects renters and applicants from discrimination. Leasing agents, property managers, and even maintenance teams interact with residents daily, so their actions must align with these laws. A casual comment, a missed accommodation, or inconsistent application processing can all turn into violations fast.
Labor laws protect employees. New wage rules, overtime thresholds, and worker-classification standards affect how you hire, schedule, and pay your staff. Missteps here can trigger audits, lawsuits, or fines.
In short, fair housing protects tenants while labor laws protect workers—and your on-site teams sit at the center of both. That’s why property management compliance is directly tied to staffing choices, training, and daily workflows.
Key Legal Takeaways for Next Year
Here are four legal trends to watch, each with direct impact on how teams are hired, trained, and managed.
1. Source-of-Income Protections are Expanding
As of 2025, 23 states and Washington, D.C. have laws that bar landlords from rejecting renters because they use housing vouchers or other lawful income sources.¹ Many cities have also added local protections. These rules improve access to safe housing for low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities who often face barriers in the rental market.
What this means for staffing
- Standardize screening: Apply the same criteria and steps to every applicant, regardless of payment source.
- Update scripts and forms: Remove language that could imply bias; align denial templates with uniform criteria.
- Micro-training: Practice responses for common questions about vouchers to avoid steering or discouraging language.
- Quarterly file checks: Review a sample of applications and denial reasons for consistency across communities.
2. HOTMA Paperwork and Income Rules Start in 2026
HUD is rolling out changes under the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA) that affect how properties verify income and manage paperwork.² HUD has allowed more time, with key rules set to begin in 2026. Properties must update processes and stay organized to avoid errors once the deadline arrives.
What this means for staffing
- Map the workflow: Document each handoff (intake → verification → review → approval) and assign owners.
- Refresh forms and checklists: Ensure certifications, notices, and file-tracking match HOTMA requirements.
- Train by scenario: Use short role-plays to reinforce key steps—not just policy memos.
- Mock audits: Run a late-2025 file drill to catch gaps early and confirm your software setup supports the changes.
3. Overtime Threshold Uncertainty (2019 Levels for Now)
A federal court vacated a rule that would have raised the minimum salary for overtime exemption from about $35,500 to $58,600.³ For now, employers must follow the 2019 thresholds. This may change again, so companies should monitor updates from the Department of Labor.
What this means for staffing
- Recheck classifications: Confirm exempt/non-exempt status using both salary and duties tests.
- Tighten timekeeping: Reinforce policies that prevent off-the-clock work and require manager approval for overtime.
- Budget scenarios: Flag roles near the threshold and model costs if levels change.
4. Predictive Scheduling (“Fair Workweek”) Keeps Spreading
More cities and counties are adopting laws that require schedules to be posted in advance (often two weeks) and mandate extra pay when shifts change late. Los Angeles County’s ordinance began in July 2025, joining places like San Francisco and New York with similar protections.⁴
What this means for staffing
- Plan earlier: Post schedules ahead of local requirements where feasible.
- Log changes: Use one system of record for approvals, changes, and any related pay.
- Build a bench: Cross-train floaters and leverage temp or temp-to-hire support to reduce last-minute reshuffles.
- Monitor local rules: Even if multifamily isn’t directly named now, standards often influence practices sector-wide.
How The Liberty Group Help You Stay Compliant
Because these issues sit inside your workforce, staffing isn’t just about covering shifts—it’s about lowering risk. Here’s how The Liberty Group helps:
- Fully vetted talent: We screen candidates for multifamily experience and train them on fair-housing language, documentation etiquette, and resident professionalism.
- Regulation-aligned practices: Our staffing plans account for current housing and labor rules, helping you maintain property management compliance as regulations evolve.
- Built-in flexibility: Scale with temp, temp-to-hire, direct hire, and executive search—without shortcuts on training or scheduling standards.
- Staffing Health Assessment: A practical diagnostic to surface gaps in leasing, HR, and scheduling before they become findings.
With us, you don’t just fill roles—you gain confidence that your on-site team is trained, consistent, and protecting your properties.
Secure property management compliance with The Liberty Group
Since 1977, multifamily clients have relied on us to provide leasing agents, property managers, maintenance techs, marketers, finance pros, and leaders who keep operations compliant and resident-focused—nationwide, across temporary, temp-to-hire, direct hire, and executive search.
We help you build teams that keep your property running smoothly while ensuring regulatory compliance and risk management are secured. Call us today to start building a property management team you can trust.
References
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. Public Housing Authorities and Source of Income Discrimination. 13 Aug. 2025, https://www.hudoig.gov/reports-publications/report/public-housing-authorities-and-source-income-discrimination.
- Navigate Housing. HOTMA Implementation Deadline: New Date Set for January 2026. 29 May 2025, https://www.navigatehousing.com/hotma-implementation-deadline-new-date-set-for-january-2026/.
- Sidley Austin LLP. “U.S. District Court Vacates DOL Final Rule on FLSA Overtime Exemptions.” Sidley Insights, 12 Dec. 2024, https://www.sidley.com/en/insights/newsupdates/2024/12/us-district-court-vacates-dol-final-rule-on-flsa-overtime-exemptions.
- Cohen, Ellen. “Reminder: Los Angeles County Fair Workweek Ordinance Takes Effect in July.” California Workplace Law Blog, 22 Apr. 2025, https://natlawreview.com/article/reminder-los-angeles-county-fair-workweek-ordinance-takes-effect-july.