ESA Update: What You Need to Know About the Administration's Attempts to Remove Protections

ESA Update: What You Need to Know About the Administration's Attempts to Remove Protections

The headlines made it sound like HUD killed emotional support animal protections and landlords can finally charge pet fees and say no. The reality is more complicated, and acting on the headline could land you in a lawsuit. In this episode I break down what actually changed at the federal level and what didn't. (Educational only, not legal advice. Talk to your own attorney about your specific situation.) Read HUD's May 22, 2026 enforcement memo (primary source): https://www.hud.gov/sites/default/files/hudclips/documents/AS-Trainor-Enforcement-Guidance-Assessing-Requests-for-the-use-of-an-animal-as-a-reasonable-accommodation-under-the-fair-housing-act.pdf [https://www.hud.gov/sites/default/files/hudclips/documents/AS-Trainor-Enforcement-Guidance-Assessing-Requests-for-the-use-of-an-animal-as-a-reasonable-accommodation-under-the-fair-housing-act.pdf] HUD's proposed disparate impact rule (Federal Register, Jan. 14, 2026): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/14/2026-00590/huds-implementation-of-the-fair-housing-acts-disparate-impact-standard [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/14/2026-00590/huds-implementation-of-the-fair-housing-acts-disparate-impact-standard] --- ABOUT THE SHOW Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built. And that is in the hold. I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost. Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day. --- MORE FROM PM JEN * Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0fjGeoCY [https://a.co/d/0fjGeoCY] * Website: https://holditwithpmjen.com/ [https://holditwithpmjen.com/] PM JEN'S PARTNERS * LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management [https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management] These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

WWPMJD? Vol. 3

On this episode of Hold It with PM Jen, I'm bringing you another real-life What Would PM Jen Do? conversation. Jamie Anderson, a realtor and investor, came to me with a tenant situation that had gone from frustrating to unsustainable. What started as late rent payments evolved into suspected drug use, unauthorized occupants, and a difficult decision about whether it was time to take the property back. Together, we talk through lease enforcement, landlord boundaries, risk management, and the challenge of balancing compassion with good business decisions. It's a real, unfiltered look at how investors and landlords navigate difficult situations when there are no easy answers. --- ABOUT THE SHOW Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built. And that is in the hold. I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost. Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day. --- MORE FROM PM JEN * Newsletter (this is where the good stuff lives): https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226 [https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen [https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/] * One Focus Property Management (my company, serving North Central PA): https://www.onefocuspm.com [https://www.onefocuspm.com/] * Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0fjGeoCY [https://a.co/d/0fjGeoCY] PM JEN'S PARTNERS * LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management [https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management] * Inspire Wealth with Prof M (tax and wealth strategy): https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout [https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout] These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

WWPMJD? Vol. 2

In this episode of Hold It With PM Jen, we are back for Part 2 of What Would PM Jen Do, picking up right where we left off and diving into more real landlord questions with real answers, the way I always do, straight, practical, and based on what actually happens in the field. Kristin is still with me and we're working through the messy real world decisions property owners face every day, from selling tenant occupied homes to handling tricky lease situations. We talk about why some sales go smoothly while others fall apart depending on how tenants are handled, plus the real impact of pets, rent adjustments, and weak lease language. I also break down security deposits, damage disputes, and why documentation and consistency matter more than emotions or "good intentions." At the end of the day, this is about protecting your investment while staying fair and consistent. Feelings are going to come up, tenants are going to ask for exceptions, and situations are going to change but your job is still to run it like a business, not a charity. --- ABOUT THE SHOW Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built. And that is in the hold. I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost. Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day. --- MORE FROM PM JEN * Newsletter (this is where the good stuff lives): https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226 [https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen [https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/] * One Focus Property Management (my company, serving North Central PA): https://www.onefocuspm.com [https://www.onefocuspm.com/] * Amazon Storefront: https://a.co/d/0fjGeoCY [https://a.co/d/0fjGeoCY] PM JEN'S PARTNERS * LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management [https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management] * Inspire Wealth with Prof M (tax and wealth strategy): https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout [https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout] These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

PM Jen's Due Diligence Playbook

Buying a tenant occupied rental is one of the riskiest deals in real estate investing, and most realtors will never tell you what to actually look for. On this episode, I am sharing how I do due diligence on tenant occupied properties, the questions you need to ask, the documents you need to demand, and the red flags I have seen kill deals after closing. This is the work that has let me add 20 percent of value, on average, to the properties I take over. If you are shopping a tenant occupied rental right now, this episode is for you. --- ABOUT THE SHOW Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built. And that is in the hold. I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost. Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day. --- MORE FROM PM JEN * Newsletter (this is where the good stuff lives): https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226 [https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen [https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/] * One Focus Property Management (my company, serving North Central PA): https://www.onefocuspm.com [https://www.onefocuspm.com] PM JEN'S PARTNERS * LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management [https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management] * Inspire Wealth with Prof M (tax and wealth strategy): https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout [https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout] These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

WWPMJD???

The landlord forums are wild. People asking real questions, getting stupid advice, and then making decisions that will haunt them for years. I can't sit back silently! This week on WWPMJD (What Would PM Jen Do), my leasing agent Kristen joins me to take on questions pulled straight from the forums. Who pays for maintenance and why the lease matters more than your feelings about it. What you can actually do with a tenant who owes you a ton of money. And the emotional support animal question, including what you can legally ask and what gets landlords in real trouble. We have managed thousands of units and seen all of this play out. Some of it is funny. Some of it is painful. All of it is useful. Buckle up, buttercup! --- ABOUT THE SHOW Hold It with PM Jen is the podcast for buy and hold real estate investors who want to grow a portfolio and hold it for the long haul. If you are a real estate investor working a real job or running your own business, and you are tired of everybody having advice for selling and buying, but not for HOLDING, this show is for you. There is so much attention paid to the buying and selling of properties, but not to where the wealth is actually built, THE HOLD! I am Jennifer Ruelens, aka PM Jen. I have spent 22 plus years managing rental properties, and I am here to talk about the part nobody else wants to talk about. The hold. The tenants. The repairs. The taxes. The unsexy, gritty stuff that is where the money is made, or lost. My special talent is transparency and being willing to share my vast experience to help you. Every episode gives you something you can use. Real stories, real numbers, and real talk from someone who does this every day. If this episode helped you, do me a favor and hit follow or subscribe. Leave a review if you are feeling generous. It is the easiest way to help other investors find the show. I am PM Jen. --- MORE FROM PM JEN Newsletter (this is where the good stuff lives): https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226 [https://subscribe-forms.beehiiv.com/09f5c28c-9468-44b5-8f66-c102b3459226] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen [https://www.youtube.com/@HoldItwithPMJen] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferruelens/] One Focus Property Management (my company, serving North Central PA): https://www.onefocuspm.com [https://www.onefocuspm.com] PM JEN'S PARTNERS LendingOne (my DSCR lender for investment properties): https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management [https://lp.lendingone.com/one-focus-property-management] Inspire Wealth with Prof M (tax and wealth strategy and education): https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout [https://realestateinvesting101.mykajabi.com/offers/eDcQEHxu/checkout] * These are affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.