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To File Special Claims or not

I wish there was a Special Claim for “Not enough time in the day” but I guess I will have to wait for that one. Some affordable housing properties submit claims and others may not think it’s worth their staff’s time. Others file them when necessary. Would I file a Regular Vacancy claim for a […]

“Adult Child” Definition for a HUD Section 202/8 Property

What exactly is the HUD definition for “Adult Child”? At a affordable housing, HUD Section 202/8 property for the elderly, an adult child is not allowed to move in “after” initial occupancy unless the adult child is necessary for the care and well-being of the elderly tenant. So, what if the adult child is 62 […]

Failure to Respond to the Request for Verification

This month we are dealing with a tenant in a Section 8, affordable housing property who has a state legal guardian and who will not respond to requests for income verification notices or award letters. But that is not the only issue here. There is also the need to assess whether the “Special Needs Trust” […]

Adjustments for Prior Overpayment of Benefits in Section 8

Determining income in affordable housing can sometimes be a balancing act but when in doubt there are many resources such as the HUD Handbook or even the TRACS Discussion Forum.

Today I have a tenant who has provided us with a letter from SS stating her monthly payment is being “adjusted” due to overpayment from […]

Tenant Consent to Disclose EIV Income Info

As a property manager working in the affordable housing industry, how can I prevent the sharing of EIV reports during the tenants recertification interview when all household members are present?

For instance; Unless consent is provided by the individual family member all information must be kept private. during the recertification interview. this means that a […]

Section 8 Child Support Deduction and Verification

I have never been a single parent so I can only speculate through the experience of my friends that it is not an easy task. Collecting Child Support can also be a difficult process because you are somewhat powerless as to whether you are going to be able to collect those funds from the working […]

Screening Affordable Housing Tenants for Drug Abuse and Other Criminal Activity

Dealing with Section 8 tenants who may be involved with drugs or addiction is hard enough for a family. But, according to the HUD Occupancy handbook, the Owner/Agent has the responsibility to protect the residents; “Owners must establish written screening criteria to prohibit the admission of certain individuals who have engaged in drug-related criminal behavior, […]

Timing of HUD Section 8 Tenant Reported Income

After spending my beginning years in technical support at an affordable housing software company I was often asked many questions in regard to the timing of tenant reported income.

I would always refer them to the HUD 4350.3 Handbook as it gives the best examples. In my opinion, I think each revision of the 4350.3 […]

Exercising a Reasonable Accommodation in HUD Multifamily

What do we do as affordable housing Owners/Property managers of a Section 8 property when an Applicant requests a “Reasonable Accommodation” and it turns out the applicant fabricated the need just so they could have a larger unit? Here is a story of how

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New TRACS 202D Release & Implementation Schedule

Based on the most recent TRACS industry meeting, we were told about the new schedule for the release of TRACS 202D. As always this schedule is subject to change but for now the scheduled stands:

Vendor Testing is to commence on: December 1 – This means that the affordable housing software vendors, Contract Administrators and […]

New HUD Protected Class Rule

On January 30, 2012 HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced new regulations to ensure equal access to housing for all Americans regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status.

These new regulations were published in the Federal Register on February 3, 2012 with an effective date of March 3, 2012. These regulations apply to all […]

Does Your Tenant Selection Plan Go Far Enough

When a tenant requires services that you don’t offer, does the tenant then need to consider assisted living rather than independent living? Does your Tenant Selection Plan (TSP) address whether your community is an independent living facility versus an assisted living community?

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Unit Inspections for Section 8 Housing

I hate cleaning…well, I hate some aspects of it. I don’t mind vacuuming or mopping the floors…but I know I dislike dusting which makes me sneeze. No Matter how much I dislike cleaning, it is imperative to have well maintained affordable housing units. Having a clean and well maintained property contributes to a healthy environment […]

MOR’s May Be Suspended, But Let’s Pretend They Weren’t!

As you may or may not have noticed, nobody from HUD or your Contract Administrator is knocking on your door to perform your annual management occupancy review (MOR). This past year all of the performance-based contracts went out for re-bid. Some PBCA’s were happy with the results but most were not. The eleven PBCA awards […]

How to Deal with Extended Absence or Abandonment in Section 8

I recently received a call from a client asking how long should a resident be considered a tenant if they are only there 6 months a year. What is a reasonable amount of time before you determine that this tenant has been gone for a while? Is it 2 weeks, 4 weeks…what is the limit […]

How to Deal with Extended Absence or Abandonment in Section 8

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How to Deal with Extended Absence or Abandonment in Section 8

I recently received a call from a client asking how long should a resident be considered a tenant if they are only there 6 months a year. What is a reasonable amount of time before you determine that this tenant has been gone for a while? Is it 2 weeks, 4 weeks…what is the limit […]

How to Deal with Extended Absence or Abandonment in Section 8

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Just Announced — HUD Releases 2012 Income Limits

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has just released the 2012 Income Limits for both LIHTC and Section 8 however they are on separate web pages. The MTSP income limits are to only be used by projects financed with tax-exempt housing bonds – referred to by HUD as Multifamily Tax Subsidy Projects […]

Carbon Monoxide Detector Mandates

“Safety First”…is one of those phrases we hear quite often…especially if you have kids or loved ones. When it comes to where we live, no matter what type of affordable housing we live in there resides the possibility of the silent killer…Carbon Monoxide. HUD has created a division called Healthy Homes Program to combat this […]

October TRACS Industry Working Group Meeting

Our TRACS industry meeting began on a sad note: Willie Spearman, Gail Williamson and Deb Lear have announced their retirement from HUD. These three individuals have made large contributions to the multifamily housing industry. They will be sorely missed!

Also discussed at the TRACS industry 202D working group meeting last week was how to address […]

Implementing an Integrated Pest Management Strategy for Affordable Housing Properties

My kids can be pests but that is story for a different day. Pests on a property are certainly no joking matter.

Maintaining your property is no easy feat and when you add the unpredictable and uninvited guests…well it can be an arduous task to get rid of them. Having the right strategy for pest […]

Save Money, Save the Environment going “Green” at your Affordable Housing Property

I think it should be clear now to everyone that conservation or “Going Green” as they say, isn’t just for those “Hippie” types and not just a trend. Conservation is our overdue way of showing respect for our environment. Respecting our environment and capitalizing on this new way of life can also be achieved at […]

There are no Vacancies for Sexual Predators in Affordable Housing

There is no doubt about it, I am a “News Hound”. I watch the news all of the time. One of the most gripping headlines always includes how a woman or a child was assaulted by a sexual predator. MSNBC has even created a long going documentary called “To Catch a Predator”.

I have […]

Landlord Refuses to Rent to a Woman with Children

I recently read the most appalling article where HUD brought charges to the owner of a five-unit apartment building in Lebanon, NH, for violating the Fair Housing Act because the landlord allegedly refused to rent one of the units to a family with children. HUD is pursuing these charges on behalf of a mother with […]