Feature Articles

Follow Three Dos & Don'ts When Rejecting Applicants

April 11, 2019

HUD regulations have three key requirements when rejecting applicants. Owners must not discriminate against an applicant based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. Also, for Section 8 program owners, HUD requires owners to comply with the Violence...

HUD Issues Additional Guidance on Delaying REAC Inspections

April 11, 2019

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for HUD’s multifamily housing programs recently issued a memorandum entitled “Approving the Delay of a Physical Inspection Beyond the New Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) Inspection Notification Timelines.” It provides guidance on when a field...

Beyond Lead-Free: How to Use Safe Painting Practices at Your Site

March 15, 2019

By Carolyn Zezima, Esq.

Avoid Seven Mistakes When Verifying Disability

March 14, 2019

April is National Fair Housing Month, which, according to HUD, is time for people to come together “as a community and a nation to celebrate the anniversary of the passing of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and recommit to that goal which inspired us in the aftermath of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther...

Follow Nine Steps to Prevent Unnecessary HAP Delays

March 14, 2019

If your site has a housing assistance payments (HAP) contract, you may have gotten a late payment from HUD at one time or another. Late assistance payments can cause serious problems at your site. For example, if your site doesn’t have large reserves, it may not be able to make mortgage...

Follow Four Rules When Maintaining an Electronic Waiting List

February 15, 2019

HUD defines a waiting list as a formal record of applicants for housing assistance or assisted housing units that identifies the applicant’s name, date and time of application, selection preferences claimed, income category, and the need for an accessible unit. The waiting list may be kept...

Take Five Steps When Dealing with Difficult Households

February 15, 2019

Your site may have a few households that occupy a disproportionate amount of your time. These households may make trouble or may invite troublesome guests onto the site. As a result, tensions could escalate between residents or noisy arguments may erupt or other harassing behavior such as loud...

Apply Three Income Calculation Rules to Section 221(d)(3) BMIR Units that Don’t Get Other Assistance

February 15, 2019

For Section 221(d)(3) and (d)(4) BMIR multifamily housing, HUD subsidizes an owner’s mortgage by lowering the mortgage interest rate. Sites subsidized under this program are sometimes referred to as Below Market Interest Rate (BMIR) property. Rents aren’t based on a percentage of a...

The Government Shutdown's Impact on HUD & Federal Housing Programs

January 15, 2019

Since the latest continuing resolution, which funded HUD and several other federal agencies in the absence of enacted Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 appropriations bills, expired on Dec. 21, 2018, Congress and President Trump haven’t enacted a final FY 2019 HUD bill. As a result, funding for HUD...

Follow Four Dos & Don'ts When Applying Minimum Rent Rules

January 15, 2019

HUD occupancy regulations require all households living at Section 8 sites to pay a monthly rent of at least $25, unless the household qualifies for an exemption [HUD Handbook 4350.3, par. 5-26(D)]. This minimum rent doesn’t apply to Section 202 PAC, Section 202 PRAC, Section 811 PRAC, RAP...

Don't Let Inspectors Deduct Points for Five Common Site Conditions

December 11, 2018

Inspectors sometimes hit sites with inspection violations (what HUD calls “defects” or “deficiencies”) for conditions that aren’t actually violations or that the inspector shouldn’t have inspected in the first place. This happens because HUD’s inspection...

HUD Issues Utility Allowance Adjustment Factors for 2019

December 11, 2018

HUD recently posted the Utility Allowance Adjustment Factors (UAFs) for 2019. HUD permits owners to use the UAFs to adjust baseline utility allowances prepared in accordance with Housing Notice 2015-04. The factors are effective for any site with an anniversary date on or after Feb. 11, 2019....