Although HUD's “One Strike” rule was announced in 1996 by the Clinton administration and took effect in its final form nearly a decade ago, it has been a controversial and confusing regulation.
The rule is intended to help sites screen applicants for drug abuse and other...
While balconies are a welcome feature that can add to the appeal of units at your site, they do require extra attention to be sure they are maintained in a safe condition and to limit your liability if an accident occurs. If any of your units have balconies, your maintenance staff should inspect...
It's natural for your residents to have guests for short visits. Even guests who come and stay for an extended period of time are not uncommon. But if your residents think their guests are not really your concern, or if you think it's no big deal if a guest comes now and then, you need...
The ripple effects from an unsteady economy and uneven housing market continue to be felt in the assisted housing industry. Depending upon your geographic location and the type of housing your site includes, you're probably encountering vexing issues, such as ever-growing waiting lists for...
If you ever need a rent comparability study (RCS)—for a Section 8 contract renewal, for example, or to help substantiate an annual rent increase request—you don't want to simply take what the appraiser gives you and hand it off to your contract administrator or local HUD office...
Households at your site with pregnant members, and families with pregnant members who apply to live at your site, are subject to specific HUD rules when it comes to eligibility, income, and unit size. But you have to be careful about how you use what you learn with regard to pregnant residents...
Individuals with AIDS, or the HIV virus that causes AIDS, continue to battle stereotypes and misconceptions. The idea that having such individuals at your site could threaten the health and safety of other residents and your staff is unfounded. Yet it persists.
With a majority of the original 20-year Section 8 contracts maturing, many site owners are facing the future with a different rental income situation than they've been accustomed to. For years, Section 8 owners received automatic annual rent increases. These increases, in many cases, put...
Both HUD and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have taken steps to require the use of practices that minimize lead hazards when you undertake renovation, repair, or painting projects at your site. In general, the requirements work together, but there are some differences.
You already know you must provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and residents who are disabled and use a wheelchair for mobility. But as an owner or manager, you also must be certain that you maintain a safe environment for all your residents and visitors.
When it comes to marketing your site, HUD has one key expectation: that you will do what you said you were going to do when you completed your Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP), Form HUD-935.2A. HUD calls the AFHMP “the owner's blueprint for marketing activity.”
As an owner or manager, one of your key responsibilities is to work with households and individuals to determine their correct level of eligibility and amount of rent and to ensure that they are placed in an appropriate unit. This is accomplished through a thorough interview where information is...
