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HOTMA Compliance Date for TSP and EIV Policies & Procedures Extended to May 31, 2024
03-05-2024
The Office of Multifamily Housing Programs published a Housing Notice extending the HOTMA compliance date in Section 6.2 of Notice H 2023-10 for owners to update their Tenant Selection Plan (TSP) and Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) Policies and Procedures (P&P) from March 31, 2024, to May 31, 2024.
For questions regarding this notice, please contact
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NSPIRE Scoring Calculator
05-23-2023
The National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) protocol will be effective later this year- going live for multifamily housing properties on October 1st, 2023. HUD has created a tool which will help property owners calculate an estimate for their NSPIRE score. Please note that this is just an estimate, and the most important factor will be the condition of the property on the day of inspection.
You can read more about the calculator, try it yourself on the NSPIRE web page, and watch an instructional video. If you have further questions, contact NSPIRE@hud.gov. -
Updated RAD Contract Rents Now Available
12-07-2022
HUD has just posted the 2022 RAD Contract Rents, which are used to determine the initial contract rents in the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract for public housing properties converting under RAD. HUD will utilize these amounts for any new Commitments to enter into HAP (CHAPs) or Portfolio awards starting January 1, 2023. In addition, current awardees that have not yet closed may request to update rents in their existing CHAPs or Portfolio Award by notifying their assigned Transaction Manager or Closing Coordinator and submitting a CHAP amendment request via www.radresource.net. When requesting updated rents, if the PHA had previously utilized any of the flexibilities to modify the RAD rents in their existing CHAP, the PHA should include that information in their request. Note that the RAD rent caps remain in effect and will be evaluated as part of HUD’s review.
As background, RAD Rents are re-established every two years based on Congressional appropriations to the public housing accounts. These rents, which are based on the Operating and Capital Fund levels provided in Fiscal Year 2022, are at the highest level in program history: on average, nationally, these new RAD rents are 7% higher ($60 per unit per month) than the RAD rents previously in use. We strongly recommend that PHAs review these 2022 RAD rents to evaluate whether these new levels support PHAs’ efforts to position public housing properties for long-term preservation. -
NAHMA Participates in White House Listening Sessions with Housing Providers
06-09-2022
On May 31st, the White House (including staff from all regulatory agencies) hosted a listening session with housing providers to hear industry thoughts about the priorities and gaps for renter protections and owner needs that could be addressed through a cross-agency effort. NAHMA participated in the session. Overall, the White House is hosting four separate sessions divided between Housing Providers and Tenant Groups.
During the very brief discussion period, Administration officials were focused on two questions:
- What rights should federal agencies prioritize for tenants through their administrative levers?
- What do you think are a reasonable set of tenant responsibilities/expectations that federal agencies should prioritize through administrative levers?
During their remarks, NAHMA thanked the Administration for efforts on pandemic recovery, rental assistance, tenant services, recent housing supply initiatives, and addressing digital divide. We cautioned the Administration that NAHMA members are still feeling the effects of the pandemic and current economic headwinds, such as inflation pressure on operating costs, labor shortages, safety & security of properties and staff, supply chain disruptions, problem tenants, outdated/burdensome regulations, and the need for more affordable housing.
It is unclear on the Administration’s next steps after these sessions conclude this week, but there are some rumors that the Administration is thinking about developing some federal “Tenant Bill of Rights”. We will keep members updated, as we learn more information and next steps. Other industry groups participating in this session, included: Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), MTW Collaborative; National Apartment Association (NAA); National Association of Realtors (NAR); National Council of State Housing Finance Agencies (NCSHA). -
HUD's Office of Multifamily Housing Issues OCAF Notice, Request for Disaster Housing Resources Submissions, and Shares Resources/Links from Stakeholder Call
10-22-2021
2022 OCAF Notice
HUD has recently published a notice with the Operating Cost Adjustment Factors for 2022 . The OCAFs provided in the notice are applicable to eligible projects having a contract anniversary date of February 11, 2022, or after and were calculated using the same method as those published in HUD’s 2021 OCAF notice published on November 27, 2020.
Submit Potential Disaster Housing Resources to HUD
H Read more -
CDC Extends Eviction Moratorium for Another 30 Days
06-24-2021
The Biden administration announced today that it will extend the federal eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through July 31, and it will implement a whole-of-government approach to prevent a historic wave of evictions this summer. The moratorium was set to expire next week.
Extending the eviction moratorium through July gives state and local governments more time to distribute more than $46 billion in emergency rental assistance (ERA) to those most in need. The administration’s whole-of-government effort to stem evictions and help ensure ERA is provided efficiently, effectively, and equitably can keep families safely housed and bolster the administration’s efforts to contain COVID-19. While in many areas in the U.S. vaccination rates are up and COVID-19 caseloads are down, communities with lower vaccination rates and more COVID-19 cases tend to be the same communities that have large numbers of renters at heightened risk of eviction.
In addition to extending the eviction moratorium, the White House will:
- Convene a summit to bring together local teams to develop eviction-prevention action plans.
- Issue new guidance from Treasury for the ERA program to accelerate and broaden state and local delivery of funds.
- Have the Department of Justice send guidance to state courts encouraging them to adopt anti-eviction diversion practices.
- Provide guidance from HUD to help prevent Fair Housing Act violations related to evictions.
- Activate a whole-of-government effort to raise awareness about emergency rental assistance, tapping agencies including Treasury, HUD, CFPB, DOJ, and USDA to inform tenants and landlords of available support.
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CDC Extends Eviction Moratorium
03-31-2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended their Eviction Moratorium through June 30, 2021, further preventing the eviction of tenants who are unable to make rental payments. The moratorium that was scheduled to expire on March 31, 2021 is now extended through June 30, 2021. Note, the Order only applies to “covered persons” as defined in the Order and only prohibits the actual physical eviction of covered persons. The full revised order may be found here.
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NAHMA Publishes NAHMAnalysis on the American Rescue Plan
03-24-2021
On March 23rd, NAHMA published a NAHMAnalysis, the American Rescue Plan Act. Proposed by President Biden in January and signed into law in March, the American Rescue Plan Act seeks to facilitate the United States' recovery from the devastating economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This NAHMAnalysis examines the direct and indirect economic relief and support provided to tenants and landlords through the American Rescue Plan Act. For the full analysis, click here.
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Virginia Housing Suspends Collection of Tax Credit Monitoring Fees for 2020
03-24-2021
Recognizing the impact that COVID-19 has had across the Commonwealth and on our business partners, Compliance & Asset Management will suspend the collection of Tax Credit monitoring fees for the 2020 reporting year. The collection of fees will resume for the 2021 Compliance Monitoring review period.
The Project Information Report (PIR) and the Owner Certification report will be sent to the primary management and owner contacts the first week of April 2021. The deadline to submit all completed and executed owner reports is June 1, 2021.
Things to Note:
- Immediately report all changes in property ownership, management agent, and on-site property contacts to your assigned Compliance Officer so we can update our records before the packets are distributed.
- The annual report questionnaire is due for projects where all buildings are placed in service by December 31, 2020.
- If all buildings are not placed in service by 12/31/2020, update your project contact information and submit the report.
- The annual owner's certification must be completed by the project taxpayer (owner), general partner, or a designated signor authorized by the project taxpayer or general partner.
- **NEW** Properties with Average Income, and all buildings placed in service by 12/31/2020, must also submit a report showing all assigned unit designations as of 12/31/2020.
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Guidance Issued for Section 515/Section 514 Multi-Family Housing Tenant Eligibility Documentation Retention
12-17-2020
USDA’s Rural Housing Service recently issued an Unnumbered Letter, Section 515 and Section 514 Multi-Family Housing Property Tenant Eligibility Documentation Retention Policies and Best Practices for Owners and Management. The purpose of this Unnumbered Letter is to review the tenant file documentation retention requirements for Rural Development Multi-Family Housing Section 515 Rural Rental Housing and Section 514 Farm Labor Housing Owners. This guidance is intended to specifically address the loss or unavailability of required Section 515 or Section 514 tenant eligibility documentation that may be requested as part of an agency review and or during the transition of management for a property financed under these multifamily housing direct loan programs.
The Unnumbered Letter for Section 515 and Section 514 Multi-Family Housing Property Tenant Eligibility Documentation Retention Policies and Best Practices for Owners and Management is attached and can be viewed here. -
HUD Publishes FY 2021 Section 8 Annual Adjustment Factors for Housing Assistance Payment Program
12-17-2020
Today, HUD’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research published the Annual Adjust Factors for Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program for Fiscal Year 2021, for the adjustment of contract rents on the anniversary of those assistance contracts. The factors are based on a formula using residential rent and utility cost changes from the most recent annual Bureau of Labor Statistics. Please note that tables showing annual adjustment factors will be available electronically from the HUD data information page.
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Secretary Carson Announces HUD Will Safely Resume Physical Inspections
08-07-2020
Inspections previously paused during COVID-19 outbreak due to health concerns
WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson announced today the Department will resume Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) inspections of HUD multifamily and public housing properties and units under strict safety protocols during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
REAC inspections are the assessment tool that ensures HUD assisted properties meet federal standards of health, safety, and accessibility. REAC Read more -
HUD Issues Memorandum for Processing Special Claims for Vacancy During COVID19
07-10-2020
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Multifamily Housing has published a memorandum with instructions for the processing of special claims for vacancy for properties affected by COVID-19 during the period of March 27, 2020 through September 30, 2020. This includes Special Claims for Vacancy During Rent-up (RAD properties only) and Special Claims for Vacancy Loss After Rent-up (Regular Vacancy). In the event a property owner has submitted either of the vacancy claim types prior to the issuance of this memorandum, and the special claim(s) has been processed for payment, the owner may submit a supplemental vacancy claim for the gap period from the prior tenant’s move-out date to the unit’s ready for occupancy date.
The Memorandum for the Processing of Special Claims for Vacancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic is attached and can also be viewed here.
-By Michal Machnowski, Manager of Government Affairs, National Affordable Housing Management Association, July 7, 2020 -
IRS Releases Updated Compliance Monitoring Regulations--NAHMA Encourages Member Comments
07-10-2020
Last week, the IRS released proposed regulations, effective immediately, to relax their previous compliance monitoring regulations that increased the number of units housing finance agencies (HFAs) needed to monitor. This proposed rule reinstates the previous pre-2019 policy that required HFAs to monitor the lesser of 20 percent of the units in a project or the number of units in the LIHTC Minimum Unit Sample Size Reference Chart. The minimum sample sizes in the chart correspond to the minimum sample sizes required by the Real Estate Assessment Center for inspections under HUD programs (the REAC numbers). The proposed rule is available here.
NAHMA has strongly advocated to IRS/Treasury and partnered with industry colleagues, National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), to get relief from these regulations. While we are pleased to see the positive change, we also recognized more advocacy is needed to get relief from the “15-day notification period”. The 2019 final regulation reduced the notice period from 30 to 15 days that HFAs may provide to owners before upcoming monitoring visits. The proposed rule does not modify the notification period, which remains at 15 days. NAHMA strongly recommends members to provide comments to us on the negative impact of this notification time period, by August 20, 2020. NAHMA would like to provide comments on this provision of the regulation, based on member concerns. Mid-Atlantic AHMA members may email their comments to terry@mid-atlanticahma.org.
-By Larry Keys, Director of Government Affairs, National Affordable Housing Management Association, July 8, 2020 -
USDA Implements Immediate Measures to Help Rural Residents, Businesses and Communities Affected by COVID-19 *Updated April 8, 2020
04-10-2020
The USDA Office of Rural Development recently issued a Stakeholders Announcement titled USDA Implements Immediate Measures to Help Rural Residents, Businesses and Communities Affected by COVID-19 *Updated April 8, 2020*. Among the many updates, this announcement provides guidance on the following: Rural Development Tennant Vouchers, Implementing Eviction and Forbearance Moratoriums, Extension of Annual Financial Statement Due Date, Tenant Recertification.
The Stakeholder Announcement can be found HERE. -
Offit|Kurman to Host Free Webinar for DC Housing Professionals
04-10-2020
The District of Columbia continues to be challenging place to be a Landlord or Property Manager. This is especially true during this COVID19 emergency. Please join Billy Cannon, Brian Dorwin and Jennifer Friend-Kelly for a free webinar on New Legislation Passed by the DC Council and How it Impacts the Management of Your Property. To register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2112662520877571342
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President Trump Signs Executive Order Creating Council on Eliminating Affordable Housing Development Barriers
07-02-2019
President Trump Signs Executive Order Creating Council on Eliminating Affordable Housing Development Barriers
This week, President Trump signed an executive order to establish a White House Council on Eliminating Barriers to Affordable Housing Development. The council will consist of members from eight federal agencies and will be chaired by HUD Secretary Ben Carson. According to HUD’s press release, the Council will be tasked with accomplishing the following items by January 2021:
- Work across agencies, States, local governments, tribal governments, and private-sector stakeholders to identify policies that artificially increase the cost of developing affordable housing.
- Report on the quantifiable effect that Federal, State, local, and tribal regulatory barriers have on affordable housing development, the economy, and society.
- Take action to reduce Federal regulatory and administrative burdens that discourage private investment and housing development;
- Take action within existing Federal programs to align and support local, and tribal state efforts to reduce regulatory and administrative burdens that discourage housing development.
- Recommend Federal, State, local, and tribal policies that would:
- Reduce and streamline statutory, regulatory, and administrative burdens that inhibit the development of affordable housing supply at all levels of government;
- Incentivize State, local, and tribal governments to reduce barriers to affordable housing development.
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House Passes Robust Spending Package for Affordable Housing
06-27-2019
National Low Income Housing Coalition202-662-1530 x247; http://nlihc.org
The House approved by a vote of 227-194 on June 25 a five-bill FY20 spending package that includes robust funding for affordable housing and community development investments at HUD and USDA, as well as several positive amendments. This outcome is due in no small measure to your advocacy and to the leadership of strong congressional champions, including Transportation–HUD Approp Read moreHUD releases Guidance on How to Enforce a Zero Based on 14-Day Physical Inspection Notification Period
05-15-2019
Please click here to read the May 1, 2019 memorandum that provides guidance on what steps a field office must take when a project receives a score of zero because an owner and/or management agent defaulted on the contractual obligation to allow HUD to perform a physical inspection based on the new 14-day notification period. On February 22, 2019, PIH and Housing published the Standardization of REAC Inspection Notification Timelines, Notice PIH-2019-02(HA)/H-2019-04. This Notice informed PHAs and multifamily owners and agents that beginning on March 25, 2019, they would be given a 14-day notice of an inspection. If the owner/agent could not accept that date, they would be given a second date that fell within the next seven days of the original one. If the owner/agent refused the second date, the project would receive a physical inspection score of zero.Please contact Brandt Witte at 202-402-2614 or at Brandt.T.Witte@hud.gov if you have any questions.To read the memorandum online, please click here. For more information, please visit NAHMA's “Emerging REAC Issues” webpage.The tables on this website are converted with the Div Table online tool. Please subscribe for an online HTML editor membership to stop adding promotional messages to your documents.Transforming Lives Through Literacy
05-15-2019
Our parent association, NAHMA, has been named one of 24 finalists selected as a milestone award winner in the first phase of the Adult Literacy XPRIZE Communities Competition. NAHMA is now encouraging all AHMA-member properties to work with them by promoting the download and use of free adult literacy learning apps.To join the effort to "transform lives through literacy," we encourage you to download a flyer announcing the availability of the free literacy app and to distribute the flyer to your residents or post where they will see it. The flyer is available in both English and Spanish--both are available for download here.To download the app, click here and use community code 5588.Pay for Success (PFS) 60-day PRA Now Available for Comments
05-15-2019
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015 authorizes HUD to establish a Pay For Success (PFS)-style demonstration program for achieving energy and water savings in the multifamily assisted housing stock. The intent to collect information for the forthcoming PFS program is now posted on the Federal Register for the required 60-day public comment period per the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). View it here. Comments are due by July 8, 2019. After comments are reviewed and addressed, it will be posted again on the Federal Register for a 30-day PRA public comment period. To view the draft NOFA for the Multifamily Energy and Water Conservation Pay For Success Pilot, please click here.
Take Action to #KeepFamliesTogether!
05-15-2019
The Trump administration has proposed a new rule that would prohibit “mixed-status” immigrant families from living in public and other subsidized housing. The rule would result in family separations and evictions for certain immigrant families, putting tens of thousands of people and children at increased risk of homelessness. Learn more here. The public now has 60 days to comment on the rule.
NLIHC and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) are leading the effort to oppose this harmful and cruel proposal and have developed advocacy tools for you to use to join us in opposition. Together, NLIHC and NHLP launched a new website, www.Keep-Families-Together.org, where you can find fact sheets and other resources (including talking points and social media images), read the latest news, and submit your own comments directly to HUD. We will continue to update this website throughout the comment period.
National Low Income Housing Coalition
1000 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005
202-662-1530 x247
May 15, 2019DiBello Represents MA-AHMA at First REAC Listening Session
02-27-2019
The Mid-Atlantic AHMA arranged to have Dennis DiBello, Founder/Chief Inspector with American Property Consultants, Inc. (APC, Inc), represent our membership at last week's first REAC Listening Session in Philadelphia, PA. While Dennis will be providing a more detailed report/article for us to share, we wanted to get a quick summary of the meeting out to you as the clock is ticking on the notice comment period.
During its first regional listening session regarding the new REAC Notice, HUD national and regional leadership engaged with stakeholders on both the short- and long-term prop Read moreGuidance on Use of Rent Incentive Options in Multi-Family Housing Properties
11-29-2018
Many Rural Development MFH properties that are experiencing vacancies need to attract applicants in order to improve cash flow and maintain financial viability; in some rental markets, a short-term rent incentive of no more than three months may be useful in improving occupancy and project cash flow. Recently, the Rural Housing Service published an Unnumbered Letter providing guidance on rent incentive options in situations where multi-family owners or agents can be allowed to address a potential vacancy problem, either immediately or as part of a Servicing Work Out Plan (SWOP). For the last two fiscal years, a pilot of this policy was tested in four States, with good utilization and results of increased occupancy. To read the attached Unnumbered Letter online, please click here.
2019 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAFs) and Utility Allowance Factors Now Available
11-29-2018
The Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAFs) for 2019 were published on November 23, 2018 in the Federal Register. These factors are used for adjusting or establishing Section 8 rents under the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRA), as amended, for projects assisted with Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments. The factors are effective February 11, 2019 and can be found at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-11-23/pdf/2018-25440.pdf
Utility Allowance Factors for 2019, which may be used to adjust baseline utility allowances prepared in accordance with Housing Notice 2015-04, are also now available on HUDUser at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/muaf.html.
Note to PBCAs and HUD staff processing rents adjustments using Auto OCAF: As of today, the 2019 factors are updated in iREMS. Please delete any Amend Rents records effective 02/11/2019 and beyond that were created either automatically or manually with the old 2018 factors. A new record will automatically generate with the new 2019 factor. Neither PBCAs nor submitting owners will be penalized by HUD for delays related to the timing of the release of the 2019 factors.
added in meeting on 1st feb 2019.Keep in Touch
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