During the month of March 2021, A. J. Johnson will be partnering with the MidAtlantic Affordable Housing Management Association in a series of live webinars for real estate professionals, particularly those in the affordable multifamily housing field. The following live webinars will be presented:
March 10: The Verification and Calculation of Income and Assets on Affordable Housing Properties – This five-hour course (there will be a one-hour lunch break) provides concentrated instruction on the required methodology for calculating and verifying income, and for determining the value of assets and income generated by those assets. The first section of the course involves a comprehensive discussion of employment income, along with military pay, pensions/social security, self-employment income and child support. It concludes with workshop problems designed to test what the student has learned during the discussion phase of the training and serve to reinforce HUD required techniques for the determination of income. The second component of the training focuses on a detailed discussion of requirements related to the determination of asset value and income, and is applicable to all federal housing programs, including the low-income housing tax credit, tax-exempt bonds, Section 8, Section 515, HOME, and HOPE VI. Multiple types of assets are covered, both in terms of what constitutes an asset and how must they be verified. This section also concludes with a series of problems, designed to test the student’s understanding of the basic requirements relative to assets.
March 11: Compliance with Federal and State Fair Housing Requirements – the course “Compliance with Federal and State Fair Housing Requirements” will equip attendees with the knowledge and understanding needed to avoid fair housing violations.
The course curriculum is centered around the regulations in the two major fair housing laws, The Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The course also includes a discussion of the additional state and local protected characteristic. In addition, relevant portions of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) are covered.
The purpose of the Fair Housing Act is to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities. Professional fair housing training assists in this mission by ensuring that housing professionals understand both the rights of the public relative to fair housing and the duties and responsibilities of real estate professionals.
March 16: Intermediate Level Tax Credit Compliance – Designed for more experienced managers, supervisory personnel, investment asset managers, and compliance specialists, this program expands on the information covered in the Basics of Tax Credit Site Management. A more in-depth discussion of income verification issues is included as well as a discussion of minimum set-aside issues (including the Average Income Minimum Set-Aside), optional fees and use of common areas. The Available Unit Rule is covered in great detail, as are the requirements for units occupied by students. Attendees will also learn the requirements relating to setting rents at a tax credit property. This course contains some practice problems but is more discussion oriented than the Basic course. A battery-operated calculator is required for this course (cell phone calculators are acceptable).
March 17: Preparing Affordable Housing Properties for Agency Required Physical Inspections – Agency inspections of affordable housing properties are required for all affordable housing programs, and failure to meet the required inspection standards can result in significant financial and administrative penalties for property owners. This four-hour training focuses on how owners and managers may prepare for such inspections, with a concentration on HUD REAC inspections and State Housing Finance Agency inspections for the LIHTC program. Specific training areas include (1) a complete discussion of the most serious violations, including health & safety; (2) how vacant units are addressed during inspections; (3) when violations will be reported to the IRS; (4) the 20 most common deficiencies; (5) how to prepare a property for an inspection; (6) strategies for successful inspections; and (7) a review of the most important Uniform Physical Conditions Standards as they relate to the five inspectable areas [site/doors & windows/electrical/building exterior & systems/Units & Common Area]. In addition, an update on the current status of REAC will be presented as will a discussion of the new “NSPIRE” protocol, that will ultimately replace the current REAC procedures. At the end of the training, attendees will have a blueprint they can use to prepare their properties for agency required physical inspections – regardless of the program under which they operate.
March 18: Diversity, Discrimination, and Systemic Racism in Affordable Housing – Decent housing is a basic human right. Without decent, safe, and affordable housing, all aspects of family life suffer, and a life of dignity is impossible. Yet, an affordable housing crisis is a current reality in the United States and, for minorities, it has been a reality throughout the nation’s history.
This interactive, participant-oriented three-hour discussion is intended to invite discussion of systemic racism in affordable housing, why it exists, and how we can begin to overcome it. The discussion will be led by A. J. Johnson, who will attempt to set the framework for a non-political discussion of the discrimination that currently exists in the affordable housing field. It is hoped that a full airing of the issue can be achieved and participants will gain a more sensitive perception of the problem with a recognition that understanding leads to solutions – or at least efforts at solutions. Specific discussion areas will include (1) How a diverse hiring program can lead to diversity in housing; (2) the hard conversation of whether systemic racism actually exists; (3) the meaning of systemic racism; (4) examples of systemic racism in housing; (5) the consequences of systemic racism; and (6) steps that can be taken to begin ending systemic racism.
This is not training – it is a discussion. It is intended for anyone who works in the affordable housing industry with an interest in providing housing for those most in need – regardless of their race, color, or national origin. Site Managers, Leasing Staff, Maintenance Staff, and owners will all benefit from this frank discussion of one of the most serious problems confronting our industry – and our nation – today.
These sessions are part of the year-long collaboration between A. J. Johnson and MidAtlantic AHMA that is designed to provide affordable housing professionals with the knowledge needed to effectively manage the complex requirements of the various agencies overseeing these programs.
Persons interested in any (or all) of these training sessions may register by visiting either www.ajjcs.net or https://www.mid-atlanticahma.org.