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HUD Publishes 2020 OCAF Rent Adjustments

On November 22, 2019, the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) published the Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAF) for 2020. These factors apply to project-based assistance contracts issued under Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937 (the “Section…

REAC Requirements for Emergency Call Systems

On October 11, 2019, the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) issued Notice PIH 2019-25, which provides guidance on emergency call systems in public housing. The notice applies to all PHAs and localities that operate public housing. It should…

2020 Census – What Apartment Managers Need to Know

2020 will be a U.S. Census year. Every household will be required to answer a census questionnaire. This includes renters, so landlords and property managers need to know the rules. Questionnaires should be mailed to individual households by April 1,…

Rent Guarantors – An Alternative to Rejecting Applicants

Owners and managers of LIHTC properties are often faced with applicants who have less than desirable credit, income below the minimum required by the landlord, or no financial history. The common practice in the industry is to reject such applicants,…

Novogradac Study Outlines Expected Income Increases

Novogradac & Company has released its study of expected increases in state median incomes for 2020 and 2021. Novogradac estimates that the U.S. median income will increase by just less than 4 percent in 2020 and 3.4 percent in 2021.…

Disability Payments- Calculating & Verifying Income

Some applicants and residents of affordable housing properties receive disability payments. These payments may be short-term (temporary) or long-term. Disability payments are intended to offset a reduction in wages for individuals who cannot work due to illness or injury. According…

Bedbugs – A Review of Current HUD Guidance

Bedbugs continue to rear their ugly little heads in all types of properties – from luxury hotels to affordable housing. Affordable housing managers are always concerned about what they can and cannot require of residents with regard to bedbug treatments.…

Principal or Primary Residence Issue for LIHTC Housing

Virtually all affordable housing programs, including Section 8 and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), require that the lessees of the unit use apartments being rented under the applicable program as a “principal residence”.  Agencies have not provided a lot…

Social Security COLA – 2020

The federal government announced on October 10, 2019 that the Social Security Cost of Live Adjustment (COLA) for 2020 will be 1.6%.  This increase will provide an additional $24 per month for the average retiree. This is significantly less than…

NCSHA Provides Updated LIHTC Compliance Forms

The National Council for State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) has released updated model compliance forms for housing credit developments. Virtually all Housing Credit agencies (HCAs) require Housing Credit development owners to use specific forms in their compliance reporting. NCSHA, in collaboration…

Fair Housing Definition of a Dwelling

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) applies to “dwellings.” This raises the technical issue of what a dwelling is. The answer is not as simple as one may think. The statute’s definition of a dwelling includes any building occupied or intended…

Determining the Income of LIHTC Applicants and Residents

The determination of income is a primary requirement when determining the eligibility of applicants and residents at Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Properties. While individual Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) have their own requirements relating to the determination of income, there…

Family Members of Live-in Aides- New HUD Guidance

In the past, HUD guidance has indicated that family members of live-in aides could not reside with the aide in housing developments assisted under the HUD Multifamily Housing Division. This includes project-based rental assistance programs such as Section 8, as…

2019 HOME Income Limits

HUD has published the 2019 HOME income limits. The limits will be effective on June 28, 2019. Until that date, HOME fund recipients should continue to use the 2018 HOME income limits, which were published on June 1, 2018. The…

Criminal Background Checks and Fair Housing

     The federal Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are making investigations of fair housing violations in three specific areas a priority for 2019. These areas are sexual harassment, tenant-on-tenant harassment, and policies…
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