Applicability of Final VAWA Rule
On November 16, 2017, I sent a memo to clients informing them of the publication of the HUD Final Rule implementing the changes to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Over the next few weeks, I will post a series…
Posts by A. J. Johnson
Occupancy Standards – Recommendations and Best Practices
All communities should have occupancy standards to prevent overcrowding of units. In the case of federally assisted properties, the standards should also prevent underutilization of space. A primary goal of any occupancy standard should be to ensure that it…
Memo on HUD Notice H 2016-7, RAD Notice Regarding Fair Housing and Civil Rights and Relocation Requirements
HUD published Notice H 2016-7 on November 10, 2016. The Notice replaces and supersedes Notice H 2014-09/PIH 2014-17 (issued July 14, 2014). The Notice provides PHAs, Owners and RAD development partners with guidance regarding fair housing, civil rights, and…
HUD Final Rule on VAWA – November 16, 2016
The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) final rule regarding the implementation of housing protections authorized in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) was published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2016. In…
Add-on and Special Fees Available for Properties Implementing a Homeless Preference
On October 26, 2016, HUD published a memorandum allowing special and add-on management fees for properties implementing a homeless preference. HUD has been working to increase the number of assisted properties with homeless preferences. Recognizing that establishing and operating…
HUD Policy for Amending Use Agreements for LIHPRHA Deals – October 28, 2016 (Notice H 2016-16)
HUD Policy for Amending Use Agreements for LIHPRHA Deals – October 28, 2016 (Notice H 2016-16) HUD published Notice H 2016-16 on October 28, 2016. This Notice provides guidance on the circumstances under which HUD may consider amended and…
HUD Implementation Guidance for Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016
In the October 24, 2016 Federal Register, HUD published initial implementation guidance for the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA). President Obama signed HOTMA into law on July 29, 2016, but only certain parts of the law are…
2017 Social Security COLA Announced – October 18, 2016
The federal government announced today that the Social Security Cost of Live Adjustment (COLA) for 2017 will be 0.3%. This means that there will be a very slight change in the Social Security income of SS recipients for the upcoming…
HUD Revises Previous Participation Certification Requirements, Final Rule – October 14, 2016
On October 14, 2016, HUD published in the Federal Register a Final Rule, “Improving the Previous Participation Reviews of Prospective Multifamily Housing Program Participants.” This rule revises HUD regulations for review of Previous Participation Certifications (PPC) for certain participants…
Streamlining Administrative Regulations for Multifamily Housing Programs, Notice H-2016-09
On October 3, 2016, HUD published Notice H-2016-09, relating to the streamlining of Administrative Regulations for Multifamily Housing (and some medically related) Programs. This memo relates only to the portions of the Notice relating to multifamily housing. The full streamlining…
Participation of Faith-Based Organizations in HUD Programs
I received a call recently regarding the rights of a faith-based organization operating an apartment community when HUD funding is present at the community. The issue is important enough that I believe other clients may benefit from a general review…
HUD Notice H 2016-10; Reminder of Lead-Based Paint Requirements
On October 3, 2016, HUD published Notice H 2016-10, Reminder of Requirements Pertaining to Lead-Based Paint Inspection and Disclosure Forms, and Notification of Upcoming Inspections. As stated in the Notice, exposure to lead remains a major environmental health problem…
HUD 2017 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors Published – October 5, 2016
On October 5, 2016, HUD published a Notice of Certain Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAF) for 2017. The Notice is effective for properties with Project-based rental assistance contracts under Section 8 with an anniversary date on or after February 11,…
Assistance to Non-Citizens in the Section 8 Program
Assistance to Non-Citizens in the Section 8 Program Section 214 of the Housing & Community Development Act of 1980 prohibited HUD from providing housing assistance to aliens unless they meet certain residency requirements. In 1996, Congress amended Section…
Compliance with HUD Live-in Aide Rules
Compliance with HUD Live-in Aide Rules Allowing a Live-in Aide for a disabled person is both a HUD and fair housing requirement. The definition of a live-in aide is a person who resides with one or more elderly…
Defining the Terms Handicapped or Disabled for Fair Housing Purposes
The Meaning of “Handicap/Disabled”: Defining the Protected Characteristic The Fair Housing Act (FHA) defines “handicap” as: A physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life activities; A record of having such an…
HUD Office of General Counsel Guidance on Local Nuisance and Crime-Free Housing Ordinances – September 13, 2016
On September 13, 2016, the HUD General Counsel issued guidance on the application of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to the enforcement of Local Nuisance and Crime Free Housing Ordinances against crime victims and others who require police or emergency…
Quid Pro Quo Harassment – HUD Final Rule – September 14, 2016
Quid Pro Quo Harassment – HUD Final Rule – September 14, 2016 On September 14, 2016, HUD published a final rule in the Federal Register – Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Environment Harassment and Liability for Discriminatory Housing Practices…
HUD Notice on Revised Independent Student Rules, September 21, 2016
HUD published a Notice in the September 21, 2016 Federal Register, effective immediately, revising the rules regarding eligibility of independent students for Section 8 housing. Background The final rule establishing eligibility of students for Section 8 assistance was…
Fair Housing Guidance for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, September 15, 2016
On September 15, 2016, the HUD Office of General Counsel provided guidance on Fair Housing Act protections for persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The guidance discusses how the Fair Housing Act (FHA) applies to housing providers when dealing with…
HUD Proposed Rule – Lead Based Paint Hazards
HUD published a proposed rule in the September 1, 2016 Federal Register titled “Requirements for Notification, Evaluation, & Reduction of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Federally Owned Residential Property & Housing Receiving Federal Assistance; Response to Elevated Blood Levels.” The…
Valuation of LIHTC Properties
The line item for property taxes is often the most costly item in a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project’s operating budget. First, it is important to understand that there is no consistency in the valuation of LIHTC projects…
HUD Update on HOME Utility Allowance Requirements – August 2016
The 2013 HOME Final Rule established revised utility allowance requirements for the HOME Program. HUD Community Planning & Development recently provided updated guidance on the timeframe for implementation of the final rule and acceptable methodologies relative to the determination of…
Family Self Sufficiency Program for Multifamily Housing
HUD issued Notice H-2016-08 on August 26, 2016. This Notice relates to the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program in Multifamily Housing. FSS is a HUD program that provides incentives and support to families in MF assisted housing to increase their…
HUD Issues New Guidance on Multifamily Utility Allowance Determination
HUD has provided updated information to HUD Notice H-2015-04, Methodology for Completing a Multifamily Housing Utility Allowance. The additional information relates to six areas of the original HUD Notice. Baseline Analysis Owners/Agents (O/A) are required to submit documentation…
Potential Impact on LIHTC Projects from The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016
Potential Impact on LIHTC Projects from The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 Congress recently passed the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016. While many of the changes brought about by the Act apply only to Public Housing…
Avoiding Discrimination Based on Sex in Housing
Avoiding Discrimination Based on Sex in the Provision of Housing Federal law did not prohibit sex discrimination in housing until 1974, when a non-controversial provision of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 added “sex” as a…
Significant New Housing Law Ready for President’s Signature
On July 14, 2016, the U.S. Senate passed HR 3700, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016. It is expected that the President will sign the Act into law shortly at which time the statute will be sent to…
Verification of Cash Payments
Verification of income from employment is usually just a matter of obtaining a written verification of income from the employer or the most recent four to six consecutive pay stubs from the applicant. However, in some cases, persons are paid…
Rural Development Voucher Program
The Rural Housing Service (RHS) published a notice in the Federal Register on June 29, 2016, titled “Rural Development Voucher Program.” The purpose of the notice was to inform the public of the general policies and procedures for the Rural…