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1 State Registered Lifetime Sex Offenders
Housing Notice Update |
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On June 11, 2012, the Office of Multifamily Housing and the Office of Public and Indian Housing published joint notice H 2012-11 titled "State Registered Lifetime Sex Offenders in Federally Assisted Housing." This joint Notice updates and supersedes Housing Notice 2009-11.
The revised Notice strengthens language relating to the statutory and regulatory responsibilities of Owners and Agents to ensure that no lifetime registered sex offenders are admitted to federally assisted housing. The Notice provides, in part, the following:
- Applicants for admission into applicable HUD-assisted housing programs must provide a complete list of all states in which any household member has resided.
- Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and Owners and Agents must ask whether the applicant, or any member of the applicant's household, is subject to a lifetime sex offender registration requirement in any state.
- PHAs and Owners and Agents are reminded of their obligations with respect to Limited English Proficiency when processing applications of families for admission and also at the time of recertification.
- If the PHA or Owners and Agents discovers that a household member was erroneously admitted (the household member was subject to a lifetime registration requirement at admission and was admitted after June 25, 2001), the PHA or Owners and Agents must immediately pursue eviction or termination of assistance for the household member.
For more information, please review H 2012-11 in its entirety.
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2 Are you considering a New Bank Account? |
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Before changing your property's bank account, be sure to submit an updated 1199A Direct Deposit Sign-Up form to your Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Project Manager. The form may be obtained here or by contacting Kristine Dreckman, 515.725.4946.
Once the 1199A form is complete, your HUD Project Manager will need the completed form, as well as a voided check and deposit slip from your new account for approval purposes.
Once HUD approves your new account, IFA will update your account information which will allow the deposit of your monthly Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) payment to the new account.
Important: Do not close your current approved bank account until you have received one monthly HAP payment in your new approved account. |
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3 Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide Transmittal |
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On May 18, 2012, HUD issued page changes and updated the Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide.
To review the new changes listed in HUD's Transmittal click here.
Two of those changes have an impact on budget-based rent adjustment requests when selecting Option Four. The first change requires the use of current debt service in an Owner's budget-based rent increase request. The second change permits a budget-based rent increase at the annual anniversary date, only if the proposed rents do not exceed comparable market rents.
The effective date of the change is May 18, 2012. Any budget-based rent increase originally postmarked prior to May 18, 2012, is processed under the previous guidelines. The change is applicable to all budget-based rent increase requests postmarked after May 18, 2012.
This new requirement also applies to all Option Four contracts, including multi-year contracts signed prior to May 18, 2012. |
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4 Resident Rent Collection |
Effective June 1, 2012, IFA began requiring each property to provide a Rent Receivable Ledger and a copy of the property's Rent Collection Policy during the annual Management Occupancy Review (MOR).
The Rent Receivable Ledger is reviewed to ensure that appropriate actions have been taken in regard to any resident that has rent greater than 30 days past due. When preparing your ledger, please include notes regarding collection activities that are being taken if the resident is not current on the repayment agreement.
Each property should also have a written Rent Collection Policy that indicates when delinquency notices are sent and evictions are initiated. This will assist in developing consistency and avoid the potential for discrimination.
If a property continues to have high Resident Accounts Receivables, HUD will consider requiring the property to repay all subsidy amounts received during the time the resident portion of the rent was not collected. For more information please review the IFA Management Bulletin titled Resident Rent Collection, issued April 11, 2012. |
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The First Reminder Notice is required at each Annual Recertification, even when there is not enough time to permit the full 120 day notification. This situation typically occurs when a tenant moves into the property after the First Reminder notices are sent at a property that has implemented a common recertification date.
Example:
- Common Annual Recertification date is December 1.
- Resident moves into the property on November 8.
The file must contain the Initial Notice as well as the First Reminder Notice associated with the Annual Recertification effective December 1.
Please remember to provide the First Reminder Notice to the resident at the same time all other Annual Recertification documents are completed for this scenario.
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6 Student Status and Disposal of Asset
Certifications |
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Student Status Certification and Disposal of Asset Certification is required at each Annual Recertification, even when the recertification is within 120 days of the last certification. This is another situation that occurs when a tenant moves into the property within 120 days of a property's common recertification date.
Example:
- Student Status and Disposal of Asset certifications signed on September 25.
- Move-in on November 8.
- Common Annual Recertification date is December 1.
The Annual Recertification process requires the resident to recertify Student Status and Disposal of Assets. Even though 120 days have not passed, the two certifications must be signed with the other Annual Recertification documents. |
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7 Double Key Locks on Entry Doors |
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We have recently noticed that many properties have received large point deductions during their Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) inspections due to double key locks on exterior doors.
Example:
- Emergency Fire Exits Blocked (Unusable LT)
- Location entry, Comments: double key lock installed on entry door
Please review your properties exterior doors to ensure correct locks are installed for the safety of your residents and to avoid large REAC deductions. |
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