Dos & Don'ts

Check with State Monitoring Agency Before Charging Rent on Employee Unit

September 25, 2019

If you have a manager’s unit as part of your original allocation of credits, the manager’s unit is not a considered an LIHTC unit. But it was included in eligible basis, so it’s more akin to common space.

Don't Consider Household Income with Live-In Aide Requests

September 25, 2019

Approving a live-in aide, if needed by a disabled household, is an example of a reasonable accommodation. When considering a household’ request for a live-in aide to accommodate a household member’ disability, don’t be concerned that the aide’s occupancy in a low-income...

Don't Require Applicant to Be Physically Able to Keep Unit Clean

September 25, 2019

Though you can require that an applicant’s unit be kept clean and free of health hazards, you can’t require that the applicant be physically able to keep the unit in such condition himself. It doesn’t matter whether the applicant himself is physically able to clean or maintain...

Count Unborn Children as Household Members

September 24, 2019

The HUD Handbook requires you to count household members’ unborn children as part of a low-income household for occupancy and income purposes [Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-6(E)(4)(d)]. You count a pregnant household member as two people, and use the income limits for a larger household size....

Follow Three Dos & Don’ts When Talking to Prospects

August 30, 2018

Staff members at tax credit sites can get into trouble when talking with prospects. Any false assurances, improper assumptions, or inappropriate statements could trigger noncompliance and a possible fair housing complaint or lawsuit. To avoid problems, here are three Dos & Don’ts you...

Include Unrelated Household Members When Calculating Household Income

June 30, 2017

When you calculate a household’s income to determine if it’s qualified, total the income of all the household’s members, even if they’re not related. If you make the mistake of counting members’ incomes separately, you’re likely to determine that their...

Don't Include Approved Rent Subsidies When Calculating Household Income and Rent

June 30, 2017

Don’t include the value of any approved federal or state rent subsidies the owner gets for a household when you calculate the household’s income and rent. If you do, you may charge the household too much rent. Or you may lose out on renting to a qualified household because you...

Verify Every Source of Household Income

June 30, 2017

Make sure that you verify every source of income a household reports. A household isn’t qualified unless you have the verifications to prove it. So if you accept a household without verifying all its income, the owner won’t be able to claim tax credits for the household’s unit...

Don't Perform Full Recertifications When They’re Not Necessary

March 28, 2013

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) eliminated the annual income recertification requirement for 100 percent buildings. Each state agency, however, may opt to tighten the rule and impose its own recertification requirements. In addition, some owners may still complete annual...

Focus on Resident Retention to Save Money, Paperwork

March 28, 2013

The paperwork associated with tax credit sites is formidable. Owners and managers must not only deal with paperwork generated from the application process, but also annual owner certifications and submissions of various compliance forms on an annual basis.

Let Prospects Pay Security Deposit by Credit Card

July 15, 2012

If your tax credit site lets residents pay their rent by credit card, consider letting prospects pay their security deposits by credit card as well, suggests property manager Kristen Morgan. Doing so can increase the likelihood that prospects will sign a lease when they first visit your site,...

Stagger Maintenance Staff's Work Shifts to Add Perceived Site Value

July 15, 2012

Try staggering your maintenance staff's hours to add perceived value to your site, suggests marketing expert Tracey Hopkins. Maintenance staffs typically work the same hours that residents work, which means that most residents don't see the maintenance staff hard at work to keep the site...