The slow economic recovery and high unemployment rates have created a surge in full-time enrollment among vocational schools and community colleges across the United States, according to research from the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Center for Education Statistics...
Drug-related and criminal activity has long been associated with low-income housing in the public mind. While drug dealing also takes place in conventional housing sites, most drug dealers and gangs target low-income developments to push their drugs to an already fragile population, say crime...
Every tax credit site has a host of criteria for leasing, compliance, and dealing with households. Without a formal plan that spells out how to apply the appropriate policies and procedures in a given situation, the staff often is left to their own devices. This can lead to uninformed and...
Residents of multiunit housing sites can find that loving thy neighbor isn't always that easy. Every site owner or manager has had to deal with residents’ complaints about their neighbors at some point. Loud music, unruly kids, noisy pets, cooking odors—no matter what the issue,...
Tax credit owners are getting better at complying with the Fair Housing Act's accessibility guidelines in their newly constructed housing projects. However, many who receive federal funding still fail to ensure that they have the appropriate percentage of accessible units to meet the Uniform...
Many low-income housing projects have had to deal with community opposition to their site—also known as NIMBYism (“not in my backyard”). It has been a longtime battle for affordable housing proponents, but the current economic crisis may provide the needed leverage for tax...
In warmer weather, many residents find it hard to resist the temptation to use their fire escapes for recreation, often filling them with grills, chairs, plants, and the like. But for most sites, dealing with clutter or debris that obscures common areas is an ongoing, rather than seasonal,...
Social networking is growing at an exponential rate. According to a report by technology and market research firm Forrester Research, 55.6 million U.S. adults visited social networking sites in 2009, double the number of users reported in 2007.
Becoming a pet-friendly site can be a great way to increase your pool of prospective residents and keep them longer once you find them. Responsible pet owners generally are also responsible tenants, and they appreciate sites that welcome Fido and Fluffy. In fact, research by FIREPAW, the...
There is a growing consciousness among low-income housing developers, site owners, and managers of the health, environmental, and cost advantages associated with green building practices. Owners and developers are increasingly employing green strategies to ensure that newly constructed and...
Chipping and peeling paint on a building's exterior. Loose wood siding. Exposed wiring. Rusted steps and railings. These were just some of the problems uncovered during the Real Estate Assessment Center's (REAC) inspection of a 77-unit Section 8 project. And after receiving low scores on...
The revised 8823 Guide, released by the IRS on Sept. 25, 2009, addresses issues brought about by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), amendments to the HUD Handbook 4350.3, and the revised utility allowance regulation. Last month, we looked at significant changes related to...
