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...
Use of the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system for public and multifamily housing providers receiving HUD rental assistance became mandatory on Jan. 31, 2010. Progress seemed bumpy earlier in the year, with lagging participation from some owners and agents, multiple system outages,...
From time to time, you may receive requests from households that want—or need—to move to a new unit. For instance, they may need a larger unit, or they may desire a unit on a higher floor, or they may need a ground-floor unit to accommodate a disability. The IRS has made it clear...
Last May, a young social worker fell to his death from the 24th-floor balcony of his New York City apartment building after part of the railing gave way. Officials from the city's Department of Buildings (DOB) reported that the balcony's railing was “loose and damaged,” and...
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...
Security deposits can become a source of conflict between owners and residents. A good rule of thumb with security deposits is to remember that, unlike any other money that you receive from a household, the security deposit remains the resident's money, says Daniel Bancroft, a Boston-area...
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,...
QHow can a low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) site owner collect rent that is above the area median income rent when the resident is receiving Section 8 in a tax credit unit?
“Don't let the bedbugs bite!” Most of us recognize that line from a popular nursery rhyme. It also may be a reason why many people used to believe that bedbugs were a myth. In fact, the public's resistance to believing that bedbugs are real has been one of the major hurdles...
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...
Whether you're developing a new pet policy for your site or you have a strict no-pets rule, keep in mind that animals needed because of a disability are not pets.
