The Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system is a Web-based computer system implemented by HUD. It contains employment and income information on individuals participating in HUD's rental assistance programs. This information is used to meet HUD's requirement to independently verify employment and income when a resident recertifies for continued rental assistance.
Many sites store their resident, financial, and other site-related records in electronic computer files at their management company's office. These files include the site's most vital information: resident files, HUD certification and billing forms, maintenance records, income and expense statements, balance sheets, checking accounts, and more.
One sure way you can beat the heat this summer is to be certain that your air conditioning system and individual units are ready to go before the temperatures rise.
Most sites ban door-to-door solicitations for the protection and comfort of residents. But HUD says you must allow this practice in one specific situation—for resident organizers. Here's a look at what you can and cannot do, and how to make sure your policy doesn't violate HUD rules.
Not only is it a smart management practice to keep your household files up-to-date and complete, but it's also something that HUD expects you to do. And not just in time for an occupancy review or audit, but all of the time.Sloppy files will certainly raise a red flag during a formal review, signaling that you may not know what is needed to be in compliance. On top of that, messy or incomplete files can create headaches for you and your staff in the day-to-day operations of your site.
HUD's model lease clears the way for site owners and managers to access residents' units “for the purpose of making reasonable repairs and periodic inspections.” Doing so can help uncover unsafe or unsanitary conditions and unreported maintenance problems. Dealt with early, these conditions can help prevent more serious problems later, such as insect or rodent infestations, flooding, and major repairs.
As you work with families and individuals who apply to live at your site, you may give preference to certain categories of applicants. HUD says that it's okay to establish preferences, as long as you follow certain rules. HUD views the process of assigning preferences to applicants who meet certain criteria as a means of providing housing opportunities based on household circumstances. For example, you may give an admissions preference to “working households” or to households that reside within the municipality where your site is located.
It's natural for your residents to have guests for short visits. Even guests who come and stay for an extended period of time are not uncommon. But if your residents think their guests are not really your concern, or if you think it's no big deal if a guest comes now and then, you need to think again.
The ripple effects from an unsteady economy and uneven housing market continue to be felt in the assisted housing industry. Depending upon your geographic location and the type of housing your site includes, you're probably encountering vexing issues, such as ever-growing waiting lists for Section 8 units, market rents that have the potential to wreak havoc on your budget, and operating expenses that continue to climb. And still you must contend with HUD's expectations that you remain fiscally sound and adhere to regulations and requirements for occupancy and determining rents.
Households at your site with pregnant members, and families with pregnant members who apply to live at your site, are subject to specific HUD rules when it comes to eligibility, income, and unit size. But you have to be careful about how you use what you learn with regard to pregnant residents and applicants so that you do not treat these individuals in any different or unfair way.
