The Trainer — March 2013
DEALING WITH MOLD PROBLEMS; HIRING A SOCIAL SERVICE COORDINATOR
In this month’s feature, we discussed how to get rid of mold at your site, whether it’s due to a moist environment caused by a natural disaster or by faulty plumbing. You need to know when your maintenance staff can handle the mold cleanup and when you should hire a mold remediation company.
In our article on hiring a social service coordinator, we gave you four “dos and don’ts” for getting appropriate funding for the position. You need to make sure that the person you hire meets HUD’s qualifications and that you fund the position from approved sources.
QUIZ
QUESTION #1
If you discover a mold infestation that covers 100 or more square feet of mold, EPA guidelines say you should hire a professional mold remediation company. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
QUESTION #2
Which of the following isn’t a recommended method of dealing with mold?
a. Damp wiping the surface with water and detergent.
b. Painting or caulking over the moldy surface.
c. Using a wet vacuum on damp carpets and hard surfaces.
d. Using a HEPA vacuum after cleaned surfaces have dried.
QUESTION #3
When hiring a mold remediation company, you should choose one that’s licensed and meets government standards. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
QUESTION #4
Letting the mold remediation company discard mold-infested materials in your site’s Dumpsters is safe and can save you extra disposal costs. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
QUESTION #5
HUD guidelines say that to qualify for funding, a site’s social service coordinator must have a degree in social work, psychology, or counseling. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
QUESTION #6
If your site gets budget-based rent increases, you can ask HUD for a rent increase to fund a service coordinator. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
QUESTION #7
HUD has set a specific limit on how much you can pay a social service coordinator. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS
QUESTION #1
Correct answer: a
True. If mold is found in this amount of space—say, the wallboard in an entire room is covered with mold—the guidelines say you should hire a professional mold remediation company to combat the problem. This amount of mold would be too much for your maintenance staff alone to deal with safely.
QUESTION #2
Correct answer: b
The EPA guidelines caution against painting or caulking over moldy surfaces. The paint is likely to peel.
QUESTION #3
Correct answer: b
False. There are currently no government-imposed standards on mold removal or the contractors that perform it. Therefore, you can’t require a mold remediation contractor to be licensed. You can, however, require that the contractor be affiliated with a recognized professional association.
QUESTION #4
Correct answer: b
False. You don’t want any of the material, such as contaminated drywall, carpets, or furniture, to be left in a Dumpster at your site. The contractor should dispose of the material properly by carting it away to an approved disposal facility. Make sure you ask what will happen after mold-infested material is removed from your site, and only hire a contractor that will remove it properly.
QUESTION #5
Correct answer: b
False. A bachelor’s degree in social work or a degree in psychology or counseling is preferable, but HUD says that individuals without a degree but with appropriate work experience may be hired.
QUESTION #6
Correct answer: a
True. However, if your site has a residual receipts account, you can’t ask HUD for a rent increase until you’ve used up all the funds in that account.
QUESTION #7
Correct answer: b
False. HUD hasn’t specified any limits on coordinators’ salaries. But, as with any other site expense, you must be prepared to show HUD that the salary you’re proposing for the coordinator is “reasonable.” Check with other management companies or your local HUD office to see what salary range is reasonable in your site’s area. Or ask applicants to send a resume that includes their salary history and the salary they would want for a job at your site. Base your salary proposal on these applicants’ responses and submit any responses to HUD as evidence that your proposal is reasonable.