The Trainer

The Trainer — September 2017

August 11, 2017    
Understanding Owners & Residents’ Rights & Responsibilities In this month’s feature, we discussed the new Resident Rights and Responsibilities brochure HUD posted on its website last July. This brochure, which tells households about their rights and responsibilities as residents...
Feature

Ensure Building and Common Areas Comply with Federal Accessibility Requirements

July 19, 2017    
Federally assisted sites are covered by accessibility requirements for design and construction under either the Fair Housing Act (FHA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As a site owner or manager, you must make sure that your site complies with these requirements. Because HUD and...
Compliance

HUD Issues VAWA Implementation Guidance for Owners of HUD-Assisted Housing

July 19, 2017    
Following the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) Guidance issued by HUD’s office of Public and Indian Housing in May, HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs recently issued its own guidance (Notice 2017-05) to owners and management agents of HUD-assisted...
In the News

Joint Center for Housing Publishes 2017 State of the Nation’s Housing Report

July 19, 2017    
The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS) recently released “The State of the Nation’s Housing” report for 2017. The data shows that renters are continuing to experience affordability challenges and that construction hasn’t been keeping pace with...
In the News

Democratic Senators Urge HUD Secretary to Restore LGBTQ Nondiscrimination Resources

July 19, 2017    
In response to HUD’s recent decision to remove resources for members of the LGBTQ community from its website, a group of 29 Senate Democrats sent a letter to HUD’s Secretary Ben Carson urging him to protect members of the LGBTQ community from housing discrimination.
In the News

Rep. Waters Introduces Public Housing Legislation

July 19, 2017    
The ranking member of the committee on financial services, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), recently introduced the Public Housing Tenant Protection and Reinvestment Act of 2017. Its goal is to preserve public housing, increase tenant protections, and provide additional funds to address the significant...
In the News

HUD Announces Collaboration with Japan for Aging-in-Place Research

July 19, 2017    
HUD and Japan have formally agreed to work cooperatively on researching innovated approaches to housing both nations’ vulnerable senior population. “Our nations have much to learn from each other, and we recognize that our strength is measured by our regard, respect, and care of the...
In the News

HUD Releases Updated Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide

July 19, 2017    
HUD recently released an updated Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide that is effective July 28, 2017. The Section 8 Renewal Guide assists those handling the renewal of expiring Section 8 HAP contracts. The guide replaces the last version, which was published in August of 2015. There are 27 revisions in...
In the News

HUD Issues Two Family Self-Sufficiency Guides

July 19, 2017    
To celebrate 25 years of the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program, HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) and Office of Multifamily Housing Programs (Multifamily) each issued FSS guidebooks for their respective programs. The guidebooks provide information about promising practices...
Recent Court Rulings

Owner Improperly Removed Daughter from Household Composition

July 19, 2017    
Facts: For most of her life, a resident’s daughter lived at a Section 8 site. In or prior to 2007, without her knowledge, her mother removed her from the household composition forms. She continued to live in the apartment. When her mother moved out and she sought to take over the lease, HUD...