Files on households can take up a lot of space. After a few years, you may be tempted to throw out some of these files, which contain documents relating to former and current households as well as to applicants who were rejected or withdrew their applications. If you're not careful, you...
Four years ago, the Insider launched a new monthly feature: The Trainer. Since then, the Trainer has asked—and answered—questions based on topics raised in each issue’s compliance articles. Whether you’re a long-time subscriber or a new one, you can test your...
All site owners at one time or another must take the unpleasant step of evicting a resident. You may have to evict a resident for one of a number of lease violations, such as nonpayment of rent, excessive noise, or criminal activity. Whatever your grounds for eviction, you want to do everything...
Methamphetamine (meth) use has crept up the social ladder and now can be found at all social strata. The meth problem is pervasive. Meth-making operations have been uncovered in all 50 states. And according to a nationwide survey of 500 law-enforcement agencies in 45 states by the National...
HUD-assisted households are required to report all income from all sources to the owner or manager during certification or recertification. One component of annual income is any income the household’s assets generate. And sometimes, households may dispose of assets for less than fair...
Sometimes contractors accidentally overbill you. Less frequently, but still too often, they may even try to cheat you. Being the victim of overbilling practices not only costs you lots of money, it can also lead to audit problems. Auditors pore over contractor invoices to make sure they back up...
You may think that because you take good care of your site, conduct regular inspections, and promptly fix problems, you’re prepared for your site’s upcoming HUD inspection. But it’s important to give your site a last-minute once-over to make sure you catch any problems before...
Assisted sites can amass a lot of legal expenses for site-related matters like evicting problem residents or drafting letters to comply with certain HUD rules. You can charge site-related legal expenses to your site's operating accounts, but only if you comply with HUD's rules on...
In last month's issue of the Insider, we told you of HUD's efforts to clamp down on excessive pay at public housing authorities by setting caps that extend and expand limits imposed by Congress. With increased HUD attention on salaries, this may be a good time for owners and...
Going to court with a resident can be an expensive proposition—even if you win. You may win $1,000 in back rent, but that's not a meaningful victory if you have to pay your attorney a few thousand dollars to win it for you. And without a lease clause requiring residents who violate...
Dealing with domestic violence is one of the trickiest problems site managers face. You may have observed domestic violence first hand, responded to noise complaints from neighbors, have the police called to your site, been asked to terminate a lease against a resident's abusive spouse, or...
If you're considering taking over the management of an assisted site, or if you've already agreed to do so, look carefully at the site's financial statements for signs of financial problems or challenges you may face once you start managing the site, says Seth D. Strongin, a CPA in...
