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NAHRO Summer Symposium

2025 Event Recap

By on Aug 8, 2024 in Events

Team Yardi had a fantastic time attending the NAHRO Summer Symposium in Chicago earlier this month. We’re proud to continue our role as a NAHRO supporter and diamond sponsor.  

The event celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Housing Choice Voucher program and the opening of the National Public Housing Museum. Attendees participated in informational sessions focused on the past, present and future of the affordable housing industry.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with our clients and learn about what’s on the horizon for the industry,” said Stevan Henning, senior account executive.

The conference

We were warmly welcomed by NAHRO President George Guy, who opened with a lighthearted discussion on the history of music and culture in Chicago. It was a jam-packed schedule, keeping us on our toes the entire time. We learned about various topics in the housing industry including:

  • Updates on the Move to Work Demonstration
  • Improving Community Choice in the Voucher Program
  • HUD’s New Inspection protocol, NSPIRE
  • Level 5 Upfront Income Verification
  • Public Housing Preservation, Climate and Energy Resources

National Public Housing Museum tour

One of the standout moments was the tour of Chicago’s National Public Housing Museum — the first institution of its kind dedicated to telling the story of public housing in the United States.

“Housing insecurity is a leading issue of our time. Having an institution dedicated to educating people and sharing stories is incredible. Touring the facility was heartwarming, the stories were touching, and the lessons were rewarding,” said Jeanette Porter, PHA sales manager.

Streamlining the Verification of Income: panel session

Yardi teamed up with Heather Gaines from Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority and Alice Kimbowa from Seattle Housing Authority in a panel session discussing income verification challenges and strategies.

Mary Beth Snyder, Yardi industry principal, delved into some key issues facing income verification such as:

  • Applicant fraud
  • Lower staffing levels
  • Varied income sources

HUD’s highest level of income verification for new applicants is upfront income verification (UIV) using non-HUD systems. While many agencies use The Work Number for UIV, more cost-effective data providers and electronic data sets are available.

Using electronic data verification enhances program integrity, improves administrative efficiency and reduces steps for applicants. Attendees learned how UIV costs are justified by addressing current challenges and opportunities.

Thank you NAHRO for the opportunity to speak on this pressing matter housing authorities are facing. We hope attendees found value in our panel session.  

Client spotlight

Connecting with clients at events like these is always a highlight. Jeanette had the pleasure of meeting with April Thompson of Rock Springs Housing Authority.  April was thrilled to share that her team is now live on Yardi Voyager. She noted that the transition to Yardi was smooth, thanks to our dedicated team that ensured everything was up and running.

We look forward to our future partnership with Rock Springs Housing Authority and supporting their continued success with Voyager.

Final thoughts

The NAHRO Summer Symposium offered our team a chance to connect with the community, celebrate milestones and reflect on the importance of public housing. We look forward to continuing to support NAHRO and contributing to the future of the industry.

Curious about our commitment to public housing? Learn more about our solutions for PHAs here.