The Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA) of 2016 brings significant changes to HUD’s public housing program. After years of preparation and implementation processes, public housing agencies across the country are ready to change the way they complete many of their core processes. Yardi is also ready for HOTMA with updates to our PHA Suite in development, as well as a plan to provide hands-on assistance to our clients as we work through HUD’s new program mandates. Gabrielle Van Horn, director of client services for Yardi, recently led an online webinar for Yardi clients walking them through Yardi’s HOTMA strategy. The webinar’s agenda included an overview of HUD changes, notably: Finalization of the Public Housing Over-Income Rule: Section 103 (PIH 2023-3) Final Rule for Sections 102 and 104 HOTMA Implementation Revisions to all 50058 forms Housing Information Portal (HIP), which replaces IMS/PIC National Standard for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) Van Horn walked attendees through Yardi’s plan to accommodate these upcoming changes. She also provided a timeline for all Yardi PHA clients who will need to upgrade their software this year, in order to remain compliant with the new HUD rules. Important notes on preparation and training from Gabrielle’s presentation included: Prepare your Board of Commissioners: ACOPs and Admin Plans must be adjusted. These are not optional changes We recommend utilizing training from HUD, industry experts, and industry groups such as NAHRO and PHADA for regulatory guidance An in-person training will be offered at the Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference in San Diego, September 6th – 8th Additional training will be available via online learning and documentation for those unable to attend the conference “This is an all-hands-on-deck process for the PHA client support team over the next few months. We’ve got a plan to help all of our clients to get their software ready for new HUD requirements, and we are allocating resources from within to help make the process as smooth and timely as possible. We’re committed to helping our clients through this process,” said Gabrielle. As a leading provider of PHA software and services, Yardi has access to contacts at HUD to seek clarification and provide feedback on how new rules can be accommodated. Yardi, as well as other vendors, will soon have a private meeting with HUD to discuss particular challenges and to provide advice on implementation strategies. Public housing agencies who are current Yardi clients can log on to Client Central to see Gabrielle’s recorded webinar. Questions submitted during the session, along with answers from Yardi, are also available on Client...
Getting the Job Done
Hagerstown Thrives While Distant
Public housing agencies across the country are open for business, even when their physical offices are closed. Their services and resources are literally vital to the health, safety and welfare of millions of Americans. How do they make it work? Hagerstown Housing Authority (HHA), which serves the city of Hagerstown in Maryland, uses specialized software solutions from Yardi that connect their staff to critical workflows that serve waitlisted households, applicants, participants and residents, and landlords. “The coronavirus is an awful situation, of course, but it has given us an opportunity to help our staff realize the benefits of cloud-based software, as well as online solutions for our applicants and residents,” says Sean Griffith, executive director for HHA. HHA has been serving its residents for more than 65 years. As a high-performing housing authority, as distinguished by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HHA owns and/or oversees 1,320 dwelling units in 11 communities and more than 900 Housing Choice Vouchers for use by residents who do not dwell in HHA-owned properties. Approximately 12% of the city’s residents are assisted by HHA housing resources. The waiting list for housing assistance from HHA grows daily as economic variables affect local residents. “There has been a definite uptick in need for housing assistance. Our properties are in demand, and the waiting list for Housing Choice Vouchers is growing,” says Griffith. Using RentCafe PHA, HHA makes it possible for interested households to place themselves on its waiting list. The process is handled completely online without the need for an office visit. That feature is particularly timely for HHA given the circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency went live with the Yardi PHA suite in the spring of 2019 and considers cloud functionality one of the...
