HUD Provides Additional Information in Response to COVID-19

HUD continues to communicate with industry stakeholders in response to COVID-19.

On March 24, HUD updated the Multifamily Housing COVID-19 Questions and Answers document and HUD says they will continue to provide updates. 

The following is of special interest to those of you who are completing recertifications.

  • Owner/agents may accept electronic signature but owner/agents must collect required signatures later
  • Owner/agents must ensure that responses remain faithful to obligations under the Constitution, Fair Housing Act and related regulations.
  • Recertifications can be submitted without tenant signature using Extenuating Circumstances policies.
  • Multifamily property owners and agents can access property operating accounts for all reasonable and necessary COVID-19 related preparedness and response actions, including supplies, staff hours, and overtime. No advance HUD approval is required to access operating account funds. 

You can find the latest COVID-19 Q&A on HUD’s web site at https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/Housing/documents/HUD_Multifamily_Corona_QA_FINAL.pdf. 

HUD also conducted a conference call yesterday, March 26. The following is of special interest to those of you who are completing recertifications.

  • HUD hopes to provide the maximum flexibility for recertification
  • HUD expects interim recertifications to be much more frequent during this time, and recommends communities update their policies to expedite processing
  • Extenuating circumstances can be listed in the tenant file for recertifications, and HUD plans to announce additional flexibility
  • HUD will provide additional guidance regarding required forms

Leading Age, an association dedicated to addressing issues surrounding housing and services for the aged, has posted their summary of this call on their web site at https://www.leadingage.org/regulation/march-26-hud-call-financial-options-operational-relief.

Finally, after taking the “Handling Recertification” class, many of you have asked for more information about Streamlined Verification of Assets and Fixed Income and Streamlined Certification for Fixed Income Families. Using these verification methods, introduced in 2016 and 2017, can ease the burden of verification as you are creating Annual Recertifications. In response, we have added our Streamlining & The FAST Act online training workshop to our April calendar.

See Housing Notice 2016-09 https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/16-09HSGN.PDF Streamlining Administrative Regulations for Multifamily Housing Programs, RHIIP ListServ Posting 365 and Federal Register Notice Streamlining Administrative Regulations for Multifamily Housing Programs and Implementing Family Income Reviews Under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/12/12/2017-26697/streamlining-administrative-regulations-for-multifamily-housing-programs-and-implementing-family