TRACS Web Sites

HUD TRACS Web site

This HUD web site provides information about TRACS including announcements pertaining to TRACS functions.  This is a valuable resource for anyone who submits HUD Form 50059 to HUD or to a Contract Administrator.

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/mfh/trx/trxsum

TRACS Announcements Page

This HUD web site provides HUD Broadcast messages regarding the TRACS database and iMAX. Additional industry announcements are often posted here as well.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/announcements.pdf

TRACS Discussion Forum

An open industry forum that allows multi-family housing stakeholders to initiate dialogue about issues affecting TRACS.  Post questions and receive responses from various industry stakeholders.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/trxsum.cfm

Monthly Activity Transmission (MAT) Guide

The MAT Guide has been updated to provide guidance for rules surrounding TRACS submissions. This new guide includes updates to rule changes incorporated in TRACS version 202C.  This includes:

• How to handle MI and MO transactions when dual subsidy occurs

• How to handle mid-month household spits

• Error codes and explanations

 http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/trxmatg.cfm

TRACS Rules of Behavior and TRACS Security Awareness Training

TRACS Rules of Behavior Information/Access and Security Training Requirements

 Registration is required prior to gaining access to the Tenant Rental Assistance Certification System (TRACS) Internet and integrated Multifamily Access eXchange (iMAX) applications for current user(s) and coordinator(s). These applications provide access to sensitive financial and personal information, security features have been implemented to ensure access is granted only to authorize entities/individuals. The Internet user will be able to access TRACS and iMAX Internet applications, after registering in HUD’s Secure Systems, being assigned a system, completing Security Awareness Training and accepting TRACS Rules of Behavior.  For additional information, read HUD’s requirements.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/securitytrainingreqd.pdf

HUD Form 50059 and HUD Form 50059-A

HUD Form 50059 

HUD Form 50059 used for resident certification. Specifically used for Move-in, Annual, Interim and Initial Certification (MAT 10)

http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/hudclips/forms/files/50059.pdf

Instructions for completing the 50059

This document provides comprehensive instruction for property management professionals responsible for completing HUD form 50059 and for those professionals addressing certification errors.  Updated 5-2009

50059-A Owner’s Certification of Compliance with HUD’s Tenant Eligibility and Rent Procedures – Partial Certification

Used for resident certification. Specifically used for Gross Rent Change (MAT 70), Unit Transfer (MAT 70), Move-out (MAT 40), Termination (MAT 65) Certification. Note: If a partial certification has the same effective date as a full certification, the partial certification is not used. The transaction will be incorporated in to the full certification as part of a newly created certification or as a correction to a prior certification.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/hudclips/forms/files/50059-a.pdf

Instructions for completing the 50059-A

This document provides comprehensive instruction for property management professionals responsible for completing HUD form 50059-A and for those professionals addressing certification errors.  Updated 5-2009

iMAX

iMAX User Guide

iMAX is a web-based communication system that provides Contract Administrators (CAs) and Owner Agents (OAs) who have subsidy contracts with HUD to transmit to HUD and to other OAs and CAs registered with iMAX, tenant data and voucher data files. Files sent to HUD are logged, processed, and submitted to TRACS for payment processing by iMAX. iMAX also receives TRACS processing results and makes these results available to the external business partners of HUD.  This manual provides information about accessing iMAX, uploading TRACS files and retrieving error messages.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/imaxuserguide.pdf  

iMAX Quick Start Guide

This document has been created by RBD to provide information for users who need to establish iMAX access. 

Integrated Multifamily Access eXchange (iMAX) Industry Specifications

This is the technical specification for iMAX. This document is used primarily by developers and technical staff who must design and maintain the communications link between properties and TRACS.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/imaxindustryspec.pdf

TRACSMail ID Request Form

The purpose of this form is to request a new TRACSMail ID. This TRACSMail ID is to be used for the exclusive purpose of submitting Voucher and Tenant data.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/tracsmailid.pdf

TRACS Multi-family Move out Request Form

The purpose of this form is to request a HUD initiated move-out. This form is to only be

used if submitting a MAT40 from your site is not possible.  You may not use this form to move a tenant from one unit and into another. This move-out process is performed using the tenants Social Security Number and current contract number. It does not account for the unit number. This form also does not correct Unit Transfer issues.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/tracsmoveoutrequest.pdf

TRACS Certification Re-baseline Request

The purpose of this form is to request an HQ initiated project certification re-baseline.

By submitting this form you are requesting that all active tenant certifications be terminated in TRACS for your project.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/tracscert.pdf

TRACS & Secure Systems

TRACS Quick Start Guide

This document provides “quick” step-by-step instruction explaining how to set up TRACS access.

TRACS Quick Start

TRACS Industry User Guide

This Guide provides HUD property management professionals with information about how to access TRACS within Secure Systems and how to use TRACS Reports

• Voucher Detail/Summary Reports

• Voucher Query

• Certification Query

• Certification with Discrepancies Report

• Late Certification Report

• Move In/Move Out Query

• Multiple Occupancy Query

• Project Evaluation Query

• Voucher Tenant Compliance Query

• Appendices

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/trxngde.cfm 

TRACS Multifamily Move-Out Request Form

The purpose of this form is to request an HQ initiated move-out.  This form is to only be used if submitting a MAT40 is not possible.  This form does not replace MAT40’s.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/tracsmoveoutrequest.pdf

TRACS Baseline Request

The purpose of this form is to request an HQ initiated project certification re-baseline.  By submitting this form you are requesting that all active tenant certifications be terminated in TRACS for your project.

http://www.hud.gov/utilities/intercept.cfm?/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/pdf/tracscert.pdf

Downloading TRACS Query Information to Excel

When using information on TRACS queries, sometime it is just easier to download the information in to Excel.  RBD created instructions to help you download and format certification query information.

Voucher Compliance Percentages

While HUD extends efforts to enforce the Optimum Tenant Compliance percentage for property managers submitting to TRACS, many owner/agents are scratching their heads trying to figure out exactly what the compliance percentage is.  This document provides an explanation of how the process works including information about why a property may be above or below 100%.

Investigating Missing Annual Certifications in TRACS

If an annual certification is not submitted or is submitted but rejected by TRACS, that household will be listed in the Late Certification Query as active but pending termination for about 93 days.  If the Owner/Agent does not terminate and there is no PBCA or the PBCA does not terminate, HUD will initiate an HQ termination.  This document explains how to investigate these situations using the TRACS Late Certification Query.

Addressing Household Splits in TRACS

For interim certifications reflecting a change in household composition, there are two basic situations. 

1.  An interim certification removing a household member who is going to receive HUD assistance in another unit

2. An interim certification adding a household member who was receiving HUD assistance in their former unit

In order to resolve the conflict between the handbook rules for interim certifications and the prohibition against double dipping, HUD has clarified, in the MAT Guide, Chapter 4, when certifications should and should not be accepted.  This document looks at some specific examples.

Addressing Dual Subsidy in TRACS

Dual subsidy occurs when a resident fails to move out of their current subsidized unit before moving in to a new subsidized unit.    This documents provides information about how to correct a transmission using the DS Dual Subsidy Code.  DO NOT CHANGE THE MOVE IN DATE WHEN THERE IS EVIDENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE.

Late Annual Certifications

The industry, as a whole, has been searching for specific, consistent guidance regarding payment when an annual certification is submitted after the effective date.  It is important to understand the rules surrounding late ARs.  This document provides information about how to address Late Annual Certifications.

TRACS Meetings

TRACS Industry Meetings

Roughly every quarter, HUD’s TRACS team invites industry holders to participate in a 1.5 day meeting to discuss TRACS issues and to provide input about future changes to the TRACS submission process.  HUD posts PowerPoint presentations and other handouts used to facilitate each session.  View information for previous meetings on HUD’s web site.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/trx/trxmeet.cfm