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Kansas City Multifamily Hub NewsJanuary 2011 Jump to...
OPTIONAL SMOKE-FREE HOUSING POLICYThe Handbook 4350.3 guidance is that a smoke-free policy may be adopted as part of an owner's House Rules or, under certain circumstances, in tenant lease addenda. In all cases, smoke-free policies must comply with HUD Handbook requirements and must ensure that occupants retain the full use and enjoyment of their apartments. Handbook 4350.3 states "There are no statutory or regulatory provisions governing smoking in assisted housing. HUD assisted properties are required to comply with applicable state or local laws, which would include any laws governing smoking in residential units. Owners are free to adopt reasonable rules that must be related to the safety and habitability of the building and the comfort of the tenants. Owners should make their own informed judgment as to the enforceability of house rules." However, if the owner's House Rules conflict with HUD requirements, those rules must be modified. HUD does not approve changes to House Rules; however, if HUD becomes aware of House Rules that circumvent or conflict with HUD requirements, the rules must be modified to conform to those requirements. If an owner wishes to adopt a smoke-free policy into their House Rules, such a policy will not be allowed unless it "grandfathers" in existing tenants, who would not be subject to the prohibiting smoking in common areas. Relatives and visitors of existing tenants will not be included in "grandfathering" provisions. If an owner elects to include smoke-free language in a lease, HUD must provide prior approval of such language. HUD will approve smoke-free language in a lease only if a documented state or local law mandates the policy. Breaking NewsPlease join us in welcoming our new Regional Director, Derrith Watchman-Moore! Mrs. Watchman-Moore was recently selected by President Obama to serve as HUD's Regional Administrator for the four Great Plains states - Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. In her new position, Watchman-Moore will serve as HUD's liaison to mayors, city managers, elected representatives, state and local officials, congressional delegations, stakeholders and customers. She will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of HUD programs and services to communities, as well as evaluating their efficiency and effectiveness. Her reputation as a knowledgeable, passionate advocate for the environment, community builder and her work with people from underserved communities has made her a well-respected leader among business, labor and educational institutions. Watchman-Moore, a member of the Navajo Nation, served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Navaho Housing Authority, prior to her appointment with HUD, where she oversaw housing development and construction management, including housing design that incorporated energy efficient building, conservation and Navajo cultural relevancy while maintaining affordability of over 7,000 public housing units. She credits her commitment to public and community service to the inspiration of her father, the late, long serving New Mexico state representative, Leo Watchman, Sr. who was first elected in the mid 1960s. She earned her undergraduate degree from Colorado State University in Fort Collins and her MBA from the University of Phoenix in Albuquerque, New Mexico. What's New in Development?In response to the changing real estate and financial markets the Department has made significant revisions to Multifamily Housing's Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs. The changes, which were fully implemented in October 2010, are intended to mitigate loan loss risks and ensure the continued viability of the FHA insurance fund. Mortgage Letter 2010-21 is presently in effect to communicate the risk mitigation changes to the industry and the document revises core FHA underwriting standards, policies and procedures. One of the most notable changes under the new risk mitigation strategy is the Department's distinction between market rate projects and property's with 90% or greater rental assistance and/or projects defined as "affordable". Property's with 90% or greater rental assistance will largely be unaffected by the risk mitigation protocol while market rate projects will require significantly more equity in order to meet the new program requirements. This distinction, and the resulting financial impact, illustrates the Department's continued commitment toward creating and preserving affordable and subsidized housing, despite major market volatility. Program related changes, from the implementation of the risk mitigation guidelines, include: [a] New Construction /Sub-Rehab (NC/SR) market rate applications are no longer allowed to be submitted straight to firm, [b] The $3 per $1000 (30 basis points) FHA Application Fee is now paid in halves on NC/SR transactions , with the first payment (15 basis points) due at the Pre-Application Stage, [c] A schedule of Real Estate Owned (REO) is required from all key principal partners, and [d] Section 223(a)(7) applications now require Project Capital Needs Assessments. If you are considering a FHA loan for the new construction, substantial rehabilitation, or refinance of a multifamily project, I strongly encourage you to read over the risk mitigation guidelines. Mortgagee Letter 2010-21 can be found online. What's New in Asset Management?Twenty (20) Year HAP Contracts... The Kansas City Multifamily Hub has placed a high priority on halting the loss of project-based Section 8 subsidy. Nationally, the number of project-based units declined from 2 million to 1.4 million project-based Section 8 units. We believe that promoting the 20 year HAP contracts is the most effective way to preserve affordable housing. It gives owners protection and stability while reducing the number of opt outs and "at risk" properties annually. Recently, the Hub issued letters to owners and agents about this new local policy. Owners interested in obtaining a 20 year HAP contract should contact their local HUD office to discuss the process. To qualify for a 20 year HAP, contracts cannot be in their original term and owners must be in compliance with HUD physical, financial and management requirements. HUD staff will be happy to provide additional information and respond to owner questions and concerns. PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTSMacArthur Manor Senior Residences, Wichita, Kansas: MacArthur Manor Senior Residences is the latest HUD 202 project of Mennonite Housing Rehabilitation Services, Inc, in Wichita, Kansas. Thecomplex is a 44 unit facility, which opened in October, 2010and hasmany great amenities. There is a great patio area complete with outdoor ceiling fans, water misters for keeping cool in the summer, a beautiful outdoor pond, a fitness room with a commercial treadmill and bike, a library equipped with a computer lab for residents, a craft room, which includes a work bench for woodworking and other hobbies and a community room designed to be a safe room for those Kansas storms. All apartments are equipped with dishwashers and a Rescue Alert emergency system which gives peace of mind to the residents, a new feature for Mennonite Housing's senior complexes. A security system has been installed in the facility to provide 24 hour video surveillancefor the residents, along with a new feature of using key fobs for entrance into the building as well as the apartments. Legend Park Apartments, Lawton, Oklahoma: An Initial Endorsement was held for Legend Park Apartments on June 23, 2009. The project has a HUD insured mortgage of $22,659,900 and is located in Lawton, Oklahoma, just east of Lawton's central business district. Consisting of 264 units, Legend Park has had a successful leasing rate and is currently 97% occupied. Some of the amenities and features include a private lake with a jogging/walking trail, detached garages which are available to tenants, pool with spa, misting sunbathing area, poolside fireplace, business center, fitness/health center, play area, volleyball court and 9 foot ceilings in apartments.REAC Tips, Part II:By: Shanna McClarney Have any of you recently noticed a change in your REAC scores? As a Project Manager I have personally seen a number of properties with lower scores lately which is why I find it very important to be familiar with REAC's inspection process. Scoring below 60 lends its share of rigorous work for all of us associated with HUD properties, so let's all play our part and educate ourselves in the inspection process! A new protocol has recently come into play for properties receiving a score below 60. If a property should be the recipient of one of these ratings, the owner and agent can expect to be notified by their Project Manager to set up a conference call to discuss the situation. Notice of Default and/or Violation as applicable will be sent via mail. The owner will have 60 days to certify that an Owner's Survey has been performed and that all deficiencies found therein and in the REAC report have been corrected. Last quarter I gave you 10 frequently cited deficiencies in REAC physical inspections. This quarter I'm providing you with 10 more and I urge you to become familiar with all of these so that scores of below 60 may be avoided. Ten frequently cited deficiencies:
Next quarter check out our newsletter for the final installment of REAC's frequently cited deficiencies. FY 2010 NOFA:
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Content Archived: February 19, 2015 | |
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