NAHMA Member Question of the Month -July 2010

NAHMA wants to know what you think - please take a minute to complete a short survey on an important current topic. Survey results will be posted to the NAHMA Member Entrance Webpage the first of the month.

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NAHMA Member Question of the Month - June 2010 Results

1. Do you currently hold a credential, designation or certification signifying professional development or experience gained or courses passed within the affordable housing industry?
Yes	100%
No	0%
2. If yes, please check all of the designations you hold:
CPO – Certified Professional of Occupancy (NAHMA)	40%
FHC – Fair Housing Compliance (NAHMA)	27%
NAHP – National Affordable Housing Professional (NAHMA)	12%
NAHP-e - National Affordable Housing Professional – Executive (NAHMA)	42%
SHCM –Specialist in Housing Credit Management (NAHMA)	62%
HCCP – Housing Credit Certified Professional (NAHB)	41%
C3P -Certified Credit Compliance Professional (Spectrum)	23%
NCP – National Compliance Professional (Elizabeth Moreland)	3%
NCP-e - National Compliance Professional - Executive (Elizabeth Moreland)	1%
TaCCs –Tax Credit Compliance (Quadel)	5%
RAM – Registered in Apartment Management (NAHB)	10%
CAM – Certified Apartment Manager (NAA)	4%
ARM -Accredited Residential Manager (IREM)	7%
CPM – Certified Property Manager (IREM)	16%
AHM - Assisted Housing Manager (Quadel)	11%
COS– Certified Occupancy Specialist (NCHM)	26%
CAPS - Certified Apartment Property Supervisor (NAA)	5%
CAMT - Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician (NAA)	0%
S.T.A.R. – Spectrum Training Award Recipient (Spectrum)	7%
CGPM- Credential for Green Property Management (NAHMA)	4%
NAHMS- National Affordable Housing Maintenance Supervisor (NAHMA)	0%
NAHMT- National Affordable Housing Maintenance Technician (NAHMA)	0%
Not applicable/no credential	0%
Other, please specify	8%
3. Do you think an additional designation or credential signifying professional development or experience gained or courses passed specifically for managing properties that have multiple layers of financing or that participate in more than one affordable program (i.e., HUD, RD, Tax Credit, Bonds, etc.) would be beneficial to your career?
Yes	62%
No	38%
4. If a designation or credential for managing multi-finance or multi-program properties were available, would you pursue achieving it?
Yes	64%
No	36%
5. If yes, why?  Please check all that apply.
To maintain compliance at my property	55%
To develop a firm understanding of the rules that complement or conflict with one another from the different programs	75%
To enhance my marketability	49%
Not applicable	6%
Other, please specify	12%
6. If no, why? Please check all that apply.
I do not need additional credentials	36%
My existing credentials provide me sufficient knowledge on this area	33%
I do not have the financial means to pay for another credential	12%
My company will not pay for another credential renewal fee	21%
I do not think it is necessary	36%
Not applicable	21%
Other, please specify	9%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - April 2010 Results

1. Have you visited the NAHMA Maps database at nahma.apartmentsmart.com?
Yes		58%
No		42%
2. Have you used NAHMA Maps to search for properties in a zip code, city, Congressional District, or state?
Yes		33%
No		67%
3. Have you discussed the NAHMA Maps database in your correspondence with (please check all that apply):
Federal elected Representatives		8%
State and local elected Representatives		4%
State and local government officials and staff		8%
Federal government agencies		12%
No one		50%
I have not used NAHMA Maps		25%
Other, please specify		4%
4. Have you found the NAHMA Maps database useful in (please check all that apply):
Corresponding with elected Representatives and government officials and staff		8%
Promoting your properties in the community		21%
Promoting NAHMA membership and the Communities of Quality Program		12%
Recruiting potential tenants		8%
None of the above		54%
I have not found the database useful		8%
Other, please specify		12%
5. Has your property/company sent in their free basic property listing to NAHMA Maps?  Or if you are an affiliate member, have you encouraged your clients to submit their property information for a free basic listing?
Yes		58%
No		38%
I do not know		4%
Not applicable		0%
6. If you have sent in a free basic listing, have you searched for your property/properties on NAHMA Maps?
Yes		43%
No		26%
I do not know		9%
Not applicable		22%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - March 2010 Results

Within the past three years, has HUD ever challenged any of your practices in the following areas?  Please check all that apply for questions 1 through 4.
1. Allocation of labor costs between properties.
No		75%
Not Applicable		10%
Yes, please specify what was challenged		15%
2. Determinations that the cost of front-line activities (for example, bookkeeping, janitorial or service coordinators) are at or below market rate.
No		82%
Not Applicable		7%
Yes, please specify what was challenged		11%
3. Use of group purchasing services.
No		82%
Not Applicable		12%
Yes, please specify what was challenged		6%
4. Use of fixed fee contracts to provide services.
No		74%
Not Applicable		26%
5. If you utilize fixed fee contracts at any of your properties, which of the following types of services are under fixed fee contract arrangements? (Please check all that apply.)
Maintenance		10%
Janitorial		18%
Service Coordinators		15%
Landscape Maintenance		46%
Equipment Servicing (i.e., elevator repair)		36%
On-Site Front-Line Staff		10%
Not Applicable		36%
Other, please specify		7%
6. How do you allocate labor costs at your properties?
Hourly Basis		35%
Per Unit Basis		20%
Mix of both		39%
Other, please specify		6%
7. For product or service contracts costing between $5,000 and $9,999 per year, has HUD ever required you to obtain three written bids, or required documentation that three oral bids were obtained?
Yes		59%
No		38%
Not Applicable		3%
8. For product or service contracts costing under $5,000 per year, has HUD ever required you to obtain three written bids, or required documentation that three oral bids were obtained?
Yes		28%
No		69%
Not Applicable		3%
Total		100%
Questions 9 and 10 apply to OMB Circular A-122 (see 2 CFR Part 230), which sets forth principles for non-profit organizations to follow when accounting for and allocating specific changes made to federal awards (grants, contracts, other agreements, etc.).
9. Has HUD ever challenged your business practices based on this memo?
Yes		7%
No		56%
Not Applicable		37%
10. Have HUD staff ever referred to or cited this memo in written or verbal communication to provide guidance on business practices?
Yes		10%
No		58%
Not Applicable		32%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - January 2010 Results

1. Does your company offer health insurance to your employees?
Yes	96%
No	4%
2. If your company offers health insurance, does your company cover:
All of the costs	23%
Most of the costs (50% or more)	54%
Some of the costs (0-50%)	15%
None of the costs	0%
I do not know	4%
We do not offer a health insurance plan	4%
3. In 2009, did you see your company's health insurance costs (in comparison to 2008):
Increase significantly (20% or more)	29%
Increase (0-20%)	63%
Remain the same	0%
Decrease (0-20%)	0%
Decrease significantly (20% or more)	0%
I do not know	4%
We do not offer a health insurance plan	4%
4. In 2009, did you see your general health care costs (in comparison to 2008):
Increase significantly (20% or more)	18%
Increase (0-20%)	53%
Remain the same	10%
Decrease (0-20%)	2%
Decrease significantly (20% or more)	0%
I do not know	14%
Prefer not to answer	2%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - December 2009 Results

1. Have you applied for funding for HUD’s Green Retrofit Program (GRP)?
Yes	24%
No	70%
I do not know	6%
2. If you applied for funding for the GRP, were you approved for the program grant/loan?
Yes, a grant	10%
Yes, a loan	2%
I do not know	12%
Neither	14%
I did not apply for GRP funding	63%
3. If you received an allotment from GRP, how much did you receive?
Yes. $0-1000/unit	0%
Yes. $1000-5000/unit	0%
Yes. $5000-10000/unit	2%
Yes. $10000-$15000/unit	6%
I do not know	10%
I did not receive a grant/loan	12%
I did not apply for GRP funding	69%
4. Do you have current plans for a green and/or energy efficiency retrofit at your property or properties that does not involve HUD’s Green Retrofit Program?
Yes	56%
No	22%
I do not know	22%
5. What additional types of federal programs would you be interested in for green and/or energy efficiency improvements to affordable housing properties?  Please check all that apply.
Increased funding for the existing GRP	30%
Grants	61%
Loans	13%
Loans from existing reserves or residual receipts	9%
More flexibility in using existing reserves or residual receipts for green and/or energy efficient purposes	54%
Additional incentives for undertaking green and energy efficiency improvements in properties (i.e. tax credits, etc).	44%
A dividends program providing an annual distribution equal to a percentage of the annual energy cost savings for energy consumption reduction	31%
A dividends program that would reimburse reasonable costs incurred due to energy consumption reduction	41%
I do not know	15%
I would not like to see additional federal programs for green and/or energy efficiency improvements	15%
Other	4%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - November 2009 Results

1. Have any of your multi-family properties been subject to additional or excessive fees from local governments for (Please check all that apply):
Ambulance Services (where applicable)	10%
Police Services	14%
Waste Management/Trash (where applicable)	24%
Water (where applicable)	24%
Sewer (where applicable)	38%
Fire Department Services	19%
None of the above	29%
Other, please specify	19%
2. Are single-family callers in your area charged similar or comparable fees?
Yes.	14%
No.	33%
I do not know.	52%
3. Are you most often charged:
By the number of calls	10%
By the number of calls in excess of a predetermined number	0%
Monthly	43%
Annually	5%
Unsure	10%
Not charged for services	33%
4. What is the average charge per service?
$0-50	6%
$50-100	17%
$100-$150	11%
$150-$200	17%
$200-$300	0%
$300 +	17%
Not charged for services	33%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - October 2009 Results

1. Did your Project-Based Section 8 property receive ARRA funding?
Yes	83%
No	9%
I do not own/manage a Project-Based Section 8 property	6%
I do not know	2%
2. How many properties that you own/manage have received ARRA funding?
1-5	40%
5-10	4%
10-20	26%
20-50	9%
50-100	4%
100+	0%
I did not receive ARRA funding	15%
I do not know	2%
3. Did you experience any problems filing your report?  Please check all that apply.
Technological difficulties with D-U-N-S registration	39%
Technological difficulties with CCR registration	48%
Technological difficulties with federal reporting.gov registration	46%
Registration activation took more than 2 days for D-U-N-S	37%
Registration activation took more than 2 days for CCR	46%
Registration activation took more than 2 days for federalreporting.gov	26%
Understanding the information required to complete registrations and reporting requirements	52%
Meeting the timeframe for reporting	59%
None	4%
I am not subject to the reporting requirements	11%
Other, please specify	22%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - September 2009 Results

1. Have you experienced late housing assistance payments (HAP) in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009?
Yes	29%
We have been told by HUD or our CA we will be receiving a late HAP, but it has not occured yet.	1%
No	70%
2. If you are experiencing a late HAP for the fourth quarter of FY 2009, when did it (or will it) occur?
Jul-09	20%
Aug-09	20%
Sep-09	15%
I have not received a late HAP.	65%
3. If you have experienced a late HAP, how long did you wait to receive the HAP from HUD?
1 week	1%
2 weeks	5%
3-4 weeks	13%
2 months	6%
Still waiting	10%
The late HAP has not occured yet.	3%
I have not received a late HAP.	62%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - July 2009 Results

1. Are you currently using EIV?
Yes		84%
No		16%
2. If you are currently using EIV, have you detected and discrepancies/fraud in your tenant files?
Yes.  Fraud.		19%
Yes.  Discrepancies.		54%
No.		12%
I do not use EIV.		16%
3. If you have detected any discrepancies/fraud, what actions are you taking when discrepancy/fraud is discovered?  Check all that apply.
Discuss the conflict with the tenant.		73%
Verify the EIV data through a third party and/or employer.		74%
Correct the tenant's rent.		65%
Create a repayment plan/agreement.		59%
Terminate the tenancy for material non-compliance of the lease.		16%
Take civil action against the tenant for repayment.		7%
No Action.		8%
I do not use EIV.		17%
Other, please specify		6%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - June 2009 Results

1. What is the overall impact of the new HUD audit requirements in terms of added costs and/or staff resources?  Please check all that apply.
Increased added costs.	62%
Increased staff resources.	69%
Costs have remained the same.	23%
Staff resources have remained the same.	12%
Decreased added costs.	0%
Decreased staff resources.	0%
We have seen additional changes, please specify	15%
2. If you have seen an increase in costs related to the new audit requirements, by how much have they increased?
Decrease	0%
No change	33%
$0-50k	54%
$50-100k	8%
$100-200k	0%
$200-350k	0%
$350-500k	4%
$500k+	0%
3. If you have seen an increase in staff resources related to the new audit requirements, by how much have they increased?
Decrease	0%
No change	19%
0-5 hrs/week	50%
5-10 hrs/week	19%
10-20 hrs/week	8%
20+ hrs/week	4%

NAHMA Member Question of the Month - May 2009 Results

1. How has the economic recession affected your affordable multifamily housing management company? (Please select all that apply.)
Staff salary freeze	34%
No effect	28%
Reduction in staff attendance at industry training events	25%
Reduction in staff attendance at industry meetings	23%
Other, please specify	20%
Staff hiring freeze	18%
Encouragement to attend training or meetings online or by phone instead	18%
Staff layoffs	13%
Increase in staff co-payment for employee benefits	13%
Reduction in employee benefits	10%
Staff salary reductions	7%
Staff travel freeze	7%
Reduction in staff memberships in local AHMAs	5%
Reduction in staff memberships in NAHMA	5%
Reduction in staff memberships in other industry organizations	5%
Did not renew some industry certification(s) this year	5%
Staff furloughs	2%
Did not renew any industry certification(s) this year	0%

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