July 2011 Results
1. Does you property receive a HUD subsidy (project-based Section 8, housing choice voucher, Section 202 PRAC, Section 811 PRAC, etc.)?
| Yes | 100% |
2. How often do you conduct utility allowance analyses for the properties your company/organization owns or manages?
| Twice a year or more | 6% |
| Every year | 74% |
| Every two years | 3% |
| Every three years | 6% |
| Every four years or more | 6% |
| I do not know how often my company/organization conducts utility allowance analyses | 3% |
3. Different state agencies require utility allowance analyses to be completed in different periods. How often does your state agency require a utility allowance analysis/utility consumption report for your property?
| Twice a year or more | 0% |
| Every year | 81% |
| Every two years | 3% |
| Every three years | 6% |
| Every four years or more | 3% |
| I do not know how often my company/organization conducts utility allowance analyses | 6% |
4. What is the source of the information you use to calculate utility allowances? Please select all that apply.
| Utility companies | 81% |
| Tenants and their utility bills | 58% |
| I do not know | 0% |
| Other, please specify | 19% |
5. On average, how much time does it typically take to get the utility information back from local utility companies and/or your property’s tenants for the analysis?
| Under 48 hours | 10% |
| Within 1 week | 6% |
| Within 2 weeks | 6% |
| Within 3 weeks | 10% |
| Within 1 month | 32% |
| Within 2 months | 10% |
| Within 4 months | 3% |
| It takes 4 months or longer to get the relevant utility information | 13% |
| I do not know | 10% |
6. Once you have the utility information from the utility company or other source, how long does it take you to complete the utility allowance analysis per property?
| 0-2 hours | 13% |
| 2-4 hours | 33% |
| 4-6 hours | 13% |
| 6-12 hours | 23% |
| Less than 24 hours | 7% |
| More than 48 hours | 7% |
| I do not know | 3% |
7. If you conduct utility allowance analyses or utility consumption reports annually, have you noticed a significant change (if you account for inflation rates) from year to year costs of utilities over the last 5 year period?
| Yes, the costs (including the rate of inflation) have increased | 50% |
| Yes, the costs (including the rate of inflation) have decreased | 10% |
| No, the costs (including the rate of inflation) have remained the same | 37% |
| I do not know | 0% |
| My property does not conduct annual utility allowance analyses or utility consumption reports | 3% |
8. What are the biggest hurdles your property experiences when completing a utility allowance analysis or utility consumption report? Please check all that apply.
| Delays in receiving utility information from utility companies in a timely manner | 72% |
| Delays in receiving utility information from tenants in a timely manner | 62% |
| Incorrect utility information received | 17% |
| Lack of staff time to collect the utility information | 34% |
| Lack of staff time to complete the utility allowance analysis or utility consumption report | 34% |
| Too many utility companies to contact for the utility information | 31% |
| Tenants or O/As must pay a fee to receive utility use summaries from utility companies. | 17% |
| Unanticipated costs associated with procuring the utility information | 10% |
| Unanticipated paperwork associated with procuring the utility information | 31% |
| Unanticipated costs associated with completing the utility allowance analysis or utility consumption report | 10% |
| Unanticipated paperwork associated with completing the utility allowance analysis or utility consumption report | 14% |
| Inconsistency in state housing agency requirements for completing the utility allowance analysis or utility consumption report | 28% |
| Other, please specify | 21% |
