Contract negotiations are critical in ensuring your housing organization actually receives the products and services it requires.

Does your housing organization have insurance coverage to protect lost, stolen, or damaged business personal property?

The micromanager. The workaholic. The narcissist. Chances are you’ve encountered at least one of these bad boss types in your career, so it might not come as a surprise to hear that organizations fail to hire the right candidate for a managerial position 82 percent of the time. On top of that, over the last few years, managers have been put through the wringer—they’ve had to endure a pandemic, find solutions to retain and attract talent during the Great Resignation, and keep employees engaged in the wake of ‘quiet quitting.’ So, what’s the secret sauce to beating the odds and hiring—or becoming—a successful manager? HAI Group’s Staci Canny asked Michael Teape, owner and lead training consultant of Teape Training International, for advice. 

While the terms ‘subsidized’ and ‘affordable’ often go hand in hand when most people think about the U.S. affordable housing stock, the reality is that only 25 percent of the country’s affordable rental units receive government subsidies.

The other 75 percent is known as naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH)—rental properties that are affordable to low- and moderate-income families due to age, amenities, physical condition, or location in lower-cost markets.

But, despite their vast presence, these properties are at a high risk of disappearing due to redevelopment, disrepair, and economic instability. HAI Group spoke with Dr. Hilary Lopez, executive director of Reno Housing Authority in Nevada, and Dunni T. Cosey Gay, director of the Preservation Compact, a Chicago-area policy collaborative, to hear how their organizations have found success with preserving NOAH in their respective communities as a complement to subsidized housing. 

Unbeknownst to many, frozen pipes pose a silent yet substantial threat to affordable housing properties nationwide, lurking in concealed and hard-to-reach corners of buildings.

We relaunched our company blog in 2022 with the goal of delivering timely insurance, risk management, and professional development tips for the affordable housing industry.

As the U.S. is facing a shortage of over seven million affordable rental homes for extremely low-income renters, and more than 320,000 homes have affordability restrictions expiring in the next five years, advocating for the need for affordable housing has never been greater. Today, housing agencies are exploring various preservation options, from purchasing Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) properties to accepting donated buildings, engaging in green construction, or participating in the latest tax credit programs.

No matter what route your agency may go down to acquire and rehab existing affordable housing, we’ve rounded up three preservation resources that you should add to your toolbox. The best part is they’re available to agencies at no cost!

The insurance industry has spotlighted the rise of external fraud, and rightfully so, as cybersecurity incidents continue impacting organizations at an alarming rate. But incidents of internal fraud—a dishonest or fraudulent act committed by one or more employees—remain a constant threat to housing organizations.

Housing organizations that have been deferring maintenance during the pandemic should start making plans to safely address outstanding work orders to avoid potentially costly housekeeping issues.   

Maintaining safe and decent housing is a fundamental responsibility for public housing organizations. With the recent introduction of the NSPIRE (National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate) inspection standard by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), it's crucial to stay informed about how physical inspections are conducted and what they entail.