When a housing agency identifies a risk, taking swift action isn’t always easy, or affordable. That’s why HAI Group established the Loss Prevention Fund—a grant-style program exclusive to HAI Group members, supported by an annual $3.5 million pool of funds. The program reimburses eligible risk-reduction projects, enabling housing staff to take proactive steps to safeguard their properties, operations, and communities.
Since 2020, HAI Group has allocated $8 million through the fund.
In 2023, cybersecurity initiatives became eligible for funding in response to the increasing digital threats faced by public and affordable housing providers.
Watch this brief overview video to learn our LPF program works and browse our frequently asked questions for more information.
One example of the fund’s impact can be seen at the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa in California. Faced with increasing cybersecurity threats, the agency turned to the Loss Prevention Fund to strengthen its security framework and safeguard its operations.
Here’s how they did it:
Building a Foundation for Cybersecurity at Contra Costa
Joe Tuminelli, director of IT at the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa, stepped into his role with a clear mission: to build a stronger cybersecurity framework. His goal was to help prevent cyberattacks and reduce avoidable risks.
“When I arrived, we had some protection in place,” he said. “But there was no structure, no auditing, and no way to confirm that controls were working the way they should.”
While the agency had avoided major breaches, a few social engineering attempts had raised alarms. “We were lucky,” Joe said. “That’s not a strategy.”
With support from Nataline Jindoian, administrative services officer at the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa, who had been monitoring Loss Prevention Fund opportunities for several years, Tuminelli submitted a proposal aimed at addressing cybersecurity gaps in four key areas: people, policy, process, and technology.
All Loss Prevention Fund submissions are anonymously evaluated by the HAI Group insurance management team using a pre-established evaluation matrix. After careful consideration, Tuminelli's proposal was accepted, and the agency was awarded $20,100.
Focusing on high-impact solutions
With limited resources and a growing list of needs, the agency focused on high-impact, practical solutions, starting with the biggest vulnerabilities.
Thanks in part to funding from the Loss Prevention Fund, the agency was able to:
- Launch a cybersecurity education platform (KnowBe4) that includes interactive training, real-time phishing simulations, and built-in email reporting tools.
- Establish routine testing to measure staff readiness, starting with a baseline that revealed high risk, and steadily improving as awareness grew.
- Implement multifactor authentication across systems.
- Deploy endpoint management and network monitoring tools to detect unusual behavior and block unauthorized access, especially from foreign IPs.
Creating a Culture of Cyber Awareness
Establishing cybersecurity protocols is one thing, but embedding them into your organizational culture is another. The Housing Authority of Contra Costa is doing both. By treating cybersecurity as an ongoing priority, not a one-time project, the agency is building a resilient, informed workforce that knows how to identify and respond to evolving threats.
“We now onboard every new employee and contractor with cybersecurity training,” Tuminelli said. “Everyone recertifies annually, and if someone fails a phishing test, they get a refresher.”
Additional training modules, delivered through the agency’s third-party learning management system, cover sensitive data protection, including HIPAA and PII compliance.
The results? Tuminelli said the training has led to fewer phishing test failures, stronger day-to-day practices, and a more security-conscious workplace.
Why the Loss Prevention Fund Matters
“This funding accelerated improvements we already knew we needed,” Tuminelli said. “It allowed us to move faster and address the biggest risks with limited resources.”
Jindoian said that the experience has sparked interest across the agency.
“Now that we’ve seen the impact of these cybersecurity measures, more teams want to explore what the Loss Prevention Fund can do for them,” she said.
Her advice to others? Don’t wait.
“There were years we missed the deadline,” she said. “This time we applied, and it made a big difference.”
Getting Started
Tuminelli encourages other agencies to begin by evaluating their gaps, then prioritizing the most critical ones.
“You don’t have to do everything at once,” he said. “But the Loss Prevention Fund can help you start with the big rocks.”
From cybersecurity to physical safety enhancements, the Loss Prevention Fund here to help HAI Group members invest in what matters most: protecting people, property, and peace of mind.
Interested in applying for the Loss Prevention Fund? Learn more and apply here.
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This article is for general information only. HAI Group® makes no representation or warranty about the accuracy or applicability of this information for any particular use or circumstance. Your use of this information is at your own discretion and risk. HAI Group® and any author or contributor identified herein assume no responsibility for your use of this information. You should consult with your attorney or subject matter advisor before adopting any risk management strategy or policy.
HAI Group® is a marketing name used to refer to insurers, a producer, and related service providers affiliated through a common mission, management, and governance. Property-casualty insurance and related services are written or provided by Housing Authority Property Insurance, A Mutual Company; Housing Enterprise Insurance Company, Inc.; Housing Specialty Insurance Company, Inc.; Housing Investment Group, Inc.; and Housing Insurance Services (DBA Housing Insurance Agency Services in NY and MI).
