In ensuring the safety and security of residents, a critical decision housing organizations face is whether to directly hire security personnel or opt for contracting with a third-party security service. Both options have advantages and drawbacks, but it's crucial to understand the insurance implications associated with each choice.

As the U.S. grapples with increasingly severe and unpredictable weather patterns, public and affordable housing organizations must be prepared for the challenges posed by extreme summer weather. From scorching heat waves to intense storms, organizations must take proactive measures to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of residents and employees.

HAI Group is a leading sponsor of the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation (PAHRC), a nonprofit that researches the impact that affordable homes bring to families and communities. In this guest blog, Kelly McElwain, PAHRC’s industry intelligence and research manager, explains how a recent federal program can be leveraged to address housing needs.

Despite an estimated shortage of 7.3 million rental homes affordable and available to extremely low-income families, public housing authorities (PHAs) nationwide have not received congressional funding to build new deeply affordable housing in their communities in decades. PHAs’ hands became even more tied after Congress passed the Faircloth Amendment, which capped PHA public housing stock at the number of public housing units they operated as of October 1, 1999 (known as their ‘Faircloth Authority’). This created a de facto ban on building new public housing.

Insurance is crucial for businesses, offering a safety net against potential financial losses due to unforeseen events. For public housing agencies (PHAs), insurance isn't just about protecting assets and property—it's a requirement tied to funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

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.