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Maintenance staff are vital to a housing agency's success. In addition to their daily tasks, they monitor properties to ensure safety and cleanliness, respond to work orders, and address residents' logistical needs.
Elder abuse is a distressing and often hidden issue that can have devastating effects on older residents in public and affordable housing communities, especially those who are vulnerable due to age or disability.
Every employer aims to have a dedicated, skilled staff capable of performing their assigned tasks effectively while fostering long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the organization. Unfortunately, this ideal isn't always achieved. Employees may not meet expectations, or their work ethic and interests may change over time. In such cases, an amicable departure is preferable. However, some employees who are terminated may file wrongful termination claims.
In 2022, Congress passed the “Public and Federally Assisted Housing Fire Safety Act of 2022,” introducing new smoke alarm requirements for federally assisted housing. These guidelines, aligned with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 72, aim to enhance fire protection and ensure resident safety.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), enacted in 1994, provides housing protections to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Despite its long-standing presence, many public and affordable housing providers still have questions about implementing VAWA, especially after the act's reauthorization in 2022, which expanded the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) enforcement authority. Since then, HUD has initiated multiple cases involving non-compliant housing providers.
You’re at your desk when the familiar tone of a new email sounds on your computer.
As temperatures rise, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is taking action to ensure public housing residents can stay cool during the scorching summer months. In a June 13, 2024 notice, HUD reminded public housing authorities (PHAs) that they can utilize capital and operating funds to help residents beat the heat. Additionally, HUD clarified that PHAs may establish a policy to provide individual relief and immediately start granting relief requests from air conditioning or cooling-related surcharges or utility supplier billings based on severe or extreme heat.
As a housing professional, you juggle various responsibilities, including customer service, mitigation, mediation, transportation, and maintenance. Mastering these skills and ensuring resident safety and satisfaction doesn't happen overnight—it requires dedicated training.
Property claims related to methamphetamine are on the rise. While they’re not the most frequently reported claim—as of this writing, that distinction belongs to fire—HAI Group has seen a noticeable uptick in meth claims in recent months. Perhaps it’s because meth is relatively inexpensive to buy compared to other illicit drugs, or because meth has become more widely available, thanks in part to super labs operated by drug cartels that can produce meth in large quantities. The rise in claims may also be due to the fact that some housing authorities have begun testing for meth when units turn over, regardless of whether they suspect contamination.
Whatever the reason, if you have a meth-related claim at your housing organization, here’s what you need to know.
The sooner you file, the better
“The biggest mistake housing organizations make after discovering meth is waiting too long to file a claim,” said Alkis Liopiros, AIC-M, ACP, CRIS, a senior property claims examiner at HAI Group. “If tests confirm that you’re dealing with methamphetamine contamination, file a claim as soon as you can. Notifying us while the incident is fresh in your mind helps your insurance company and its adjusters investigate the claim more thoroughly. It can also help us close the claim more quickly, so you can get the affected units back in service faster.”
Telltale signs of meth production or use
If your housing organization isn’t testing for meth, it’s important that your maintenance workers know what to look for during routine inspections. Common signs of meth production or use include:
