October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, now in its 19th year. So why should you—someone working in the housing industry—care about cybersecurity? Public and affordable organizations are being breached by cybercriminals with increasing frequency.

The staff at Denver Housing Authority (DHA) weren't blind to the possibility of a cyberattack.

In fact, staff had taken steps in 2021 to address the organization's cybersecurity vulnerabilities, said Jim DiPaolo, DHA's deputy CFO. But in September 2021, disaster struck—DHA was completely locked out of the files and systems it relies on due to a ransomware attack. 

"We had a fairly good business continuity plan," DiPaolo said during a June 2022 interview with HAI Group. "We were backing up our systems, and felt that we had a fairly strong [cybersecurity] program that wasn't going to be open to this type of threat."

At HAI Group, we define risk as the existence of uncertainty regarding a future loss. The “uncertainty” is an event that can occur and, in the case of a housing organization, adversely affect its objectives, mission, vision, or bottom line.

If you’re a policyholder at HAI Group, we want you to know that we have your back. We don’t disappear once your policy is issued. On the contrary, our goal as your insurance carrier is to establish a relationship with you and communicate regularly to ensure your organization is protected. 

A resident trips and falls on your sidewalk, which is in the process of being replaced. He injures his back and shoulder, racking up nearly $100,000 in medical bills. The resident then files a lawsuit, alleging the construction site was not properly marked or roped off. Who’s liable for the damages, you or your contractor?

The federal environmental site assessment standard codified into law two decades ago to protect commercial property buyers from costly Superfund cleanup liability has been significantly updated in the last year. Here's what you need to know.

Even the best-prepared organization is vulnerable to cybercriminals seeking to hold data and systems hostage in exchange for payment. Ransomware attacks, as they’re known, impact every industry. Since 2016, the U.S. has experienced around 4,000 ransomware attacks daily.

Human trafficking, commonly regarded as one of the most severe global human rights issues of the modern day, can happen in any community and affect individuals of any age, race, gender, or nationality.

Emergency pull cords are a common feature in multifamily housing, installed throughout units as a safety precaution for residents who may need emergency assistance. But if a pull cord system is improperly maintained or monitored, it can endanger residents by providing a false sense of comfort. 

"Housing organizations should ensure that emergency pull cords are functioning, tested, and monitored by a third party with a solid contract in place so emergency services can be notified if a cord is pulled," said Elizabeth Owens, HAI Group's director of risk control and consulting. 

HAI Group’s board and committee members convene annually to determine the winners of our Risk Management Awards, developed to recognize public housing agencies that go above and beyond to address various risks to residents and staff.