To date, 90% of clients that engaged with DeSilva for leasing and occupancy policy development have achieved an Above Average or higher subcategory Leasing and Occupancy rating on their subsequent HUD Management and Occupancy Review.
Let’s face it: Sometimes it is faster and more cost effective to avoid reinventing the wheel. Written policies developed by DeSilva Housing Group have stood the test of time and audit review by several Contract Administration entities nationwide.
Ms. DeSilva has proven experience developing customized compliance products for a variety of client entities who have chosen to outsource these policy development tasks to her. DeSilva Housing Group is about results, and these results are a testament to Jenny DeSilva’s expertise and solid understanding of HUD leasing regulations.
Please note: policies that have been updated based on recent HOTMA regulatory changes will have a train icon next to them. We are currently prioritizing delivery of policies with a 5/31/24 revision deadline (Tenant Selection Plans and EIV Policies) and completing orders on a first-come, first-served basis.
Policies & Package Options
HOTMA BUNDLE 
$4,750 per managing entity
Ensure your policies are all up-to-date and compliant with new HOTMA regulations.
For a flat rate, you will receive the following (per managing entity):
- Tenant Selection Plan*
- EIV Policies & Procedures*
- Tenant File Forms
- Housing Application & Recertification Questionnaire Package
- Resident Handbook
- Hardship Policy
- HUD Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) package
*At checkout, an optional Rush Processing Fee of $1,000 can be selected to ensure delivery of the Tenant Selection Plan and EIV Policies & Procedures by the current HUD deadline of 5/31/24, provided we have the required owner documents. Remaining elements of this Bundle will be delivered subsequently. If Rush Processing is not selected, your deliverables will be processed in the order received.
TENANT SELECTION PLANS (TSPs)
$800/Single Property
$1,100/Portfolio Version (multiple properties)
Continuously incorporating changing regulations into policies that outline eligibility determinations is stressful. Rest assured that your screening criteria includes all required elements. Our team will create a customized TSP to fit your property’s needs, current programmatic screening, and eligibility requirements. HUD and Tax Credit ONLY.
This policy had extensive modifications driven by HOTMA. Note: Multifamily housing owners must update their Tenant Selection Plans by May 31, 2024.
*At checkout, an optional Rush Processing Fee of $1,000 can be selected to ensure delivery of the Tenant Selection Plan by the current HUD deadline of 5/31/24, provided we have the required owner documents. If Rush Processing is not selected, your deliverables will be processed in the order received.
TENANT FILE FORMS
$999/Per Property
Accurate eligibility determinations and recertification tasks start with well-developed, succinct tenant file forms. Do your forms accomplish verification tasks efficiently and compliantly? Have they been updated to incorporate new interview and verification techniques and requirements? If not, this can save you time and stress during your next MOR.
This policy had extensive modifications driven by HOTMA.
HOUSING APPLICATION & RECERTIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE PACKAGE
$500/Per Property
A thorough application is key to accurate eligibility determination, as well as identification of a household’s financial circumstances in order to correctly calculate tenant rent.
If you have not updated the content and/or format of your Application and/or Recertification Questionnaire recently, now is the time to revisit the questions on this critical document. Don’t be caught off guard with audit findings resulting from missing required elements on this fundamental tenant file document!
This policy had extensive modifications driven by HOTMA.
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP) POLICY & LANGUAGE ACCESS PLANS (LAP)
$299/LEP Only
$500/Both LEP & LAP
Federal Law requires housing professionals provide equal access and effective communication to applicants/residents that do not speak, write, or understand English. How do you track the language diversity in your area and applicant traffic? What alternative methods do you use to communicate verbally and in writing with LEP persons?
Utilizing a four-factor analysis, our team will identify any weaknesses in your communication protocol, and customize written procedures for your staff to follow, to identify and adapt appropriately during future LEP encounters.
When applicable, we can incorporate valuable resources and cost-effective methods into a Language Access Plan that will ensure access to your programs, and effective communication with a diverse community of applicants and residents.
RESIDENT HANDBOOKS (TO INCLUDE REQUIRED HOUSE RULES ATTACHMENT TO THE LEASE)
$700/Per Property
Resident Handbooks protect both landlords and residents by establishing parameters and expectations for both parties to follow. One element of a Resident Handbook is House Rules – a required lease attachment of the HUD Model Lease.
A comprehensive set of rules supports owners in legal proceeding while incomplete policies may significantly hamper an owner’s ability to defend their position. Whether your community rules need minor polishing or significant topic expansion, our team can design and draft this fundamental document for you, incorporating our best practices learned through real world experience.
The Resident Handbook will be updated to reflect changes to discretionary policies as allowed for by HOTMA.
This policy had extensive modifications driven by HOTMA.
EIV POLICIES & PROCEDURES
$475/Each
Written EIV policies are a HUD requirement. Our team will customize written EIV policies and procedures for your property that meet all HUD security and regulatory requirements. The document will serve as detailed leasing staff procedures to ensure appropriate use of HUD’s EIV system, and will establish a consistent review and filing schedule for staff to follow.
This policy had extensive modifications driven by HOTMA. Note: Multifamily housing owners must update their EIV Policies and Procedures by May 31, 2024.
*At checkout, an optional Rush Processing Fee of $1,000 can be selected to ensure delivery of the EIV Policies & Procedures by the current HUD deadline of 5/31/24, provided we have the required owner documents. If Rush Processing is not selected, your deliverables will be processed in the order received.
HUD VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT (VAWA) PROTECTION PACKAGE
$375/Per HUD Program Type
This product helps owners comply with the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA) Final Rule, and the associated regulatory requirements affecting owners participating in HUD’s Multi-family rental assistance programs.
The customized package will include all required components of a VAWA Policy, including: new TSP and House Rule language, new required tenant notices and certification forms related to VAWA, and an Emergency Transfer Plan that encompasses all required HUD elements outlined in the VAWA Final Rule.
Save yourself the headache and hassle—let us do the legwork for you!
HARDSHIP POLICY
$800/Each
Regardless of your HUD Program type, HOTMA introduced a new requirement for all Multifamily Owners to develop Hardship (also referred to in HUD guidance as General Relief) Policies. These written policies must outline, under what conditions, an assisted household can request a financial hardship exemption to decrease the portion of expenses they would be responsible for paying prior to a HUD 50059 deduction being applied to the rental calculation. These hardships are not the same category as those granted to households that do not pay the Section 8 minimum rent of $25 total tenant payment. These policies must outline prerequisites to qualify for the hardship, how and when owners will notify households of approval or denial, how owners will review circumstances for potential renewal of hardship exemptions, and in what circumstances households must report changes impacting their continued eligibility for the exemption.
Don’t have the time or energy to develop this policy in-house? That’s where we come in. DHG will provide you with a fully customized policy for your staff to follow and disseminate to your resident population. Included within the product will be templates for resident requests for hardship, approval/denial notification letters, and verification records for renewals of hardships, as permitted by your policy. Order this today and enjoy the satisfaction of checking this task off your HOTMA To-Do List.
AFFIRMATIVE FAIR HOUSING MARKETING PLANS
$1,200/Per Address
You must review your property’s HUD Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP, Form HUD-935.2A) every five years. If your property’s community demographics, marketing methods or ownership/managing entities have changed, your plan must be revised. These revisions require owners to gather census information, pinpoint specific advertising methods and provide proof of applicable Fair Housing training to gain approval.
Our team can prepare and submit the AFHMP plan to your local HUD Office for you! Or, we can simply assist your staff with the demographic research and marketing assessment.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) PLAN
$300/Each
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that incorporates tasks to effectively prevent the presence or infestation of roaches, rodents, bed bugs and other pests in your apartment community, without the excessive use of pesticides. Our IPM Plan establishes an ongoing monitoring and record-keeping system for maintenance staff to follow, as well as waste management, food storage and housekeeping techniques for residents to use to prevent infestation.
WRITTEN PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE (PM) PLAN
$800/Each
When routinely implemented, Preventative Maintenance (PM) can preserve reliability and extend the useful life of equipment, reduce the number of on-demand maintenance word orders, and improve resident satisfaction. Our PM Plan is an easy to use tool with dozens of detailed PM schedules and PM checklists for managers and maintenance to implement at your property. It covers unit inspections, HVAC systems, plumbing, lighting, roofs, grounds, playground and more.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION/ MODIFICATION POLICIES
$500/Each
The Fair Housing Act requires that housing providers accept written and oral requests for “reasonable accommodations” from persons with disabilities. These requests may involve modifying rules, policies, practices, procedures and/or services to afford a person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the housing services offered. A solid Reasonable Accommodation/Modification Policy is a must to ensure your staff address any accommodation requests fairly and appropriately. This product includes a Request Form to document all incoming requests, as well as an Assistive Animal Policy embedded within the policy.
ALL POLICIES & DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE
$7,000
Streamline your policies and documentation and ensure you have everything you need – for one flat rate.
Within this package, you will receive:
- HUD Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) package
- Tenant Selection Plan (single property)
- Tenant File Forms
- Housing Application & Recertification Questionnaire Package
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Policy*
- Resident Handbook
- Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan
- Integrated Pest Management Plan
- Written Preventative Maintenance Plan
- Reasonable Accommodation/Modification Policy
- EIV Policies & Procedures
- Hardship Policy
Note: This package does not include the LAP (Language Access Plan). While this package is for a portfolio, the Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan is for a single property.
