Due to the complexity of affordable housing compliance and ever-changing regulations, keeping on-site teams engaged is essential. During the peak of COVID, it became even harder, as the number of updates increased. Industry professionals also couldn’t easily connect at events. In-person conferences and events allowed affordable housing professionals a chance to network and learn from their peers. For newcomers, properties could offer in-person training for their software and other systems.
Because so many conferences and training sessions have moved online, it’s been hard for on-site staff to stay engaged and connected with the affordable housing community. Not only is this isolating for all of us who miss in-person events, but it can also be difficult to keep up with changing affordable housing compliance regulations.
- Sign up for as many news email push-alerts as you can. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the National Council for State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA), the Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH) and others offer this information. You might be hit with the same news more than once, but it’s a sure thing you won’t miss it.
- Organizations that focus on affordable housing, such as NAHMA and CARH, updated resources on their websites, and many will deliver daily or weekly newsletters that cover evolving topics, legislation and regulations. These organizations also host timely webinars that feature leading experts in their niche housing markets.
- ResMan’s affordable housing team also tracks important news affecting affordable housing and provides timely updates in our Compliance Dashboard to help teams keep up with changing guidance.
- There are many qualified HUD trainers. Identify those who address your responsibilities and follow them on social media, such as LinkedIn and Facebook. For me, I find that Mary Ross has a lot of valuable information to share. She provides clients with high-level consultation and advice on how to succeed when managing properties set aside for low-income families.
- Join your local apartment association or chapter of a national associations to gain invaluable insights.
The National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) is one of the leading voices of affordable housing management and advocates for multifamily affordable housing professionals in the U.S. Joining NAHMA is one of the best ways for professionals in our industry to plug in, network with peers and get access to a variety of educational resources.
The Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH) is a national non-profit focused on supporting affordable rural housing professionals. They offer a variety of educational resources and industry insights.
The National Council for State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) is a leading advocate for affordable housing and represents the housing finance agencies of every U.S. state and territory. They provide education and advocacy for housing finance agencies and offer a variety of resources on their website.
As we all work our way through these evolving and sometime disrupted times, connecting and staying in touch with important resources will make your operations go more smoothly.
If you’re interested in ResMan as a software provider for your daily operations, book a demo to see the product up close.
