NMA trainers Samantha Sowards and Sheryl Putnam will be presenting a session on RAD conversion to PBRA at The Housing Conference

As director of professional development, Sheryl Putnam has spearheaded the development of several NMA seminars, including Blended Occupancy Management, Fundamentals of LIHTC Management, and our newest class, Multifamily Housing Specialist (MHS). Prior to joining Nan McKay and Associates in 2011, she managed the compliance department for a state housing finance agency, providing compliance oversight activities for the LIHTC, PBRA, and HOME programs.

Senior trainer Samantha Sowards has been a part of the NMA team since 2008. As NMA’s manager of curriculum development, Samantha oversees publications from concept and creation through the ongoing revision process, including NMA Master Books, model policies, and handbooks. Sheryl and Samantha will be presenting the following session at the The Housing Conference in San Antonio this September.

Regulatory Knowledge for Smart Management

RAD: Post-Closing Operational Transition for PBRA
Presenters, Sheryl Putnam and Samantha Sowards

Congratulations, you’ve been approved for a RAD conversion to project-based rental assistance (PBRA). Now that you’ve been approved — or are waiting for approval — what’s next? This session will cover the key differences between public housing, PBRA, and RAD PBRA that you and your team need to know about. We will cover in-place resident considerations, eligibility and occupancy differences, rent phase-in requirements, what to do when TTP is greater than the contract/market rent, and more. We will also touch on some blended occupancy issues if you are adding low-income housing tax credits.

If you're interested in learning more about PBRA, don't miss our upcoming session of Multifamily Housing Specialist! Conference attendees save 10% on the seminar, which will be held immediately following the first two days of the The Housing Conference. Extend your stay and expand your learning! Register online or email sales@nanmckay.com for more information. Don't delay, room blocks are filling up fast.

In a press release last week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a prepublication copy of the final rule streamlining administrative regulations for the housing choice voucher (HCV), project-based voucher (PBV), public housing, HOME, and multifamily (PBRA) housing programs. The streamlining final rule combines changes in the 2014 and 2015 appropriations acts, elements of HUD’s 2013 temporary compliance options, and other streamlining changes. It will become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

In response to the publication of the 99-page final rule, which includes regulatory changes in 14 different topic areas, Nan McKay & Associates (NMA) is pleased to announce we have reviewed all our seminars and updated them with new guidance as needed.

HCV seminars updated for the streamlining final rule:

• Blended Occupancy Management
• Developing & Managing Project-Based V0uchers (PBV)
• Fair Housing & Reasonable Accommodation
• HCV and Public Housing Rent Calculation
• HCV Eligibility
• HCV Housing Quality Standards (HQS)
• HCV Occupancy
• HCV Program Management
• HCV Rent Calculation
• HCV Specialist
• Hearing Officer Workshop
• RAD Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Specialist
• Rent Calc II: Hands-On Workshop

Public housing seminars updated for the streamlining final rule:

• Blended Occupancy Management
• Fair Housing & Reasonable Accommodation
• HCV and Public Housing Rent Calculation
• Hearing Officer Workshop
• Public Housing Eligibility
• Public Housing Management (PHM)
• Public Housing Occupancy
• Public Housing Rent Calculation
• Public Housing Specialist
• RAD Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Specialist
• Rent Calc II: Hands-On Workshop

Multifamily seminars updated for the streamlining final rule:

• Blended Occupancy Management
• Fair Housing & Reasonable Accommodation
• Multifamily Housing Specialist (MHS)

The streamlining final rule also includes several new policy options. Our technical writers and subject matter experts are in the process of revising our model ACOP and model administrative plan to include language and guidance for these new options. We are expediting those revisions for our subscribers and will be issuing them as quickly as possible.

Finally, the rule includes significant changes to the earned income disallowance. Due to those changes, the NMA Earned Income Disallowance (EID) Kit is being pulled from our classes and online store as we update it to comply with the new regulations.

We recognize that this is all a lot of new information to absorb. Remember, we're here to help! If you have any questions, you can get in touch with our team by emailing sales@nanmckay.com or calling us at (800) 783-3100.

Senior trainer Samantha Sowards has been a part of the NMA team since 2008. As NMA’s manager of curriculum development, Samantha oversees publications from concept and creation through the ongoing revision process, including NMA Master Books, model policies, and handbooks.

NMA trainers Samantha Pratter and Sheryl Putnam at last year’s NMA Housing Conference

Trainer and consultant Samantha Pratter has been a part of the NMA team since 2008. As NMA’s writing supervisor, Samantha oversees publications from concept and creation through the ongoing revision process, including NMA Master Books, model policies, course books, and handbooks. She recently wrote for the NMA blog about the key differences between the project-based voucher (PBV) program and the (HCV) housing choice voucher program.

As NMA's professional development manager, Sheryl Putnam spearheaded the development of our new Blended Occupancy Management and Fundamentals of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Management certification seminars. Prior to joining Nan McKay and Associates in 2011, she managed the compliance department for a state housing finance agency, providing compliance oversight activities for the LIHTC, PBRA, and HOME programs. Sheryl will be presenting several sessions at the 2014 NMA and GoSection8 Housing Conference, including this one and How to Avoid Noncompliance: Blended Occupancy.

Ensuring Compliance and Maximizing Financial Resources

How to Avoid Noncompliance: Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and Hot Topics from IRS Newsletters
Presenters, Sheryl Putnam and Samantha Pratter

The LIHTC Newsletter, which the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been publishing since 2000, is an excellent resource for addressing many issues owners face and also provides a valuable forum for networking, sharing information about IRC 42, and communicating guidance. This session will focus on some of the important topics covered in recent newsletters, including information on CHG 4 to the HUD Handbook 4350.3, the exception for married students under the student rule, using new income limits, first-year certifications, reporting noncompliance with utility allowance requirements, treating buildings as part of a multiple building project, and the available unit rule.

Our free one-on-one consulting sessions at the second annual NMA and GoSection8 Housing Conference in Chicago are filling up fast! Sheryl's already fully booked, but Samantha and other industry experts are still available, so sign up now and save your seat. Register online or email sales@nanmckay.com for more information.

NMA trainers Samantha Pratter and Sheryl Putnam at last year’s NMA Housing Conference

Trainer and consultant Samantha Pratter has been a part of the NMA team since 2008. As NMA’s writing supervisor, Samantha oversees publications from concept and creation through the ongoing revision process, including NMA Master Books, model policies, course books, and handbooks. She recently wrote for the NMA blog about the key differences between the project-based voucher (PBV) program and the (HCV) housing choice voucher program.

As NMA's professional development manager, Sheryl Putnam spearheaded the development of our new Blended Occupancy Management and Fundamentals of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Management certification seminars. Prior to joining Nan McKay and Associates in 2011, she managed the compliance department for a state housing finance agency, providing compliance oversight activities for the LIHTC, PBRA, and HOME programs. Sheryl will be presenting several sessions at the 2014 NMA and GoSection8 Housing Conference, including this one and How to Avoid Noncompliance: Blended Occupancy.

Ensuring Compliance and Maximizing Financial Resources

How to Avoid Noncompliance: Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and Using the 8823 Guide in LIHTC Developments
Presenters, Sheryl Putnam and Samantha Pratter

As a tax credit owner, avoiding noncompliance in the LIHTC program is a top priority. The Guide to Completing Form 8823, which is a compilation of references with explanations for applying the rules, can provide valuable information on how noncompliance in the program is identified and categorized. The session will include an overview of the Form 8823 and the accompanying guide, as well as a discussion of topics addressed in the 8823 Guide such as changes in household composition, moves, and utility allowances.

Sheryl, Samantha, and other industry experts will be available for limited free one-hour consulting sessions at the 2014 NMA and GoSection8 Housing Conference. Registered participants can sign up on a first-come, first-served basis, so don't delay! Register online or email sales@nanmckay.com for more information.

NMA professional development manager Sheryl Putnam will be presenting a session on blended occupancy at this year’s NMA Housing Conference

As NMA's professional development manager, Sheryl Putnam spearheaded the development of our new Blended Occupancy Management and Fundamentals of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Management certification seminars. Prior to joining Nan McKay and Associates in 2011, she managed the compliance department for a state housing finance agency, providing compliance oversight activities for the LIHTC, PBRA, and HOME programs. Sheryl recently wrote a series for the NMA blog about blended occupancy projects and will be presenting the following session at the 2014 NMA and GoSection8 Housing Conference.

Ensuring Compliance and Maximizing Financial Resources

How to Avoid Noncompliance: Blended Occupancy
Presenter, Sheryl Putnam

Managing housing developments with multiple funding sources can be complicated. Requirements from multiple oversight agencies need to be satisfied, and there's an overall lack of guidance on how to operate blended developments, since each monitoring agency audits for compliance with its own program requirements. Because penalties for noncompliance can be severe, this session will explore some of the most complicated compliance areas, including:

• Applying income limits and income targeting requirements
• Applying correct rent limits/restrictions
• Understanding and applying the LIHTC and Section 8 student rules
• Differences in income and asset calculation and verification
• Applying utility allowances correctly

Sheryl and other industry experts will be available for limited free one-hour consulting sessions at the 2014 NMA and GoSection8 Housing Conference. Registered participants can sign up on a first-come, first-served basis starting July 14. Register online or email sales@nanmckay.com for more information.

Up next in our "Meet the Team" interview series is senior associate trainer Sammie Szabo, who joined NMA five years ago after retiring from a four-decade career in the affordable housing industry. With longstanding expertise in complex topics such as project-based vouchers and mixed finance, Ms. Szabo was instrumental in the design of two new seminars focusing on those subjects, Blended Occupancy Management and Developing and Managing Project-Based Vouchers.

Tell us about your work experience.

Before joining Nan McKay and Associates, I worked for a PHA in Southern California for 36 years. That was before the Section 8 program was created, and we administered a public housing program with a total staff of seven people — two in the administrative office (me and the executive director), three in maintenance, and two in the resident services department.

Our waiting list for the public housing program was huge in comparison to the number of units owned by my PHA, and we were very excited when Congress approved the Section 8 program. I wrote our first application for the Section 8 certificate program, and we were approved! Subsequently I wrote and submitted a number of additional applications each and every time funds were available for the certificate program, as well as for the CIAP (pre-capital fund for public housing) and the resident services program.

I became the executive director of the PHA in 1980, and I believe that at age 26 I was the youngest ED. During my tenure with the PHA I expanded the Section 8 program, converted from certificates to vouchers, substantially remodeled the public housing development that had been constructed in 1940, expanded the resident services program, established a vibrant after-school program serving not only children in the public housing program but also in the surrounding community, acquired and rehabbed dilapidated apartments in order to expand affordable housing, and developed affordable housing for seniors using multiple funding sources, including low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment funds, and a loan from the California Housing Finance Agency.

How did you get your start in the industry?

I moved back to California and was looking for a job that interested me, and wasn't just a paycheck. I was offered two jobs on the same day, one at a local college, the other with the housing authority. The people and the work at the housing authority interested me, I hadn't had any experience in the public sector, and after growing up the community, I found the fact that there were programs to help persons of low income in a rather wealthy community fascinating.

I accepted the job with the housing authority, and I was hooked. The job was never boring, and the opportunities to learn, grow, and expand the programs and services that help families move up and out were challenging. I loved it! I always said I would leave the public sector when I got bored, or found the job no longer challenged me. It never happened. Frustrating at times? Absolutely! Boring? Never.

What’s one topic you’re most passionate about in the affordable housing industry?

Providing families, and especially children, with an opportunity to improve their lives and futures. Housing is the keystone to a better future.

What's your favorite part about your job?

Helping the people who help the people. Sounds corny, but it's what we do. At NMA we take pride in providing our students and clients with the tools they need to do their job well. I am thrilled when I complete a consulting assignment or training and know that because of the work we do, our clients are better prepared to serve their agencies and their clients and manage these precious federal resources.

Describe your typical work day?

There isn't a typical work day. Some days are all about travel — getting from home base to the training or consulting site, dealing with airports, security, hotels, car rentals, and all that is associated with the joys of travel. Some days I get up very, very early, often in a  different time zone, locate training rooms and materials, unpack, set up a training room, and prepare myself to be ready and energized when the students arrive. Thank God for coffee!

Other days it's all about meeting with agency staff, getting to know their agency and their needs in order to meet their consulting goals, and respectfully providing the services they need. Yes, living in hotels and eating meals alone is part of the job, but the services we provide are well worth the travel, long days, early mornings, and sore feet.

Tell us about a successful project that you had a part in.

I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to be a part of many successful projects: working with my team and the local police department to turn a crime-ridden public housing development into a clean, safe, family-friendly environment; developing much-needed senior housing for extremely low-income seniors as well as "gap group" seniors, those above the income limit levels for government subsidies but too poor to afford quality housing with services; and helping agencies create policies and procedures that allow them to better manage their agencies.

The one that touches my heart the most... the development of an after-school program for children in public housing. When I started at the housing authority, I was appalled by the dropout rate of the youth growing up in public housing. By the time I left my agency, 99 percent of our young people graduated from high school, and the majority went on to graduate from college. We made a real difference, long-term, in the lives of those children and their families.

When she isn't traveling, training, or consulting, Sammie Szabo loves to read, and can devour a book or two a day. She also enjoys riding the dunes on her quad and appreciating the beauty of the desert, but her favorite pastime is spending time with her family.

One week left to register for the 2013 NMA Housing Conference and GoSection8 User Conference! New track sessions and signups for one-on-one consulting have just been announced. To read the full list of sessions, go here.

Executive Leadership for Performance Excellence

Don't Waste Strategy Time on Goal Setting!
Presenter, Eric Kaufmann, President, Sagatica LLC

Most strategy sessions are merely operational — a missed leadership opportunity. Eric Kaufmann guides leadership teams across the country and coaches corporate CEOs. He will present the way to prepare a strategic action plan that becomes a useful resource to accomplish your agency’s goals within limited funding. You will discover the six deadly mistakes of strategy planning. Ask the right questions, set the right measurements, and get to work!

Regulatory Knowledge for Smart Management

Why Your Agency Should Be Taking a Second Look at RAD
Presenter, Carrol Vaughan

The RAD demonstration program is a unique opportunity for housing authorities to convert their at-risk public housing to long-term Section 8 rental assistance contracts. In this session, we’ll cover the latest information on the program and discuss why your housing authority should take a serious look at whether RAD would work for your agency. We’ll also hear from staff at a large housing authority on why their agency is considering submitting an application, and review the thought process involved in making the decision to apply.

Fair Housing/Civil Rights Reviews: Are You Prepared?
Presenter, Annie Stevenson

Using HUD’s civil rights review checklist, we’ll discuss fair housing requirements for the public housing and HCV programs. Topics will include limited English proficiency (LEP), reasonable accommodations, alternative communication methods, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to prepare for civil rights monitoring.

Free One-on-One NMA Consulting

Reserve your free session with an NMA industry expert! These consulting sessions are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. In fact, some are already full, so we encourage you to sign up now.

Nan McKay, President and Founder
Expertise: HCV program management






John McKay, CEO
Expertise: Performance management, applying Baldrige principles to affordable housing






Carrol Vaughan, VP of Professional Services
Expertise: Procurement, organizational development






Dorian Jenkins, VP of Program Management
Expertise: HCV program, public housing leasing, tenant relations, rent collection, REAC prep, cost controls





Cydney Jones, Director of Program Management
Expertise: General HCV topics and issues






Sheryl Putnam, Professional Development Manager
Expertise: LIHTC compliance, HOME, PBRA






Samantha Pratter, Writing Supervisor
Expertise: HCV and public housing eligibility, occupancy, and rent calculation






Annie Stevenson, Senior Trainer
Expertise: Fair housing, hearings, EIV, general HCV and public housing topics






Terry Provance, Senior Trainer
Expertise: Fair housing, PHAS, public housing property management, general asset management issues





Sammie Szabo, Associate Trainer
Expertise: General HCV and public housing, PBV, blended occupancy






Jay Ortenzo, Property Services Manager
Expertise: HCV inspections and standards, public housing maintenance management






Teri Robertson, Senior Consultant
Expertise: SEMAP, quality control, HCV program utilization






Betty Turner, Senior Associate Trainer
Expertise: Transition to asset management, supervision, working with commissioners






Please note that you must be a registered conference attendee or new registrant in order to take advantage of free consulting sessions. Non-registrants without an accompanying registration are not eligible. Register online or email sales@nanmckay.com for more information. Winners of the 2013 NMA Housing Awards will be announced at the conference — don't miss it!

With the first-ever NMA Housing Conference just a little over a month away, everyone here at Nan McKay and Associates is getting excited, and we hope you are, too.

We have so many great panels lined up, covering topics ranging from sequestration and legislative news to renovation and rent reasonableness and everything in between.

Enter to win two free registrations!

Just answer the following two questions correctly, and you'll be entered to win. You can comment on this blog post, email us at marketing@nanmckay.com, write a comment on LinkedIn or Facebook, or tweet us to enter.

1. How many years in housing did our founder and president, Nan McKay, celebrate this year?
2. Name one track of the upcoming 2013 NMA Housing Conference and GoSection8 User Conference.

That's it! The contest is open until next Wednesday, August 7. Good luck, and we'll see you in San Diego.

(Please note that this contest is for registration fees only; winner will be responsible for their own travel and lodging.)

Registrations for the Blended Occupancy Management and HCV Program Management classes following the conference are now 20% off with your conference registration. Sign up online or email sales@nanmckay.com for more information. Winners of the 2013 NMA Housing Awards will be announced at the conference — have you submitted your entries yet?

Today in our interview series, we're talking to trainer and consultant Samantha Sowards. As NMA's writing supervisor, Samantha oversees publications from concept and creation through the ongoing revision process, including NMA Master Books, model policies, course books, and handbooks. She recently wrote for the NMA blog about the key differences between the project-based voucher program (PBV) and the housing choice voucher program (HCV).

As one of NMA's multifamily housing experts, Sam co-developed the Blended Occupancy Management course. She was also instrumental in designing our newest class, Developing and Managing Project-Based Vouchers. Upcoming sessions are scheduled for July in the San Francisco Bay Area, August in St. Paul, MN, and September in Atlanta, GA.

Tell us about your work experience.

Before coming to NMA, I worked as a mentor for student athletes at the San Diego State Athletic Department and as a TA and graduate assistant in the history department.

How did you get your start in the industry?

My best friend, Becky Gligo, suggested to our boss that I might be a good fit as a trainer.

How many years have you been at NMA? How many years in the industry?

I didn't have any housing experience before joining NMA in December 2008.

Education credentials?

I went to San Diego State for my B.A. and M.A. As an undergrad, I studied history and minored in German. My graduate degree is in American history, with a focus on issues of race during the Reconstruction era and the Gilded Age.

What’s one topic you’re most passionate about in the affordable housing industry?

Helping agencies become more accurate and compliant with the regulations really drives me. It may not seem like something as mundane as rent calculation or file reviews would make the world a better place, but ensuring that agencies follow the regulations correctly means that they're able to use their limited resources smartly and efficiently to serve more families in need. In our department we always say our motto is, "We help the people who help the people," and I know that the work I do helps people with one of their most basic needs.

What's your favorite part about your job?

I feel like my job as a trainer really makes a difference in the lives of the people I teach. I've gotten to witness a lot of "Aha!" moments over the last four years when someone in one of my classes truly understands a concept that they haven't before, and it's really satisfying to know I played a part in that.

Describe your typical work day?

My typical work day is anything but typical! By its nature, travel is a very unpredictable activity, so those days are always different. On days when I train or consult, I'm interacting with clients the entire day and answering lots of questions. When I'm in the office, I'm usually updating existing materials or creating new ones.

Tell us about a successful project that you had a part in.

My most recent successful project was launching our Blended Occupancy Management class with Sheryl Putnam and Sammie Szabo. It's a really exciting project because it's a totally new market for NMA. For the first time in one of our standard trainings we're talking about low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC), HOME, and multifamily Section 8. The book and materials took a long time to develop, and we've done a ton of revisions, but I'm really proud of the class we've created. I think it's incredibly helpful for all sorts of housing agencies and delivers a unique experience that will really help our customers run their programs.

Samantha Sowards loves to cook and entertain, and tends to spend all her free time reading and collecting cookbooks and putting that knowledge to work in her kitchen to feed family and friends. She's also a member of a few honor societies: Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Alpha Theta (for history), and Golden Key.

Registration for the first-ever NMA Housing Conference is now open, and session information has been announced.

2013 NMA Housing Conference
and GoSection8 User Conference

September 9–10 in San Diego, CA

Sign up now and receive 20% off Blended Occupancy Management and HCV Program Management!

Choose one of these new certification classes to attend directly following the conference, and make it a complete week of learning in beautiful San Diego on the bay.

Visit our website to register

With four tracks of concurrent sessions, you'll enjoy the opportunity to explore two very full days of expert panels, round-table discussions, free consulting, and networking with key players in the industry. You'll also receive a certificate of achievement for attending an entire track (choose from executive, regulatory, financial, and GoSection8).

Keynote Speaker

Leading at a Higher Level: Creating High-Performing Organizations
Presenter, Ann Phillips of the Ken Blanchard Companies

Executive Leadership for Performance Excellence

Ensuring the Best Performance for the Money: Quality Assurance from the Executive Level
Presenters, John McKay, Dorian Jenkins, Michael Petragallo, Andrew Denicola

This session will focus on how successful housing executives ensure excellent staff performance and the overall cost efficiency of their agency by applying performance management metrics and a proactive quality assurance approach. We will discuss methods to ensure staff performance, covering all personnel from line staff to finance and inspection, as well as provide information about cost-saving measures to take back to your agency.

Managing a Public Agency with a Corporate Sector Approach
Presenter, Cydney Jones

Applying private sector techniques to your agency doesn't have to mean losing focus of its social mission. This informative session will provide PHA leaders with tools and insight to develop an organizational culture of performance excellence, accountability, fiscal responsibility, and organizational sustainability. The session will provide tips, tools, and guidance used in the corporate sector to develop and maintain high performance and fiscal prudence within the public sector environment.

How to Improve the Quality and Value of Your Services at a Reduced Cost
Presenter, Mark Frater, President, LeanFirm

Attend this session and learn how to employ a collaborative methodology at your housing authority by adopting lean principles. Discussion topics will include developing a highly effective path to maximizing the talents and contributions of your agency, facilitating motivation, productivity, customer satisfaction, and fiscal control. In today's era of budget cuts, it's more important than ever to improve the timeliness and quality of services throughout your housing agency by eliminating waste and inefficiency.

Don't Waste Strategy Time on Goal Setting!
Presenter, Eric Kaufmann, President, Sagatica LLC

Most strategy sessions are merely operational — a missed leadership opportunity. Eric Kaufmann guides leadership teams across the country and coaches corporate CEOs. He will present the way to prepare a strategic action plan that becomes a useful resource to accomplish your agency’s goals within limited funding. You will discover the six deadly mistakes of strategy planning. Ask the right questions, set the right measurements, and get to work!

PHA Resiliency in the Post-Sequestration World
Presenter, Kevin Sheriff, ERS Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche LLP

This session will explore the short- and long-term future of PHAs' roles in their communities and how they can survive and thrive in the face of dwindling federal resources and ongoing chatter about consolidation. We will discuss strategies that PHAs can explore beyond the traditional methods (e.g. mixed finance, alternative revenue-generating activities, energy performance contracts) to recast their organizations for sustainable, long-term success.

Regulatory Knowledge for Smart Management

Why Your Agency Should Be Taking a Second Look at RAD
Presenter, Carrol Vaughan

The RAD demonstration program is a unique opportunity for housing authorities to convert their at-risk public housing to long-term Section 8 rental assistance contracts. In this session, we’ll cover the latest information on the program and discuss why your housing authority should take a serious look at whether RAD would work for your agency. We’ll also hear from staff at a large housing authority on why their agency is considering submitting an application, and review the thought process involved in making the decision to apply.

Legislative Update
Presenter, Nan McKay and Terry Provance

What's the latest news in the industry? In this session we'll review the most important notices released in 2013, any breaking news that you need to be aware of, and what we see coming down the pipe for 2014.

Fair Housing/Civil Rights Reviews: Are You Prepared?
Presenter, Annie Stevenson

Using HUD’s civil rights review checklist, we’ll discuss fair housing requirements for the public housing and HCV programs. Topics will include limited English proficiency (LEP), reasonable accommodations, alternative communication methods, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to prepare for civil rights monitoring.

EIV, PIC, VMS: Are These Systems Costing Your Agency Money?
Presenters, Dorian Jenkins and Raymond Buhr

In this session, NMA staff will go over HUD's reporting requirements and provide tips to help your agency properly utilize Enterprise Income Verification (EIV), maximize your PIH Information Center (PIC) reporting rate, simplify the Voucher Management System (VMS), and ensure you aren't losing precious housing dollars.

Sustainability: Cost-Effective Renovation
Presenter, Jay Ortenzo

Are you tired of hearing phrases like, “We have to do more with less”? Truth is, we have to plan and be smart about the way we use our resources. While there’s always a cost associated with any renovation we do, labor, materials, overhead, profit, bad design, poor product choice, and installation mistakes cost your agency more than necessary. This session will focus on how to ensure you're getting the best renovation work for the money.

Financial Strategy for Maximizing Resources

The Impact of the Treasury's Cash Management Requirements on the HCV Program
Presenter, Ray Adair

This session will explain the impact that the implementation of the Treasury's cash management requirements will have on HCV housing assistance payment (HAP) revenue recognition, the formation of the HCV program reserve, net restricted assets (NRA) reporting, and interest earned on invested NRA balances.

Reporting Public Housing Operating Fund Activity on the FDS
Presenter, Ron Urlaub

This session will cover how new public housing and mixed-finance projects are created in the Financial Data Schedule (FDS), general project-level reporting for both conventional public housing projects and mixed-finance projects, and common public housing operating fund reporting issues on the FDS.

Using HUD's Two-Year Forecasting Tool for HAP Expense Planning
Presenter, Ray Adair

HUD has developed an Excel forecasting tool (posted with a user guide on the HCV home page) to assist PHAs in the financial management of the HCV program. The focus of this session will be on reviewing the funding available to support HAP (annual budget authority, net restricted assets, program reserves, and unrestricted net assets) and how to make the best use of the two-year forecasting tool. We will review the major sections of the tool, as well as what data is needed to use the tool and where to find it. In addition, you will learn how to use the tool to run "what if" scenarios, and how to use the tool's dashboard to determine whether leasing is within available funding.

FASS-PH System Updates
Presenter, Ray Adair

This session will explain the recent and planned REAC Financial Assessment System for public housing agencies (FASS-PH) system updates that impact financial reporting on the Financial Data Schedule (FDS) for both the public housing and HCV programs.

Reconciling VMS Reporting to the FDS
Presenter, Ron Urlaub

This session will review which fields on the Voucher Management System (VMS) are expected to tie or come close to the values reported on the Financial Data Schedule (FDS).

The Ins and Outs of CFP Reporting and Close-Out
Presenter, Ray Adair

This session will focus on how budget line items (BLI) are used for budgetary control of the Capital Fund Program (CFP), CFP eligible and ineligible expenses, Financial Data Schedule (FDS) reporting of the CFP and the Capital Fund Financing Program at the project level, and CFP close-out.

How Go8's Technology Can Be a Cost-Saving Resource for Your Agency

Introduction to GoSection8
GoSection8 is the largest rental-listing service for the Section 8 housing market. We service families, landlords, and public housing agencies across the United States. Hundreds of thousands of tenants and landlords nationwide benefit from our programs.

Don't Spend Money on Software: We Have the Solution
In an environment of eminent budget cuts, learn how Go8's free listing service can save you time and money.

GoSection8 Software Demonstration
Since our inception in 2004, GoSection8 (Go8) has been an effective resource for housing agencies across the country. Our software streamlines the rent reasonable process, automatically integrating comparable data and generating HUD-compliant rent reasonable reports. Go8 will save your staff valuable time, eliminating the need for mining data or contracting with an outside vendor to purchase comparables.

Best Practices of Different-Size Agencies and Their Savings with Go8 Software
A detailed study of various-sized agencies with different asking rents, approved rents, and annual savings received by implementing the Go8 software. We offer an audit-proven and efficient way to determine rent reasonableness as required by HUD.

The Growth of Technology and Its Impact on Rent Determination
Go8 offers on-demand mobile applications and software integration. Users can perform rent reasonable comparisons on-site, in real time, using their current housing software — no need to log into your Go8 account.

How to Focus on Landlord Retention and Participation: Why It's Important in This Economy and with Budget Cuts
Landlord outreach and participation are more important than ever. We will discuss current market trends and automated marketing solutions and review Go8's HCV Landlord Participation Index.

Educate Your Staff: How to Do Certifications, Review Annual Savings, and Analyze Reports
Learn how Go8 can help your agency do more with less effort. This training module will ensure you are maximizing the Go8 software and performing rent reasonable determinations correctly.

How to Get the Most out of Your Go8 Software: Review New Features, Upgrades, and Reports
Find out about Go8's newest features and give us your feedback. We have been busy building new improvements to our site to make the user experience even better.

Customized Search Results for Your Families Based on Their Income and Your Jurisdiction
Go8's affordability calculator tailors search results based on a family's income, using payment standards and the landlord's utility schedule.

Deconcentration and Its Impact on Rent Reasonableness
Learn how to improve your agency's SEMAP scores. Go8's listings can be customized to exclude HUD-determined low-income qualified census tracks.

Are You Using Asking Rents or Actual Rents? How It Affects the Open Market
We will demonstrate the surprising difference between asking rent and actual rent.

Go8's Custom Listing Service
We manage and maintain your landlord's listings and also offer a mobile platform to view tenant leads.

Registrations for the NMA Housing Conference and GoSection8 User Conference are now 20% off when you register before July 15, 2013. Sign up online or email sales@nanmckay.com for more information.