If you haven't taken it yet, we would like to invite you to participate in the annual NMA Customer Satisfaction Survey. It’s very short, and only takes a minute or two to complete.

Please take a moment to share your feedback and let us know how we can better serve your needs in the future.

Take the customer satisfaction survey now!

And in case you missed the announcement, our annual year-end sale is currently underway. Save 20% on all Q1 NMA-hosted classes, including upcoming sessions of popular classes like Public Housing Management (PHM), HCV and Public Housing Rent Calculation, HCV Housing Quality Standards (HQS), and HCV Specialist.

Visit our online seminar calendar to see more upcoming classes. All sessions January thorough March without an asterisk are 20% off before January 1, 2017! Contact sales@nanmckay.com for more information.

We’re pleased to announce the release of NMA's seminar calendar for the fourth quarter of 2016. You can view a list of the affordable housing training that Nan McKay and Associates is offering from now through December on this page at our website.

Start planning your autumn training now and save! If you register at least 45 days in advance for most seminars, you’ll receive a 10 percent discount. (The discount does not apply to seminars hosted by housing authorities or associations.)

Upcoming classes updated for the streamlining final rule include:

We’re pleased to announce the release of NMA's seminar calendar for the third quarter of 2016. You can view a list of the affordable housing training that Nan McKay and Associates is offering from now through September on this page at our website.

Start planning your summer training now and save! If you register at least 45 days in advance for most seminars, you’ll receive a 10 percent discount. (The discount does not apply to seminars hosted by housing authorities or associations.)

Upcoming classes updated for the streamlining final rule include:

• Fair Housing and Reasonable Accommodation in New Orleans and Baltimore
• HCV and Public Housing Rent Calculation in Atlanta, Kansas City, MO, and Seattle
• HCV Housing Quality Standards (HQS) in Denver, Albany, and Des Moines
• HCV Specialist in Wisconsin Dells and Las Vegas
• Hearing Officer Workshop in Indianapolis
• Multifamily Housing Specialist in Las Vegas
• Public Housing Management in Portland, ME and New Orleans
• Public Housing Specialist in Minneapolis and Cleveland
• RAD Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Specialist in Seattle

Having trouble finding the class you want? We can bring the seminar to you. Email sales@nanmckay.com for more information about our affordable onsite training options.

NMA's revision services team has been working hard to get the latest editions of our Master Books written, published, and shipped to you!

2016: COMING SOON! For the 2016 revision, the NMA Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Master Book has been brought current with all recent regulatory requirements and guidance, including:

• Expansion of the annual plan contents per Notice PIH 2015-18 on PHA plans
• Replacement of Notice PIH 2009-48 with Notice PIH 2015-12 on administering the community service and self-sufficiency requirement (CSSR)
• Deletion of references to the now obsolete certificate program per Federal Register 2/17/15
• Other changes and corrections for relevance, clarity, and ease of reading

2016: COMING SOON! For 2016, the NMA Public Housing Management (PHM) Master Book has been brought current with all recent regulatory requirements and guidance, in addition to expanding on useful information for public housing managers. Changes include:

• Information on the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program
• Expansion on the required contents of the PHA plan
• Deletion of references to temporary compliance assistance per the expiration of these policies
• Updates accounting for the flat rent requirements set forth in the 2014 appropriations act
• Revisions regarding Notice PIH 2015-12 on the community service and self-sufficiency requirement (CSSR)
• Other corrections and modifications for clarity and ease of reading

2016: COMING SOON! The 2016 edition of the NMA Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) CD has been brought current with all regulatory guidance, resources, and tools, including:

• The latest version of the RAPID DCD 4.0 software, current as of September 2015
• Additional information pertaining to the latest software, such as the most recent installation guide and instructions for scroll bar usage
• REAC’s most recent Compilation Bulletin, dated March 2015

Questions about your revision services subscriptions? Contact Laurie Durrett in our accounting department and she'll be happy to assist you.

NMA revision services provide a yearly update to your NMA Master Books and model policies with explanations and guidance regarding the most current HUD rules and regulations. To stay updated on the latest program information, try a free 30-day trial subscription to the PIH Alert. Email sales@nanmckay.com to get started.

If you're a subscriber to our annual revision service, you should by now have received the 2015 edition of the PHM Master Book, which shipped earlier this month. Questions about your subscription? Contact Laurie Durrett in our accounting department and she'll be happy to assist you.

In the new version, the NMA Public Housing Management (PHM) Master Book has been brought current with all recent regulatory requirements and guidance, including:

• Additions for the PIH-issued FAQs regarding Notice PIH 2014-12, the flat rent interim notice mandated by the 2014 appropriations act
• Updated language regarding nondiscrimination as outlined in Notice PIH 2014-20, which provides guidance on the equal access final rule
• A revised definition for extremely low-income (ELI) family, as per the Federal Register notice published June 25, 2014
• Updates to the list of federally mandated income exclusions as published in the Federal Register
• Additions to important HUD references

Looking for further guidance? NMA is now offering our popular PHM certification through our online training partner, HTVN! Go here to learn more.

NMA revision services provide a yearly update to your NMA Master Books and model policies with explanations and guidance regarding the most current HUD rules and regulations. To stay updated on the latest program information, try a free 30-day trial subscription to the PIH Alert. Email sales@nanmckay.com to get started.

Did you know you can receive an official PHM certification without leaving your desk? Nan McKay and Associates and HTVN are now offering our Public Housing Management (PHM) certification online.

Newly updated for 2015, it includes all the latest program information, including new HUD guidance on flat rent, the equal access final rule, the capital fund final rule, VAWA 2013, and more.

The 32-hour class is led by NMA senior trainer Cara Gillette, a seasoned expert in public housing management who will guide you through PHM's key principles and best practices:

Upon completion of this Nan McKay certification course, learners will understand all of the elements of public housing management and their impact on the PHA’s PHAS scores. This course covers basic public housing program information, HUD requirements for fair housing, factors of eligibility, tenant selection and wait list management, rent calculation, the occupancy cycle, resident relations strategies, managing a budget, and an overview of the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS).

NMA's longtime partnership with HTVN offers students the opportunity to enjoy many training options and earn a Nan McKay and Associates certification upon successful completion. NMA and HTVN are the only IACET-approved training and certification companies serving the affordable housing and public housing industries, which means you get the highest quality training plus the certification to show your achievement. IACET is a nonprofit association dedicated to quality continuing education and training programs, and is the only standard-setting organization approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for continuing education and training.

Other available online NMA certifications include:

• Customer Service
• Fair Housing and Reasonable Accommodation
• HCV Housing Quality Standards (HQS)
• HCV Specialist
• HCV Rent Calculation
• Rent Calculation for Public Housing and HCV
• Public Housing Rent Calculation

For more details, email sales@nanmckay.com. And don't miss this recent blog post with tips to help you get the most out of your online training.

NMA senior associate Cara Gillette trains, consults, and provides technical assistance nationwide in fair housing, public housing management, hearings, economic self-sufficiency, and governing boards. Prior to joining NMA, she administered public housing and Section 8 waiting lists, served as hearing officer, managed public housing, and oversaw resident economic development programs at the San Diego Housing Commission. She has previously written for the NMA blog on Section 3 best practices.

Did you know that you can receive an official HQS certification without even leaving your desk? Nan McKay and Associates is now offering our Housing Quality Standards (HQS) certification online:

Upon completion of this Nan McKay certification course, learners will have the information and skills required to complete HQS inspections on vacant or occupied units to determine if units pass or fail pursuant to HQS minimum standards. The course covers the correct completion of an HQS inspection form during the inspection, how to design an upgrade to HQS when given the assignment to develop a higher reasonable standard with HUD approval, as well as lead-based paint regulations and their impact on the HCV program. In addition, HQS-related SEMAP indicators and their impact on the PHA's SEMAP score are included.

The 16-hour class is led by NMA senior trainer Jay Ortenzo, a seasoned expert in HQS inspections who will guide you through the standards in a practical and easy-to-understand format. You may also be interested in the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards certification, a 4.5-hour class in which Jay covers accessibility standards, fair housing, auditing, and compliance. Learners are taught about voluntary compliance agreement (VCA) trends, sample lawsuits, and how the Department of Justice (DOJ) is driving compliance.

Our longtime partnership with HTVN offers students the opportunity to enjoy many training options, all of which provide a Nan McKay and Associates certification upon successful completion. NMA and HTVN are the only IACET-approved training and certification companies serving the affordable housing and public housing industries, which means you get the highest quality training plus the certification to show your achievement. IACET is a nonprofit association dedicated to quality continuing education and training programs, and is the only standard-setting organization approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for continuing education and training.

Other available online NMA certifications include:

• Customer Service
• Fair Housing and Reasonable Accommodation
• HCV Specialist
• HCV Rent Calculation
• Rent Calculation for Public Housing and HCV
• Public Housing Rent Calculation
• Public Housing Management (PHM)

For more details, email sales@nanmckay.com. And don't miss this recent blog post with tips to help you get the most out of your online training.

Specializing in real property services, Jay Ortenzo has been a technical trainer and consultant with Nan McKay and Associates for more than 20 years. With nearly four decades of housing experience in both public and private sectors, he develops technical training manuals and materials relating to federally subsidized programs on housing inspection, maintenance, and modernization.

Subscribers to our annual revision service can expect to receive the latest version of the NMA Public Housing Management (PHM) Master Book this week. If you have any questions about your subscription, please contact Janell Guilbeaux in our accounting department and she'll be happy to assist you.

The issuance of the final capital fund rule in October 2013 prompted major revisions to the PHM Master Book. In addition to those changes, the 2014 revision also includes:

• New guidance for ensuring compliance with Notice PIH 2014-12, the flat rent interim notice mandated by the 2014 appropriations act
• Extensive changes throughout the book for the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA)
• A new section for service animals, assistance animals, and pets, incorporating the latest guidance including Notice FHEO 2013-1
• Updates to account for the issuance of Notice PIH 2013-26, which extends the temporary compliance provisions of 2013-03
• Updates to the list of federally mandated income exclusions as published in the Federal Register
• Other minor modifications and reorganizations for clarification and wording

Looking for further guidance? Don't miss our blog series: Working with Sequestration in the Public Housing Program. You may also be interested in our Public Housing Management class, which has also been thoroughly updated for the final capital fund rule as well as all bulleted items above.

NMA revision services provide a yearly update to your NMA Master Books and model policies with explanations and guidance regarding the most current HUD rules and regulations. To stay updated on the latest program information, try a free 30-day trial subscription to the PIH Alert. Email sales@nanmckay.com to get started.

Today in the NMA "Meet the Team" interview series, we sit down with senior associate trainer Betty Turner. With longstanding expertise in subjects including transition to asset management, supervision, and working with commissioners, Ms. Turner frequently trains popular NMA classes such as Public Housing Management, Public Housing Specialist, Supervision and Management, and Hearing Officer Workshop.

Tell us about your work experience.

I have over 25 years of experience in the affordable housing industry and have worked in both public housing and Section 8.

How did you get your start in the industry?

I ended up in the industry because I needed a job! I had no clue what a housing authority was about — in fact, I didn't know the government was even involved in housing!

How many years have you been at NMA?

Nine years. Ten years this September.

Education credentials and professional organizations?

B.S. in business administration, and some graduate school. I'm semi-retired now, so I don't do a lot with professional organizations anymore.

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

Public housing management. You have an opportunity to work with the whole family in a very meaningful way.

What's your favorite part about your job?

I love training, especially when I see the class participants really getting it!

Describe your typical work day?

Up at 5:30 a.m., in the training room by 6:45 a.m., no lunch, out of the training room about 6 p.m.

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

A collaboration with the social services department in assisting kids aging out of foster care with eligibility for family unification Section 8 vouchers.

Hobbies outside of work?

Movies! There's just something magical about sitting in a large, dark room full of strangers eating popcorn.

NMA senior associate trainer Betty Turner honed her creative team-building skills over more than three decades as executive director of both large and medium-sized PHAs.

Next week, NMA trainer Annie Stevenson will be hosting a Housing Help Session on recent policy changes announced in the Federal Register and in PIH notices. The session will cover reducing administrative burdens under Notices PIH 2013-03 and 2013-04, updates to federally-mandated income exclusions, changes to the passbook savings rate used to calculate imputed asset income, and more.

Space is limited, so sign up now! We hope you'll be able to join us.

HUD Updates

Thursday, February 28th

10AM Pacific Time / 1PM Eastern Time

Visit our website to register

With over 20 years of experience in welfare and public housing, Annie Stevenson shares her expertise in many ways at NMA, serving as a trainer to thousands of housing authority staff every year; as a technical researcher who analyzes and deciphers new HUD regulations; and as a technical writer, contributing to NMA Master Books, seminars, and model policies.

We've updated our classes to include information about Notices PIH 2013-03 and 2013-04. Attend HCV Specialist, Public Housing Specialist, Public Housing Management, HCV Rent Calculation, Public Housing Rent Calculation, and our combination and advanced rent calc training for the latest news about these important notices.