April 20, 2020
Volume: 7
To all of our OHFA partners, we hope this message finds you and your families, friends and colleagues well. Please see below for updates and guidance from the Office of Multifamily Housing.
Unemployment and Stimulus Money

Household stimulus payments provided by the CARES Act are not to be included in calculations of income. This includes the up to $1,200 per person and the temporary enhancement to federal unemployment insurance of $600 per week. However, regular payments of unemployment insurance (issued by states) are to be treated as income, as is customary under program rules.
Annual Owner Certifications

AOC Initial Correction Period: OHFA is providing an initial 30-day correction period. Please respond by the deadline in the letter you receive for each project so that staff can review and clear all AOCs quickly. 
DevCo Inspection System Rebranded to OHFA Inspection

OHFA is in the process of rebranding its DevCo Inspection Software to OHFA Inspection to easily distinguish between the agency’s compliance software systems. This rebranding effort is underway now.
Audit and Inspection Updates

OHFA recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for residents and ownership, management and development partners in the affordable housing industry. On Monday, March 16, OHFA suspended all physical inspections indefinitely. OHFA will resume physical inspections and audits when it is safe for staff and residents to do so. In the interim, please continue to respond promptly to tenant requests for urgent repairs. All properties must be safe, sanitary and remain in good condition for all residents.

Below are some updates and helpful tips for staying on track and prepared for your next OHFA audit: 
  • DevCo Tenant Events: Please ensure that all tenant events are updated, at a minimum, on a monthly basis as is required. 

  • Exigent Health and Safety Report Signatures: Once compliance audits resume, a property manager must be available at the time of the OHFA inspection to accept and sign the Exigent Health and Safety (EHS) report. Please ensure that the onsite property manager has access to OHFA Inspection before the day of the audit. 
HOME, OHTF and NHTF Rent Increases and Rent Approvals

HOME, OHTF and NHTF rent increases are limited to $25 or less for an existing resident, effective immediately. Rent increases may only occur at recertification and may only be increased once during any given calendar year. New move-ins are permitted to start at the maximum rent amount.

All HOME, OHTF and NHTF projects must submit annual rent approvals using the same OHFA form. Please use the same form for each funding source. The updated form will be available on our website no later than 5/1/2020. Please be sure to look for the updated form before requesting rent approvals.
Updated Forms, ACH Payments and Electronic Signature Policy

Most of our required and suggested forms and policies are currently being updated. The revised forms will be added to our website as they are completed. Please be sure to check OHFA’s website regularly to ensure that the forms that you are using are the most current. 

OHFA is now able to accept ACH Payments for UA requests and we encourage partners to utilize this option. Please request ACH submission instructions when you submit your UA request as usual through the uarequest@ohiohome.org mailbox. All payments will need to be submitted via ACH rather than wire as the per transaction price charged to OHFA for wire transactions is cost prohibitive. 

OHFA will be posting a new electronic signature policy soon to enable our partners to utilize electronic signatures on forms if desired and capable of doing so.  
Newly Completed 8609 Forms

OHFA requires that a copy of Form 8609 with a completed Part II be submitted to the agency. Please send all completed 8609 forms to Athena Lunsford, Compliance Operations Manager at alunsford@ohiohome.org. 
Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans (AFHMP)

New Census Data: The United States Census Bureau took the American Fact Finder site offline as of March 31, 2020. OHFA recommends that organizations begin pulling demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s “ Explore Census Data” page. You can learn more about the transition from American Fact Finder to U.S. Census Bureau data here. You can also utilize the Ohio Development Service Agency (ODSA) “ County Trends” page for demographic information. 

Instructions on how to submit your AFHMPs are available on the OHFA website.  
Rent and Income Limits

The new 2020 Rent and Income Limits will be posted on the OHFA website.  
Ohio 811 Project Rental Assistance (PRA) Units

For property managers who are leasing Assisted Units through the Ohio 811 Program, please note the following program requirement: 
 
  • If the number of occupied Assisted Units at the property falls below the Total Number of Assisted Units listed in Exhibit 1 of the Rental Assistance Contract (RAC), the Owner will designate the next available appropriate unit as an Assisted Unit, until the number of occupied Assisted Units equals the Total Number of Assisted Units listed in Exhibit 1 of the RAC. 
 
  • For example, if you committed to provide five one-bedroom units in the RAC and have leased only four units, then the next one-bedroom unit that becomes available must be offered as an 811 unit. Please notify SocialServe as soon as you anticipate any vacancies. Similarly, you should also notify OHFA of anticipated vacancies by sending an email to the 811 Program mailbox at 811Program@ohiohome.org. Any 811 Program questions may also be directed to the 811 Program mailbox.