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Four years ago, the Insider launched a new monthly feature: The Trainer. Since then, the Trainer has asked—and answered—questions based on topics raised in each issue’s compliance articles. Whether you’re a long-time subscriber or a new one, you can test your knowledge—and that of your staff—on various compliance topics we’ve covered in recent years by taking the quiz in this Special Issue.

All site owners at one time or another must take the unpleasant step of evicting a resident. You may have to evict a resident for one of a number of lease violations, such as nonpayment of rent, excessive noise, or criminal activity. Whatever your grounds for eviction, you want to do everything you can to make the eviction process go smoothly. But it’s easy to make mistakes before your case goes to court. And a mistake could delay your eviction case or, worse, force you to give up the right to evict the resident.

Sometimes contractors accidentally overbill you. Less frequently, but still too often, they may even try to cheat you. Being the victim of overbilling practices not only costs you lots of money, it can also lead to audit problems. Auditors pore over contractor invoices to make sure they back up the amounts you charge to the site operating account. If the auditors believe the charges aren’t reasonable, necessary, or properly supported, HUD could order you to reimburse the site for any charges it doesn’t accept.

Going to court with a resident can be an expensive proposition—even if you win. You may win $1,000 in back rent, but that's not a meaningful victory if you have to pay your attorney a few thousand dollars to win it for you. And without a lease clause requiring residents who violate their leases to pay your attorney's fees, you won't be able to convince many courts to order residents to do so.

If you're considering taking over the management of an assisted site, or if you've already agreed to do so, look carefully at the site's financial statements for signs of financial problems or challenges you may face once you start managing the site, says Seth D. Strongin, a CPA in Atlanta, Ga., specializing in the financial management of assisted sites. Knowing what problems may lie ahead can help you:

• Plan how you'll manage the site;

• Prevent small problems from turning into big ones after you take over; and

  
  

In today's struggling economy, providing affordable housing to low-income families is more important than ever. There may be plenty of qualified applicants, but there are also considerable challenges in keeping up with rising operational costs and program compliance requirements. Last month, the Insider conducted a survey of assisted housing managers across the country to find out about their biggest budget concerns and toughest management challenges.

Taking over the management of an assisted site from its owner or from another management company is a tricky procedure. Unlike at conventional sites, there are many compliance issues at assisted sites that can complicate the transition. You need to get up to speed quickly on how the site is regulated and operated, says management consultant Doug Chasick. And you'll need to show HUD that you know what you're doing, so you can get HUD approval to manage the site.

As we approach the end of spring and anticipate the coming summer months, you may be directing more of your attention to your site's curb appeal. Well-maintained lawns, trees, and shrubs help create the crucial first impressions that potential residents form of your site. And certain landscaping problems, such as penetrating or overgrown vegetation, can violate HUD's Uniform Physical Condition Standards.

This month marks the 44th anniversary of the signing of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which protects individuals against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. In honor of Fair Housing Month, we'll focus on reasonable accommodation requests by individuals with disabilities. This can be a confusing topic, so we're going to go over the rules and dispel common misconceptions about how to handle these requests properly.

Security deposits provide owners with some degree of financial protection when a resident moves out of a unit and fails to fulfill obligations under the lease. Security deposits can be used toward reimbursing unpaid rent or repairing any damage the outgoing resident may have left behind.