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An all-too-common scenario in tax credit site management is the household that becomes uncommunicative at recertification time for mixed-income buildings. You've probably encountered such households before: Multiple notices to make an appointment for a recertification interview are shrugged off and ignored.

If you're in a part of the country experiencing harsh winter conditions, you may be worried about the possibility of being hit with slip-and-fall lawsuits filed by residents or guests. Although it’s inevitable that accidents will occur, the management can try to make the site as safe as possible for residents and consequently avoid liability for any slip-and-fall accidents.

Housing credit allocating agencies continue to actively promote affordable supportive housing, according to a recent report by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). In “Housing Credit Policies in 2013 that Promote Supportive Housing,” CSH reviewed 56 qualified allocation plans (QAPs) from 2013. QAPs are used by housing finance agencies to award tax credits to applicants. The report summarizes the supportive housing policies in each QAP.

The report notes three specific policy trends:

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) recently issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-01. This accounting standards update provides the guideline for the new accounting treatment the board approved in December for investments in qualified affordable housing properties. Many believe this change will increase the flow of capital to affordable housing.

On Dec. 18, HUD released the 2014 income limits, available at huduser.org. According to Revenue Ruling 94-57, you have 45 days to begin using them to certify and recertify low-income households at your tax credit site. This means this year’s income limits must be implemented no later than January 31, 2014. Here are some site management issues affected by changes in income limits.

Building on $2 billion in financing commitments from the private sector for energy-efficiency updates to commercial buildings under the President’s Better Buildings Challenge, HUD recently expanded the challenge to multifamily housing and launched the Better Buildings Accelerators to support state- and local government-led efforts to cut energy waste and eliminate market and technical barriers to greater building efficiency.

Boeing Co. has been courted by various U.S. states to land contracts to build part of the 777X, its first passenger jet of the 2020s, in one of the largest-ever economic development contests. Boeing solicited bids to move manufacturing operations from Washington after its machinists rejected 777X-related concessions to their union contract.

At the beginning of every winter season, many site managers begin to worry about the possibility of being hit with slip-and-fall lawsuits filed by residents or guests. Although it’s inevitable that accidents will occur, management can try to make the site as safe as possible for residents and consequently avoid liability for any slip-and-fall accidents.

The Social Security Administration recently announced the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2014. COLA is based on a government measure of inflation. And consumer prices haven't gone up much this year.

Since 1975, annual Social Security raises have averaged just over 4 percent. Next year will mark only the seventh time the COLA has been less than 2 percent, including several recent ones. This year's increase was 1.7 percent. There was no COLA in 2010 or 2011 because inflation was too low.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has published the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) and private-activity bond caps for 2014. The amount used to determine each state's LIHTC ceiling will be the greater of $2.30 multiplied by the state population or $2,635,000. This is an increase from this year’s $2.25 multiplied by the population and the small state minimum of $2,590,000.