Pam Bullock, Executive Director

Idaho AHMA Benefits of Membership  Representation in all aspects of affordable housing, including US Department of Housing and Urban Development, USDA Rural Development, Section 42 Low Income Housing Tax Credits  Quality education seminars presented by nationally-recognized speakers and trainers  Informative training programs conducted by state agencies and industry leaders

 Annual conferences designed to network, share experiences, and exchange ideas between affordable housing providers, vendors, and agencies  Coalition strength to influence issues such as insurance, agency regulation, purchasing, etc.  Active participation through voting rights and working committees  Recognition of AHMA Membership in the Northwest Region and other Regional AHMAs Idaho AHMA Benefits of Membership

Thank you for joining us today

Applicant/Tenant Interview Techniques

Program Updates  HOME Program- Andrew Schank  Tax Credit Program- Becky Miller  Section 8 Program- Heather Wiedenfeld

Lessons Learned Applicants- even willing ones- do not always provide complete and accurate information. The purpose of this workshop is to assist you in developing the skills required to gather that information.

Overview  General interview techniques  Interviewing with an applicant  Interviewing current tenants  Basic needs questionnaire  Question and answer

General Interview Techniques Acceptable types of interview techniques include: Asking open ended questions Please tell me about… Asking closed questions Where are you employed? Asking probing questions Could you explain what you mean by…

General Interview Techniques Questions to avoid: Leading You don’t have a job do you? Double Negative Didn’t you understand you shouldn’t have done that? Complex/Multiple Do you have a checking or saving account and what other income do you receive? Jargon Are you a student for IRS purposes under LIHTC?

General Interview Techniques To ensure that all parties are focused on the interview:  Ensure that you have a clean and clear workspace to conduct the interview  Do not eat, drink or chew gum  Ensure that you have a quiet area that will provide privacy  Do your prep work! Review all previously submitted documents thoroughly and have all your forms prepared and ready in advance

General Interview Techniques Example of questions to resolve inconsistencies: “You’ve stated that you haven’t had any income for the past year, but I’m confused. Your credit report shows your car payment of $ per month is current. How have you been able to do that?”

General Interview Techniques  Questions?  Comments?  Anyone have a story they would like to share or a best practice that they have?

Interviewing an Applicant  When the application is submitted, the interview process begins  Before the applicant leaves your office, the submitted documentation should be reviewed for completeness  Any inconsistencies should be resolved at this time  Best Practice- If there are more than 2 changes on a form, a new form should be used

Interviewing an Applicant  Becky Miller and Erica Hopkins  Example of application review and resolution of inconsistencies

Interviewing an Applicant  Developing an effective applicant interview  Will ensure that correct information is provided by the applicant  Will educate your applicants on the rules of your program  Ensure a good understanding of what is required to be reported and why, now and in the future  Ensure that eligible families are housed and  Correct rents are paid

Interviewing an Applicant  Sequencing  How the income/asset declaration should be set up  Income  Asset  In some cases expenses, and  Program/general questions  Student rules, child care etc…

Interviewing an Applicant  Best practices  Have a form that will track all yes answers in order to create verifications  Give the applicant an income/asset declaration and have one for yourself so that you can read the questions to them and explain in more detail what they mean (Can complete for residents that are unable to do so with a certification in the file)  Ensure that before the interview begins, you explain the purpose and the process

Interviewing an Applicant  Income  The application should drive this portion of the interview  The better the application the better you will be able to prepare prior to  These questions and answers should confirm information already reported  Any inconsistencies must be resolved  Example: Job reported on application but answered no at interview

Interviewing an Applicant  Income  When asking the income questions ensure that there is a clear understanding and what the question means  Unreported income story  Clarify and give examples  When it says self employment that could be selling Avon, babysitting jobs, recycling for money  Where is states contributions to the family this could mean making car payments, cell phone bills, insurance etc…

Interviewing an Applicant  Jett Woodwick and Andrew Schank  Example of the income interview process

Interviewing an Applicant Assets The most confusing section of the questionnaire for residents and the most common area for errors Be clear when yes answers are given and ask for elaboration I see you have reported checking and/or savings account. How many checking accounts do you have? How many savings accounts do you have?

Interviewing an Applicant  Assets  Real Estate questions are tricky and need to be clarified for the applicant  Do you own your home? Do you own any land? Do you have any property that is in your name?  Ensure that all banks are reported and all accounts are given  We have spoken about your accounts at Key Bank, but are you also a member of a credit union?

Interviewing an Applicant  Jett Woodwick and Andrew Schank  Example of the Asset interview process

Interviewing an Applicant  Expenses and Program Specific Questions  If expenses/allowances are allowed in your program, they could amount to a large benefit to the applicant  Ensure, especially when dealing with the elderly, that allowed expenses are clarified  Do you pay co-pays for your prescriptions?  Do you have any current payments that you are making to doctors, hospitals, dentists etc?  Do you pay a premium for your Medicare or Part D coverage?

Interviewing an Applicant  Program Specific Questions  These questions have a tendency to be confusing as they are directly related to the specific program type at your property.  Ensure that the applicant get an explanation of why these questions are being asked  In order to be eligible to live at this property, the household can not be comprised entirely of full time students. What this means is that at least one person living here has to not be a full time student. That is what we are trying to determine here.

Interviewing an Applicant  Erica Hopkins and Jett Woodwick  Example of the Expense interview process.

Interviewing an Applicant  Best practices for tracking  Have a system set up in your office for all pending verification forms  Track by resident and due date of the verifications to be return  Set up a file draw for the thirty one days in the month and track the pending applicant files

Interviewing an Applicant  Best Practices for tracking  This will ensure that on the fifteenth day, you will move to review of documents for forms that have not been returned  Once you get the completed verification form returned, discard the blank copy of the form. It is not needed and will only serve to clutter the file  Only keep these blank forms if you need to prove you waited the fourteen days before moving to review of documents

Interviewing an Applicant  The interview process is not over!  Once all verifications are returned and the certification form is created, schedule the move in with the applicant  This is the final opportunity to go over all the information reported and have the applicant double check the accuracy of the calculations  Educate the new resident on how to read the certification and explain what they are signing

Interviewing an Applicant  Cover all income, asset and expense sources that are reported on the certification form  Ensure that the resident agrees with the information  Review the tenant rent portions and ensure that the resident understands their obligations to pay.

Interviewing an Applicant  Questions or comments on the this portion of the process?  Best Practices to share?

Interviewing Current Residents  Recertification  AR vs. IR  LIHTC – Only annual recertification  RD – rolling annuals

Interviewing Current Residents  Watch phrasing no leading questions  Prep work is needed but do not make assumptions everything will always be the same  Get a brand new questionnaire and ask questions as if they are a new tenant  This interview IS NOT based on the previous year

Interviewing Current Residents  Best Practices  Review the file prior to the interview and prepare a verification form for each of the reported income/assets/expenses from the previous certification

Interviewing Current Residents  Becky Miller and Andrew Schank  Example of the recertification interview process

Interviewing Current Residents  Questions  Comments  Best Practices

Basic Needs Questionnaire  Zero Income Tenants 8  Very low income RD/LIHTC  Verify per program guidelines

Basic Needs Questionnaire  Have the resident complete the form in your office  Before the residents leaves the office review and get clarification on any discrepant information  I see here that you answered that you have a car but did not answer the questions regarding car insurance. Review the answers and compare to the current certification circumstances

Basic Needs Questionnaire  If there is a need to verify information based on the answers given, and program requirements, proceed accordingly  Follow the same steps as outlined for recertification

Basic Needs Questionnaire  Jett Woodwick and Andrew Schank  Example of the Basic Needs interview

Questions?? Thought of a question you forgot to ask? Please contact:  Heather Wiedenfeld 