1. Internet Quarters Management Information System (iQMIS) Training
U.S. Department of the Interior
Doug Pokorney, Quarters Program Manager
Laura Walters, Quarters Program Specialist
Denver, Colorado

2. Regulations and Program Management

3. Federal Housing Participants
Congress & The President – 5 USC 5911 (Law)
Office of Management & Budget (OMB) – Circular A-45 (Regulation)
Department of the Interior
Housing Policy Office – DM (Policy)
Housing Operations Office
Federal Agencies – (Policies & Procedures)
National Housing Council – (Cross-Agency and iQMIS Issues)

4. 5 USC 5911 http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/index.html
Authority for government to provide housing
“reasonable value”
Deposits in a special fund*
* Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service, and Indian Health Service

5. OMB Circular A-45 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars
Purpose: “This circular sets forth policies and administrative guidance…in establishing…rental rates and other charges for government-furnished or leased quarters...according to 5 USC 5911.” [A-45, 1.]
Coverage: all 50 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. territories. [A-45, 1.]

6. OMB Circular A-45
Reliance on Private Housing Market: “It is the Policy of the federal government to rely on the private housing market to provide housing for its civilian employees.” [A-45, 5. a.]
If there is …
a requirement of service,
a requirement of protection, or
a lack of available housing
… then federal housing is permitted

7. OMB Circular A-45
Reasonable Value: “Reasonable value is … what an employee would pay for comparable housing in the open market.” [A-45, 6. h)]
Comparable housing: “…housing in the private sector that is generally equivalent in size…with the same number of bedrooms, and with generally equivalent amenities and related facilities.” [A-45, 6. d)]

8. Nearest Established Community (NEC):
OMB Circular A-45
Nearest Established Community (NEC):
Closest community
Population of 1,500 (5,000 in Alaska) as of last U.S. Census (2010), and
A doctor and dentist, and
A private rental market available to the general public
[A-45, 6. f.]

9. OMB Circular A-45
Subsidies, Inducements Prohibited: “Rents and other charges may not be set so as to provide a housing subsidy, serve as an inducement in the recruitment or retention of employees, or encourage occupancy of existing government housing.” [A-45, 5. b) 2.]
Annual Adjustments: “…new rates shall be effective… the first pay period that starts on or after March 1…” [A-45, 7. d) 2.]

10. DOI Quarters Program Developed early 1980s Comply with A-45
Required DOI Bureaus to Utilize
Offered to other Agencies
Economies of Scale
Uniform rates across Agencies

11. DOI Housing Policy Office
Michael Wright
Phone:
DOI Housing Management Policy, 400 DM 3
Decisions on DOI Housing Policy issues
Central point of contact with OMB
Clearinghouse for iQMIS rent appeals within DOI

12. DOI Housing Operations Office
Doug Pokorney, Quarters Rental Program Manager
Phone:
Laura Walters, Quarters Program Specialist
Phone: (iQMIS Help Desk)
Fax: Or
Web:

13. DOI Housing Operations Office
NBC’s Responsibilities
Establish rental rates that comply with A-45
Survey/analyze private rental markets (3 or 4 regions annually, out of 15 total regions)
Compute CPI adjustments annually
Provide rent-setting software (iQMIS)
Provide Help Desk support
Conduct training
Defend rental rates

14. Federal Agencies Using iQMIS

15. Federal Agencies Responsibilities Appoint National Housing Officer
Devise policy/procedures to implement A-45
Supervise/monitor A-45 is being met
Provide process for rent appeals
Ensure tenants do not set rental rates [A-45, 9.]

16. National Housing Council
Responsibilities
Reviews Survey schedule
Approves iQMIS change requests
Reviews/approves program changes
Clearinghouse for common housing issues

17. Regional Private Rental Market Surveys

18. See “Housing Inventory Instructions” for detailed maps
iQMIS Survey Regions
See “Housing Inventory Instructions” for detailed maps

19. Regional Survey Schedule

20. Survey Data Analysis Collect private rental data
Review market data; cull outliers
Run statistical regression
Produce new rent formulas
Test rent formulas against comps
Ensure rents meet “reasonable value” test
Publish results in Regional Survey Report
Code new rent formulas into iQMIS

21. Rent Charts Formulas published as “Rent Charts” in Survey Report
Charts depict Base Rent
Base Rent includes bathroom, refrigerator and range, in good condition
Base Rent is NOT Net Rent
Base Rent excludes appliances, services, utilities
Charts published for:
Houses (4 bedroom, 3 bdrm, 2 bdrm, 1 bdrm)
Apartments (3 bdrm, 2 bdrm, 1 bdrm, 0 bdrm)
Mobile Homes (3 bdrm, 2 bdrm, 1 bdrm)

22. Sample Rent Chart

23. Market Rents vs. iQMIS Rents

24. Market Rents vs. iQMIS Rents

25. Annual Rent Changes
2002: $500 - New Survey 2003: $519 - CPI (Inflation) +$19 per month 2004: $543 - CPI +$ : $562 - CPI +$ : $700 - New Survey +$ : $720 - CPI +$ : $743 - CPI +$ : $772 - CPI +$ : $900 - New Survey +$ : $910 - CPI +$ : $920 - CPI +$10

26. Net Rent Formula Chart Rent (Monthly Base Rent)
+/ – Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Monthly CPI-Adjusted Base Rent
– Administrative Adjustments
Utilities Appliances/Services/Furnishings
Monthly Net Rent

28. More Training
iQMIS training modules
For Managers
For Tenants