PBCA Compliance Manager, Kelly Garver, leads a team of MOR specialists to ensure properties are in compliance with HUD regulations.

Quadel’s PBCA Compliance Manager, Kelly Garver, is a stickler for rules and regulations. In her role, she leads Indiana and North Carolina’s MOR specialists as they work with HUD properties to ensure compliance with all HUD rules and regulations.

Each MOR specialist conducts four (4) MORs a month and works with assigned properties to complete corrective actions as needed. Garver regularly trains her team on HUD compliance and customer service for an efficient and friendly audit process by reviewing the most common mistakes property owners make. She discusses ways property managers can prepare for an MOR review to increase scores and decrease stress in this week’s blog.

Run Reports Regularly 

Garver said her team has noticed a “dramatic downturn” in MOR scores since the COVID-19 pandemic. MOR specialists find property managers and owners are not running reports, including EIV, on time. Garver noted this can cause payment calculation errors and immediate “deficient conditions.”

“MOR specialists are tasked with ensuring proper payments. We make sure the rent that the tenant pays is what they’re supposed to pay. They’re not paying too much and they’re not paying too little,” Garver said. “Calculation errors are really something that can cause the MOR score to go down dramatically, especially if it’s a small property.”

Garver also noted running reports helps determine if there are any missing documents within files. It’s important to review all the information within the report to ensure compliance with HUD regulations. Property managers may run the risk of lower MOR scores if time is not taken to review reports and correct files regularly.

Ensure Access to Important Policies and Plans

As part of the MOR review, specialists need to confirm the presence of a few documents, including the VAWA Emergency Transfer Plan and the Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan. But, because property managers don’t deal with these documents on a day-to-day basis, they need to work with corporate leadership to ensure policies are updated and located at the property’s main office.

“If we notice these plans are not updated to current HUD specifications, then they will get a finding for it. It might blow a property manager’s mind because he or she has no idea whether those plans say certain things or not or not because they are not involved in (the creation of) those kinds of documentation,” Garver said. “Property managers need to check in with the corporate office and ensure the most current copies are updated and in the office. Otherwise, it’s a finding right off the bat.”

Ensure HOTMA Policies are in Place to Avoid Automatic Finding

Garver noted that nearly 70% of properties audited by her team receive conditions regarding HOTMA policies. This is because property management companies have simply not included HOTMA policies and procedures in their operations and administrative plans. Often times property managers believe HOTMA polices don’t need to be in place yet because the program has not been fully implemented.

Garver said the HUD deadline must be abided by – regardless of the lack of an implementation timeline.

“HUD made it very clear that Tenant Selection Plans and EIV policies and procedures have to be updated to reflect HOTMA regulations.  That’s an automatic finding if not completed because we have to obey what HUD says. So, we see that constantly,” Garver said. “It has to be done as long as HUD doesn’t rescind the PIH notice. Everybody has to do it, and we have to check for it.”

Realize Everyone’s on the Same Team

Garver noted the importance she places on customer service training with her MOR specialists. MOR reviews can take some time and cause frustration if there are lots of findings and corrective actions. Garver wants to remind property owners that their goals are one in the same.

“People don’t like to be criticized. People don’t like to be told they’re doing something wrong. I’ve trained them to handle those situations calmly and kindly,” Garver said. “I want property managers to know we’re all in this together. We’re all trying to help the same people. We’re just trying to do things correctly. That’s all this is about.”

Quadel helps owners and property managers prepare for annual MOR reviews and increase their scores. To see how Quadel can assist your team, request a proposal today.