Technical Assistance Success Stories: Property Management Training Uplifts 70+ Affordable Properties in Virginia
August 2024 — VCDC’s Technical Assistance (TA) Program offers unique benefits to our partners in affordable housing to help them obtain the resources they need to create real change in their communities. Through TA, we are able to offer limited funding that supports necessary steps of the development process, capacity building, and educational/technical training.
Recently, VCDC TA funds supported training services for over 80 property managers and maintenance staff at our affordable communities across Virginia. After recent changes to the Housing Opportunities through Modernization Act (HOTMA) and National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE), the need for improvements in filing and inspecting at affordable properties is greater than ever. To ensure that property managers at communities in VCDC’s portfolio have the tools to successfully serve residents and maintain high-quality affordable homes, VCDC recognized the importance of using Technical Assistance to offer free HOTMA and NSPIRE trainings for our Asset Management staff and the property managers we work with.
So far, attendees have engaged in four virtual trainings focused on familiarizing housing employees in new scoring and processes for HOTMA and NSPIRE. Additionally, one session certified VCDC Asset Management staff to train property managers in physical inspections and filing in the future, ensuring that VCDC staff can offer training and advisory services to our properties in the future without having to pay for third-party sources.
”It was wonderful for VCDC to offer this at no cost,” said an anonymous training participant.
These trainings have already had a direct impact on improving management services and inspection results at our properties, one of which includes the Pretlow-Old Town Apartments in Franklin, VA which passed its inspections with exceptionally high scores in Q2 of 2024. Pretlow-Old Town offers 75 apartment homes designed for families making 50% or below the Area Median Income.
Physical inspections and filing are both key components to the success of our affordable housing properties, and successes like these ensure that residents in our communities live in affordable places that they are proud to call home.
Upon completion of both trainings, 100% of respondents reported that the materials included in both HOTMA and NSPIRE trainings were helpful and they were satisfied with the content included in trainings.
Are you interested in having access to services like these to bolster your organization’s sustainability and capacity to uplift communities? VCDC’s Technical Assistance program is available to partners and potential partners in affordable housing and real estate. Learn more about the program and apply below.