Team Update: Compliance Asset Management
While aspects of compliance are bureaucratic, staff members of the Compliance Asset Management (CAM) Team are focused on serving communities. “Some contractors’ say that it can be stressful working with funders, but we want contractors to feel like they can reach out to Commerce for technical assistance anytime” says Sarah B. from the CAM team.
Commerce’s CAM team is tasked with inspecting properties and units that are funded by the state and federal housing dollars and disbursed via the WA State Department of Commerce. This is a significant challenge, even for our experienced team, as the CAM team oversees a portfolio of over 1,400 multifamily properties that provide affordable housing to thousands of Washingtonians. Their work includes ensuring projects are in compliance with contractual obligations, properties are maintained in decent, safe, and sanitary conditions for residents, as well as verifying if a housing provider has the minimum mandated number of low-income units. The CAM team also verifies if the providers are serving their target populations, such as seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and/or low-income families with dependent children.
The CAM team is aware that affordable housing provisions are no easy task and they aspire for genuine collaboration. Sarah says, “We want the contractors not to be scared to reach out, we want them to succeed.”
The team wants to encourage housing operation staff to access technical assistance resources early and often. “Most people reach out after a mistake has been made. We want people to feel comfortable to reach out with questions before there are compliance issues”, Sarah says. Technical assistance guidance such as how to navigate the Combined Funders Web-Based Annual Reporting System (“WBARS”) website, how to submit annual reports and how to mitigate challenges that can prevent a site from going out of compliance, supports projects to remain in good standing with programmatic requirements. Unfortunately, being out of compliance can limit a contractor’s consideration for future Housing Trust Fund funding rounds or other Commerce funding.
CAM team members aim to possess a welcoming presence when engaging with operations staff, property management, and residents. Susan Bostain, once operations staff at affordable housing sites in Washington and Michigan says she likes to chat with residents and thank them for their time, knowing firsthand that site visits can be stressful.
CAM Team Supervisor, Teri Lawless, is confident that her team can act as a resource for affordable housing providers across the state of Washington, commenting that the team has about 150 years of combined property management experience between them.
Are you a property manager of a State Housing Trust fund site and need help maintaining compliance of your property? Visit the CAM webpage or email the CAM team.
This Month in Multifamily Rental Projects
housing project, held on October 10th.
In October, the Multifamily Housing Unit had much to celebrate. The below housing sites are spread across 4 Washington counties!
- 3 affordable multifamily housing properties opened its doors
- 1 youth shelter started operations
- 2 new multifamily housing sites began construction
These projects together represent:
- 210 new units of affordable housing and
- 24 new shelter beds for youth experiencing homelessness
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