Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) has created a COVID-19 webpage to find all updates related to the crisis. Included are numerous guidance and policy changes.
Information includes prevention measures, employee and resident care, CDC cleaning and disinfection recommendations. Numerous inspection and monitoring policies have been suspended or delayed. Below are summaries of what’s included in each document. Please read entire documents for details.
- Informing tenants about prevention measures
- Encouraging employees and residents to stay home when sick
- Perform additional cleaning of office workspaces and public access areas
- Plan for emergency or alternative office operations
- Use screening questions to determine if planned appointments should be rescheduled
Interim OHCS inspection and monitoring policies
- OHCS compliance inspections and MORS – in person file and physical inspections suspended through April. Electronic file inspections to continue as usual.
- Annual income recertifications for LIHTC – Annual Income Recertifications delayed through May 17, a 60-day delay. Does not apply to initial income certifications or HUD Section 8. Owners and agents encouraged to work with tenants to adjust rent payments or enter into forebearance agreements. No IRS guidance issued yet.
- Annual certification of continuing program compliance.
Interim OHCS fund solicitation policies
- Capital Needs Assessment – Interior unit inspections may be omitted at the time of application for any occupied units.
- Site visits are not being conducted but will require the site review checklist form as part of pre-application for funding.
- The plan is to work with each Continuum of Care, as done with Winter sheltering, to determine feasibility of extending increased winter shelter capacity through May 31, 2020.
- Follow CDC guidelines for pandemic preparedness.
- Guidance for communications, protecting volunteers, workers and residents.
- Social distancing guidelines for sleeping arrangements, mealtimes, bathrooms, and common areas.
Section 8 Program updates – MORS postponed
- Management and Occupancy Reviews (MORS) suspended until further notice.
- OHCS will continue to work with properties to close remaining MORS recognizing it will take time to obtain required information.
- Existing Menu or Bundled Paths application submittals of photos of applicable conditions is waived for now.
- Existing Whole Building Path applicant requirements to complete onsite energy assessments is waived for now.
- They recognize delays will exist for onsite verification of projects in construction or nearing completion. Letters can be submitted from contractors instead of photos confirming measures taken.
Portfolio Administration – Financial Submission Guidance
- Though not directly related to COVID-19, their new database is going online April 10
- Due date for submission of financials for properties extended due date to April 15