Inclusionary housing programs cannot be successful unless they are well run and adequately staffed, and they must secure sufficient funding for ongoing administrative costs. Communities also need to be able to track program data in order to evaluate outcomes and make needed changes over time.

Administrative Manual

Every program should create and update on a regular basis an internal administrative manual for housing division staff. This manual documents all internal procedures related to running the inclusionary program, including:

  • Basic inclusionary housing requirements
  • Menu of options for satisfying requirement and requirements for each
  • Eligibility requirements for any incentives
  • Marketing and selection procedures
  • Homeownership requirements
  • Rental requirements
  • Staff roles and responsibilities
  • Fee schedule

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  • Communicating program requirements to developers and property managers
  • Reviewing development proposals for compliance with rules
  • Negotiating certain requirements to maximize production (in some communities)
  • Ensuring that affordable units meet appropriate design and location standards
  • Ensuring timely payment of fees (if any)
  • Planning and implementing reinvestment of fee revenue to produce affordable units
  • Balancing flexibility and predictability

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  • Setting affordable rents
  • Working with property managers to ensure fair marketing of units
  • Monitoring eligibility screening for new tenants
  • Re-certifying annual incomes of tenants
  • Enforcing requirements (as necessary)

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  • Setting initial prices at an affordable level
  • Marketing homes to eligible buyers
  • Ensuring that potential buyers receive homebuyer education
  • Verifying that applicants understand program requirements and resale restrictions
  • Screening applicants against eligibility requirements
  • Working with lenders to ensure access to appropriate financing
  • Monitoring homes for owner occupancy over time
  • Managing resales to future income eligible buyers at formula price
  • Enforcing program requirements when necessary

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Staffing and Funding Administration

  • Staffing and outsourcing options
  • Funding program administration
  • Sources of administrative revenue

Measuring Success

  • Tracking program outcomes
  • Refining program design over time

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Resources

Delivering on the Promise of Inclusionary Housing Policies: Best Practices in Administration and Monitoring

Inclusionary housing programs require a certain level of ongoing administration and oversight in order to effectively produce and preserve affordable housing opportunities. This paper outlines several of the common tasks associated with ongoing administration of inclusionary housing programs and describes some of the approaches to staffing and paying for their implementation. The paper also provides an overview of the choices that have the greatest impact on the jurisdiction’s administrative workload.  View Paper