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THE ARC OF SOUTHWEST GEORGIA

JOB DESCRIPTION

CERTIFIED OCCUPANCY SPECIALIST (COS)

JOB SUMMARY:

The Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) is hired by and supervised by the Executive Director (President of HUD Corporations).  The COS’s primary responsibility relates to all issues pertaining to The Arc of Southwest Georgia’s HUD housing projects in relation to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Compliance, except for processing financial accounting (e.g., accounts payables), which is conducted by a third-party Certified Public Accounting Agency.  The COS must continually collaborate with the CPA regarding all HUD issues, as deemed appropriate or necessary.

Exempt Position.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborates with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Contract Management Services Voucher Department., Contract Administrators, and any other third-party entity contracting with HUD to provide services for sites receiving assistance from HUD.
• Collaborates with software vendors regarding software matters to maintain compliance records for HUD sites.  Actual upgrades, modifications, etc. to the software are the responsibility of the agency’s IT department.
• Maintains records relative to all HUD sites, including rental collection records, security deposit records, dwelling leases, inspections, The Arc SWGA’s housekeeping rules, pet ownership rules and pet security deposits, interim and annual recertifications, Gross Rent Changes, Contract Renewals, all pertinent HUD forms, etc.
• Processes application packets to determine eligibility for HUD assistance, including notification to individuals of acceptance or rejection and appeals processes.
• Tracks and organizes HUD Tenant Files to identify individual tenants and the specific Project in which the tenant resides. 
• Oversees performance measures for correction of maintenance repairs to ensure timely corrections.
• Oversees performance measures for vacancy turnover rate and collaborates with other agency departments to facilitate timely re-rentals.
• Collaborates with The Arc SWGA’s Certified Public Accountants and other third parties regarding financials and annual audits for HUD sites.
• Performs ongoing research of HUD updates, official notices, changes in household income limits, changes in HUD rules and regulations, etc.  Ensures that changes are enacted accordingly, and apprising leadership and other department staff respectively.
• Maintains membership at appropriate web-based sites for HUD and third-party publications, newsletters, bulletins, alerts, notices, compliance requirements, etc.  Reviews incoming correspondence to determine if internal updates/changes are necessary.
• Ensures that all initial, interim, annual, and move-out tenant paperwork is completed and reported to HUD in a timely manner pursuant to HUD regulations and that same is signed by respective tenants.
• Establishes and maintains ongoing tracking of when contract renewals are due for all existing HUD projects and facilitates all processes and documentation completion and submittal to request contract renewal.
• Maintains self-certification/license as a Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS).
• Completes all HUD-required Training, including but not limited to Online Cyber Security Awareness Challenge, Fair Housing, Compliance Requirements, Tenant Selection Plans, Software Training, Management, and Occupancy Reviews, Billing Vouchers and Processes, Pet/Assistance Animal Policies, VAWA (Violence Against Women Act), Resident Rules, Lease Requirements, Income/Asset Requirements, Reporting Requirements, etc.
• Tracks expenditures and is aware of any circumstances that may appear problematic, including follow-up with CPA, agency departments, the president of HUD Corporations, and Executive Director, if deemed appropriate.
• Maintains filing system and oversight of all HUD Projects’ Records/Reports, including but not limited to:  1) Expense Vouchers; 2) Compilation Reports; 3) Bank Reconciliations; 4) General Ledgers; 5) All Bank Accounts’ Statements – Operating, Security Deposits, Residual Receipts, Reserve for Replacements, Paint, Insurance; 6) Minutes; 7) REAC Inspection Records; 8) Contract Renewals Records; 9) Funds Authorizations; 10) Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans, etc.
• Catalogs and purges older dated HUD records and places them in storage. 
• Collaborates with supervisors, directors, case managers, caregivers, and individuals at HUD sites to ensure proper notifications of inspections, changes in regulations, etc.
• Ensures that all records requested for review by HUD, contract administrators, and other third-party agencies are accessible for MORs (Management and Occupancy Reviews) and other auditing purposes and collaborates with auditors to ensure completion of the audit process, including follow-up to ensure that deficiencies are completed and submitted in a timely manner.
• Collaborates with the Utility Systems Department to ensure that residents’ homes are maintained in a decent, safe, and sanitary manner including the performance of inspections and repairs as needed.
• Submits monthly HAP Vouchers and Tenant Data (billing for the appropriate amount of rental subsidy for HUD-assisted sites.
• Collects monthly tenant rent payments and provides an accounting of unpaid rents to respective departments and CPA by the middle of each month.  COS compiles a spreadsheet each month that is sent to the CPA.
• Conducts a review of all incoming HUD TRACS Messages a minimum of two (2) times monthly, and processes necessary follow-up, corrections, or other instructions outlined in the messages.
• Conducts inspections at sites to ensure safe, decent, and sanitary conditions, including but not limited to taking photos, drafting reports of any deficiencies, sharing reports with pertinent departments, and conducting follow-ups to ensure timely correction of deficiencies.
• Collaborates with Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to strategize requests for contract rent increases.  This also includes reviews and discussions on whether monthly deposits to Residual Account and Replacement Account should be increased and submitting requests to HUD for such increases.
• Collaborates with HUD and third parties to facilitate HUD REAC (Real Estate Assessment Center) inspections, including all follow-up processes to ensure noted deficiencies are corrected timely.
• Maintenance of DUNS numbers and CAGE Codes for HUD properties and The Arc of Southwest Georgia Corporations. 
• Annual updates of all HUD Corporations and The Arc of Southwest Georgia Corporation Entities with the Secretary of State.
• Compiles and renews annual management agreements and repairs agreements between The Arc of Southwest Georgia and each of the HUD projects.
• Maintains and utilizes, when necessary, access to “SAVE (Homeland Security System), DHS/USCIS – Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements” Program System of Records September 21, 2011, 76FR58525 to verify US Citizenship and Immigration Services.