Introduction to Property
Management in MHSA
Supportive Housing:
Coordination is the Key
MHSA Housing Program
Operations Technical Assistance Call
February 3, 2010
www.csh.org
Agenda
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Areas of Responsibility
Forms of Property Management
What’s Different for Supportive Housing
Key Principles for Success
Putting Principles into Practice
Coordination is the Key
Areas of
Responsibility
Components of Property Management
Maintenance
Tenant Selection
Fiscal
Management
Operations
Fair Housing
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Key Areas of Responsibility
 Tenant Screening, Selection, and Move-In
 Leases, Lease Enforcement, and Rent
Collection
 Reasonable Accommodations
 Safety and Security
 Maintaining the Physical Plant
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Forms of Property
Management
Forms of Property Management
 Project sponsor owns the project or leases the
units and provides the property management.
 Project sponsor owns the project but contracts
for property management services from a
property management company.
 Project sponsor leases units from a private
property owner who continues to manage the
units.
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Sponsor Provides Property Management
Pros:
 Sponsor has direct control over property
management.
 Ensures property management follows core
principles of sponsor (is “mission-driven”).
 Allows for streamlined operations.
 Can be more cost effective.
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Sponsor Provides Property Management
Cons:
 Sponsor may not have capacity or expertise
to perform property management functions.
 Creates
challenges
for
differentiating
supportive services delivery from property
management.
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Contracting for Property Management
Pros:
 Ensures property will be professionally
managed.
 Easier to clarify roles
supportive services and
management staff.
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between
property
Contracting for Property Management
Cons:
 Challenge of finding a property
management company who will fully
support sponsor’s mission and adjust
their practices.
 May be more expensive.
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Sponsor Leases from Owner Who
Provides Property Management
Pros:
 Can be very cost effective.
 Ensures that property management meets
the owner’s expectations.
 Functionally separates service provision from
property management.
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Sponsor Leases from Owner Who
Provides Property Management
Cons:
 Owner must support the sponsor’s mission.
 Sponsor has less control over how property
management is performed.
 Sponsor may spend time mediating disputes
between tenants and landlord.
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What’s Different for
Supportive
Housing?
Tenant Selection, Screening, and Move-In
 Supportive Housing starts with a target
population. We want to serve the tenants
many “private” landlords would deny
 Marketing and screening may be governed
by federal and other regulations
 Property Management and Services need to
work together to “Screen In” those who will
benefit from the housing
 Tenants may need particular assistance in
the intake and move-in process
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Lease Enforcement and Rent Collection
 Property Management policies and
procedures should support the underlying
mission of the housing project
 Evictions are a last resort, when all other
attempts to resolve a situation have failed
 Response to tenant behavior is
coordinated with Support Services
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Reasonable Accommodations
 How is requirement to accommodate different
for supportive housing providers?
 Federal funding will often impose a higher
standard for accommodation
 Marketing plans may need to be very
specific about accommodations offered
 Supportive housing providers are in the
business of housing people who need
extra assistance: Their response should
be characterized by compassion and
flexibility!
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Safety and Security
 MHSA Housing will have a higher concentration
of people with mental illnesses and co-occurring
disorders than market rate housing
 People come to the housing with a variety of
experiences that may heighten their fears
 Some tenants may be prone to victimization
 Support services are available to assist with
many safety concerns, but this requires
coordination
 There is a high expectation that all staff in
supportive housing will be trained in these areas
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Maintaining the Physical Plant
 An effective property manager will have a
“system” for ensuring that building
maintenance and repair are addressed on
a routine basis.
 Tenants take better care in housing that is
clean and well maintained.
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3 Key Principles
for Success
Three Key Principles
 Property Management Supports
Mission-Driven Housing
 Importance of Clear Roles and
Responsibilities
 Recognize Overlap and Built-in Tension
Between Roles
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Key Principle #1
Property Management
Supports Mission-Driven
Housing
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Mission-Driven Property Management
 “Double Bottom Line”
 Commitment to success of community
and each of the residents residing in
the building
 Commitment to coordinate
communication between services,
management and tenant orgs
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Mission-Driven Property Management
 Key Practices:
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Development and enforcement of house rules
Collaborative approaches to tenant selection
and screening, move-in, orientation and crisis
management
Commitment to coordinate communication
between services, management and tenant-led
organizations
Resident councils
Creation of job opportunities for tenants
Evictions and problem-solving
Key Principle #2
Importance of Clear Roles and
Responsibilities
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Clear Roles and Responsibilities
 Outline clear roles
 Establish forum for discussing re-negotiating
roles/responsibilities
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Key Principle #3
Recognize Overlap and Built-in
Tension Between Roles
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Roles and Challenges
Social Services
I just want to help!
Property Mgt
Show me the money!
Common Goal:
Keeping Tenants Housed
requires that
we approach problems
from all angles.
Goal: Provide the tenants the support they need to reach their fullest
potential and to keep the building in good shape, physically and
financially
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Coordinating Management and Services
 Supportive housing = coordinated property
management and supportive services functions
 Collaborative relationship is essential
 Competing forces
– Financial demands of the building
– Security of larger tenant community
– Needs of individual tenants
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Areas of Overlap
 Areas of Overlap Between Property Management
and Supportive Service Delivery
 Intake: Tenant Selection and Interviewing
 Orientation of Incoming Tenants
 Rent Payment and Arrears
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Dealing with Disruptive Behaviors
Procedures in Crisis
Tenant Grievance Procedures
Tenant Council
Community Building
Embracing Good Tension
 Respect different roles of each partner
 Understand all roles are necessary and
important for well-managed building
 Acknowledge and use built-in tension
between roles and functions to ensure
stability and a sound asset
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Key Goals of Staff
 What are the key goals of supportive
service staff?
 What are the key goals of property
management staff?
 What goals do all staff have in common
and mutually support?
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Putting the
Principles into
Practice
Putting Principles into Practice
 MOUs or contracts between partners
 Guiding principle statement that spells out the
working approach
 Carefully select, train, support, and supervise
social service and property management staff
 Written job descriptions clearly defining roles
 Schedule regular communication
 Give staff parallel status and authority
 Written procedure for resolving disagreements
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Coordination is
the Key
Traditional vs. Supportive
Housing Property Management
Supportive Housing
Traditional Rental Housing
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The management company
makes all decisions
regarding lease violations
and evictions.
The management company
is solely responsible for low
vacancy rate and rent
collection.
The management company
works with resident to make
payment plans.
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Collaboration between mgmt co.
and service provider regarding
lease violations and evictions.
(At very least communication
before acting)
Mgmt company works with
service provider to maintain a
stable housing environment,
turnover should be predictable.
Service provider involved with
payment plans, and “contracts”
to maintain housing.
Keep Lines of Communication
Open
 Understand
each
other’s
roles
and
responsibilities
 Understand the program and funding source
missions and goals (why are you all here?)
 Schedule regular meetings to discuss policies,
procedures, and resolve conflict
 Establish clear decision making process and
clear lines of authority within and between
property management and social services
 Provide joint training and retreats for team
building
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Source: HUD
Tools and Resources
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Operations Manual
• If your property does not have one, develop
one!
• CSH has a template
• Contact and collaborate with other supportive
housing managers working with similar
populations and funding
• Outlines how you, service provider, and
owner are going to work together
• Provides standard process for handling
situations that arise
For More Information
Go to
www.csh.org
Or
www.cimh.org/Services/MHSA/MHSA-Housing
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