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Alyssa Andreska, Mary Coulter, Maggy Otte, CommonBond Communities
Challenge: CommonBond and other affordable housing providers have a difficult time finding qualified candidates for positions involving affordable housing regulatory compliance. CommonBond residents and people of color are not frequently found in compliance positions and may face obstacles in obtaining skills needed to earn a living wage.
Story: CommonBond, the largest nonprofit provider of affordable housing with onsite services in the Upper Midwest, relies on a number of funding sources and subsidies to operate our housing communities. In order for CommonBond to remain in compliance with these sources and multiple monitoring agencies, such as HUD and the IRS, our documentation of the execution of financing requirements must be accurate and updated, a time-consuming and detailed task. CommonBond, like others in this field, employs compliance technicians to ensure funder requirements are met. However, because of the specialized knowledge needed to perform compliance tasks, there is a shortage of qualified compliance technicians.
CommonBond recently completed financing for a major refinance and rehabilitation of one of our largest housing communities, Seward Towers. As part of this work, 640 households were required to complete an income certification process. This additional work placed a significant burden on existing compliance staff.
In response, CommonBond used a technical assistance grant from NeighborWorks to establish a Compliance Internship program that trains individuals to complete resident interviews, review housing applications, complete eligibility certifications, and maintain required compliance documents for funding sources and partners. Interns work 20 hours per week for three months. This program was created to reach out to those communities we serve, both for CommonBond's benefit and to offer training and a paid internship to people who want to enhance their professional marketability.
The internship program offers Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) training and certification, a nationally recognized certification that is applicable to all affordable housing programs that use the occupancy guidelines from the HUD Manual 4350.3. Ultimately, these trained interns could be hired by CommonBond and other organizations in order to better navigate the complicated regulatory landscape of the affordable housing industry.
Recruitment for the Compliance Internship program focused on local communities representing diverse populations. The interns hired to date are CommonBond residents. Helping individuals develop the specialized skills and knowledge of compliance can pave the way for stable, full-time employment.
Our primary source of candidates were our own residents — a pool of people who are familiar with affordable housing program requirements and are interested in professional development. Candidates came through our Adult Education and Advancement program, which provides support for residents in employment and career advancement, financial coaching, and income support.
Two participants have completed the program so far, including Fekri, a married father of three who initially worked with an employment/financial coach to connect to maintenance training and a job he held for five years. Fekri decided to return to school to complete an accounting degree and, with the help of his coach, applied for the compliance intern program as it offered a new career opportunity. He participated in the program while continuing to finish his degree and recently began working with compliance in one of our housing communities. Our second participant, Hamza, lives with his brother and mother and, in spite of his degree in liberal arts and additional technology training, could not find a job. Hamza met with an employment/financial coach, recently completed the compliance program and hopes to join the CommonBond team.
Through this program, CommonBond has expanded the pool of trained, certified, and qualified compliance technicians and specialists. We have lessened the severe shortage of qualified individuals able to understand, track, and ensure compliance requirements. The compliance interns assisted in the certification process for Seward Towers' residents. Interns were able to translate, complete interviews, and review certifications, which alleviated some of the burden on CommonBond's compliance team.
Through the intense income verification project alone, interns have acquired valuable customer service skills, training in accurate record keeping, and skill in navigating the many regulatory layers involved with the affordable housing industry. These interns are ready to interview for and obtain compliance positions at CommonBond and other affordable housing organizations. One has already done so!
The lessons CommonBond learned while developing the Compliance Internship program include:
Challenge: CommonBond and other affordable housing providers have a difficult time finding qualified candidates for positions involving affordable housing regulatory compliance. CommonBond residents and people of color are not frequently found in compliance positions and may face obstacles in obtaining skills needed to earn a living wage.
Story: CommonBond, the largest nonprofit provider of affordable housing with onsite services in the Upper Midwest, relies on a number of funding sources and subsidies to operate our housing communities. In order for CommonBond to remain in compliance with these sources and multiple monitoring agencies, such as HUD and the IRS, our documentation of the execution of financing requirements must be accurate and updated, a time-consuming and detailed task. CommonBond, like others in this field, employs compliance technicians to ensure funder requirements are met. However, because of the specialized knowledge needed to perform compliance tasks, there is a shortage of qualified compliance technicians.
CommonBond recently completed financing for a major refinance and rehabilitation of one of our largest housing communities, Seward Towers. As part of this work, 640 households were required to complete an income certification process. This additional work placed a significant burden on existing compliance staff.
In response, CommonBond used a technical assistance grant from NeighborWorks to establish a Compliance Internship program that trains individuals to complete resident interviews, review housing applications, complete eligibility certifications, and maintain required compliance documents for funding sources and partners. Interns work 20 hours per week for three months. This program was created to reach out to those communities we serve, both for CommonBond's benefit and to offer training and a paid internship to people who want to enhance their professional marketability.
The internship program offers Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) training and certification, a nationally recognized certification that is applicable to all affordable housing programs that use the occupancy guidelines from the HUD Manual 4350.3. Ultimately, these trained interns could be hired by CommonBond and other organizations in order to better navigate the complicated regulatory landscape of the affordable housing industry.
Recruitment for the Compliance Internship program focused on local communities representing diverse populations. The interns hired to date are CommonBond residents. Helping individuals develop the specialized skills and knowledge of compliance can pave the way for stable, full-time employment.
Our primary source of candidates were our own residents — a pool of people who are familiar with affordable housing program requirements and are interested in professional development. Candidates came through our Adult Education and Advancement program, which provides support for residents in employment and career advancement, financial coaching, and income support.Two participants have completed the program so far, including Fekri, a married father of three who initially worked with an employment/financial coach to connect to maintenance training and a job he held for five years. Fekri decided to return to school to complete an accounting degree and, with the help of his coach, applied for the compliance intern program as it offered a new career opportunity. He participated in the program while continuing to finish his degree and recently began working with compliance in one of our housing communities. Our second participant, Hamza, lives with his brother and mother and, in spite of his degree in liberal arts and additional technology training, could not find a job. Hamza met with an employment/financial coach, recently completed the compliance program and hopes to join the CommonBond team.
Through this program, CommonBond has expanded the pool of trained, certified, and qualified compliance technicians and specialists. We have lessened the severe shortage of qualified individuals able to understand, track, and ensure compliance requirements. The compliance interns assisted in the certification process for Seward Towers' residents. Interns were able to translate, complete interviews, and review certifications, which alleviated some of the burden on CommonBond's compliance team.
Through the intense income verification project alone, interns have acquired valuable customer service skills, training in accurate record keeping, and skill in navigating the many regulatory layers involved with the affordable housing industry. These interns are ready to interview for and obtain compliance positions at CommonBond and other affordable housing organizations. One has already done so!
The lessons CommonBond learned while developing the Compliance Internship program include:
- Recognizing that our residents can benefit from professional training while we benefit from their internal knowledge of affordable housing.
- The skills learned in the internship program can be used for career advancement at CommonBond and at other organizations.
