An Introduction to Initiative Design and Implementation for Affordable Housing Providers

Transcription

1 Rent for An Introduction to Initiative Design and Implementation for Affordable Housing Providers SARAH CHENVEN and CAROLYN SCHULTE

2 Building Organizational Support Building Organizational Support Credit Bureau Credentialing Technical Setup Resident Outreach & Education Ongoing & Dispute Management Making Rent Count Introduction Building internal organizational support for rent reporting is the first step toward becoming a successful rental data furnisher and helping residents build credit history. Rent reporting is truly a team activity that usually requires collaboration and cooperation among multiple departments, including resident services, property management, finance, IT, marketing, and executive leadership. For rent reporting to be as efficient and successful as possible, it s vital to have the support and buy-in of all the teams involved in the initiative. Strategies for Success 1) Identify key decision makers and stakeholders and their motivations and deterrents to supporting rent reporting. 2) Clearly identify and spell out the alignment between the organization s mission and business interests, and the objectives you hope to accomplish through rent reporting. 3) Leverage rent reporting as an opportunity for bridge building between teams/ departments with differing objectives. 4) Bring stakeholders together to develop a project timeline that includes the accomplishment of key objectives, assigned responsibilities, and deadlines. Strategies in Action 1) Identify key decision makers and stakeholders and their motivations and deterrents to supporting rent reporting. Rent reporting typically involves a wide range of stakeholders within an organization including IT, resident services, property management, accounts receivable, and compliance departments. To effectively move the initiative forward, advocates must identify the key decision makers within each involved department or team and anticipate those individuals perspectives, considerations, and concerns. Consider the following questions about who owns: a) the decision to become a rent reporter, b) the risk, c) the responsibility to implement, and d) the resident experience? Our rent reporting champion at AHC Greater Baltimore recognized early on the importance of understanding the perspectives and concerns of key decision makers within its finance and property management teams. She held discussions with staff on those teams to understand their roles, motivations, and considerations so that when it came time to present the initiative to key decision makers, she was able to anticipate and effectively respond to their questions and concerns and gain approval.

3 2) Clearly identify and spell out the alignment between the organization s mission and business interests, and the objectives you hope to accomplish through rent reporting. Many professionals in the affordable housing industry are focused on achieving the goals and objectives for which they are responsible. Advocates can build support for the initiative by helping key stakeholders and decision makers realize how rent reporting can help them achieve their individual, departmental and/or organizational goals. For those focused on resident services, rent reporting offers a tool to improve resident engagement and financial capability outcomes. For those focused on the organization s bottom line, rent reporting presents a low-cost opportunity to incentivize on-time rent payment saving property managers time and money. 3) Leverage rent reporting as an opportunity for bridge building between teams/departments with differing objectives. While many groups primary reason for partaking in rent reporting is to offer their residents another financial capability and inclusion tool, many also have a secondary motive: interdepartmental relationship building. Rent reporting is an exciting opportunity for asset/property management and resident services staff to work together on a project that benefits all parties involved, including residents. Owners, property managers, resident services staff, and renters alike are excited about creating incentives for on-time payments and offering a credit building opportunity through the reporting of monthly rental payments. 4) Bring stakeholders together to develop a project timeline that includes the accomplishment of key objectives, assigned responsibilities, and deadlines. No matter how excited an organization is about rent reporting, specific tasks and responsibilities must be assigned with deadlines attached to sustain the The New York City Housing Authority s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability sees rent reporting as an opportunity to further its department s mission to help residents increase income and assets, while the housing authority s finance department sees rent reporting as an equally positive tool to foster resident accountability and incentivize on-time payments. With financial capability and assets, residents can make informed decisions and maintain stability in all aspects of their lives, which is of paramount importance to us as a provider of affordable housing. We d also like to see if this collaborative effort to report rent will serve as an incentive to improve rent payments, ultimately resulting in the same outcome, housing stability and family success. Cleveland Housing Network will save money on move-outs and evictions, which gives us the opportunity to provide more and better services to our residents. Tom Tosuksri, Special Projects Manager, Cleveland Housing Network momentum necessary to get to the point of live reporting. Once buy-in is obtained, it must be solidified in the form of specific and manageable commitments from key stakeholders. These plans are not meant to be written in stone and can and likely will need to be adapted as work begins. The key is establishing a plan and getting the process started. Don t forget to assign someone as project manager responsible for keeping everyone else accountable for fulfilling his or her responsibilities. And remember, CBA is here to help!

4 Credit Bureau Credentialing Building Organizational Support Credit Bureau Credentialing Technical Setup Resident Outreach & Education Ongoing & Dispute Management Making Rent Count Introduction Submitting an application and becoming a credentialed rental payment data furnisher are key steps toward being able to report rent payments to the credit bureaus. The bureaus will consider rental data furnisher applications from entities that either serve as property managers and/or rental payment processors. Several credit bureaus accept rental data. Their application and credentialing policies and procedures are similar but not the same. In all cases, rental data furnishers must be legitimate legal entities with responsible datahandling policies and procedures. Strategies for Success 1) Identify who in the organization will serve as the primary point(s) of contact for the bureaus. 2) Plan for the site visit. 3) Develop rental payment data furnishing policies and procedures. 4) Pay attention to post-application communications from the bureaus. Strategies in Action 1) Identify who in the organization will serve as the primary point(s) of contact for the bureaus. The application to become a data furnisher is not dfficult to complete, but does require attention and planning. First, identify who will complete the application and who in the organization has the authority to sign it and any associated legal agreements with the bureaus. Second, identify what the bureaus call your Head Designate that is, the individual who will serve as the lead person responsible for developing a data transmission process with the bureaus. Third, determine who will coordinate the bureaus site visits, which is part of the due diligence they will conduct before accepting your application. Once you have completed the application, be sure to submit along with it any required relevant attachments, such as property lists, sample leases, etc. Each bureau has its own application and credentialing process, which may require somewhat different information. 2) Plan for the site visit. Site visits are important for the bureaus to ensure that your organization is operating in a professional environment with proper data-handling policies and procedures. There may be a small, onetime fee associated with the site visit. Here are examples of what the bureaus may assess during the visit:

5 your office location (must be commercial, not residential) whether your physical location matches the address listed in your contracts the existence of permanent signage outside your office or a listing for your organization in a building directory whether you have the secure setup required for handling sensitive information, such as residents personal information (e.g., locked cabinets, passwordprotected computers, etc.) If necessary, be sure to clarify with the bureau agent conducting the site visit that you are applying to report rental payment data, not to pull credit reports (the latter may be possible but requires a separate application). 3) Develop rental payment data furnishing policies and procedures. Property managers that are directly furnishing rental payment data to the credit bureaus must establish reporting policies and procedures. Experian RentBureau offers data furnishers sample policies and procedures to help address how they will: Should my organization apply to become a credentialed rental data furnisher? Does your organization manage rental housing units and/or process rental housing payments? YES The bureaus accept rental data from organizations that process rental payments. Each bureau has different additional criteria for approving applications. NO Does your organization contract a third-party property management company to manage rental units owned by your organization? If so, consider requesting that they become credentialed to directly report rental payments. Reach out to CBA or directly to the bureaus to learn more about other requirements. maintain accuracy and integrity at all times; continue to furnish information on a monthly basis; report payments; notify residents of delinquent payment history that could be reported to the credit bureaus; and investigate and update inaccurate information that has been submitted accidentally. 4) Pay attention to post-application communications from the bureaus! Once the bureau has received your application, scheduled your site visit, and approved your application, you will be contacted with important information. This may include a welcome along with instructions about next steps, your obligations as a data furnisher pursuant to the Fair Credit Act (FCRA), and instructions on how to track and respond to resident disputes (which, with sufficient outreach and education, should be few and far between!

6 Technical Setup Building Organizational Support Credit Bureau Credentialing Technical Setup Resident Outreach & Education Ongoing & Dispute Management Making Rent Count Introduction The technical setup phase of the rent reporting implementation process involves creating a system for transferring residents personal and payment information to the credit bureaus in a secure and reliable manner. Ideally, data are transmitted in an automated fashion by building a direct connection between the property manager s database and the credit bureaus. If an automated integration is not possible, some property managers are able to create and send reports to the bureaus manually each month. Figuring out the technical side is often the most challenging and time-consuming part of the entire rent reporting setup process, but good planning, information systems, technological support, and project management can help make it as smooth and efficient as possible. Strategies for Success 1) Plan ahead. Assess your organization s technical capacity before beginning the rent reporting setup process. 2) Reach out to your software provider or internal software experts for support. 3) Be flexible but focused when it comes to your project timeline. 4) Keep relevant regulations in mind and share them with others playing active roles in this part of the process. Strategies in Action 1) Plan ahead. Assess your organization s technical capacity before beginning the rent reporting setup process. Ideally, an organization should identify the individual or team who will take the lead on the technical setup process before actually reaching this step. It s critical that an organization realistically assess its own capacity and expertise as well as the capacity and capabilities of its property management software program. Your organization s technical setup lead should connect with the credit bureaus technical setup contact AHC Greater Baltimore was preparing to transition to a new property management software when the organization began to consider participating in the pilot. After many discussions with its property management and information systems and technology teams, AHC concluded that at that time, it did not have the capacity required to report directly to the credit bureaus and opted to partner with a thirdparty payment processor to give residents the opportunity to have their on-time rent payments reported.

7 directly or through CBA and discuss specific reporting requirements and conditions before submitting an application to the bureau. 2) Reach out to your software provider or internal software experts for support. Many software providers are willing to support their clients in developing automated and manual reporting capabilities. Some of the major property management software companies are familiar with reporting requirements and may already have solutions developed that can be applied to your database. Creating integrations and customized reports can be a challenge even for experienced information systems and technology professionals. Reach out to your software company to see if your provider is willing to lend a hand. Software providers can be a tremendous resource to your organization in the technical setup process. If you are using proprietary software, identify internal stakeholders who have the necessary expertise and familiarity with the system. 3) Be flexible but focused when it comes to your project timeline. The technical setup process may take a few weeks or months of back and forth between the person leading technical setup at your organization and your contact at the credit bureaus. With competing priorities, it s easy to put this project on the back burner. When your organization is preparing to begin this step, confirm that the person leading it is committed and able to devote several hours each week for the next few months to working on it. Ideally, technical setup will only take a few weeks, but just as no two property management databases are exactly the same, each technical setup process is also unique. This makes it nearly impossible to accurately estimate the time required to complete this step. Given the realities of the process as it unfolds, it is vital to keep your project timeline updated and communicate changes to the full project team so that team members can adjust their own timelines and strategies accordingly. Make sure the team understands that the timeline is not written in stone and will likely change as the project advances. 4) Keep relevant regulations in mind and share them with other individuals playing active roles in this step of the process. When developing an automated database integration or manual reports to send to the bureaus each month, remember that privacy restrictions on the sharing of resident data not only apply to live and ongoing reporting but to all aspects of the process, including technical setup. Whoever is working with the bureaus on technical setup should understand how he or she is expected to handle and protect residents personal identifying information. Responsibility for complying with regulations regarding residents privacy fall on your organization not the credit bureaus. Make sure your contacts at the credit bureaus fully understand datasharing restrictions and regulations relevant to your organization. EPIC Property Management is a small up-and-coming property management company in central Oregon. Even though the company does not have a large internal information systems and technology department, it was able to develop and implement an integration with Experian RentBureau with the help of a technical account manager at Yardi, EPIC s property management software provider. With expert and responsive support from both Yardi and Experian RentBureau, EPIC was able to develop an integration and began reporting live resident data over the course of just a few weeks.

8 Resident Outreach & Education Building Organizational Support Credit Bureau Credentialing Technical Setup Resident Outreach & Education Ongoing & Dispute Management Making Rent Count Introduction How and to what extent residents will be engaged in your organization s rent reporting initiative depends on several factors, including your specific resident population, the objectives of the initiative, existing communication platforms, and staff capacity. CBA recommends that, at a minimum, the decision to report rental payments be disclosed to affected residents. Ideally, that disclosure will be a proactive invitation to residents to discuss the importance of a good credit history and steps they can take specifically to establish one. Affordable housing providers that receive federal funding, including but not necessarily limited to those receiving U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding, are required to collect residents written consent in order to report their personal identifying information to the credit bureaus. While the written consent requirement creates additional work for staff, CBA encourages organizations to view this opt-in requirement as an opportunity to engage residents in a positive conversation about credit building and introduce them to programs and services your organization or partner organizations offer. Strategies for Success 1) Develop clear and specific objectives for your rent reporting initiative, keeping in mind relevant regulations. 2) Get frontline staff trained and on board with both credit building and rent reporting before resident outreach begins. 3) Leverage existing resident touch points and communication streams. 4) Make it relevant. Help residents understand how credit building can help them achieve a specific goal. Strategies in Action 1) Develop clear and specific objectives for your rent reporting initiative, keeping in mind relevant regulations. Rent reporting initiatives come in all different shapes and sizes no two are identical. How best to communicate the rent reporting opportunity to residents depends on what your organization intends to achieve through its initiative, as well as its relationships with residents. Some organizations may offer rent reporting as a credit building tool to residents taking part in a financial coaching program, while other organizations may be more focused on implementing rent reporting as a strategy to increase on-time rent payment rates. Whatever your organization s reasons for developing a rent reporting initiative, formalize them by writing clear and specific objectives, and use those objectives as the basis for developing a resident outreach and education plan.

9 2) Get frontline staff trained and on board with both credit building and rent reporting before resident outreach begins. Credit is a complicated, often scary, and sometimes upsetting topic for people regardless of their level of education or income. Like many people, frontline staff may have negative attitudes about and experiences with credit. Also, like many people, they may not fully understand the credit reporting system, and they may have If [frontline staff] don t buy in, then they can t sell it to the client. They transmit all their fears and insecurities right to [the client], and that s not useful. Ellen Tan, President and CEO, Commonwealth Land Trust some misconceptions about what behaviors help and hurt a credit profile. It s important to educate and train frontline staff on credit building and rent reporting so that they can effectively and reliably talk with residents about the rent reporting opportunity and what it means for their credit profile and financial future. When frontline staff understand and support a rent reporting initiative, they re much more likely to be successful in getting residents interested and engaged in the program. 3) Leverage existing resident touch points and communication streams. We had been trying for the better part of 10 years to engage Don t try to reinvent the wheel! our residents. We had our flyers in the halls and tried to Your organization likely already has have property managers sell our programs. It wasn t until established means of communicating [The Power of Rent pilot] that we ve actually had with residents whether it s through some buy-in from residents. We had nearly zero residents a monthly newsletter, a website, a coming to our workshops and to our counselors. It wasn t Twitter account, or flyers on doors even measurable how many people were participating in our or in mailboxes. Your organization programming. Now, since [AHEAD began reporting rental also routinely interacts with residents data], we have 25 people who come in on a regular basis. through activities and events such It s because of [rent reporting]. This is the only thing that is as move-in orientations, income different. You know, the approach was the same recertifications, lease renewals, and mailings, flyers, and town-hall meetings but this piece of it, this carrot, made the difference for resident services initiatives. Leverage our organization. these existing communication platforms and touch points to Matt Manning, HomeOwnership inform and engage residents in Center Director, Affordable Housing, rent reporting. If your organization Education and Development Inc. plans to obtain written consent from residents before reporting their payments, consider having the opt-in form and materials on hand at some, if not all, of these key moments. 4) Make it relevant. Help residents understand how credit building can help them achieve a specific goal. What motivates your residents? What are their near- and longer-term financial goals? It is vital to help residents see the connections between their financial goals, credit building, and rent reporting. Remember that the most relevant and realistic financial goals are often the most effective in grabbing a people s attention and motivating them to take action. For example, rent reporting may allow individuals to build credit and purchase a cell phone plan without putting down a required deposit, or get approved for a low-interest car-loan or credit card. What would your residents do if they had better credit? Help them envision and work toward that future!

10 Ongoing & Dispute Management Building Organizational Support Credit Bureau Credentialing Technical Setup Resident Outreach & Education Ongoing & Dispute Management Making Rent Count Introduction As a data furnisher to the credit bureaus, you are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the data you submit. You are also accountable to your residents if they dispute or inquire about any of that data. Below are some simple ways to ensure you meet your obligations and fulfil your mission-driven intention to help your residents build credit! Strategies for Success 1) Revisit rent reporting policies and procedures to ensure consistency and quality control in data reporting. 2) Track disputes through your e-oscar account and/or other mechanisms available through the bureaus. 3) Leverage the process to strengthen relationships with residents. Strategies in Action 1) Revisit rent reporting policies and procedures to ensure consistency and quality control in data reporting. This is your data. Whether you furnish it in an automated or manual fashion to the bureaus, the Fair Credit Act (FCRA) requires that each furnisher establish and implement reasonable written policies and procedures regarding the accuracy and integrity of the information relating to consumers that it furnishes to a credit bureau. These should cover, at a minimum, the process of submitting the data and tracking and responding to any resident disputes. If your data flows to the bureau through an automatic integrated process, be sure to check in regularly to make sure the data is transmitting as it should be. If you submit your data to the bureaus manually, prepare reports on a regular schedule and give the bureaus enough time to review them prior to the date they will be loaded into the respective consumer credit database. For more information about your responsibilities under the FCRA, visit:

11 2) Track disputes through your e-oscar account and/or other mechanisms available through the bureaus. Tracking and responding to disputes in a timely manner is part of a data furnisher s responsibility under the FCRA. This is usually done through an electronic system called e-oscar, which the credit bureaus use to notify data furnishers of disputes and inquiries about information. e-oscar allows furnishers to respond by confirming or correcting information. In the case of rental payment data furnishers, the bureaus may offer other approaches to tracking and responding to disputes and inquiries through, for example, secure communications. Disputes regarding rental trade lines are rare especially when the data furnisher does a good job with outreach and education. The credit bureaus may also offer their furnishers the option of monitoring disputes through encrypted . Because disputes are rare, it s even more vital for organizations to develop and implement policies and procedures for monitoring and responding to disputes. To learn more about the dispute monitoring and response, visit 3) Leverage the process to strengthen relationships with residents. With the emphasis in the nonprofit asset building industry on financial capability, it is important to focus attention on...strategies that not only help consumers increase their knowledge but also help them establish healthy financial behavior (Center for Financial Services Innovation). Service providers can leverage different touch points (often referred to as just-in-time communication) with consumers by recognizing how and when they are most motivated to take advantage of a resource or program to improve their financial circumstances. Affordable housing providers that are furnishing rental payment data can build resident engagement into their reporting and dispute management policies. For example, sending out positive communications about the benefits of credit building when residents make their payments on time each month and/or taking the opportunity to reach out to a resident who has initiated a dispute about the issue provides tenants with immediate feedback, reinforces their commitment to being a good tenant, and may be a way for property managers to strengthen relationships with tenants.

12 Making Rent Count Building Organizational Support Credit Bureau Credentialing Technical Setup Resident Outreach & Education Ongoing & Dispute Management Making Rent Count Introduction Improvements to credit profiles do not happen overnight; they take time and a commitment to engaging in consistentand responsible financial behaviors. Rent reporting like any credit building product offers individuals and families a valuable tool to embark and get a head start on that journey by helping residents sustain and leverage credit building momentum to achieve their financial and other goals. Strategies for Success 1) Track: Credit history and score establishment and improvement are key. 2) Engage: Connect regularly with residents about their credit building progress and how it relates to their goals. 3) Leverage: Help residents leverage credit building success to save money and increase their financial stability. 4) Celebrate: Empower residents to celebrate their successes for themselves and their families, and as an inspiration to others. Strategies in Action 1) Track: Credit history and score establishment and improvement are key. This is true, but it is essential to keep in mind is that there is not just one credit score out there. What really matters, therefore, is that residents understand that their financial behavior (including making on-time rental payments) drives their credit building success and, ultimately, their access to better financial opportunities. Pulling credit reports and scores in the beginning at baseline and then at regular intervals thereafter is the best way to gather the information you need in order to help your residents see the impact of rent reporting on their credit histories and scores over time. Some clients may want to take a more active role in monitoring their credit, and many fun and free tools are available to help them do so. Credit.com provides individuals with their free Experian VantageScore 3.0 as well as information about their credit profile and how it could be improved. Residents participating in Covenant Community Capital s Individual Development Account (IDA) program enrolled with WilliamPaid in order to build credit with each monthly rent payment. They tracked their credit scores and some saw an increase of more than 50 points! Check out CBA s website to read individual success stories.

13 2) Engage: Connect regularly with residents about their credit building progress and how it relates to their goals. Make a plan to check in with residents at regular intervals to review progress and keep them motivated to work toward their goals. This may be done at the time you pull and review their credit report or be built into other relevant programming in which they participate. Whether the goal is to gain access to high-quality mainstream financial products and services, save money, purchase an asset such as a car or a house, rent a better apartment, start a small business, or get a job, helping residents see the value of credit as an asset and the ways in which good credit can help them achieve their goals is a powerful financial capability strategy. Be sure to have additional resources and referrals ready for individuals who could benefit from more and/or ongoing support. 3) Leverage: Help residents leverage credit building success to save money and increase their financial stability. Newly established and/or improved credit scores are essential, but how your residents leverage them is what really counts! Help clients translate credit improvements into real savings by refinancing expensive debt, requesting partial or full refunds of security deposits, or paying less for insurance products. Encourage residents to use savings, for example, to continue to build financial stability by paying down or off outstanding debt, create an emergency fund, or contribute to an asset such as a 529, retirement, or other investment account. 4) Celebrate: Empower residents to celebrate their successes for themselves and their families, and as an inspiration to others. Recognize and celebrate credit building success. In a world full of challenges and denials, celebrating success can be an empowering strategy, and clients deserve credit for their hard work. Not only will their successes serve as models for their own family and friends; documenting and sharing (with resident Residents in Cleveland Housing Network s leaseto-purchase program who are within a few years of the purchase opportunity are required to meet with a CHN financial coach every six months. With the coach, they review or create a monthly budget, review their credit report, and develop a plan to improve their finances so they will be ready and able to purchase their home. CHN hopes that these regular financial check-ins, in combination with rent reporting, will result in more residents having access to mainstream financial products and eventually purchasing their homes. consent) their stories with others, including community partners, public officials, and funders, can contribute to important community-wide conversations about program impact and policy decisions, and may even generate increased funding for the program.