July 23, 2025

Note: Direct any questions on the content of this message to OHFA’s Compliance and DevCo Helpdesk.

Important Reminder!

Last month, OHFA revised several forms and added two new ones.

Owners/management agents must begin using the revised Management Questionnaire for audits occurring on/after August 1, 2025, and the HOME/HOME-ARP/NHTF Lease Addendum and HOME-ARP Qualifying Population Verification forms (for HOME-ARP projects only) for move-in certifications occurring on/after August 1, 2025.

For verifying student financial assistance, the Informal Support Affidavit and Self-disclosure of Student Financial Assistance (new) forms became effective for use on July 1, 2025. 

OHFA's HOTMA TIC: Additional Guidance

In our June 26th industry message, Revised, New, and Deleted OHFA Forms; Important Reminders, OHFA provided the following guidance:

Any tenant events entered into DevCo prior to May 5, 2025, which is the date the revised TIC was published, will need to be re-entered, because events entered into the old TIC version do not transfer to the revised TIC.  

OHFA has received several inquiries as to what, if any, other action should be taken. OHFA's additional guidance is as follows:

• Owners/management agents should not have the tenant sign the new HOTMA compliant TIC and it should not be printed. Rather, put a clarification record in the tenant file fully explaining that tenant events were reentered into DevCo and a new TIC created in DevCo because OHFA did not issue a HOTMA compliant TIC until May 5, 2025. If the new HOTMA TIC has already been printed and signed by the tenant prior to the issuance of this industry message, put an explanation into the clarification record indicating it was done in error and prior to OHFA's additional guidance issued in July, 2025. 

Rural Development (RD) Projects and HOTMA

In order to accommodate the required HOTMA changes, Rural Development issued a revised Chapter 6 of the RD Handbook HB-2-3560, found here Chapter 6 Handbook 2-3560, on June 13, 2025. All MFH tenant certifications effective on or after July 1, 2025, must comply with HOTMA requirements. However, between July 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026, RD will not penalize MFH owners for HOTMA-related tenant file errors during supervisory reviews. RD will follow all HOTMA rules with the exception of the following:

• The use of means-tested or safe-harbor determinations of income
• De minimis error rules
• The asset limitation (i.e., $103,200 as adjusted annually) does not apply to the restriction of owning real property. 

Form RD 3560-8 was revised to reflect income and asset calculation changes as a result of HOTMA. All tenant certifications effective July 1, 2025, or later must use revised Form RD 3560-8, which is found on the USDA's eForms website.

Upcoming Events — Don’t Miss Out!

MAHMA Hot Topics Conference: Save the Date!

Want to know what the latest changes in the industry mean for you? Come join OHFA staff and your industry colleagues at the Midwest Affordable Housing Management Association (MAHMA) conference in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 11, 2025. Further information and registration can be found here.

LIHTC Training 

OHFA is proud to sponsor a Conquering LIHTC Compliance (with Optional A.C.E. Exam) training. US Housing Consultant's Housing Compliance Trainer Randy McCall will delve deep into the LIHTC laws and regulations, including the HOTMA Rule, while also providing real-world examples with practical applications. The two-day in-person training will occur in Westerville (a suburb of Columbus), Ohio, on September 23–24, 2025. 

Soon! NSPIRE — Introduction to the New Standards Training

OCCH is offering an NSPIRE online training through their Affordable Housing Training Academy (AHTA) on July 24, 2025. The training will focus on an overview of NSPIRE and what industry partners need to know in order to be compliant with it. Further information, including registration, can be found here.

Note: If you are not an AHTA member or have never taken a course through AHTA, you must create an account before registering. 

Stay Informed! 

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