On February 21, HUD published FAQs jointly developed with LeadingAge to clarify the agency’s change in NSPIRE demonstration inspections for affordable housing communities.

The FAQs provide important details and clarity to HUD’s January 25, 2023 announcement of an April 1 start date for “inspections of record” for certain affordable housing properties in the NSPIRE demonstration. HUD’s February 21 FAQs clarify the official inspection start date for demonstration participants will be no earlier than July 1, 2023.

Up until now, the NSPIRE demonstration inspections have been advisory only and produced no official score. HUD’s sudden change to officially scored NSPIRE inspections is problematic in part because the final NSPIRE rule, standards, scoring, and administrative procedures have not been published.

Properties Can Opt-Out of the Demonstration Before March 1

The change to inspections of record only impacts properties that are participating in the NSPIRE demonstration program but have not yet received an NSPIRE inspection under the pilot. To check if your property is an approved NSPIRE participant, click here.

Properties who wish to opt out of the pilot because of the change to official inspections can do so by emailing NSPIRE-Demo-Opt-Out@hud.gov March 1. HUD has told LeadingAge that properties can expect a confirmation upon emailing HUD with an opt-out request.

HUD Staff to Join LeadingAge Workgroup Call February 23, 1pm ET

HUD staff will join a LeadingAge call on February 23 to clarify the agency’s timeline for beginning inspections of record for the NSPIRE Demonstration program. To join the members-only call, which will be hosted by LeadingAge’s Workgroup on HUD Oversight and Compliance, email Juliana (jbilowich@leadingage.org).

HUD Issues FAQs in Partnership with LeadingAge

After hearing from LeadingAge about the confusion and concern brought on by the January 25 HUD announcement that inspections of record could begin as soon as April 1, HUD agreed to issue a set of clarifying FAQs to housing providers.

HUD’s “NSPIRE Opt-Out FAQs” were developed jointly with LeadingAge. More info about changes to the NSPIRE demonstration program is available here. LeadingAge is grateful for its partnership with HUD that resulted in the FAQs.