SHIP Annual Reports: Training Videos

These videos provide a brief introduction to the subjects of the annual reporting and tracking of SHIP funds. They may prove helpful if you are new to working with the SHIP program, or you have recently taken over the responsibilities of SHIP tracking and annual reporting. Review the April 11 Post for additional information and training opportunities about SHIP annual reporting and tracking.

To advance or back-up the video, use your cursor to click on the red dot below the video, hold down and drag it left or right.

A. Introduction to SHIP Annual Reporting and Tracking
*Review of SHIP Timeline Chart
*Encumbrance and Expenditure Deadlines
*General Rule: First In, First Out

B. Set Aside Review
You know that SHIP has allotments—or Set-Asides—for homeownership assistance; for very low and low income assistance; and for new construction and rehabilitation activities. Do you know all the details? Check your knowledge with this review of the Set-Aside requirements.

a Homeownership Set-Aside

a Construction/Rehabilitation Set-Aside

a Income Set-Aside

C. More Details about Tracking and Reporting
Tracking: “It’s the Law”
· Track expenditures “per household”
· Data to collect
· Tracking is a program requirement





“Dance the TRAKSHIP Two Step”
· Tracking is a 2 Step Process
· Update Daily
· Introduction to TRAKSHIP, the SHIP tracking system designed by the Florida Housing Coalition.

Foreclosure Prevention Resources

During its April 2008 Foreclosure Prevention workshop, the Florida Housing Coalition explored evidence that the “assisted” low income homebuyers receiving downpayment and closing cost subsidy have, for the most part, remained unaffected by the recent wave of foreclosures. The following brief audio and video recordings highlight some key topics from the workshop. A powerpoint and handouts that accompany the recordings are available by emailing chaney@flhousing.org.

Click on the links below (it takes a minute to load) to listen to:

1. A review of the policies and assistance provided to Assisted Buyers to help them avoid foreclosure even before purchase. Education and counseling, lenders guidelines, affordability criteria, and subordination policies are all discussed. Click HERE: http://cdn4.libsyn.com/chaneyhousing/The_Assisted_Homebuyer_AVOIDING_Foreclosure.mp3

2. A summary of key elements of a SHIP Foreclosure Prevention strategy to help those currently facing foreclosure. This recording also includes a review of a current bill in the 2008 Florida Legislative Session that could further help SHIP jurisdictions. Click HERE: http://cdn2.libsyn.com/chaneyhousing/How_SHIP_helps_those_facing_Foreclosure.mp3

3. A discussion of how current and future Assisted Buyers are affected by the Credit Crunch that has resulted from the foreclosure crisis. Click HERE: http://cdn2.libsyn.com/chaneyhousing/The_Future_Assisted_Buyer.mp3


MORE TRAINING AVAILABLE
The Florida Housing Coalition plans to offer two relevant trainings in the second half of 2008. Sign up for the waiting list for either or both events by sending an email request to Pam Davis at pamiam@flhousing.org.

1. First, the one day Foreclosure Prevention workshop will be offered again.

2. The Coalition also teaches a 5 Day class to become a certified Housing Counselor. This course was developed by Neighborworks America and is entitled “Housing Counseling Certification: Principles, Practices and Techniques”. It offers the skills, procedures and content needed to help counselors create new homeowners. Once a counselor completes this course, passes the final exam, and attends a separate class on Foreclosure Prevention, he or she will be awarded a full certification in Housing Counseling from Neighborworks America and the Florida Housing Coalition. There is a $875 registration fee to attend.


THE CAUSES OF THE CRISIS
The beginning of the workshop was filmed. The following video shorts review some factors that have caused the current foreclosure crisis.

Part 1: Buyers and Lenient Lenders

Part 2: Subprime Loans

Part 3: Regulators, Investors and more

Updated SHIP Tracking Spreadsheet

The Coalition announces its release of updated software to assist local jurisdictions with SHIP program changes.


The newly revised spreadsheet is available at this link: www.flhousing.org/pdf/TrackShip.xls




BACKGROUND:
At the beginning of 2008, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation changed significant portions of the SHIP Rule, and some changes affect the SHIP Annual Report.

EXAMPLE #1: Future reports must detail sources of Program Income and Recaptured Funds, including foreclosure, refinance and sale of property.

EXAMPLE #2: SHIP administrators must report the amounts of administrative expenses spent by the local government and by sub-recipient agencies. The Annual Report must now include a list of sub-recipient organizations and consultants that help the jurisdiction implement its SHIP program.

RECORDING ABOUT TRACKING:
The topic of tracking and reporting changes was discussed in February during four online trainings offered by the Florida Housing Coalition. The Coalition is now offering an audio recording—which is called a Podcast when it is played on an IPOD or other MP3 player—of this Webinar. For those who were unable to participate in these brief, one-time-only trainings in February, 2008, the Coalition offers this podcast, along with the corresponding powerpoint presentation for each.

Webinar “Annual Report Changes”

1. First download the powerpoint to your computer
2. Next, turn up the volume on your computer and click www.flhousing.org/uploadedcontentfiles/PODCASTMP3shiprule.mp3
3. Finally, open up the powerpoint to follow along with the training.



ONLINE TRAINING about TRACKING and REPORTING:
The Coalition also regularly offers a more in-depth workshop(5 hours in 3 sessions) online. If you are interested, email Pam Davis pamiam@flhousing.org and ask to be added to the waiting list for the "Annual Report online Workshop".



DETAILS ABOUT NEW TRACKING SPREADSHEET
In response to current SHIP Rule changes, the Coalition has updated the SHIP tracking spreadsheet it created to help SHIP administrators in the early years of the program. The Coalition’s tracking system—an Excel spreadsheet called TRAKSHIP—has been updated to track funding devoted to Extremely Low Income (ELI) households. The spreadsheet reviews the activities for ELI and Very Low Income households together to track compliance with the Income Set-aside. The new version of TRAKSHIP also includes more rows to track all the households assisted per strategy. This accommodates jurisdictions that provide more than 50 recipients with assistance from a single strategy. The updated software offers a new method useful when initially setting up a spreadsheet for a new SHIP distribution.

Remember, a SHIP jurisdiction is not required to use the exact tracking spreadsheet designed by the Coalition. Some may wish to only review the Coalition’s version as they work to create a customized tracking system for their local programs. The only requirement—as outlined in Section 67-53.005 of Florida Housing’s Compliance Rule—is that “the staff or entity with administrative authority for a local housing assistance plan must develop a tracking system to ensure that the local housing distribution funds disbursed from the local housing assistance trust fund are at all times expended in accordance with the set-aside requirements in Rule 67-37.007, F.A.C., and time restraints detailed at subsection 67-37.005(6), F.A.C.”.

TIPS: Affordable Housing Advisory Committees

The SHIP Statute and Rule have recently changed. They now require each SHIP jurisdiction to assemble an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee composed of 11 representatives of several housing stakeholder groups. This committee must create a report on the subject of Land Use "Regulatory Reform" and "Incentive Strategies" to promote the development of affordable housing. Here are some specific requirements related to the advisory committees:

1. The deadline to establish and appoint the board members by resolution or ordinance is June 30, 2008

2. A report is due every three years. The first mandatory report is due December 31, 2008. Naturally, the committee members will have to meet more than once to consider the topic of regulatory reform/incentive strategies before writing a report. The SHIP and Statute do not dictate a specific number of meetings required.

3. These are the SHIP citations that refer to the committee.
SHIP Statute: First part of section 420.9076
SHIP Rule: Section 67-37.010


RESOURCE:
The Coalition offered a web-based training on this topic in February. The Coalition is now offering an audio recording—which is called a Podcast when it is played on an IPOD or other MP3 player—of this online Webinar. For those who were unable to participate in these brief, one-time-only trainings in February, 2008, the Coalition offers this podcast, along with the corresponding powerpoint presentation for each. Webinar “Affordable Housing Advisory Committee”

1. First download the powerpoint to your computer
2. Next, turn up the volume on your computer and click www.flhousing.org/uploadedcontentfiles/PODCASTAdvisoryComm.mp3
3. Finally, open up the powerpoint to follow along with the training.