Certification & Training

Certified Specialist of Public Housing Assessment System (CSPHAS)

NAHRO’s Certified Specialist of Public Housing Assessment System (CSPHAS) designation demonstrates that an individual has the knowledge, skills and ability necessary for:

  • Understanding HUD’s rule for the PHAS.
  • Ensuring compliance and maximizing the PHAS.

How do I get the NAHRO Certified Specialist of Public Housing Assessment System (CSPHAS)?

NAHRO has two paths to becoming Certified! Please refer to the chart below to determine the path that works best for you. 

Your Path to Become NAHRO Certified Specialist of Public Housing Assessment System (CSPHAS) Flow Chart There are two paths to become NAHRO CSPHAS Certified. Path 1: If you do not have five or more years of experience working in Public Housing Management, you are required to take NAHRO Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Training. This path also requires you to receive a passing score on the NAHRO Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Certification Exam, take NAHRO Ethics for Housing Professionals or Ethics for Management Training, and Complete the CSPHAS Certification Application. Path 2: If you have five or more years of experience working in Public Housing Management, you may forgo the NAHRO Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Training. This path still requires you to receive a passing score on the NAHRO Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Certification Exam, take NAHRO Ethics for Housing Professionals or Ethics for Management Training, and Complete the CSPHAS Certification Application.

Certification Requirements

Education & ExperienceHigh School Diploma or Equivalent AND 6 months of experience 
OR Associates degree and above (without the 6 months of experience) 
Specialist TrainingCompletion of NAHRO’s Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Training 
Ethics TrainingCompletion of NAHRO’s Ethics for Housing Professionals
OR Ethics for Management Training 
ExamPassing score on NAHRO’s Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Certification Exam 
ApplicationSubmission of Certification Application 

Requirement to waive the management training and sit for the exam:

To waive the specialist training requirement, participants must have five (5) or more years of experience in Public Housing Management (e.g., Property/Asset Managers, Assistant Managers, Clerks, Occupancy Specialists) and demonstrated knowledge in all the following:   

  • Forecasting and calculating PHAS scores.
  • REAC inspections and scoring, and federal regulations pertaining to inspection protocol.
  • The financial and management components of PHAS.
  • Implementation of strategies to positively affect PHAS score.
  • Capital Fund requirements and regulations.

NOTE: Individuals waiving the specialist training still have the following requirements: 

Education & ExperienceHigh School Diploma or Equivalent
Ethics TrainingCompletion of NAHRO’s Ethics for Housing Professionals
OR Ethics for Management Training 
ExamPassing score on NAHRO’s Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Certification Exam 
Application  Submission of Certification Application 

If you are unsure if you are eligible to waive the specialist training requirement, please email professionaldevelopment@nahro.org or call 202-589-7211.

All applicants must understand the importance of, and agree to adhere to, NAHRO’s Professional Code of Conduct. 

certification APPLICATION

Recertification: 

0.5 NAHRO CEUs (5 training hours) required every 3 years from date of certification.

RECERTIFICATION APPLICATION

For further information regarding NAHRO Certification, contact:

professionaldevelopment@nahro.org

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A LISTING OF PERSONS NAHRO CERTIFIED