HUD Announces Changes to UPCS Protocol

HUD has announced two changes to the UPCS inspection protocol that will impact agencies with public housing units and Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) properties. HUD has been performing a “wholesale reevaluation” of the REAC since 2017. HUD’s announcement included two significant changes to the UPCS inspection process.

The first change is a switch to a 14-day notification period for PHAs and inspectors to schedule and perform an inspection on public housing and PBRA units. The second is a new inspection model that will be informed by listening sessions HUD will host across the country. The new model will begin as a pilot and is aimed to ensure REAC scores more accurately reflect the quality and safety of public housing and PBRA units.  

First, HUD issued a pre-publication notice notifying PHAs of a change to a 14-day notification period for scheduling an inspection shortly. HUD will implement the change 30 days after publication of the notice. If a PHA is unable to schedule the inspection after 14 days of being notified, they will receive a preliminary inspection score of zero. The PHA will be able to reschedule the inspection within 7-days after the end of the 14-day notification period. If the PHA is still unable to reschedule their inspection within that 7-day day timeframe, the inspection score will remain zero.

HUD is also planning to host listening sessions across the country to inform their new inspection model pilot program. Events will be held in Philadelphia, PA (Feb. 21), Fort Worth, TX (March 19), Atlanta, GA (March 21), Detroit, MI (March 26), and Seattle, WA (March 28).