Certified Specialist of Inspection – Housing Quality Standards (CSI-HQS)
NAHRO’s Certified Specialist of Inspection – Housing Quality Standards (CSI-HQS) designation demonstrates that an individual has the knowledge, skills and ability necessary for:
- Inspecting housing choice voucher units.
- Conducting pre-inspection and inspection preparations and procedures.
- Negotiation and arbitration with landlords and residents.
- Understanding the need for consistency and re-inspections.
- Determining the impact inspection outcomes have on their agency’s SEMAP score.
How do I become a NAHRO Certified Specialist of Inspections – Housing Quality Standards (CSI-HQS)?
NAHRO has two paths to becoming Certified! Please refer to the chart below to determine the path that works best for you.
Certification Requirements
| Education & Experience | High School Diploma or Equivalent AND 6 months of experience OR Associates degree and above (6 months of experience not required) |
| Specialist Training | Completion of NAHRO’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Training |
| Ethics Training | Completion of NAHRO’s Ethics for Housing Professionals OR Ethics for Management Training |
| Exam | Passing score on NAHRO’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Certification Exam |
| Application | Submission of Certification Application |
Requirement to waive specialist training and sit for the exam
To waive the specialist training requirement, participants must have five (5) or more years of experience working in maintenance or inspection of Housing Choice Voucher units at a government or nationally recognized agency (e.g., Section 8 and other housing inspectors, Maintenance/Facilities Workers, Chief Admin Officer, Field Operations Manager) and a demonstrated knowledge in all the following:
- Applicable federal, state, and local laws,
- Regulations and ordinances regarding housing.
- Legal procedures used in enforcing housing regulations.
- Enforcing codes, standards, and regulations on the job.
NOTE: Individuals waiving the specialist training still have the following requirements:
| Education & Experience | High School Diploma or Equivalent |
| Ethics Training | Completion of NAHRO’s Ethics for Housing Professionals OR Ethics for Management Training |
| Exam | Passing score on NAHRO’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS) 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.
Recertification
0.5 NAHRO CEUs (5 training hours) are required every 3 years from date of certification
For further information regarding NAHRO Certification, contact: