Housing Needs Assessment Services

Physical Needs Assessments

CNA Specialists' Physical Needs Assessments (PNAs) are designed to provide an inventory of outstanding maintenance issues and short-term capital item replacements, to develop a 5-year reserve replacement schedule, and to establish maintenance/monitoring baselines.

PNAs are an excellent way for a current or potential building owner to target minor and major problems, code violations, and update opportunities, in order to help make their property functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing.

Our services can help you determine whether or not a site of interest is worth the risk. By using CNA Specialists, you can know the full extent of the history, possible shortcomings, and environmental damage to a site.

Our approach includes the following key considerations:

CNA Specialists provides a detailed report of adequate and deficient conditions at each property that includes detailed assessment data, individual cost tables, and demonstrative photographs. We also consult with stakeholders, advocacy groups, residents, and persons with disabilities as needed to ensure the long-term health of the site.

Capital Needs Assessments

CNA Specialists' Capital Needs Assessments (CNAs) are designed to identify the short- and long-term physical and financial needs of low-to-moderate income, multi-family properties, as Congress mandated by statute 402.

These assessments include a comprehensive physical inspection of the project, a thorough, easy-to-read report of findings (including a statement of any assistance needed under programs administered by HUD), a description of the resources available for meeting the current and future (reserve) needs of the project, and the likelihood of obtaining such resources.

CNA reports are our specialty: our industry-tested product is based on the requirements of Fannie Mae, HUD, and Standard and Poor's, developed over the course of thousands of inspections.

UPCS Inspections

The Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) protocols are the defect definitions used during HUD REAC PASS inspections. This protocol has become the standard of property inspections for HUD, USDA and IRS Tax Credit housing throughout the country. REAC PASS scores allow the condition of privately held or publicly owned, subsidized or unsubsidized properties, and insured or uninsured facilities, across the country, to be compared within one standard scoring system.

CNA Specialists inspectors perform thorough, timely inspections in a cost-effective manner. Our reports, generated from proprietary inspection software and inspection lists, allow us to provide you with data that exceeds the REAC inspection protocol. Unlike REAC reports, which limit comments to level 3 deficiencies, our reports identify deficiency comments for level 1, 2, and 3 deficiencies. Your maintenance staff will no longer have to waste time searching for the location and nature of deficiencies, as we will details them thoroughly.

Inspections include a comprehensive analysis of all five inspectable areas: Site, Exteriors, Systems, Common Areas, and Dwelling Units.

UPSC reports include the following:

We are also able to work with our clients to determine a custom reporting format. For example, inspection reports can be printed with each unit inspection on a separate page, allowing our clients to place the unit inspection report with the corresponding file of each resident. Ideally, we come in 60-120 days prior to upcoming REAC inspections. This provides ample time to complete suggested and identified repairs.

Energy Audits

CNA Specialists' Energy Audit provides an in-depth evaluation of the energy consumption of all equipment in a commercial or industrial building, educational facility, or residence in order to identify areas for improved energy efficiency and conservation.

Possible energy savings may exceed 40%, with an average savings of 15-20% when clients respond to deficiencies identified in this report. Factors such as facility size, equipment, equipment usage, lighting, and current utility usage can all directly affect energy efficiency.

This audit includes technical evaluation of all mechanical, electric, and fuel-powered equipment, as well as machinery in use. The details of your facility, including its size, use, and the number of energy-consuming devices may affect the time required to complete an audit. Please feel free to contact us so we can get to know your facility a little bit better.

The American Recovery and Re-investment act of 2009 outlines a lot of tax advantages to home and business owners. An energy audit can be done for next to nothing with a tax credit, and you may qualify for up to $6500 in efficiency repairs to your home!

Utility Allowance Reports

CNA Specialists' utility allowance reports are compliant with all applicable state and federal regulations. We assist housing agencies in preparing for new utility allowance studies or in supplementing current utility allowances.

Our reports were developed in accordance with the following guidelines:

Our utility allowance study is presented in a format that is easily reviewed and understood by agency staff, concerned residents, and HUD engineering personnel. The report includes the objectives and methodology for conducting the survey and study, the overall results of our investigation (utility allowance schedule and comparison), rate calculation tables for each utility, and all supporting documentation.