If you are managing a HUD-assisted property, did you know that you may be able to recoup expenses for vacancies, tenant damages, and other charges like unpaid rent by submitting a special claim?

According to the June 2006 HUD Special Claims Processing Guide (HSG-06-01) and associated HUD Special Claims Processing Guide, HUD recognizes that owners of affordable housing have a potential financial risk because of the limitation on security deposits and the need to adhere to waiting list requirements; therefore, owners should be reimbursed for their financial loss through the special claims process. See Figure 1-1 of the guide to review eligibility requirements and review subsequent pages of the guide for details and requirements for each special claim type.

Special claims are not automatic. Owners or their management agents need to submit proper documentation to their Contract Administrator for each eligible unit within a specific time frame. To make it easier, CMS has developed downloadable checklists to support Special Claims submissions for both Regular Vacancies and Unpaid Rent/Damages.

What’s New
We recently modified our Special Claims Checklists to make them more straightforward. We recommend using the updated files for all new claims:

• Special Claims for Regular Vacancies Checklist
• Special Claims for Unpaid Rent & Damages Checklist

The updates are minor and include mostly formatting cleanup and clearer wording, but the following changes are worth noting:

1. In the Voucher & TRACS Submission section (in both checklists), TRACS reports are now specified:
   • If your claim includes move-ins and move-outs, include the TRACS Move In / Move Out Query.
   • If it involves unit transfers and initial certifications, include the TRACS Certification Query.
2. The voucher adjustments wording (in the Regular Vacancies Checklist) has been reworked to be easier to follow.
3. Under the Wait List Management section (in the Regular Vacancies Checklist), a note now clarifies that it is only necessary to provide 5-6 applicants before and after the new move-in tenant(s), not the entire waiting list.
4. In the Damages & Charges section (In the Unpaid Rent/Damages Checklist), we added a note to include a copy of the Vacancy Reconditioning Log along with documentation of damages.

Next Steps
Please start using the updated checklists right away in place of the old ones. These checklists exist to make the special claims process easier for you. If there’s anything you’d like us to consider adding, we’d love to hear from you. Just reach out to the CMS Voucher Team anytime.