There are no two ways about it: the COVID-19 pandemic will have a profound impact on the world and will be the topic of much speculation and debate in the coming years.  However, before we can look back and say, ‘remember when’, sharing how much toilet paper we secretly hoarded, a much more pressing issue faces the Nation's 8+ million units of affordable housing.

• Millions of people, families and students will be in need of affordable housing.

Social distancing and a flagging economy have created an unprecedented situation for Affordable Housing properties. Due to the nature of the economic shutdown, low income families were impacted disproportionately.

Demand for affordable housing is already causing families to be on waitlists for years at a time, but that demand is going to spike in all areas of the country.

• Under the best of circumstances, waitlists are long and hard to manage.

Property managers need to think about how to manage this massive influx of applications now or they will be overwhelmed.

Here are a few methods to help prepare for the coming onslaught of applications expected at all affordable properties:

1. Start Accepting Online Applications

   • Online applications reduce person-to-person contact

   • When given the option, 55% of applicants apply online instead of in person 

   • Increase reach with online applications and give applicants the chance to cross-apply to multiple properties

   • Reduce data entry for property managers

2. Standardize How Your Waitlists Are Managed

   • Consistently managed waitlists allow staff and property managers to share workload and collaborate when demand is high.

     1. Stop using Excel once and for all!

   • An increase in affordable housing applications increases the chance for mismanagement and compliance issues during your next audit.

   • Create a standard experience for all applicants across your portfolio.

3. Automate Communications And Confirmations For Applicants

   • A significant increase of affordable housing applications means manual list updates will take longer than ever before; you’ll need to leverage modern technology to reduce the time it takes your staff to work efficiently with applicants.

Unfortunately, the demand for affordable housing will balloon in the near future. However, Haven Connect is on a mission to streamline the application process for applicants and property managers and is well-positioned to help deal with the coming tidal wave of applications. If you have questions, ideas, or are in need of guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Together we can help more people find stable housing.