March 2026

Help Your Tenants Avoid Tax Fraud

HUD, in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), is sharing the attached tax fraud prevention flyer to help raise awareness among HUD-assisted residents during the tax filing season. This information is intended to help residents recognize common tax scams and take steps to protect themselves from fraud.

The flyer is attached for distribution and can be found online at the links below.

Please distribute this information to residents, as feasible, by:

Displaying the flyer in common areas
Sharing it digitally with residents
Printing and providing copies directly to residents

Download the English version

Download the Spanish version

Update to HOTMA Student Financial Assistance

Effective immediately, the Section 8 student financial assistance as income rule was removed in the appropriations bill passed at the end of February 2026. This means that only HOTMA's student financial assistance rule remains in effect.

This is a very welcome change for RIHousing and our owner and agent partners. It will simplify compliance with a complicated rule.

For more information, please visit the links below:

https://www.costellocompliance.com/blog/Section-8-student-assistance-rule-removed
https://www.costellocompliance.com/blog/q-a-when-section-8-student-assistance-rule-gone

NAHMA Announces 2026 Scholarship Application

NAHMA announces their 2026 Scholarship Applications are now live. Visit the NAHMA Educational Foundation website to learn more.

If you have tenants that would like to learn more or apply, they may do so using this link.

Promotional Flyers:

HOTMA Compliance Extended until January 2027

On December 18, 2025, the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs published a Housing Notice extending the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) compliance date from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027, for all owners participating in HUD Multifamily project-based rental assistance programs.

Full compliance with the HOTMA final rule and discretionary policies is mandatory for all certifications with a January 1, 2027, date or later.

The full notice can be found on the HUD website.

Reminders:

The correct RIHousing phone number for tenant complaints is 401-443-1616.

We'd love to hear from you!

To provide suggestions for information you would like to see in future Property Matters E-News, please email Kathy Millerick at kmillerick@rihousing.com.