From 22% Preleased to 91.5% Occupancy in 3 Months
A 132-Unit LIHTC + HOME Lease-Up With a Deadline That Couldn't Move
A newly developed 132-unit affordable housing community was facing an aggressive lease-up deadline.
The property was layered with LIHTC and HOME requirements, making applicant processing significantly more complex than a conventional lease-up.
When Housing Consultants of America arrived, the property was only 22% preleased.
The client had just three months to reach at least 90% occupancy.
The challenge wasn't simply generating interest in the apartments. Qualified applicants had to be interviewed, documentation collected, income and assets calculated, program eligibility established, software updated, and certifications completed before households could move in.
HCA deployed a four-person team to help the property turn a complicated compliance workload into completed move-ins.
The Challenge
The property was facing several challenges simultaneously:
- 132-unit new construction lease-up
- LIHTC + HOME layered compliance
- Only 22% preleased when HCA arrived (29 units)
- A required 90% occupancy goal
- Only three months to reach the target
- A substantial volume of applicant documentation and eligibility processing
- An onsite leasing team that needed to remain focused on leasing, residents and property operations
The client didn't just need more applicants.
They needed qualified applicants converted into completed, compliant move-ins—and they needed it done quickly.
HCA Deployed a Four-Person Team
Housing Consultants of America assigned four experienced consultants to support the lease-up.
HCA's objective was to take as much of the compliance and certification workload off the onsite leasing team as possible.
Our consultants worked directly through the applicant pipeline, helping move households from application to completed certification.
HCA Team Members Handled:
Applicant Interviews
Consultants interviewed prospective residents and gathered the information necessary to evaluate household eligibility.
Missing Documentation
The HCA team identified outstanding documentation and worked to obtain the information needed to complete applicant files.
Income & Asset Calculations
Consultants reviewed and calculated household income and assets according to applicable affordable housing program requirements.
LIHTC + HOME Compliance
Because the property had layered funding, files had to satisfy applicable requirements before households could be approved.
Property Management Software
HCA consultants entered and updated applicant and certification information directly within the client's software.
Certification Preparation
The team generated the necessary certification documentation and prepared files for completion.
We Handed the Leasing Team Move-In-Ready Files
This was one of the most important parts of the engagement.
By the time an HCA consultant finished processing an applicant file, the goal was simple:
The site team could focus on moving the resident in.
Instead of spending hours chasing paperwork, calculating income, reviewing assets, entering certification information and navigating layered program requirements, the onsite team could focus on the final resident experience.
Hand over the keys.
Collect the required rent and deposit.
Complete the move-in.
Welcome the new resident home.
This division of responsibilities took significant pressure off the leasing team while allowing HCA's consultants to focus on the detailed certification and compliance work necessary to keep the lease-up moving.
The Results
132 Units
New Affordable Housing Community
22% (29 units)
Preleased When HCA Arrived
4 Consultants
Deployed to Support the Lease-Up
3 Months
To Reach the Client's Occupancy Deadline
90%
Required Occupancy Goal
91.5%
Occupancy Achieved by the Deadline
HCA helped the property exceed its required occupancy target within the client's three-month deadline.
More Than Filling Apartments
Affordable housing lease-ups aren't simply about finding people who want an apartment.
Applicants must also successfully move through the property's eligibility and compliance process.
At a layered LIHTC + HOME property, that can mean collecting extensive documentation, verifying household information, calculating income and assets, determining eligibility, completing certifications and ensuring the file satisfies applicable program requirements.
When onsite leasing employees are expected to handle every piece of that process themselves, the administrative workload can become a bottleneck.
HCA provided additional capacity exactly where the client needed it.
The property's leasing team could concentrate on leasing and residents, while HCA concentrated on helping turn qualified applicants into completed, move-in-ready files.
Your Leasing Team Leases. HCA Helps Get the Files Move-In Ready.
Contact Housing Consultants of America to discuss temporary lease-up staffing and occupancy support.
