Ongoing Compliance Support in Lake Worth Beach

Why the exemption needs attention all year

Approval of a Live Local Act tax exemption only speaks for the year it was granted. To keep it, the restricted units have to stay inside the income and rent limits, the FHFC certification has to be renewed, and a fresh DR-504AFH goes to the county property appraiser. Between those dates, routine leasing can pull a unit out of line without anyone noticing.

We start every engagement with an inspection of your current records: the rent roll, the unit designations, the income documentation behind each set-aside unit, and last year's filings. You get a written list of what holds up and what does not, with the reason for each item. Only then do we recommend a schedule of checks that fits how your property actually turns over units.

Most of our work runs by phone and video, with document review done at our office. Owners and managers across Palm Beach County use this service between their annual recertification cycles.

What we check and maintain

Rent limit comparisons

FHFC publishes updated maximum rents tied to area median income each year. We compare every set-aside unit's contract rent, plus any required utility allowance, against the current limit for its bedroom count and income tier.

Unit count and mix tracking

The exemption depends on how many units are restricted and at which income level. We track the designated units as residents move in and out, so the count on your filings still matches the count you have.

Resident file audits

We sample or fully review income documentation, supporting records and signed leases for set-aside units. Missing pay stubs, expired documents and unsigned forms are flagged by unit number.

Deadline calendar

We keep the dates for FHFC certification requests, county filings and any appraiser response windows on one calendar, with reminders sent well before each one.

Change-of-ownership and refinance checks

A sale, transfer or new lender can affect who must file and what the property appraiser expects. We review the change and tell you which filings it touches.

Appraiser inquiry support

If the property appraiser asks for documentation, we help assemble a clean response from records we already keep current.

Signs your property needs ongoing support

• New rent limits came out

  Limits shift every year. If no one compared your set-aside rents to the new figures, a renewal lease may already exceed them.

• Leasing staff changed

  A new manager may not know which units are designated or what income documents those files require. That is the most common cause of incomplete files we see.

• Units turned over quickly

  High turnover means more move-in income checks and more chances to place a resident above the income tier for that unit.

• A letter from the property appraiser

  Requests for documentation usually come with a response date. Records kept current all year make that response routine.

• Last year's filing was rushed

  If the recertification came together in the final week, the underlying files probably have gaps that will show up again.

How the work runs

1. 1

   Free first call

   You tell us the property's unit count, how many units are set aside and where you are in the filing cycle. We explain what a records inspection needs from you.

2. 2

   Records inspection

   We review the rent roll, unit designations, resident income files and prior FHFC and DR-504AFH filings. Nothing is recommended until this is done.

3. 3

   Written findings

   You receive a plain list of items that pass, items at risk and items out of compliance, each tied to a unit and a reason. We walk through it with you on a video call.

4. 4

   Corrections and schedule

   We help your team fix open items, then set a recurring check schedule, monthly or quarterly, based on your turnover and the next deadline.

5. 5

   Hand-off to recertification

   When the annual cycle arrives, the files are already current, so annual recertification becomes a filing step instead of a scramble.

What moves the cost

Pricing depends on how much there is to review and how often. We quote after the first call, line by line, so you know what each part covers. There are no charges for the initial phone review.

Number of set-aside units

Every restricted unit has its own rent check and resident file. More units means more review time.

Condition of existing files

Complete, organized records take far less time than files that need documents tracked down from residents or past staff.

Check frequency

Monthly reviews cost more than quarterly ones. Properties with steady occupancy often do fine on a lighter schedule.

Ownership or financing changes

A sale or refinance in the middle of the year adds review work on who files and what changes.