Affordable Senior Housing News 2026June5

GAO Report Outlines Need for Service Coordinator Data Improvements at HUD

In a June 1 report titled "Rural Housing: Weaknesses in Data Quality and Use Limit HUD’s Ability to Assess Effectiveness of Service Coordinators," the Government Accountability Office (GAO) described critical shortcomings in federal Service Coordinator program administration and data assessment, especially in rural areas. Service Coordinators are non-clinical staff who support older adults in affordable housing as they age independently. Throughout the report, GAO's researchers describe data integrity issues at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including "weaknesses in the quality and use of HUD’s data for the multifamily housing program." Specifically, the GAO report found that HUD does not have uniform data entry procedures, meaning that HUD can't accurately determine how many properties have Service Coordinators and whether they comply with program requirements. The report also found that HUD does not routinely analyze performance reports that it requires Service Coordinators at multifamily properties to prepare, meaning that the agency cannot demonstrate program effectiveness despite having access to the data. LeadingAge has long urged HUD to improve Service Coordinator program administration, including by better utilizing the data it collects. LeadingAge was interviewed by GAO as part of the research process from 2024 to 2026. Read the report here.

For Members Only: LeadingAge to Host RAD for PRAC Peer-Sharing and Policy Discussion - June 9, 2pm ET. 

Join LeadingAge for a peer-sharing call on the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) for Section 202 PRAC properties in need of preservation and recapitalization. This call offers an informal discussion opportunity for housing providers who are currently utilizing or positioning to utilize RAD as a preservation tool for their Section 202 PRAC portfolios. We will also discuss critical feedback to HUD on their management of new rent boosts for converting properties through the Preservation Rent Increase (PRI). LeadingAge provider and business members can register here; please reach out to Juliana Bilowich, LeadingAge's VP of Housing Policy, with questions. Please note: This is NOT a RAD 101 session; more information on the basics of RAD for PRAC and on recent LeadingAge-driven policy improvements to the program are available on the LeadingAge Learning Hub. 

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