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Consulting

Ratliff Inspections Group (RIG) offers Public Housing/NSPIRE consulting services to help clients understand the new HUD NSPIRE inspection standards for Public Housing, which replaced the Uniform Physical Inspection Standards (UPCS).  Standard HCV NSPIRE/HQS consulting is completed in 2 days. RIG will consult in person (onsite), or via webinar. 
 

HUD's NSPIRE (National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate) requires public housing properties to maintain safe, habitable, and functional conditions. Inspections are conducted in three areas: Unit, Inside, and Outside, assessing deficiencies with a 0-100 scoring system. A passing score is 60 or higher, with a Unit score below 30 resulting in an automatic failure. NSPIRE also includes self-inspections that must be submitted annually. 

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Learning Outcomes

  • Review of how NPSIRE was developed

  • Compare and contrast NSPIRE and UPCS

  • Identify the inspectable areas under NSPIRE

  • Describe the different health and safety determinations under NSPIRE

  • Review of the NSPIRE software

  • Review NSPIRE/HQS inspection types below:

    • Self-Inspections

    • NSPIRE

    • NSPIRE Plus

 

  • Review of key aspects of NSPIRE for Public Housing (Inspectable Areas) :

    • Unit: Interior components of individual dwelling units. 

    • Inside: Common areas and building systems within the building, but not in a unit. 

    • Outside: The building site, exterior components, and any building systems are located outside. 

 

  • Scoring:

    • Properties are scored on a 0-100 scale, with 60 being the minimum passing score. 

    • Units carry the highest weight in scoring. 

    • Deficiencies are deducted based on severity and the number of units affected. 
       

  • Deficiency Categories:

    • Life-Threatening: Require correction within 24 hours. 

    • Severe: Require correction within 24 hours or 30 days. 

    • Moderate: Require correction within 30 days. 

    • Low: Do not require correction. 
       

  • Self-Inspections:

    • Properties must inspect all units and submit results to HUD annually. 

    • While not scored, self-inspections provide additional data to REAC between NSPIRE inspections. 
       

  • Minimum Habitability Requirements:

    • All items and components in the Unit, Inside, and Outside areas must be functionally adequate, operable, and free of health and safety hazards. 
       

Inspection Schedules (timeframes):

  • The frequency of inspections depends on the previous inspection score. 

  • Properties with scores of 90+ are inspected every three years. 

  • Properties scoring over 80 + (but less than 90) are inspected every two years. 

  • Properties scoring less than 80 are inspected annually. 
     

  • Lead-Based Paint

    • Chipped, peeling paint

    • Pre-1978 constructed properties

    • Children under age 6

    • Lead-Based Paint Best Practices for HCV

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