
A certified occupancy specialist is a housing professional who works for the government. Certified occupancy specialists help people seeking or who currently have affordable housing. A certified occupancy specialist determines who is eligible to receive affordable housing and helps eligible participants navigate the application process.
Full Answer
What is a Certified Occupancy Specialist (Cos)?
Typically requires certification as an occupancy specialist (COS). The Occupancy Specialist gains exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work.
What does an Occupancy Specialist do in a nursing home?
Occupancy Specialist assists residents or applicants of housing programs with the goal of achieving maximum residency. Assesses eligibility and collects required information, such as income. Being an Occupancy Specialist provides information/customer service and maintains records.
What is a Certified Occupancy training course?
The certified occupancy training course is for people who oversee and are responsible for HUD-compliant activities, such as determining someone's eligibility to receive public housing benefits.
What degree do I need to be an Occupancy Specialist?
May require a bachelor's degree. Additionally, Occupancy Specialist typically reports to a manager. Typically requires certification as an occupancy specialist (COS). The Occupancy Specialist gains exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work.

What is cos training?
The COS training is a comprehensive study of HUD's Office of Multifamily Housing guidelines and regulations set forth in HUD Handbook 4350.3 REV-1 and subsequent notices, including rent calculation, eligibility, verification, recertification, tenant screening, and Fair Housing.
What does CPO mean in maintenance?
Certified Professional of Occupancy™ (CPO™)
How long is CPO good for?
If you pass, you will receive a national certification good for five years. CPO® Two Day Option – You can take the training online is the comfort of your own home via LIVE ONLINE VIRTUAL training.
What does CPO stand for in construction?
CPO. Compulsory Purchase Order. Building, Business, Property.
What does the title CPO stand for?
A chief product officer (CPO), sometimes known as head of product, is a corporate title referring to an executive responsible for various product-related activities in an organization.
What is CPO after a name?
A Certified Project Officer (CPO) is a fundamental contributor to any project team. They have been examined on at least 30 hours of project management study, and can employ project management knowledge in a wide variety of settings, taking responsibility for their own work performance.
What does CPO stand for in sales?
Cost per order (CPO) is the average amount that your brand spends to drive any customer to purchase a product or service. Cost per acquisition (CPA) is the average amount that your brand spends to drive a new customer to purchase a product or service.
What is VW CPO warranty?
CPO vehicles provide 2 years and 24,000 miles extra limited-warranty coverage in addition to whatever remains of the original 3-year/36,000-mile original limited warranty and the 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. This equals 5 years or 60,000 miles of coverage from the original new-car purchase date.
How to become a certified occupancy specialist?
So how do you become a Certified Occupancy Specialist? First you must attend the COS training, which is offered exclusively by the National Center for Housing Management. The training is conducted either online or in-person at locations across America. After the training you must take and pass the COS exam.
What is COS prep?
COS Prep is an extremely affordable way to get ready for the COS experience. Becoming a COS can be an invaluable springboard to a long and successful career in affordable housing – a career that brings with it stability and knowledge that you are making a difference in your community.
What is a COSP?
COSP is geared toward individuals, both experienced and new to the field, who are responsible for, or involved in, compliance with HUD regulations as they relate to the traditional low-income public housing program.
When did COS certification start?
Our COS has been the industry-standard for occupancy training and certification since 1981 and this version extends that quality to the HUD Public Housing Program.
What is an occupancy specialist?
Occupancy Specialist assists residents or applicants of housing programs with the goal of achieving maximum residency. Assesses eligibility and collects required information, such as income. Being an Occupancy Specialist provides information/customer service and maintains records. May require a bachelor's degree. Additionally, Occupancy Specialist typically reports to a manager. Typically requires certification as an occupancy specialist (COS). The Occupancy Specialist gains exposure to some of the complex tasks within the job function. Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. To be an Occupancy Specialist typically requires 2 to 4 years of related experience.
How many years of experience is required to become an occupancy specialist?
Occasionally directed in several aspects of the work. To be an Occupancy Specialist typically requires 2 to 4 years of related experience.
What Does an Occupancy Specialist Do?
An occupancy specialist determines the eligibility of applicants who are seeking affordable housing assistance covered by the Fair Housing Act. You screen applications and interview the candidates.
What Are the Qualifications to Become an Occupancy Specialist?
The qualifications to become an occupancy specialist include a bachelor’s degree and a strong working knowledge of HUD regulations, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, and the Section 8 program.
What is occupancy specialist?
Occupancy specialists work for housing authorities, at properties that rent to low-income families who receive public housing benefits from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and at HUD-regulated properties. Most employers only hire certified occupancy specialists because of the number of rules and regulations ...
What degree do occupancy specialists need?
Depending on where you work, you may need to have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, though having some college experience but not a degree may be enough.
How to get a HUD certification?
You must complete a certification training course to earn HUD certification. For example, the National Center for Housing Management (NCHM) offers a Certified Professional of Occupancy (CPO) course. Training is geared toward HUD-subsidized program managers who want to learn more about HUD guidelines and regulations. A three day course is held in cities across the country. Also available is a 16 hour live online course that is taught over four days. Those who complete the COS course and pass an exam receive a NCHM certificate and lapel pin.
Why do employers hire occupancy specialists?
Most employers only hire certified occupancy specialists because of the number of rules and regulations that govern eligibility for HUD aid.
What is occupancy training?
The certified occupancy training course is for people who oversee and are responsible for HUD-compliant activities, such as determining someone's eligibility to receive public housing benefits. There are no prerequisites to meet, such as completing other certification training programs, before you can attend ...
What is a certification course?
Certification courses typically cover eligibility guidelines, rent calculations, income and asset guidelines, allowances and adjusted income guidelines , verifying eligibility, billing, screening guidelines, the Fair Housing Act, re-certification, claims and fraud. You’ll also discuss any guideline changes, such as income calculations and reporting procedures. The instructor assigns homework at the end of each day.
What is COS in housing?
There’s no getting around it – Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) is a challenging course. If you are new to the housing industry or to your position, you will be walking into a strange new world of unfamiliar concepts and terminology. Just keeping all the abbreviations and acronyms straight is difficult…if you’re not prepared.
What is COS prep?
COS Prep is an on-demand program that reviews the basic concepts, calculations, and methodology behind COS. COS Prep eliminates the fear and confusion that many students bring to the classroom.
Do property managers have to take the COS exam?
Since many property management companies require their staff to pass the COS exam, the prospect of taking the class can become even more intimidating.
Does COS prep replace COS certification?
Familiarity breeds success! Please note that COS Prep is strictly a primer and does not replace the full COS certification course in any way. Additionally, COS Prep is only available to those who are registered to attend a future COS class.
