New NSPIRE Inspection Model
Starting in October 2024, HUD will be transitioning from the Housing Quality Standards (HSQ) inspection model to the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE).
As the local Housing Authority, we believe it’s important to connect with our community of landlords to offer assistance and support during this transition. If you have any questions or could benefit from either group or personalized training regarding NSPIRE, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
What is NSPIRE?
NSPIRE, or the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate, is a new physical inspection model designed to reduce health and safety hazards in homes. It aligns multiple HUD programs to a single set of inspection standards, ensuring consistent housing quality expectations across all HUD programs. NSPIRE is an innovative program intended to evolve standards and scoring through continuous learning and improvement.
NSPIRE Demonstration and Updates
HUD has been testing NSPIRE at volunteer properties during the two-year NSPIRE Demonstration, gathering feedback from inspectors and properties to refine and improve the inspection model. HUD is also gathering data from a concurrent demonstration for the Housing Choice Voucher program to update NSPIRE. Updates to standards and scoring will occur every three years at a minimum.
Rollout of NSPIRE
NSPIRE is expected to revolutionize the assessment of housing conditions for HUD-assisted and HUD-insured housing by providing consistent, defensible, and objective evaluations. This new approach will produce inspection results that more accurately reflect property conditions and promote better living conditions for residents. Housing Works will begin implementing NSPIRE protocols starting October 2024.
Impact to Landlord and Tenants
The NSPIRE changes will impact all real estate organizations managing properties receiving HUD assistance. Organizations will need to ensure their properties meet the new inspection standards. The focus on objective, consistent, and accurate inspections may lead to more rigorous assessments, potentially resulting in a higher number of deficiencies identified and a greater need for timely repairs and maintenance.
However, NSPIRE also presents an opportunity for organizations to improve property quality and provide better living conditions for tenants. By prioritizing health and safety and adopting sound maintenance practices, organizations can distinguish themselves as responsible property owners.
Additional Resources Related to NSPIRE:
For specific guidance and information directly from the HUD website, click here.
For a list of HUD Webinars and Toolkits, click here.
Federal Register Notice – September 28, 2023
HUD PIH Notice 2023-28 – NSPIRE HCV Administrative Procedures