About the PIH Information Center (IMS-PIC)

Why do we have IMS-PIC?

The Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) developed a state of the art system to improve the submission of information to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The PIH Information Center (PIC) facilitates more timely and accurate exchanges of data between Housing Authorities (HAs) and Local HUD Offices.

What is IMS-PIC?

PIC allows HAs to electronically submit information to HUD. The first release was successfully implemented on December 15, 1999 and introduced a flexible, scaleable, Internet-based approach which enables Housing Authority users and Department personnel to access a common database of Housing Authority information via their web browser from anywhere.

Due to the success of this application, the PIH Information Center technical architecture will continue to be used as the foundation for future PIH systems.

PIC is evolving into the PIH Inventory Management System or IMS. During the 3-year transition period, we are using the terminology IMS-PIC to refer to the evolving system. IMS-PIC is responsible for maintaining and gathering data about all of PIH’s inventories of HAs, Developments, Buildings, Units, HA Officials, HUD Offices and Field Staff and IMS-PIC Users.

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How does IMS-PIC benefit me?

It centralizes PIH data
IMS-PIC centralizes information regarding the monitoring and recovery efforts of Housing Authorities undertaken by the Field or Headquarters Offices. HUD PIH users also require a central repository to view Housing Authority characteristics and contact information.

It reduces data entry
IMS-PIC enables Housing Authorities to update their data online. This allows field personnel to focus on providing assistance to Housing Authorities and reducing the burden of paper submission and data entry. PIC also enables Local HUD Offices to focus on upholding fair housing practices.

It supports OIG compliance
IMS-PIC supports the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) requirement for PIH to maintain a detailed audit trail of interactions with Housing Authorities and track issues to closure.

It provides virtual office capability
By using a modern web browser to access IMS-PIC, HUD and HA users have access to PIH systems from any place in the world where they have internet access.

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IMS-PIC Modules and Sub-Modules

PIC Maintenance

Security
The Security Administration sub-module allows PIC Security Coordinators the ability to create and maintain users, as well as create and maintain access roles. PIC Security Coordinators assign roles to users and determine which user roles have access to the different entities and different security levels within the respective modules based on direction from local management.

Reference
The Reference sub-module allows specified users to maintain system code tables, used to operate and control the system. Users also maintain various reference tables of data such as the State table, the Congressional District table, and the table. This sub-module is only used by HUD Headquarters personnel.

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PIH Information

SEMAP
The Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) measures PHA management performance in 14 key areas of the Section 8 tenant-based assistance programs. Public Housing Authorities that manage Section 8 Housing will be required annually to electronically submit and verify their SEMAP Certifications. PHAs will have 60 days following their fiscal year end to complete their certifications online and submit them to their Field Office for review and final approval. SEMAP measures the PHA's ability to afford decent rental units at a reasonable subsidy cost as intended by Federal housing legislation and by Congress' appropriation of Federal tax dollars for these programs.

Risk Assessment
The Risk Assessment Submodule is used by Field Office staff to compare HUD’s exposure or “risk” at HAs based on an assessment of their performance, amount of funding and compliance scores. HAs with lower performance, more funding, or more compliance issues receive higher risk points. The combined total of risk points is used to prioritize an HA’s need for assistance. The system also permits users to document qualitative factors that would indicate an exceptional situation.

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Housing Inventory

Housing Authority
The Housing Authority sub-module stores the total number of developments and units under management of the Housing Authority as well as general information about the Housing Authority. In addition, physical, mailing and email addresses, phone numbers, names and terms in office for the HA officers and other key contacts, as well as overall unit inventory information and historical information. Furthermore, HUD Staff Assignments, Housing Authority Funding History, and Performance Data are maintained using the Housing Authority sub-module.

Development
The Development Submodule provides users with a flexible method for submitting building and unit information to HUD. The business function provides users with the ability to download a template to their desktop, edit the template, then upload the template to HUD where it will be inserted into the PIC database system. The Building and Unit Collection effort provides HUD with accurate information about the housing inventory of each HA and a better understanding of low-income housing resources nationwide. When the HA submits building and unit data, the Field Office reviews it for accuracy and acceptability and approves. Approval means it become part of the official inventory.

Inventory Removals
The Inventory Removals submodule is where an HA applies to the Special Application Center (SAC) to remove buildings and units from its inventory. Reasons might include demolition or disposal for economic or structural reasons, homeownership programs, condemnation by local government, or mandatory or voluntary conversion to vouchers.

Reference
The Reference sub-module allows specified users to maintain simple code tables, two-way code tables, and three-way code tables. Users also maintain the State table, the Senior Community Builder table, the Congressional District table, and the BOP Goals table. This sub-module is only used by HUD Headquarters personnel.

Security
The Security Maintenance sub-module allows PIC Security Administrators the ability to create and maintain users, as well as create and maintain roles. PIC Security Administrators assign roles to users and determine which user roles have access to the different entities and different security levels within the respective modules.

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Executive Summary

The Executive Summary Module is a means to get a quick view of the essential data about an HA. Every Public Housing Agency (PHA) is unique. With thousands in existence, getting up-to-date, customized information on a particular PHA can be challenging. Through the Executive Summary Module , you can locate the latest address, contact information, performance scores, funding data, and inventory statistics for a particular PHA. By generating one of these summaries, anyone from a PHA staffer to a senior HUD manager can gain an accurate PHA snapshot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Form HUD-50058

Form 50058 Submission
Form HUD-50058 Submission sub-module collects and validates tenant data uploaded by HAs who report on families who participate in Public Housing or Section 8 rental subsidy programs. Housing Agencies (HAs) collect and electronically submit information contained on the Form HUD-50058 to provide HUD with a picture of the people who participate in subsidized rental programs. Users receive error reports covering any problems with data submitted.

Form 50058 Viewer
Form HUD-50058 Viewer submodule provides users the ability to bring up tenant data previously reported for analysis or verification. It also provides a set of reports to monitor portability data and moves between HAs.

Form 50058 Reports
Form HUD-50058 Reports are a set of detailed, pro-forma monthly reports covering 15 different areas of tenant data. These reports permit the HA to monitor its own reporting to identify favorable and unfavorable trends.

Form 50058 Tenant ID Management
Form HUD-50058 Tenant ID Management Submodule gives users the ability to identify and correct identity problems. IMS-PIC validates all Social Security Numbers received against the SSA national database monthly to protect against fraud, identity theft, ineligible tenants and duplications.

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Adhoc

Form 50058 Adhoc Report
Form 50058 Adhoc Report Submodule provides access to live tenant data in a flexible format. Users select certain filters and which specific fields from the Form 50058 data for immediate download. This data is used in analysis and special reporting.

MTW Adhoc Report
Moving To Work (MTW) Adhoc Report Submodule provides access to live tenant data in a flexible format for MTW agencies. Users select certain filters and which specific fields from the MTW data for immediate download. This data is used in analysis and special reporting.

HA Query Report
The HA Query Report Submodule allows nationwide searches for a Head of Household by Social Security Number. It returns the agency’s HA Code, last action, action effective date.

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PIC Downloads – Building & Unit Data

PIC Downloads
PIC Downloads Submodule permits users to download their own building and unit data if needed for analysis or for loading into a new computer system.

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Moving To Work (MTW)

MTW is a demonstration program for a limited number of innovative HAs to experiment with new models for delivery of housing services with simplified rent programs, less red tape, and the flexibility to try out new ideas. Because of this flexibility, MTW agencies provide less detailed tenant data than the traditional Form 50058 requires.

MTW Submission
MTW Submission Submodule is an analogue to the Form 50058 Submission Submodule used by Moving To Work agencies. It provides a simplified tenant dataset and relaxed edits on rent calculations.

MTW Viewer
MTW Viewer Submodule is analogous to the Form 50058 Viewer Submodule but it works on MTW tenant data.

MTW Reports
MTW Reports submodule currently provides one report, the MTW Delinquency Report, which is analogous to the Form 50058 Delinquency Report for monitoring an HA’s tenant data reporting rates.