Certified Occupancy Specialist – Public Housing (COSP)

COSP will help your career as you help others

The most widely recognized certification for HUD occupancy tailored specifically for Public Housing

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.

Certified Occupancy Specialist –Public Housing (COSP) is a comprehensive study of the HUD guidelines and regulations that you will find in the Public Housing Occupancy Guidebook (PHOG). 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.

If you have ever tried to read a governmental guidebook on regulations of any type, you know how difficult it can be to get through it and understand the content well enough to act with confidence. NCHM helps to ease the burden by providing straightforward, simple to understand explanations.

COSP is based on the HUD Public Housing Occupancy Guidebook (PHOG) issued in June of 2003 and includes all of the many relevant notices issued since then, ensuring that you are completely up-to-date with all HUD requirements. Not only will you be current on the regulations, you will have the fundamental training necessary to become a true professional.

Ideal for newcomers to the public housing industry, COSP is also an effective refresher course for veteran professionals who want to stay abreast of the latest changes in HUD guidance and interpretation.

Please note: COSP is delivered entirely online. The COSP certification exam is also given online, and students have one week from the completion of the course to take the exam.

What you’ll learn:

  • All essential occupancy-related topics contained in HUD’s PHOG and supporting notices, including accurate calculation of assets, income, and allowances
  • Rent computation verification
  • Eligibility
  • Tenant screening
  • Admissions and occupancy policies (known as ACOP)
  • Program rents
  • Unit transfers
  • Annual and interim reexaminations
  • Community service
  • Self-sufficiency requirements
  • Grievance procedures

One Stop For Training and Certification

When you register for Certified Occupancy Specialist – Public Housing (COSP), you are signing up to attend a live online training course delivered by a training team that is the best in the industry. Included with your training is the COSP Certification exam, which you are able to complete up to one week after the conclusion of the training program. No need to find a testing provider or schedule an in-person exam – NCHM is your one-stop for a complete training and testing experience.

Course Profile

wdt_IDFirst ColumnSecond Column
1Duration (Live Online)Four Days; 1PM-5PM Eastern Each Day
2Exam (Online)Includes online exam - one week to complete
3FormatLive Online Instruction; Lecture with multimedia presentation
4PrerequisitesNone; Exposure to HUD Handbook 4350.3 helpful but not required
5AudiencePublic Housing Agency (PHA) staff and others involved in the low-income public housing program
6ProvidedCourse Materials Shipped Directly To You
7BringCalculator and pencil (required); highlighter, sticky notes (recommended)

Upcoming Courses

Looking to register 20 or more individuals?

Private Training by NCHM may be the answer.

For organizations looking to train 20+ employees at one time, NCHM offers Private Training administered by an NCHM expert instructor. These sessions can be delivered either online or in-person. Reach out today to see if Private Training is a good fit for your organization.