5.2.2.1 Needs Assessor Qualifications

A. The Lender must select a Needs Assessor with education, professional credentials, and field experience appropriate to the assessment assignment considering the age, size, type of building systems, construction methods, and location of the property. The Needs Assessor must be knowledgeable and experienced with local building standards and construction methods, relevant national and international building codes and standards (e.g., International Existing Building Code, International Energy Conservation Code), and specific statutory and regulatory requirements for multifamily housing (e.g., Federal Fair Housing Act Accessibility Guidelines, Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards and the 2010 ADA Standards). In no event should the qualifications of the Needs Assessor, and any related consultants employed to prepare the CNA, be less than as described in ASTM E2018-15 Standard Guide for Property Condition Assessments: Baseline Property Condition Assessment Process. The Needs Assessor (and any other consultants, specialists, or trades contractors engaged for purposes of the needs assessment) may not have any identity-of-interest with the Lender or the Borrower or its principals, and may not have any personal or business relationship with the Borrower (or its principals) that would create a conflict of interest.