VAMA - Voluntary Affirmative Marketing Agreement

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The BIA of Southern California can provide assistance in helping you comply with the marketing component of your Federal Housing Administration (FHA) fair housing plan.  It’s just one more service we offer to save members time, money and aggravation.

Homebuilders wanting to sell and finance more than five units using FHA financing must submit a fair housing plan before project approval.  It’s an exhaustive process, and in 1995 the National Association of Home Builders and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sought to streamline the process by creating a Voluntary Affirmative Marketing Agreement (VAMA).

Through our affiliation with the National Association of Home Builders, our members can benefit from the same direct relationship with HUD.

The BIA of Southern California is a signatory to this program for projects in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Desert, Inyo and Mono Counties.  That means that builders in good standing with the BIA who complete a Notice of Intent to Market and a Signature Card can participate in the VAMA program.

Both of these forms attest to the fact that the builder is in compliance with the fair housing guidelines as set forth by HUS.  The fair housing logo must be displayed in all brochures, pamphlets, posters, billboards and advertising for a builder’s project under VAMA and an equal opportunity officer charged with administering the activities must be appointed by the builder to oversee that the company is in compliance with HUD criteria.

VAMA can significantly reduce, sometimes by months, the time and paperwork to get FHA approval on projects because the builder does not have to create the affirmative marketing piece of his or her FHA fair housing plan from scratch. This preferred method allows builders to apply for multiple projects at the same time and with little or no risk of having the affirmative marketing plan rejected by SHA for resubmission.

Contact Alicia DiSanto at (949) 553-9500 for more information.