Mortgagees should not board a property unless they have prior written approval from the M&M contractor, and/or:

• The property is severely damaged by fire, flood or other natural disaster;

• The property should be secured for safety reasons;

• The property is in a high vandalism area and boarding is the only reasonable means to protect the security of the property;

• The property is located in a pre-approved boarding area.

When boarding is appropriate, all first floor windows and doors and all basement windows and doors should have plywood covering the entire opening and frame. The covering should be secured with carriage bolts. Eliminate any health and safety hazard caused by any protruding bolts used to secure boarding. The use of nails is prohibited. The cost of boarding properties is not included in the maximum allowable limit per property. Before and after photographs are required. HUD will not reimburse the Mortgagee for unauthorized boarding. Mortgagees should request prior written approval from the M&M contractor if the cost of securing a severely damaged property exceeds $550.

There should be no boarding above the first floor unless entry is possible without use of a ladder, and the opening is large enough for a person to easily pass through. Openings above the first floor that do not meet this test should be secured but not boarded. Second story and higher openings are typically accessible only from attached properties, stairwells or fire escapes. If security bars are located on windows/doors, boarding is not required. Openings too small for a person to pass through, particularly pet openings in doors, should be secured but not boarded. To ensure that no hazards exist, remove all broken glass from the windows and surrounding interior and exterior areas.

All properties should be boarded in accordance with local codes. If local codes differ from HUD requirements herein, local codes supersede.

For the purpose of this document, the definition of united inch is length plus width.

I. Specifications for Plywood Boarding

1. Exterior Plywood should be of un-sanded CDX grade.

2. Plywood thickness should be 1/2” for window openings, 5/8” for door openings and 3/4” for sliding door and French door openings. When extra large window openings are encountered use 5/8” or 3/4” as necessary.

3. All holes should be drilled to accommodate bolts. The holes in the top of the plywood should be 12” down from the top and 20% of the width of the plywood cover, in from the side.

4. The holes in the bottom should be 25% of the height of the plywood, up from the bottom and the same distance in from the side as the top.

5. Carriage bolts mated with nut and two three inch flat washers as shown in the side view. Washers to be of sufficient size to fully accept the square portion of bolt beneath head. Bolt and mating hardware may be galvanized or cadmium plated. 3/8” x 12” bolts should be supplied with each 2’8’ door, 3’0” door, and glass sliding door cover. 3/8 x 10” bolts should be supplied with the rest.

6. 2” x 4” lumber should be graded and should be a minimum of 16” longer than the width of the plywood cover. (Note: 2x4s will be drilled with 1/2” diameter holes that line up with the holes in the plywood covers.)

7. All windows and doors, except the front door, through which access to the interior of the dwelling is made, should be secured. All window boards will be cut to fit inside the concrete block or brick opening with a maximum 1/8” clearance. THE PLYWOOD COVERING SHOULD BE OF ONE CONTINUOUS PIECE WHEN POSSIBLE.

8. All fabricated parts and ancillary materials become property of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

9. All coverings are to be fabricated according to the attached drawing and specifications.

II. Boarding Windows

1. Except as noted below, all window sashes, frames, glass and hardware are to be undamaged by the boarding installation.

2. All screen inserts are to be removed, marked as to location and stored in a convenient closet or in the utility room.

3. In all cases where it is possible to adjust the position of the sashes to accommodate the specifications for boarding above, the sashes are to remain in the frame.

4. In instances wherein the sashes cannot be adjusted to accommodate the boarding specifications above, the sashes are to be removed from the frames and stored in a convenient closet or in the utility room. This includes all stationary lights secured by stops.

5. In cases wherein the sash cannot be removed and/or the frame is permanently built into the house and cannot be removed (i.e., Fenestra windows) it will be necessary to break the corner panes to accommodate the boarding and bolts. If the location of bolt holes, in the plywood, requires modification because of the muntin bar (a small bar that divides a windows glass), these locations are to be modified. In no case, in any type of window, is any sash or frame part to be damaged.

6. In all instances where items should be removed from the frame and stored, the items should be clearly marked as to the area from which it was removed.

7. All items are to be stored on edge and braced to prevent accidental tipping, sliding, etc. In no instance is any item to be stored laid flat.

8. Hinged windows are to be completely removed from the frame and stored as stated in (7) above. If possible the hinge pins are to be removed and remain with the removed item.

9. Faced nailing of panels to wood frame windows is prohibited.

Note: Costs below are per United Inch.

Definition – United Inch equals length plus width.

Local Variations from General Requirements

ATLANTA Homeownership Center

Illinois

Install cloth screening. Cloth screen first floor openings in zip codes:

60429 60426 60411 60466 60477 60443

Screening of wood windows is accomplished by framing the window with 2x2s. The screening is stapled over the frame and fastened with 1×2 furring laths.

Chicago, Illinois

Install Plywood boarding in the following pre-approved Chicago zip code areas following the Chicago boarding requirements below.

60608 60609 60610 60612 60615 60616

60617 60619 60620 60085 60621 60622

60623 60624 60627 60628 60636 60637

60643 60644 60649 60651 60653

Rule 1. All openings in a structure which may be accessed from ground level and/or within 8 feet in any direction of an exterior stairway, fire escape, ramp, porch or other exterior construction reachable from ground level or a public way should be secured to prevent entry by unauthorized persons. One building entrance should be secured with a door of either solid core wood or steel construction, having no window in the door, and the door should be securely locked to allow access only to authorized persons. Said door should be secured with a through-bolted hasp and padlock if the door swings in.

Materials

Rule 2. If plywood materials are used to secure buildings, such materials should be no less than 5/8-inch thick, exterior grade. Particleboard, wafer board, masonite or other similar materials should not be used for purposes of boarding-up a building.

Rule 3. Mechanical fasteners used for wood board-up materials should be round-head, non-slotted carriage bolts no less than 3/8-inch in diameter with washers and nuts on the interior face.

Installation Methods

Rule 4.

The primary method of securing plywood boards should be by the use of through-bolt compression fastening, using plywood on the exterior face and wood bracing constructed of minimum 2-inch by 4-inch (nominal) lumber installed on the interior side of the opening to be secured, perpendicular to the long dimension of the opening. Such bracing should extend at least 6 inches beyond the edge of the opening on each side in order to be securely braced against the building structure.

Rule 5.

Wood construction used to secure a building opening should contain at least one bolt in each corner and additional bolts no more than four feet on center continuously along the perimeter. Each bolt should fully penetrate the wood bracing on the interior side of the opening.

Rule 6.

In the event that the through-bolt compression fastening is impossible due to the construction or condition of the opening, the opening should be covered with plywood secured with minimum 3-inch-long wood screws fastened on 4-inch centers around the circumference of the opening.

Florida

Boarding is pre‑approved in the following zip code areas:

Miami:

33004 33009 33010 33012 33013 33014

33020 33023 33034 33054 33055 33056

33060 33069 33122 33125 33127 33128

33130 33131 33132 33136 33137 33138

33142 33147 33150 33157 33161 33167

33168 33169 33170 33177 33181 33190

33311 33315 33316 33401 33403 33404

33405 33407 33426 (east of 1‑95) 33435 33441

33444 33460 33462 (east of 1‑95)

Exterior surface and edges of all plywood should be painted with one coat white primer and one cost white finish. Use of screws to secure panels to wood frame windows is prohibited. See plywood-boarding diagram on page 25.

Caribbean

Exterior surface and edges of all plywood should be painted with one coat white primer and one coat white finish. Use of screws to secure panels to wood frame windows is prohibited. Additionally, boarding is pre‑approved in the following zip code areas:

00923 00924 00929 00601 00602 00603

00703 00704 00705 00610 00612 00714

00616 00617 00794 00915 00956 00957

00959 00961 00622 00623 00725 00627

00729 00920 00921 00979 00982 00983

00985 00986 00987 00962 00736 00735

00935 00638 00739 00769 00782 00907

00783 00780 00926 00646 00647 00738

00650 00934 00652 00653 00784 00656

00965 00966 00967 00968 00969 00970

00971 00778 00659 00917 00660 00791

00662 00913 00664 00795 00777 00667

00669 00670 00771 00772 00911 00773

00674 00909 00606 00707 00680 00715

00676 00687 00718 00719 00720 00723

00624 00716 00717 00728 00730 00731

00734 00740 00741 00678 00677 00745

00925 00926 00927 00637 00688 00952

00751 00690 00683 00685 00757 00907

00909 00911 00912 00913 00953 00949

00976 00641 00692 00693 00901 00765

00766 00767 00698

EXCEPTION: There is no pre-approved boarding in ANY gated community within these zip code areas.

PHILADELPHIA Homeownership Center

Connecticut

Boarding pre‑approved in the following zip codes areas for the cities of:

Bridgeport: 06601 06604 06605 06606 06607 06608 06610 06611

06612 06614 06615 06650 06673 06699

New Haven: 06501 06502 06503 06504 06505 06506 06507 06508

06509 06510 06511 06512 06513 06514 06515 06516

06517 06518 06519 06520 06521 06524 06525 06530

06531

Massachusetts

Boarding pre‑approved for the following zip code areas:

Boston: 02108, 02109, 02110, 02118, 02119, 02120, 02121, 02122,

02124, 02125, 02126, 02127, 02128, 02130, 02131, 02136

Brocton: 02401, 02402

Lawrence: 01840, 01841, 01842, 01843, 01845

Lynn: 01902, 01903, 01904, 01905

New Jersey

Boarding is pre-approved for the following zip code areas for the cities of:

Asbury Park: 07712

East Orange: 07017 07018 07019

Elizabeth: 07201 07202 07206 07208

Irvington: 07111

Jersey City: 07302 07304 07305 07306 07307 09308 07309 07310

07311 07395 07399

Long Branch: 07740

Newark: 07101 07102 07103 07104 07105 07106 07107 07108

07112 07114 07175 07182 07184 07188 07189 07191

07192 07193 07194 07195 07197 07198 07199

New Brunswick: 08901 08902 08903 09804 08905 08906 08922

08933 08988 08989

Patterson: 07501 07502 07503 07504 07505 07506 07507 07508 07509 07510 07511 07512 07513 07514 07522 07524

07533 07538 07543 07544

Plainfield: 07060 07061 07062 07063 07069

Boarding is pre-approved for the following zip code areas:

08016 08066 08096 08618 08608

08101 08102 08103 08104 08105

08232 08609 08610 08611 08611

08312 08302 (Bridgeton only) 08360 (Vineland only)

08401 08406 (Ventnor only) 08110 (Pennsauken only)

08600 08332 (Mellville only) 08650 (Trenton only)

New York, New York

Board all properties within the city limits of the five boroughs in New York City without pre-approval with the exception of Dutchess, Putnam, and Rockland Counties.

Rhode Island

Boarding is pre‑approved for the following zip code areas in the cities of:

Providence: 05901 02902 02903 02904 02905 02906 02907

02908 02909 02910 02911 02912 02918 02919

02940

Cranston: 02823 02905 02907 02910 02920 02921

Pennsylvania

Boarding is pre‑approved for the following zip codes.

17509 17512 17516 17517 17518 17527

17532 17536 17547 17550 17560 17563

17565 18101 18102 18103 18115 18117

19013 19023 19320 19335 19380 19401

19464

SANTA ANA Homeownership CenterLong Beach, California

Properties should be secured with window screens and security doors only. Do not use plywood boarding material to secure window openings. See diagrams and specifications on pages 28-29.