Mar/Apr 2020 Window on Rental Housing

ON RENTAL HOUSING

MAR APR 2020

Cutting Back on Training 22 Could Be Costing You Evolution of the Apartment 25 Manager’s Role Connecting Office & Service 26 Teams Through Effective Communication LinkedIn: Tap into 28 Your Connections and Grow Your Business

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E

Austin Apartment Association

THIS ISSUE:

OVERVIEW E F F E C T:

The Beauty of

Mentorship

19

PG.

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CONTENTS MARCH / APRIL 2020 ISSUE

FEATURES 19

Overview Effect: The Beauty of Mentorship

25 Evolution of the

Apartment Manager’s Role

26 Connecting Office & Service Teams

Through Effective Communication

28 LinkedIn: Tap into

Your Connections and Grow Your Business

10

RPM Careers Month in April

18

Spring Golf at Top Golf

22

Cutting Back on Training Could Be Costing You

24

Field Day Registration

31

Wild Wild West Trade Show

39

Redbook Legal Seminars

40

April is Fair Housing Month

MARCH / APRIL /

3

Austin Apartment Association

Find The Right Employee On The

AAA Career Center

2019-20 2 0

The Official Publication of the

A USTIN APARTMENT A SSOCIATION 8620 Burnet Road #475 Austin, TX 78757 P: 512.323.0990 F: 512.323.2979 www.austinaptassoc.com

Communications Advisory Committee Chairs Danielle Archuleta (844) 433-3824 Stephanie Naylor (512) 335-8138

Publishing Director Emily Blair, CAE

Editor Amber Collins

Access AAA’s Career Center and take a look around.

You’re sure to find the perfect fit!

EMAIL your job directly to job seeking professionals PLACE your job in front of our highly qualified members SEARCH our resume database of qualified candidates MANAGE jobs and applicant activity right on our site LIMIT applicants only to those who are qualified FILL your jobs more quickly with great talent

AustinAptAssoc.com/careers

IN EV E RY I S S U E 5 6 7 8 11

Leadership Calendar President’s Perspective Letter from the EVP Market Report

12 14 18 34 36

Diamond Sponsors Industry Update New Members Education Opportunities Law in Order

Association Staff Emily Blair, CAE, Executive Vice President, emily@austinaptassoc.com Dana Bolz, CMP, Director of Events/Meetings, dana@austinaptassoc.com

AD VE RT I S E R I N D EX

Paul Cauduro, CAE, Director of Government Relations,

paul@austinaptassoc.com

IFC Austin Energy

15 Austin Estate Gate

29 Compound Security

Amber Collins, Director of Marketing & Communications,

1

A&A Wrecker

15 Ameristar

amber@austinaptassoc.com

2

Camp Construction

17 BG Multifamily

32 Maintenance Supply Headquarters

Jeanette Gonzalez, Receptionist, jeanette@austinaptassoc.com

9

Austin Resource Recovery

23 Ameristar

Amy Lydic, CAE, Director of Education amyl@austinaptassoc.com Lynne Williams, Accounting Manager, lynne@austinaptassoc.com Lisa Berman, Director of Membership Development

lisa@austinaptassoc.com Event Photos by David Cox

www.davidcox.org

Design by Graphic Engine Design Studio

www.GraphicEngine.net

4

/ WINDOW ON RENTAL HOUSING

13 Century A/C Supply

29 Cruise4Two

IBC Charter Furniture OBC Integrity Paving

The advertising and article submission deadline for the May/June 2020 issue of Window on Rental Housing is March 30, 2020. All material submitted is subject to review and approval of the Austin Apartment Association. The publisher assumes no responsibility for care and return of unsolicited material. The Austin Apartment Association is affiliated with the Texas Apartment Association and the National Apartment Association. For questions concerning advertising, articles or subscriptions, call (512) 323-0990. Window on Rental Housing is published bi-monthly by the Austin Apartment Association, 8620 Burnet Road #475, Austin, Texas 78757, (512) 323-0990, (512) 323-2979 fax.

20 19 -2 0 2 0 E XEC UT I V E CO MMI T T EE

2019-2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kris Burleson, CAS, Gage Multifamily Services Kimberly Faulkner, Greystar Travis Fowler, Century A/C Supply Michael Garcia, CAM, CAPS, Capstone Real Estate Services, Inc. Adrian Garcia, CAM, CAPS, Bluebonnet Commercial Management, LLC Desiree Golden, CAM, CAPS, Foundation Communities

Sandy Eckhardt CREA Management

Stephani Park Roscoe Properties

President

President-elect

Ryan Harmon

Christy Sanchez

CAS

CPM, CAM

Camp Construction

Shannon Green, Weinstein Properties Lyndsay Hanes, CPM, Topaz Asset Management

Alliance Residential, LLC, Secretary/Treasurer

Vice President

Meagan Johnston, CAPS, Roscoe Properties Chelsea Kneeland, CAS, J Turner Research Sam Levassar, CAS, Camp Construction Stephanie Naylor, CAS, Flooring Warehouse Terri Needham, CAS, PS Landscapes, Inc. Christi Pyle, CAM, CAPS, LDG Development Toni Rackley, Flooring Warehouse Haydee Scott, CAS, BG Multifamily Amanda Seamans, CAS, Texas Materials a CRH Company

Stephanie Petersen, CAM Bluebonnet Commercial Management LLC

Katya Watson

Renee Zahn

CAM

NALP, CAM, ARM, CPM

VP at Large

VP at Large

Immediate Past President

Greystar

Tracy Slappey-Scott, Pinnacle An American Mgmt. Co. Missy Sterns, CAPS, LDG Development

Greystar

Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm

A A A PA ST PRE SI D ENT S John Harrison* (64)

Jim Solt* (76)

Carl E. Beck (88)

Frank Montgomery* (65)

Steve Colella (77)

Kim M. McGregor (89)

Jim Eichelberger* (66)

Ted Hendricks* (78)

Beth Holt (90)

Andy Wagner* (67)

Hank Guerrero* (79)

David Stapleton, CPM (91)

Ray Littlefield* (68)

Don Tait (80)

Sheri Gallo (92)

George Nalle* (69)

Ray Head (81)

Gina Roberts (93)

Don Jackson (70)

Ed Norton (82)

Carol Martine, CPM (94)

Gene McGregor* (71)

Bob Benson (83)

Keith Warner (95)

Ed Hamel (72)

Jimmy C. Elliott (84)

Michael R. Hill, CPM (96)

Barry Gillingwater* (73)

Joe Sharp (85)

Vicki L. Sharp, NALP, CAPS (97)

James Raper (74)

Dick Obenhaus (86)

Kim M. McGregor (98)

Rich Ellmer (75)

Susan Melton (87)

Anna Kelley* (99)

Bill Roland, CPM, CCIM (00-01) Tami Martin, NALP, CAMT, CAM, CAPS (01-02) Carol Martine, CPM (02-03) Joy Lamb, CPM (03- 04) John Raper (04-05) Debi Wehmeier, CPM (05-06) Renee Clark, CAM, CAPS (06-07) Sherry Perrin (07-08) Jana Ellis (08-09) Kara Garst, CAPS (09-10) Sarah Thompson, CAM, CAPS

Brooke Mahoney-Livesay CAPS (11-12) Sandy Eckhardt (12-13) Colleen Grahn (13-14) Robbie Robinson, CAM, CAPS, ARM (14-15) Gus Villegas (15-16) Theresa Ebner (16-17) Dwayne Stewart (17-18) Renee Zahn, CAM, NALP, ARM, CPM (18-19) *deceased

(10-11)

20 19 -2 0 2 0 COMMI T T EE CHAI RPERSO NS Austin Supervisors Council

Kimberly Faulkner Meagan Johnston, CAPS Shanna Pope Communications Advisory Committee

Education Foundation Board President

Brooke Mahoney-Livesay, CAPS Food Drive

Danielle Archuleta Stephanie Naylor, CAS

Stephanie Naylor, CAS Terri Needham, CAS Paige Russell

Community Outreach

Investment Committee

Taryn Merrill Toni Rackley

Stephanie Petersen, CAM Ben Wells, CAS

Education Advisory Council

Legislative Committee

Dedra Bouffard, CAM Krista Washbourne

Meagan Johnston, CAPS Lyndsay Hanes, CPM Stephanie Petersen, CAM

Membership A-Team

Products & Services Council

Of Counsel

Robyn Riley Carrie Thomes, CAM

Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm

Ryan Harmon, CAS Joshua Nichols

Ryan Harmon, CAS, Chair Rene Flores, CAS, Chair-elect Toni Rackley, Vice Chair Terri Needham, CAS, Immediate Past Chair

Next Gen Committee

PSC Members at Large

Tiffany Blankman John Claybrook Brooke Ludwig

Kris Burleson, CAS Brian Hackworth Chelsea Kneeland, CAS Shay Mickler, CAM, CAS Ashley Pruden, CAS Robyn Riley Anna Samaratunga, CAS Haydee Scott Carol Taylor

Membership M-Team

Political Action

Theresa Ebner, CAM, CAPS, CPM Gus Villegas

Texas Apartment Association

512-479‑6252 National Apartment Association

703‑518‑6141

MARCH / APRIL /

5

Calendar of

EVENTS

MARCH 2020 DATE EVENT

PLACE

TIME

4 Apartment PAC Austin Copeland

Investors’ Reception Apartment Community 4:00pm-6:00pm Modern Business Communication

AAA 8:30am-11:30am

6

Supervisor’s Council Property Bus Tour

AAA 8:00am-12:00pm

9-13 CAMT Credential Course

AAA 8:30am-5:30pm

10

Mentors/M-Team Committee

AAA

10:00am

10

Education Advisory Council

AAA

12:00pm

11

Webinar Wednesday: Mastering Maintenance…Inefficiencies That Waste Time & Money AAA 1:00pm

11

Ambassadors/A-Team Committee The Local Post 3:30pm

17

REDBOOK Multi-Family Rental Housing Legal Seminar – North

The Commons at J.J. Pickle Research Campus 8:30am-4:30pm

18

Webinar Wednesday: Prospects are NOT Leasing...

What Am I Doing Wrong?

AAA

24

Leasing 102: Show Me the Money!

25

DATE EVENT

PLACE

TIME

3 FIELD DAY-NEW EVENT!! Krieg Field 12:00pm-4:00pm 8

Webinar Wednesday: Everything You Need to Know About Fair Housing AAA

1:00pm

AAA 8:30am-11:30am

Food for Thought: Managing Occupants During a Loss

9

Fair Housing with Attorney Bill Warren

AAA

1:00pm

AAA

12:00pm

25

Webinar Wednesday: Tips and Tricks for Effective Outreach Marketing

14

April Food for Thought: Your #1 Amenity - The Pool

AAA

12:00pm

AAA

1:00pm

15

Webinar Wednesday: That Vacant Unit is Bleeding Money AAA

1:00pm

26

SPRING GOLF Top Golf AT TOP GOLF Austin 12:30pm-4:30pm

31-3 NALP Credential Course

6

APRIL 2020

/ WINDOW ON RENTAL HOUSING

1:00pm

AAA 8:30am-4:30pm

29 REDBOOK Multi Family Rental Housing Legal

Seminar – South TCEA Conference Center 8:30am-4:30pm

shutterstock

5

President’s

PERSPECTIVE Sandy Eckhardt

CREA Management 2019-2020 President

MIND YOUR MENTORS

Who is your experienced and trusted advisor?

F

rom the start of my term as AAA President — even before it technically started — one individual person has been there for me.

My mentor. I am sure she would brush off this title, and I am sure we both referred to one another as their mentor at more than one point! But — isn’t that what a mentor relationship should be? A meaningful connection that grows and benefits both people?

Well Colleen Grahn has been that person for me.

We started working together years ago, but it was in our roles as volunteer leaders with the Austin Apartment Association. Moving up through the ranks as committee member, then Chair, then an Executive Committee member, all the way to President; that mentor relationship was sometimes the key to keep me going.

Also, property management is not for the faint of heart (am I right?)! Having someone who can run the race with you is key. Now I have the pleasure of working with Colleen on a daily basis, and we are a great team. The trust and knowledge we have built

together over the years — first as volunteers and now as colleagues — has made it possible for us to achieve some pretty amazing things with our company!

So, if you have not found your “person” who can be a professional role model, sounding board, and someone to go to for sage advice – seek that out. It can be a game changer to have someone to connect with in this industry.

As you seek to find a mentor – just know the Association is a wonderful place to find that meaningful connection. Just ask around and you will begin to identify fellow leaders in this industry and find the right fit. Also - utilize the Association staff to help you! They can help you scan the membership and even make an introduction for you.

Bottom line: find the time to connect with a mentor and your professional game will be elevated.

I know from experience; you will be amazed at what that connection can do for you personally and professionally.

If you have not found your “person” who can be a professional role model, sounding board, and someone to go to for sage advice – seek that out.

MARCH / APRIL /

7

Letter from

THE EVP HI, WHO ARE YOU?

For those of you who also by chance listen to NPR on a regular basis – some of my favorite stories right now are those that are part of the “Hi, who are you?” series.

Today I heard one about a colorful clubbing (yes clubbing) character in Austin (whose story was amazing by the way) and whose life featured many chapters. His story is not really about his dance moves, but about something bigger. He is a person who is known for connecting with people, seeing them for who they are and making them feel welcome and part of a community.

Who

I

sn’t that a great picture of what Austin is all about?

Well it is also what the Austin Apartment Association is all about!

As we started the year, the Austin Apartment Association was inspired to connect and better know our members.

We know the industry is more complex, fast paced, and looks different than it used to. Just think, we now have companies and services that didn’t even exist 10 years ago – for example Stay Alfred – that now serve a need that really didn’t exist before.

We want to make sure we are better connecting with the industry, and in the right way. This means meeting our members where they are, understanding better who they are; which will result in the Association serving YOU better and working hard to better connect you to your customer or to one another.

So, the Austin Apartment Association will be redefining our member categories this year to better reflect the industry of today.

We know we can no longer simply say we have “owner and manager” members – we have companies that own, manage, and develop…or ones that fee manage only….or who are merchant builders…you can see the list goes on.

But in order to do this, we need to hear from you!

Please take our 5 second survey to let us know who you are and how you would categorize your business: surveymonkey.com/r/Hi-Who-Are-You This is just the start. We look forward to getting to know you better and being able to better serve you!

See you soon!

Emily Blair, CAE

8

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Apartment Recycling Changes Multifamily recycling requirements are changing on October 1, 2020 to: • 24 gallons of recycling per unit per week OR • equal capacity for recycling and landfill trash Contact your hauler to update your recycling service this fall.

The City of Austin requires all multifamily owners/managers to provide convenient access to recycling for tenants and employees. New requirements take effect October 1, 2020.

Learn more at

AustinTexas.gov/URO

DIAMOND SPONSOR AUCTION OPENS MARCH 23

Windows-Ad-HalfPage_2020-1

Bidding for the AAA 2020-2021 Diamond Sponsorships opens March 23-27, 2020.

As a Diamond Sponsor of the Austin Apartment Association, you are a premier sponsor of the association; you have the ability to market your company as such and receive special recognition for it. You value your company’s reputation and take a vested interest in the association’s growth and reputation in the community. You are a member of an elite group with all the benefits and privileges befitting of your standing.

RULES, BENEFITS & BID SUBMISSIONS: austinaptassoc.com/diamond-sponsorship austinaptassoc.com/diamond-sponsorship

MARCH / APRIL /

9

April is RPM Careers Month!

Four challenges. Four opportunities to show your RPM spirit. Four chances to win.

Submit your photos and videos to rpmcareers.org/rpmcareersmonth for a chance to win fabulous prizes and be featured on RPM Careers’ social media channels.

The Prizes Breakfast or lunch for your team 6 CECs or one online credential program of your choice on gowithvisto.org (up to $925 value) $250 Visa gift card 6 CECs or one online credential program of your choice on gowithvisto.org (up to $925 value) or a $250 Visa gift card

Participating is easy!

Step 1: Take a photo or video and upload it to rpmcareers.org/rpmcareersmonth (April 1–26).

Step 2: Vote for the best photo or video for each challenge on RPM Careers’ Facebook and Instagram channels by “liking” your favorite (April 27–30). The photos or videos with the most likes will win.

Step 3: Check RPM social channels for an announcement of the winners (May 4–7).

The Challenges Best team photo. Gather your team together for a group photo.

Best “why I love RPM” photo. Take a photo of yourself holding a sign with a message saying why you love RPM. Keep the sign short and sweet (eight words or fewer).

Best recruitment video message. Film a short (approximately 20-second) video message telling job seekers why they should consider a career in RPM.

Follow RPM Careers on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the challenge and to vote for the winners! @RealCommunitiesRealCareers @RPMCareers

Best workplace view. Share a photo of your favorite view from work (e.g., beautiful properties, coffee with co-workers, four-legged friends, friendly residents).

2020

10

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February 2020

Market Line - AUSTIN AUSTIN OVERVIEW Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

91.3% 1,307 $/mo 1.49 $/sf/mo 875 sf

Past 12 Months: 6.1% Rental Rate growth 8,971 units absorbed Operating Supply: 1,013 communities 236,580 units Recently Opened (12 mo): 41 communities 10,473 units

The box on the left displays a snapshot of the current market conditions.

Proposed Construction: 50 communities 14,693 units

93

1350

The graph on the right displays the overall occupancy and effective rental prices over the past 24 months. These statistics are derived from a continuous survey of all apartment communities.

Effective rental prices are calculated net of concessions and utility adjustments.

The table below lists the 5 hottest submarkets in the Greater Austin area. There are a total of 11 submarkets, and the ranking is based on the best combination of rental rate growth and absorption over the past 3 months.

Under Construction: 47 communities 13,228 units

History of Effective Price & Occupancy

92

1300

91 1250 90 1200

1150

89

F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J 2018

2019

The table below distributes and analyzes concessions (specials) by classification. Concessions generally are represented by three types of specials: move-in, months free, or floorplan. ApartmentData.com captures the effect of these specials and prorates them over a lease term to arrive at a percentage reduction in market or street rents.

CONCESSIONS

Over The Past 3 Months

Rank Submarket

Annualized % of Mkt Growth % Absorbed Pflugerville/ Tech Ridge/ Wells Branch 3.6% 1.1% Downtown/ SoCo/ Barton Springs -0.1% 1.8% Northwest/ Arboretum/ Domain 4.0% 0.0% Outlying Metro -2.1% 6.0% Southeast/ Riverside Dr -1.5% 0.5%

Class

1 2 3 4 5

ALL A B C D

Total Units w/ Concessions 64,759 22,163 20,218 14,304 8,074

% of Total Units 27% 35% 29% 21% 22%

Other Texas Markets Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

89.5% 1,052 $/mo 1.19 $/sf/mo 884 sf

SAN ANTONIO Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

‘20

Price ($/mo)

Occupancy %

HOTTEST SUBMARKETS

HOUSTON

88

89.5% 976 $/mo 1.14 $/sf/mo 853 sf

DALLAS/FT.WORTH Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

91.1% 1,162 $/mo 1.33 $/sf/mo 876 sf

Past 12 Months: 2.6% Rental Rate growth 14,016 units absorbed

Past 12 Months: 3.4% Rental Rate growth 5,079 units absorbed

Past 12 Months: 4.5% Rental Rate growth 22,799 units absorbed

Operating Supply: 2,838 communities 665,871 units

Operating Supply: 927 communities 197,601 units

Operating Supply: 3,160 communities 746,067 units

Citywide Effect -1.4% -1.9% -1.4% -0.9% -0.9%

Average Special -4.8% -5.6% -4.6% -3.9% -3.8%

ApartmentData.com has been providing apartment data and marketing products since 1986. We provide real time access for property specific information, market surveys and historic submarket data for over 3.5 million apartment units in AZ, FL, GA, NC, TN, and TX. Cindi Reed Account Manager 512.969.1499

MARCH / APRIL /

11

Industry UPDATE HOUSING ON CAPITOL HILL

By Paul Cauduro, AAA Director of Government Relations

T This year’s gathering in Washington D.C. came at a critical time for the apartment industry.

he National Apartment Association (NAA) is the leading voice for the apartment housing industry in Washington D.C., and is the respected source of information and industry perspective to members of Congress and regulatory agencies. The advocacy goals of the NAA, also shared by the Texas Apartment Association and the Austin Apartment Association, is to ensure that public policy does not impede but rather enhances the ability of apartment owners and operators to run their business and provide housing to all those seeking rental housing.

A key element of the NAA’s advocacy goals is the annual Advocate conference held in Washington D.C. during the month of March. At this event, apartment industry professionals from all over the country travel to the nation’s Capital to talk with all 535 members of Congress and educate them on key issues facing the industry. NAA’s Advocate 2020 was held on March 11, and AAA members attending the conference held separate

meetings in the offices of the Congress members representing the Austin area which includes: Congressmen Michael McCaul (District 10), Judge John Carter District 31), Chip Roy (District 21), Roger Williams District 25), Lloyd Doggett (District 35)

and Bill Flores District 17). Meetings were also held at the offices of Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz.

This year’s gathering in Washington D.C. came at a critical time for the apartment industry. Complex challenges in the marketplace are driving

Read about AAA’s current advocacy issues at austinaptassoc.com/currentissue.

12

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governmental interest in rental housing issues to levels not seen in decades.

Because the NAA represents 10 million apartments that are home to 39 million people, and demand for apartment homes is at an all-time high, the issues discussed on Capitol Hill this year were intended to re-enforce the spotlight now shining on housing policy. Although it is always a challenge to traverse the Capitol complex and encounter multiple security lines in order to attend the meetings and communicate the issues, it is gratifying to know that these conversations help shape housing policy in the U.S. Recently the administration turned its attention to eliminating barriers to affordable housing development, and there are actions underway in Congress to address this issue.

For example, apartment industry professionals visiting members of Congress were able to express support for the YIMBY Act (Yes In My Back Yard) and the Build More Housing Near Transit Act. These pieces of legislation aim to increase housing density by removing barriers to housing construction such as growing permit fees, multifamily zoning restrictions and lengthy environmental and site plan reviews.

Congress’ efforts to address housing affordability and renter protections were also a focus of discussion with members of Congress. The apartment industry was able to share their thoughts on legislation such as Eviction Crisis Act and the Family Stability Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2019.

These legislative proposals aim to seal eviction court records, make the eviction process more difficult and provide relief to cost-burdened renters and their families by creating an additional 500,000 housing vouchers specifically designed for low-income families with young children to expand their access

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To see the NAA policy positions on a wide range of apartment issues visit NAA.org and navigate to list of policy issues under the Advocacy tab.

gle-family homes, duplexes and other small structure rental units, can be placed into the ROP after receiving as few as five property code viola-

Heavy New Penalties for Property Code Violators In 2013 the City of Austin created the Repeat Offender Program (ROP). The program was created in response to walkway collapse at an apartment community that had been reported to apartment management prior to the collapse. At the time the program was created, its aim was to use targeted enforcement measures against landlords who fail to fix dangerous building conditions.

One year after the ordinance was adopted it was amended by city council to remove the term “dangerous conditions”. As the program exists today, rental properties, including sin-

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tions within a twelve-month period regardless of whether violations were repaired or not. Violations as minor as chipped countertops, loose trim boards, exterior wood damage and

low water pressure can put a property in the ROP. Once in the ROP properties must pay a fine and are subject to additional inspections and progressive enforcement actions. There are currently 73 properties in the ROP representing nearly 10,000 units, and properties must remain in the ROP two years.

A new aspect of the city’s progressive enforcement actions involves prohibiting apartments from leasing any vacant units to new residents until after the code violations are fully addressed. If a property has been directed to stop leasing vacant units but continues to do so the property will be subject to citations of up to $2,000 per day for each violation.

The ROP ordinance has always contained this penalty provision, but they were never fully implemented and utilized by Austin Code. However, a memo released in mid-December 2019 outlines how these penalties will now be evoked and used against properties who are not responding to property code violations, citations or orders from the Building Standards Commission.

The AAA has expressed its hope that this enforcement will be used for what it was intended – the most extreme cases. We believe that pragmatic changes to the ROP program are needed to ensure that only the most hardened property code violators face these types of penalties. Austin Code recently completed an internal review of the ROP and has outlined some program deficiencies. The City Auditor is also evaluating the program. These two city evaluations of the program, combined with AAA’s list of needed ROP changes, will be used to press of for changes to the ordinance to prevent apartment properties from being put into the program and confronted with extreme penalties for minor code violations and communication failures between tenants and management. For information about the effort to change the ROP ordinance, email paul@austinaptassoc. com or call 512-232-0990.

MARCH / APRIL /

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New MEMBERS AAA welcomes these new members who joined the association between December 1, 2019 and January 31, 2020. When deciding where to make your next purchase for your property, please consider an AAA supplier member.

NEW PROPERTY OWNERS/MANAGEMENT COMPANY MEMBERS Agave Blue Tamu Rentals LLC Roy Wade Georgetown, TX 2 units

Al Rashid Properties Nicole Al Rashid Round Rock, TX 1 unit

Arcadia Management Group Taylor Wise Scottsdale , AZ 112 units

ATC Metro Properties, Inc. Tim Teas Corpus Christi, TX 0 units

Austonion Management LLC Nancy Torres Austin, TX 134 units

Castillo Properties Robert Castillo Austin, TX 1 unit

Dang Properties

Ton Dang Santa Clara, CA 0 units

Darcorp Management Group Viki Skidmore Argyle, TX 132 units

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DB Properties

Michael Chukerman Los Angeles, CA 302 units

Jacobs Properties Garrett Jacobs Austin, TX 27 units

Kerr Texas Real Estate LLC Bruce Kerr Austin, TX 8 units

Metric Property Management Robbie Robinson Austin, TX 48 units

Ng Properties Antony Ng Austin, TX 12 units

Olympus Property Kortney Mitchell Fort Worth, TX 303 units

Wealth Builders Joshua Will Austin, TX 14 units

NEW SUPPLIER MEMBERS Carpet-Cleaning Repair Dyeing Service

Green Steam Carpet and Tile Cleaning, a JCAR, LLC Adam Willis 12319 Blue Water Drive Austin, TX 78758 512-999-8200 www.greenstreamaustin.com

Cleaning Services Biosweep of West Houston/Austin

Paul Moinot 14201 N Interstate 35 #12106 Pflugerville, TX 78660 281-961-9571 www.biosweepofaustin.com

Construction - General

J&B Crown Construction LLC Bernardo Bustos 1701 PO Box Kyle, TX 78640 512-557-7239 www.jbcrownconstruction.com

Matrix Construction Services Kevin Hoffmann 4210 S Industrial Dr, Ste 150 Austin, TX 78744 469-240-2330 www.matrixsvc.com

NWC Group Inc. Miguel Villarreal 3880 Greenhouse Rd, Suite 308 Houston, TX 77084 832-483-9061 www.nwcgroupinc.com

Employment Agencies InterSolutions Staffing

Kris Burleson 535 Route 38 Ste 201 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 512-758-4911 www.intersolutions.com

Fire Restoration

Austin Hi-Tech Restoration Shane Green PO Box 5217 Austin, TX 78753 512-326-2633 www.austinhi-tech.com

Furniture Swimming Pool

America Outdoor Furniture Vickie Tucker 18535 FM 1488 Ste 230-53 Magnolia, TX 77354 713-443-9847 americaoutdoorfurniture@yahoo.com

YOUR APARTMENT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER

ID Verification CheckpointID

Nancy Payne 651 Waratah Ave New Braunfels, TX 78132 210-602-8618 www.checkpointid.com

TEMPORARY • TEMP-TO-HIRE • DIRECT HIRE • PAYROLL SERVICES • RECRUITING

Certified & Lead Maintenance Technicians Make Ready Technicians

Insurance

Farmers Insurance

Groundskeepers & Housekeepers

Reggie Mahadeo 8627 N Mopac Expwy Ste 220 Austin, TX 78759 512-879-4701 rmahadeo@farmersagent.com

Experienced & Specialty Leasing Tomorrow's Talent Leasing Graduates Community & Assistant Managers

Fitzpatrick Insurance Solutions Everett Fitzpatrick 10415 Morado Circle Dr Austin, TX 78759 512-380-9511 www.fisinsure.com

Holiday & Vacation Coverage Student Housing Turn Executive Placement Search Package Management Direct Hire Concierge Services www.bgmultifamily.com.

Texas Associates Insurors Reid Reynolds 1120 S Capitol of Texas Highway Austin, TX 78746 512-769-6875 www.txassoc.com

CONTACT YOUR AUSTIN TEAM TODAY: AUSTIN.ORDERS@BGMULTIFAMILY.COM

Flooring - Vinyl/Laminate Floor & Decor

John Wade 31452 Kingsway Rd Georgetown, TX 78628 817-455-9708 www.flooranddecor.com

Remodeling & Repair Building Contractor Ram Jack Systems Daryl Nash 2765 W Kingsley Rd Garland, TX 75041 972-276-8835 www.ramjack.com

Roofing Services Kanga Roof

Rebecca Miller 1317 Sam Bass Rd Round Rock, TX 78681 512-388-7663 www.kangaroofaustin.com

Life Roofing & Construction Bengy Bersin 3021 Wedgescale Pass Leander, TX 78641 512-585-0397 www.liferoofingteam.com

Security Guard/ Patrol Service

Security Reconnaissance Team, Inc Bryan Bunch 6322 Sovereign Dr San Antonio, TX 78229 210-314-1349 www.srteam-inc.com

Termite Control

Terminix Commercial 1826 Kramer Ste F7 Austin, TX 78758 512-318-9463 Rory Reeve www.terminix.com

Utilities - Management

TrustHab

Cary Frieden 1728 SW 22nd St Miami, FL 33145 407-745-1239 www.trusthab.com

Signage

OnSight Industries LLC Stevi Torrez 900 Central Park Dr Sanford , FL 32771 1-866-528-SIGN www.onsightindustries.com

MARCH / APRIL /

17

g n i r p S

BENEFITTING:

GOLF TOURNAMENT

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

TOP GOLF AUSTIN | 2700 ESPERANZA CROSSING 12:30PM - 4:30PM LUNCH BUFFET, CHECK-IN AND PRACTICE BAYS OPEN: 12:30PM TOP GOLF COMPETITION/OPEN PLAY: 12:30PM-4:30PM AWARDS RECEPTION: 4:30PM

Individual Players | $125 per player

This is an AAA Political Action Committee (PAC) fundraiser. Proceeds benefit PAC Austin, and help AAA keep a strong voice at all levels of government.

High Top Team | $550 per team

This event is open to players and sponsors only; no spectators. All player fees include four hours of Top Golf, lunch buffet and awards reception.

Lounge/Couch Team | $650 per team (Price increase to $700 on March 16 @ 5:00) Team

PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY REGISTRATION AND BE RECEIVED BEFORE EVENT DATE.

Prizes!

REGISTER & PAY AT: AT: AustinAptAssoc.com/Top-Golf AustinAptAssoc.com/Top-Golf

(Price increase to $150 on March 16 @ 5:00) Individual players will be paired up.

(Price increase to $600 on March 16 @ 5:00) Team includes up to six players. Includes high top table and chairs.

includes up to six players. Includes cushioned lounge seating.

1st, 2nd & 3rd Place Teams, Best Individual Golfer, Longest Drive, Most “Zeros” & more

SPECIAL NOTE ON PAYMENT: Payment must be made by personal or partnership credit card or check payable to AAA PAC. Your AAA account cannot be billed. Payments will be counted as political contributions for local candidates favorable to the rental housing industry. Any cancellations must be received by 5:00 p.m., March 16. Reservations received after 5:00 p.m., March 16 cannot be cancelled. Email events@austinaptassoc.com with questions.

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Overview Effect: The Beauty of Mentorship RYAN HARMON Camp Construction

A

stronauts often talk about this feeling when they are in space looking at Earth from that small window of the space shuttle. They describe our planet as wonderous, colorful, and describe what has been coined “the overview effect”. That is, when looking at our planet from space, you temporarily forget about boundaries, borders, religions, and differences… and one is left to see the possibilities and potential of its people. And it’s beautiful.

I initially joined the AAA in 2011 as a small business owner. I wasn’t aiming to put all my eggs in the apartment basket. Mostly I was hoping to expand my services into the multifamily space and maybe meet some people, get some leads, and see a return on the fee I paid for membership. My good friend Josh Nichols had recently started a position with a company who tasked him with developing their “multifamily” vertical. And if you know anything about Josh, you know it didn’t take long for him to befriend nearly everyone in the Association in short fashion! So with him by my side, I attended my very first meeting in the old AAA building. There were about 20 people in the meeting room, all with different colored shirts emblazoned with their company logos. Josh introduced me to what would become 2 very influential leaders in our industry, Terri Needham and Travis Fowler. WOW! I am laughing right now because I had no idea that I would be writing an article for the AAA Window’s magazine at that time almost 10 years ago. That’s because after that first meeting, I only attended one event that year and didn’t renew my AAA membership. That’s right, I was in and then out without even batting an eye. Again, I was pretty busy servicing other spaces, and multifamily was just supposed to add a little more revenue to my humble little business. And it did that.

Fast forward to early 2014, my reentry into AAA. After 7 years of owning a small business, I decided to shut the business doors and look toward a future doing something else. I wasn’t sure what that future looked like…but Josh had an idea. He was now several years into working in multifamily, and of course engaged heavily in everything AAA. So he said to me, “why not allow me to see if anyone is hiring in multifamily?” I agreed, and I had nothing to lose. This was a new chapter in my life and I wanted to be open minded for any

possibilities. After a couple of interviews, and a nice recommendation from Josh, I landed my first job in multifamily. And unlike my fractured focus in 2011, I was ALL IN on building my network and career in multifamily.

But where do I start? What meetings should I attend? What’s a committee? Which events are best? How much business can I get from members? What can the AAA do for me!?

“Whoa grasshopper!”, is what I’m sure Josh must have been thinking! Lucky for me, those questions were answered in part from the many pieces of wisdom, advice, and guidance of not only Josh Nichols, my original mentor, but so many countless others who have been by my side along the way. And to them, I say… I would not be where I am today without you! Now we have a Mentor Committee.

And I have the pleasure to co-chair it with none other than Josh.

And today, my questions have changed.

Today I write this article from an airport restaurant on a business trip. A business in multifamily. A business that is a member of AAA. A business that has changed my life. Almost 10 years since my very first AAA event, and my view has changed considerably. I no longer ask what AAA can do for me (Hahaha… oh little grasshopper!). Now I ask what I can do for AAA. How can I pay it forward?

Who’s next? And how can I help them? That’s mentorship. And I love it because it works!

Josh and I have changed jobs a couple of times each within this industry, and I think I can speak for both of us when I say we are now where we belong. The funny thing is… we are now direct competitors within the industry. But I can tell you that is not the 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd thing I think about when I see him. He is my great friend. He was my original mentor. And he’s family.

I guess you could say the “overview effect” holds true in space and in AAA. As your current VP and Chair of PSC, I walk through the doors of our wonderful association and realize that regardless of who you are, who you work for, or what logo is on your shirt, you are part of our AAA world. It’s like family… hugs all around. From my small window, and no doubt with the benefit of being mentored, I see so much potential and possibility for our future. And it’s beautiful.

MARCH / APRIL /

19

Committee

CHAT

Josh Nichols

M-TEAM CHAIRS: Josh Nichols of Contractors Inc. Ryan Harmon, CAS of Camp Construction

Ryan Harmon, CAS

THIS MONTH, WE FEATURE THE MENTOR COMMITTEE (MEMBERSHIP M-TEAM).

Formed to mentor AAA supplier members, the M-Team is a select group of experienced supplier members who focus on guiding new supplier members through their first year of membership.

THE M-TEAM IS LED BY: Ryan Harmon, CAS of Camp Construction & Josh Nichols of Contractors Inc. Who you are and what do you do?

JN: Josh Nichols, Regional Director of Business Development at Contractors Inc. Started with Contractors Inc. about 14 months ago; prior to that was with FitSupply for nearly 9 years.

RH: Ryan Harmon, Sales Executive with Camp Construction. Now in a national role and focused on student housing vertical, and have been with Camp for nearly 3 years! Prior to that I was with Gage Multifamily Services.

Favorite breakfast taco joint?

JN: San Juanita’s Tacos on South Congress – it is a 3-generation taco joint. The location was originally attached to a tire/auto place.

RH: Whatever is fast and convenient!

Torchy’s is probably a go-to.

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How was it you first got involved with the Association?

JN: This is year 10 for me. I started with the Association when I was with FitSupply and I tried to go to a legislative committee meeting – and actually was turned away! I came to realize you can’t attend those unless you are a voting member if you are a vendor. So, I just looked at the next thing that was on the calendar – and just started attending! The next event was a Mid-Summer Happy Hour, at the Domain.

RH: Josh got me involved with the Association. At the time I owned a pressure washing company and was primarily doing fleet power washing. I then got a job with the parking garage at the Triangle, and my friend Josh here said to get involved with the Apartment Association. That was in 2011!

The first event I attended was the bowling tournament, and I was

introduced to a lot of members.

Come first renewal I actually didn’t renew! Not a lot of my business was multifamily.

As time progressed, I was introduced to more people in the industry and I took a job at a valet waste company, which then had 100% focus on multifamily. So, at that point, the mentorship with Josh in the Association really became important. It was also very helpful because two weeks after I started, I ended up at TAA meetings in Dallas – where I essentially followed Josh to all the meetings.

What is your favorite AAA event?

JN: Fall Golf tournament, where we actually go play golf.

RH: Fall Golf also. It is always so fun and a great day.

What was your very first job?

RH: TGI Fridays! It lasted two weeks and I was fired. It is a great story actually.

But my actual very first job was on a family dairy farm when I was 12 or 13.

JN: First real job was on a longhorn ranch.

I started when I was 12 and worked

until 18 and did everything under the sun – including painting a fence every summer.

Where were you born?

RH: Oklahoma. My entire family is from there, but we moved to Houston area when I was one year old.

JN: I was born in Tyler, TX because my mother didn’t allow me to be born in the hospital in my hometown. I actually was almost born in the backseat of the car – true story.

What’s your favorite family tradition?

RH: My dad traveled out of the country for work a lot; but my favorite memories were visiting him wherever he was.

My mom and I visited him in France, England, Japan and Australia. It was amazing to see the bigger world than Richmond Texas, which is where we moved to.

JN: We do an Elk Hunt in Oklahoma that is a long-standing great tradition for the men in my family. Other than that, 4th of July is my favorite tradition because of the fireworks show our family puts on.

Who is a role model you look up to and why?

JN: My Dad of course. Also, Ryan Freeman who owns FitSupply. He really helped me grow up and grow as a professional.

RH: I was an only child, so my Mom and Dad. My Dad really is my hero. He has always been that rock for me.

What do you love most about your job?

JN: Always getting to learn something is what I like the most. Plus the problem solving aspect. We get to create solutions. I also really enjoy the marketing and branding work that I am getting to be a part of.

RH: The longevity and feeling that I am in the right place. I can see myself with Camp for a long long time. It is just a great fit and I am loving what I am doing. Keep me interested and I am always learning, and 10 years from now I will still have more to learn! There is always so much to learn in the industry and construction.

What do you like most about the AAA? RH: There is so much to love…it is just such a necessary and big part of my work and success. It is a big part of my life – personally and professionally – I can’t imagine what things would look like if I hadn’t gotten involved.

JN: It is a lifestyle – the network and relationships I have – many of them actually tie back to the organization. It isn’t just a job, or something to do, it is part of my whole life too.

What’s your favorite drink?

RH: Whiskey.

JN: Same. Whiskey. I also really love margaritas too. Also Dr. Pepper.

RH: True – it is seasonal for me – fall and winter it is whiskey but come summer margaritas are great.

What do you do in your free time?

RH and JN in unison: WHAT FREE TIME? RH: Yeah, I don’t really have any free time.

But if I do, I do nothing. If I have a chunk of time, I like to start tinkering with wood, whittling.

JN: If I have a free day, I don’t want to do anything.

What is your leadership style?

RH: Inclusion. Including people is a big deal for me, letting people be known and heard. Appreciation is very important as well. I also think it comes down to leading by example.

JN: I have no idea really. I hope and think I am a good teacher, because I enjoy that. I think also teaching others how to be more confident, and be confident in who they are.

What would your superpower be?

RH: Some sort of auto reply that reads my mind so I don’t have to reply to all e-mails and texts.

JN: It would be really nice to not have to work out.

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title would be?

JN: The Secret Life? Ryan’s would be “Weighing the Odds”.

RH: Josh’s would be “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover”

If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs— such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?

JN: Is Wi-Fi now a human need? [laughs] cell phone and cell phone tower!

RH: A way to keep in communication with the outside world.

What inspires you?

RH: I am inspired by people who are able to live freely, those who are able to be satisfied. Because I am the type of person who is never satisfied.

Also just wanting to inspire others is something that inspires me.

JN: I’m inspired to be successful, but money is not how I define success. I want to leave an impact with people I come across in my life.

Both: Also having a daughter inspires me.

It changed our lives…and things are different. It is the reason we work so hard every day.

More about M-TEAM: This is the 3rd year of the M-Team. Josh and Ryan conceptualized this committee, and before it started the mentorship started kind of informally. A few years ago, the idea was pitched to help with member retention to help connect people at the association and make an impact.

When do they meet?

Meets every-other month on the 2nd Tuesday, 10:00m, at the Association.

Who can join?

The M-Team is made up of 20-30 supplier members who must submit to an application process to be involved.

How to join?

Interested in becoming a part of the M-Team? Submit your interest on the form on the AAA website and the Committee Chair or Staff Liaison will contact you with more information. ​ Staff Liaison: Lisa Berman, Director of Membership Development lisa@austinaptassoc.com, direct (512) 334-1837.

To find out more, contact Lisa Berman at lisa@austinapptassoc.com

MARCH / APRIL /

21

CUTTING BACK ON TRAINING COULD BE COSTING YOU VICKI SHARP, NALP, CAPS, CDPM THE SHARP SOLUTION

Budget season will be here before you know it!

While times are pretty good for our industry right now, property owners and managers are still looking for ways to cut back on expenses and continue to increase the bottom line. Training often gets the “first look” when reductions are being considered.

This article has ideas and suggestions for both the employer and the employee, so take a look at both in this 2-part series about the importance of training.

You might see a side of the equation you hadn’t considered before.

PART ONE: FOR THE BOSS! Even as we are enjoying a robust economy in the apartment industry right now, there is always some uncertainty in the business world. Therefore, you may be looking at the “easy” places to trim budgets and one of the most popular areas for cutbacks is in training and continuing education for your employees. Because training and education doesn’t have a direct impact to the income of the company, it seems that this would be a natural place to look for savings. However, the effects of reducing training, education, and even motivational gatherings can be significant, so this is the last place that budget cuts should take place.

Consider this. Many times you are asking employees to do more with less, so you have to give them the tools for success. When you need people to become more productive, you have to show them how to do that. If you need them to take on new responsibilities, you need to help them understand what’s required and demonstrate how to get it done. If you need team members to produce higher results, you need to provide motivation. You cannot simply tell employees to do more with less, and expect an adequate performance without the right tools, and the best tool is training.

As a supervisor, you need to realize that employees will agree to take on more responsibilities, and they often will not ask questions. They say “Sure! I can do that!” while inside they wonder how they can accomplish the task at hand.

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In reality, most employees are afraid to ask for help as they think this will point out some sort of deficiency to you, which may result in them receiving the next pink slip. So, they tend to agree, then try to figure it out on their own. This becomes very time consuming, and creates frustration on the part of the employee, resulting in a job that is not completed to your satisfaction.

In some situations, you may be worse off than you were before, spending more time and money on getting things done, while “saving” training dollars. The worst result in this situation will be employee burnout, sometimes even ending in termination of an otherwise great employee.

In reality, money spent on training and industry education is an investment that will pay dividends far beyond the momentary savings anticipated by cutting back in these areas. Today, there are a number of avenues to utilize for training your employees. Let’s quickly discuss some of these avenues.

INTERNET/WEB-BASED TRAINING: This has quickly become the most utilized form of training because it seems to be the most cost effective. In reality, there are significant negative aspects that render this type of training most useful as support for in person classes and seminars. It should never be your only training method.

The main drawback to web based training is that there is no way to know that the employee is actually participating in the session, or that they are paying attention to the lessons on the screen.

Many times employees ask others to do their training for them, or they “multi-task” while the web session is going on. In addition, training is very easy to interrupt, and many times employees never return to finish the class.

Another consideration is that web based training usually provides only one-way transmission, so employees who may need a little more discussion or the ability to ask questions miss out on a lot. This may even make them feel “dumb”, and reduce their self esteem, making them less productive. Even Webinars that allow for questions to be sent to the facilitator through the web presentation can be misunderstood, so the answer provided may not solve the problem. The student can become embarrassed or frustrated, and just gives up.

So, while it seems that this is a very cost effective way to provide training, it becomes very expensive when it isn’t used proper-

ly. Only facial expressions and body language can adequately provide insight as to whether training is being understood, or needs further clarification. Web based training has its positive points, but should be used as an enhancement to personal delivery, rather than replacing it.

BRINGING IN A COMPANY TRAINER: There are significant benefits to having in-house trainers. These folks will know your company policies and procedures, and can answer questions regarding these issues instantly when they arise. Also, company trainers can become a great extra set of eyes and ears, quickly identifying employee strengths and weaknesses, then transmitting them to you for action. On a side note, you must be careful to use this information simply as a place to look for issues, rather than just call the employee or their supervisor and report what was told to you. If everyone thinks the trainer is the company “snitch”, employees will not share legitimate concerns, or may even stop asking questions. When your trainers provide you with feedback or a full debrief, consider them to be like reporters. They give you the facts as they see them, but it’s up to you to decide what to do with the news.

One of the biggest benefits to in person training is the opportunity for the employees to ask specific questions and get clarifying answers. When raised by one person, often these questions are in the minds of other trainees, and they benefit from the answers provided as well. This also provides an opportunity to use a question to expand on an answer which leads to more learning opportunities for the attendees.

The networking between employees during training sessions is also a huge benefit to the team atmosphere of a company.

SENDING EMPLOYEES TO OFF-SITE TRAINING:

When you send an employee to an off-site training session, you send a powerful, motivational message to that employee. You are telling them that they are worth something to the company. The message is “We think you are the right person for this job. We believe this so much that we are willing to spend the money it takes to get you additional training”. You will bolster their self image, and motivate them to learn the job at hand, and more. To get even more bang for your buck, have the attendee come back and brief the rest of the team on what they’ve learned. The student who becomes the teacher has the opportunity to learn twice!

When employees attend off-site sessions, such as a local, state, or even national apartment association conferences, they have a unique opportunity to network with others in the industry. They have a chance to attend courses taught by instructors or facilitators who are industry speakers who may not be available to individual companies. A huge benefit is when they can share best practices among their peers.

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Find out when your local or state association provide training, or will have their local conference. Typically, the NAA conference is in June. If you cannot afford to send everyone, consider creating a contest among your employees, awarding a trip to your top performers.

Another great idea is to schedule your company meeting in conjunction with a conference, so that you can combine company specific training with the industry networking and sessions provided.

Just be sure to put these costs in your budget early!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

WHO DO YOU SEND TO TRAINING: Almost universally, we send the On-Site Manager for off-site training. Sometimes, we send the Leasing Professionals as well. The two groups of people who rarely get to attend are the Assistant Managers, and the Maintenance Team.

We tend to leave the Assistant Manager’s behind to “mind the store”, much like Cinderella was not allowed to attend the ball. Not much motivation there, and this certainly doesn’t demonstrate your appreciation for a job well done.

Maintenance team? We really drop the ball with training for them. Great maintenance technicians are very hard to find today. You should make part of the hiring package a discussion about training opportunities, and the fact that you believe in helping them become even more professional.

Lastly, when was the last time your regional and executive level team members attended training? Remember, the speed of the leader is the speed of the group. You set a great example when you attend training sessions with your teams.

In closing, no matter how you look at it, training provides far more benefits than it costs. Train your folks continually and you will see these dollars returned to you through enhanced employee performance, less employee turnover, and most importantly, very satisfied residents.

Next month, look for part 2, a message to employees about training.

Vicki Sharp, NALP, CAPS, CDPM, has filled a multitude of positions during her career in property management.

From Leasing Agent, to Community Manager, then from Regional Manager to Vice President, Vicki now owns her own property management training and consulting firm, The Sharp Solution.

Because she has worked “on the front lines” of the industry, her seminars and consulting work has a practicality of someone who has truly been there before. Her seminars have been referred to as entertraining, as she presents real life scenarios in a humorous and thought provoking manner.

Contact Vicki to schedule training sessions, speak at your company event, or work with your teams for project success.

You can reach Vicki by email at vicki.sharp@ thesharpsolution.net, or contact her by phone at 512.550.2021.

MARCH / APRIL /

23

NEW AAA EVENT

April 3 • 12pm-4pm

Krieg Field | 515 S Pleasant Valley Road Team Build in

g •G a m e s • C o m p e t i t i o n • L o a d s o f F u n

Join us for an enjoyable team building day with fun games like 3-legged race, egg-n-spoon challenge, corn hole, junk in the trunk ping pong game, tug of war and much more.

All registrations include food and beverages!

Spectators - $50 per person Team - $500 per team

Team includes 4-6 players Please type “TBD” if player name is unknown at this time.

Prizes!

Cancellations must be received in writing by 5:00pm, Friday, March 25.

Registrations received after that date cannot be cancelled. All no -shows will be billed the full amount.

Note on registration and login: even if you have logged in to the member portal, you may be required to log in again once you enter the registration form. If you continue to experience registration difficulty, please contact Dana Bolz at dana@austinaptassoc.com.

1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Teams, Most Spirited Team and more!

Sign Up Today: AustinAptAssoc.com/Field-Day

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Evolution of the Apartment Manager’s Role

BY DANIELLE ARCHULET TA FETCH PACKAGE

M

any of you reading this have been in the “industry” for years and can remember a time before computers, virtual fitness classes, and 3D floorplans. There have been so many new technological advances that have made things more convenient for both residents and onsite teams, but they’ve also presented a new set of challenges. Take online reviews for example. It was a great way to gain the trust and confidence of potential renters. Instead of relying on a resident to know someone who was currently looking for an apartment and get them to lease with one positive review they had the ability to influence the buying decision of many potential renters. This was amazing! It lowered the cost per lead, cost per lease and all we had to do was our job. But it has morphed for many into a huge problem.

Community Managers used to worry about taking care of their staff, residents, and owners but now face many more challenges. With the rise of social media and online reputation tools, we now are keeping residents’ friends, family members, and social circles content.

Onsite teams have a much greater task of keeping residents pleased because one bad interaction can hurt business.

With the advent of technology, people have become less patient. It used to be that the only way to communicate with people was to pick up the phone and call them. With much of the population having a smartphone we’ve had to adapt the way we interact with each other and be a master at all forms of communication; text, email, call, chatbot, and social media.

But what does this all mean? Property management professionals are savvier and more engaged than ever before.

They have access to better data and more tools and services. Although managers can complete tasks and reports with mere button clicks, they have many more items that need to be reported on. At the end of the day, all the conveniences and advancements don’t change the primary role of the manager – taking care of people. While the ‘human’ element of multifamily hasn’t changed, it has certainly evolved, and if your team and residents feel appreciated, you will find success.

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Connecting Office & Service Teams THROUGH

Effective Communication BY: ADRIAN GARCIA, CAPS, CAM, ARM, CPO Bluebonnet Commercial Management

com·mu·ni·ca·tion \ kə-ˌmyü-nə-ˈkā-shən

a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication

T

here are not separate teams split between inside and outside associates on a property. There is only one team. Effective communication between office personnel and the service team is extremely important.

This will determine the success of your property and organization. Property Managers should meet with their service managers at least once per week for 10 to 20 minutes to discuss weekly goals, pending service requests, projects, preventive maintenance, etc. Effective communication begins and ends with the leaders of the community and should go as follows:

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1. Listen to each other carefully with no distractions.

2. Accurately and clearly explain goals/expectations in a respectful manner.

3. Confirm the goals/expectations are understood.

4. Answer each other’s questions.

5. If any questions are not answered, let each other know when you will have answers.

6. Follow up with each other to confirm completion of goals/expectations.

7. Offer additional resources or seek guidance from your supervisor when needed.

The property manager and service manager meeting should be separate from the rest of the team meetings. I recommend having brief team meetings once per week as well. Monday or Tuesday mornings work well for most properties but do what is best for your asset. It is imperative that all associates know and understand the owner’s short-term and long-term goals, so I also recommend property managers and service managers share the budget with the rest of the team.

The majority of service request calls and emails are received by leasing professionals, assistant property managers, and property managers. Thorough information gathering and consistency are extremely important when entering service requests.

We live in a digital world and a lot of companies have resident portals where residents can enter in their own service requests.

Instead of printing the service requests and handing them over to the service team without review, carefully read the service requests to see if there are other questions that need to be answered. Have the office team call, email, or text residents to obtain additional information in order to provide detailed service requests for the service team.

Here are some tips and questions to think about when receiving and reviewing service requests:

1. Listen to the resident carefully and/or review the service request thoroughly.

2. Is the location of the issue in the apartment clearly described? (above the sink, below the sink, in the ceiling, near the baseboard, to the left of the window, etc.)

3. Is the issue constant, one-time occurrence, or intermittent?

4. Could there be any animals in the apartment home?

5. Could there be occupants in the apartment under the age of 18 not accompanied by an adult?

6. Do you have permission to enter or does an appointment need to be set up?

I recommend having the property manager or the service manager train all office personnel on what questions should be asked that are specific to your property. Clarifying the scope of work with residents helps ensure you fulfill the service request correctly the first time. I don’t know anyone, resident or property management professional, that loves call-backs! Your team will not always get it right the first time every time, but the more you do, will result in happier residents and associates.

Effective communication improves productivity, efficiency, team morale, and customer service. Excellent customer service leads to more resident referrals, renewals, and positive reviews.

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LinkedIn:

Tap Into Your Connections & Grow Your Business

By AMBER COLLINS, AAA Director of Marketing and Communications How many times have you heard... It’s not what you know, it’s who you know? That is the real power of social networking.

Although Facebook, Twitter and Instagram tend to get more buzz, LinkedIn is by far the most powerful for your business and career, relying not only on who you know, but on who your connections know as well.

With 562 million users, and growing at a person every second, LinkedIn is the largest business networking site in the world. There is a mindset shift when users log on to LinkedIn compared to logging onto other sites - LinkedIn means business. Conversations are geared toward partnerships, advancing careers and building business.

Here are 10 ways you can use LinkedIn to tap into your connections, grow your brand through word-of-mouth, and take your business to the next level.

Make Your Company Page Matter Your company page is the heart and soul of your online business brand. LinkedIn recently enhanced this section, and now it allows you to add a video, share more information about your products and services, and give more insights about your company and the people working there. Imagery, colors and content on this page should be consistent with your website and any other social media profiles the business has. Be sure to fill out your profile 100% and update it regularly, so the brand is active and appears to be a current business. It builds authenticity and trust for a consumer when information about a company is readily available.

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Give A Face To Your Employees Get as many of your employees as possible to create and complete their profiles on LinkedIn. These should include appropriate photos, relevant job history that includes a description of how they help your business, and professional connections. Make sure they tag your company (@company name) on all posts to get even more exposure.

Connect With Everyone A number of LinkedIn newbies or purists will say, “You should only connect with those you already know and trust, so you can make recommendations to others when they want an introduction.” I understand the premise, but how do you expect to expand your network when you shut off communication to the rest of the 85 million plus members on LinkedIn? It’s time to use LinkedIn like a live networking event and introduce yourself to others, make new friends, and start helping more people connect.

Publish value-rich content LinkedIn posts can be highly targeted and should accomplish two goals. First, teach others how to solve a problem or how to do their job better. Second, establish you as a thought leader in that space. Research what your audience wants and needs, and put some personality behind it. Take a look at your content’s analytics to see what is being shared and interacted with most and what isn’t doing as well, and apply that knowledge to the next round of your strategy. Be sure to add hashtags at the end of your posts to increase its visibility and further its reach to the right audience.

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Stay Active LinkedIn groups, LinkedIn groups, LinkedIn groups!

It doesn’t matter what industry or business you are in, this the part of LinkedIn you should be focusing on the most. There are benefits to both joining and being a part of niche-related groups, and also creating a company-branded group of your own. Not only is this a great way to “listen in” on what your audience is talking about, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to interact or offer advice. More importantly, you can message the members of groups you are in, even if you aren’t connected.

Recommendations Ask clients to provide recommendations/testimonials, as well as recommending others without them having to ask you. Giving and helping others succeed is just good business and third-party validation is gold. Nothing you say about yourself will have as much impact as what others say on your behalf, so recommendations are an invaluable “proof of excellence” tool.

Connect With Twitter Connecting your Twitter account to LinkedIn, makes your updates seem to “stay on top” longer than they would in your Twitter stream. The more interaction you get, the more others see it as well (it’s similar to Facebook in this regard). Others talk about why this is bad because a lot of your messaging won’t be targeted for your LinkedIn, but for the most part, your message staying at the top of mind for your connections on LinkedIn is the most important thing.

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Add Advanced Applications There are a number of applications to help you promote your business or your personal work better, and improve the overall experience of your LinkedIn profile. Some are free and some require subscriptions, but a few of the most popular mobile LinkedIn apps are LinkedIn Slideshare, LinkedIn Learning, LinkedIn Recruiter, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and LinkedIn Elevate.

Visit your app store to see which ones you could start using today, and make the most out of the new ones that come out in the future.

Avoid Hard Selling While LinkedIn does require business professionalism, “social” still remains a key component to networking and connecting online. Potential clients don’t want an overt bombardment of sales copy appearing on their walls and shared to their page. Shared content attracts more eyes and brings in more lead opportunities without making readers feel as if they are receiving a cold call.

Advertise Consider utilizing LinkedIn’s paid targeted advertising campaign to reach new audiences. There are a wide variety of ad options available, and you can target your ads based on geography, job function, seniority, industry, company size, gender, age, etc.

We’re more connected than ever these days, which means your network can truly be limitless. Using these LinkedIn tips can help you expand your world, find new customers, and ultimately grow your business like never before.

MARCH / APRIL /

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PROJECT PAK ® REINVENTING RENOVATIONS ONE ORDER. ONE DELIVERY. ONE INVOICE.

Labeled by unit number, each Project PAK® is delivered with everything needed to renovate one unit.

For more information contact our dedicated Project Support Team at project_support@supplyHQ.com or call 888.632.6747 proud member of

supplyHQ.com Phone: 866.630.6747 | Fax: 866.631.6747 | Español: 888.281.0255

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@MSupplyHQ

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Wednesday

MAR 25 Tuesday

APR 14 Wednesday

MAY 27

Wednesday

JUN 24

Thursday

JUL 30

Managing Occupants During a Loss: Minimize Downtime, Liability & Cost when Property Damage Occurs Presented by: Belfor Property Restoration Key considerations when property damage occurs such as: • Keeping tenants safe during restoration and construction • Protocols for tenant relocation • How to reduce Lost Rent Revenues • Importance of work discretion Your #1 Amenity – The Pool Presented by: Hines Pool and Spa Be ready for the season by learning the best practices for maintaining your community pools.

•Pool water chemistry •Proper Pool Maintenance •Pool Renovations Failing to Manage Your Landscape Could be Costing You Thousands of Dollars Presented by: Summit Exterior Services There are many easy things to look for in your landscape. If caught early can be cheap fixes. If not, can become very expensive emergencies.

•Your landscape is a living asset that can lose its value quickly •What liability risks should you be looking for in your landscape?

•The importance of curb appeal and resident’s enjoyment of their yard The Future of Security in Multifamily Presented by: Home Depot Pro Multifamily & Schlage Learn how the latest technology in security can benefit your community.

•Statistics on ROI with smartlocks •Smartlocks retain tenants and increase rents •Increase asset value •Overall trends in security

WHAT:

1-hour presentation led by a supplier member for onsite personnel.

Lunch Provided Earn 1 CEC for your designation renewal at every Food For Thought

WHEN:

12pm - 1pm 1x per month See dates & topics

WHERE:

AAA Classroom 8620 Burnet Road Suite 475 Austin, TX 78757

REGISTER:

web.austinaptassoc.com/events

Creating an Unforgettable Fitness “Experience” and Building a Positive Online Presence Presented by: Marathon Fitness Learn how to create the “experience” your residents are looking for in a community/fitness center, including: •Steps to improve and maintain positive online reviews •Steps to assist creating a sense of community •Steps to improve resident engagement of fitness amenity

MARCH / APRIL /

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Education

OPPORTUNITIES YOUR CHANCE TO GROW AND LEARN Visit austinaptassoc.com/education for more class info and to register.

Questions? Contact AAA, Director of Education Amy Lydic, CAE at (512) 323-0990.

REDBOOK Multi-Family Rental Housing Legal Seminar - North

Leasing 102: Show Me the Money!

MARCH 17

MARCH 24

COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACK:

COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACK:

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Presented by: Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm The Commons at J.J. Pickle Research Campus, 10100 Burnet Road, Austin, TX 78758 $234 per AAA member $140 to add Redbook to registration CECs: 5

8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Presented by Shonna Marquis, CAS, GVA Property Management and Renee Zahn, CAM, NALP Greystar AAA – 8620 Burnet Rd., #475 $80 per AAA member$70 early bird rate!

FREE for ACE subscribers CECs: 3

Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager by participating in one of the REDBOOK seminars being offered by AAA in Austin in 2020.

Continuing Education Credits: You must be present for your entire session. Course is approved for Five (5) TREC/MCE & NAA/ CEC credits. You must bring your real estate license number for MCE credits. Course offered under TAA’s providership. Course Name and Number: Apartment & Rental Housing Legal Seminar – 38665; Provider: Texas Apartment Association (TAA) – 0087.

Improve your closing ratio and increase your occupancy immediately!

APRIL 7 COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACKS:

8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Presented by Chelsea Kneeland, CAS, NAAEI Faculty, J. Turner Research AAA – 8620 Burnet Rd., #475 $80 per AAA member$70 early bird rate!

FREE for ACE subscribers CECs: 3 Convey professionalism on all fronts. Part of the Road to Advancement Series.

Fair Housing APRIL 9

NALP – National Apartment Leasing Professional MARCH 31 – APRIL 3 COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACK:

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 PM each day Presented by Chelsea Kneeland, CAS, NAAEI Faculty, J. Turner Research AAA – 8620 Burnet Rd., #475 $415 per AAA member10% discount for ACE subscribers The National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) credential is designed to teach leasing professionals the skills to help them become top producers.

EDUCATION TRACK LEGEND

Presenting Your Best Self

COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACKS:

8:30 a.m. – Noon Presented by Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm AAA – 8620 Burnet Rd., #475 $80 per AAA member$70 early bird rate!

FREE for ACE subscribers CECs: 3 Attorney Bill Warren will cover the basics and beyond of Fair Housing.

Hands On A/C – South Location Hands On A/C – North Location APRIL 15 AND 16 COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACKS:

8:30 a.m. – Noon Q U E S T I O N S ? Contact AAA at amyl@austinaptassoc.com or (512) 323-0990.

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present

WEDNESDAYS Ge

ty ne our nli education o

MARCH 18

APRIL 8

Prospects are NOT leasing…what am I doing wrong??

Tips and Tricks for Effective Outreach Marketing

MARCH 25

APRIL 15

Everything You Need to Know About Fair Housing!

That Vacant Unit is Bleeding Money – Decrease Your Turn Times With These Tested Techniques

!

All Webinars are conducted by www.multifamilyinsiders.com.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. CT

Cost $29.99

Enter the code “16AAA” in the coupon field when registering for a discount!

Presented by Century A/C Supply AAA – 8620 Burnet Rd., #475 $80 per AAA member$70 early bird rate!

FREE for ACE subscribers CECs: 3 Troubleshooting and A/C Maintenance.

REDBOOK Multi-Family Rental Housing Legal Seminar - South APRIL 29 COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACKS:

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Presented by Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm TCEA Conference Center, 3100 Alvin DeVane Blvd., Building B, Austin, TX 78741

$234 per AAA member $140 to add Redbook to registration CECs: 5 Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager by participating in one of the REDBOOK seminars being offered by AAA in Austin in 2020. Continuing Education Credits: You must be present for your entire session. Course is approved for Five (5) TREC/MCE & NAA/ CEC credits. You must bring your real estate license number for MCE credits. Course offered under TAA’s providership. Course Name and Number: Apartment. Course Name and Number: Apartment & Rental Housing Legal Seminar – 38665; Provider: Texas Apartment Association (TAA) – 0087.

Difficult Conversations APRIL 30 COURSE GOOD FOR EDUCATION TRACKS:

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Presented by Krista Washbourne, Lincoln Property Company AAA – 8620 Burnet Rd., #475 $80 per AAA member$70 early bird rate!

FREE for ACE subscribers CECs: 3 Discussions with your supervisor when your goal is to be promoted.

Part of the Road to Advancement Series.

MARCH / APRIL /

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LAW IN ORDER

The Warren Report REDBOOK IS HERE – AND COMING TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH

By William S. Warren, Warren Law Firm

W

Redbook is an amazing written resource, available in book form and online. It is an indispensable legal handbook for rental property owners and managers in Texas.

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elcome to the Roaring Twenties! It is 2020, and an even-numbered year.

It is also a year following a year in which a Texas legislative session was held, which means REDBOOK IS HERE! It is the season to become more educated and have some fun doing so.

Redbook is an amazing written resource, available in book form and online. What’s more, it is an engrossing live seminar. Redbook has been around for quite some time. During its history, it has evolved immensely. The Redbook, used and taught in 2018, was thoroughly overhauled and improved. Its organization and contents underwent extensive scrutiny and detailed revision. Its creators, contributors and publisher went to great lengths to provide you an invaluable resource containing current, accurate, focused and user-friendly information. It began with the book and carried forward into the seminar.

And that was in 2018. It is now new and improved for 2020. Once again

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Redbook has been reviewed, updated and revised and presentations throughout the state of Texas began in Houston during the first week of February. In Austin, the Redbook seminar is scheduled to be presented twice, at two different locations. It will be held “North” on March 17, 2020. It will be presented “South” on April 29, 2020. The live, all-day Austin presentations will be given by the man whose work you are currently reading. It is going to be a big show!

Redbook is more than a book. Redbook is more than a seminar. Redbook is an invaluable resource, ready to provide answers to your questions, propose solutions to your dilemmas, and offer you forms to enable you to clearly make your point with residents and others.

It is an indispensable legal handbook for rental property owners and managers in Texas. Taught by lawyers, the Redbook 2020 seminars will highlight more than 700 pages of written materials over five classroom hours.

William S. Warren, Warren Law Firm

You will want to own the printed Redbook. The seminar fee for members, including the bound, “indispensable legal handbook for rental property owners and managers in Texas,” will set you back $374.00. Please don’t be cheap here. You can pay $140.00 less and get seminar attendance only. That is highly discouraged!

The written Redbook will not be reproduced for two years. As such, you will get 24 months of use out of this $140.00 expenditure. For roughly $5.85 per month, therefore, you will be able to take away from the seminar a reusable resource which no apartment community, no management company, no property owner, manager or leasing professional should be without. Why, you ask?

The Redbook itself, and likewise the Redbook seminar, is designed to proceed in a logical, tenancy-oriented framework. It all begins with the application process. The seminar will cover rental criteria and the application of that criteria to the application process.

For example, what information can you legally gather and how will you do so?

Once you have the data, what will you do with it? Often, third parties, unconnected with your rental property, will assist with processing the information and making a recommendation for acceptance or denial of the application.

What is the logistics of that?

Issues of growing concern, like identity theft and synthetic ID fraud,

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are addressed in Redbook and seminars. In connection with the application process, you will also learn about fair housing concerns, including responding to inquiries from prospective residents (and possibly fair housing testers) in a way that complies with local, state and federal law. Topics like criminal history screening and treatment of applicants who are non-US citizens will be covered, along with the possibility of renting to families with children. The application process is a section in the Redbook written materials exceeding 40 pages. The seminar will focus on its key takeaways.

Following the tenancy from start to finish, the Redbook will also cover the lease. Essential terms from the most recent TAA lease form will be examined. Hot topics such as late fees, renter’s insurance, and monthto-month leases will be addressed, as will the handling of utilities and fees.

Since TAA is always at work for the multi-housing industry in Texas, the 2020-2021 edition of the Redbook and Redbook seminar will present you with the most current statutory provisions and case law analysis addressing pivotal issues which arise in connection with a residential tenancy.

Once you have the tenant living in your property, a myriad of issues arises. Many of these will be unex-

pected and challenging. Yet armed with the education you receive in connection with the Redbook, you will be prepared for them. Fair housing concerns are again at the center of this aspect of the tenancy. You will learn what to do in response to those which are presented.

Many of you have received accommodation requests from people addressing service or emotional support animals. Residents and applicants raising these issues will often be misinformed because of what they have stumbled upon on the Internet. With the knowledge you obtain through the Redbook seminar and your use of the Redbook itself, you will be prepared to understand fair housing law and its practical application to Emotional Support and Service Animal issues.

By participating in the Redbook experience, you will come to understand that fair housing is neither limited to animals nor persons with a disability. You will also come to understand why multi-housing has become a fertile ground for bad faith discrimination claims. A key takeaway will be the insight to distinguish the honest from the fraudulent housing discrimination claim. With your interest piqued at the seminar, you will be positioned to peruse the Redbook written materials later and

learn to avoid the pitfalls leading to unwarranted demands against owners and management staff.

New, related discrimination issues such as drive-by lawsuits, design and construction issues and concerns, website translation for the visually impaired, and targeted online advertising will also be addressed. This section concerning resident life and management issues, covers more than 150 pages in written form.

Additional aspects of resident life and management issues include natural disasters and other catastrophes.

Such events, often driven by weather, are becoming far more commonplace and will therefore be explored.

Likewise, the latest and proper approaches to gun laws in Texas are thoroughly addressed in the Redbook printed materials and will be a topic at the seminar. You will also understand how certain crimes may significantly impact many aspects of life at a rental community and learn the key practical and legal takeaways about proper actions to take when crime invades your community.

You will learn in the 2020 Redbook seminar about what is entailed when ending the lease. This will follow presentations concerning entry into the lease and operating during the lease.

In the “Ending the Lease� parts of this seminar, everything from an abandonment or early surrender of the premises, through the death of a sole resident will be discussed. Frequently mishandled issues like proper move out notice, early termination, security deposit refunds, damages recoverable upon a lease break and many more related topics will also be addressed.

Since an eviction also ends a tenancy, evictions will be discussed. You will learn the statutory requirements for legally giving a notice to vacate.

Properly providing this notice is a prerequisite to a successful eviction, and you will learn how to ensure that such notice is always done correctly.

The remedies available to a property owner and manager at the end of the lease do not always involve a courtroom proceeding or an eviction. There are eviction alternatives which will be discussed in the semi-

The Redbook seminar will present you with the most current statutory provisions and case law analysis addressing pivotal issues which arise in connection with a residential tenancy.

MARCH / APRIL /

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ous and helpful. Redbook presenters will bring to your attention more significant changes which have been made to TAA forms. Having seen the changes and learning about why they were made, you will acquire an understanding of how those changes better protect you and enable you to perform your job exceptionally well.

That last part, the ability to perform your job exceptionally well,

does not end at 4:30 PM on the day the Redbook seminar concludes. The issues described above, along with many, many more, are addressed in much greater detail in the Redbook written materials. As your legal and practical resource, the Redbook written materials provide you the opportunity, no matter what the day or time,

to investigate the issues presented to you in the day-to-day situations you encounter. Such investigation will often open the door to solutions.

Despite its volume, you will learn to easily maneuver through the Redbook. Take the lease for example. In the Redbook section entitled TAA Leases & Addenda, you immediately encounter a Lease Index. Here, in alphabetical format, you will find essential topics and be advised of each paragraph within the TAA lease where such topic is addressed. Being able to quickly find where and how the lease addresses the issues you encounter daily is itself worth the approximately $5.85 per month you will pay, in effect, to purchase the Redbook in connection with your seminar attendance.

You are all multifamily professionals. As professionals, you are expected to know what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how to do it remarkably well. With the Redbook, both the seminar and the written materials, you can easily and affordably become the consummate multifamily professional. Roar into the Twenties and join the Redbook experience!

The year 2020 marks BILL WARREN’s 40th year of practicing law. His law practice focuses on a variety of issues and cases, the majority of which address the concerns of those active in the multi-family industry. He founded and manages Warren Law Firm. In addition, he serves as Of Counsel for the Texas Apartment Association and as Legal Counsel of the Austin Apartment Association. Bill is also a Credentialed Mediator in Texas. He writes and speaks regularly, and as author of Law In Order: The Warren Report he has had over 120 articles published. His topics cover all nature of issues pertaining to rental housing, from onsite to the boardroom to the courtroom. Bill has been Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 30 years, and is also a Fellow of the College of the State Bar of Texas. He can be reached at Warren Law Firm, 1011 Westlake Drive, Austin, Texas 78746, (512) 347-8777, or through his firm’s website at www.WLFtexas.com.

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shutterstock

TAA forms are numerous and helpful.

Redbook presenters will bring to your attention more significant changes which have been made to TAA forms.

nar. Effective use of these alternatives, you will discover, may assist you in minimizing delinquencies and monetary damages.

Throughout the tenancy, and even when no tenants are directly involved, there are essential business practices which every attendee will be made aware of. Things like data privacy, payment methods, sales tax and credit card surcharges will be addressed.

Workplace safety will be a part of the instruction, as added safety measures for management staff and owners becomes more essential.

The Redbook seminar will also cover operational issues. Water intrusion, and the possibility of mold growth which accompanies it, will be addressed.

Liability issues which are becoming more frequent in landlord-tenant lawsuits will be addressed.

The NAA Mold Action Toolkit for dealing with mold concerns, which is available to AAA members, will be briefly explored.

Most of those who attend the Redbook seminar use TAA forms.

Whether it is the application, the lease, various addenda, or notices given throughout and at the end of the tenancy, TAA forms are numer-

Register Review Realize REDBOOK Legal Seminar 2020 Join Attorney Bill Warren, Warren Law Firm, For The Must-Attend Seminar of 2020!

Two Seminar Dates: North on March 17 OR South on April 29 Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager by participating in one of the REDBOOK “Multi-Family Rental Housing Legal Seminars” being offered by AAA. These full-day intensive seminars cover legal, leasing and liability issues from the perspective of onsite apartment managers, assistant managers and leasing agents. They emphasize changes in management practices required by new laws passed during the last legislative session and updates on key regulatory issues.

2 DATES & 2 LOCATIONS TO CHOOSE FROM All-Day Session•$234 ($374 with Redbook purchase)•Lunch Included SOUTH NORTH Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Tuesday, March 17, 2020 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM TCEA Conference Center The Commons at J.J. Pickle Research Campus 3100 Alvin DeVane Blvd., Building B 10100 Burnet Rd. Austin, TX 78741 Austin, TX 78758

REGISTER: www.austinaptassoc.com/redbook All AAA Education: www.austinaptassoc.com/education

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS Must be present for your entire session. Five (5) TREC/ MCE & NAA/CEC credits given for the All-Day Session.

Must bring real estate license number for MCE credits.

Course Name and Number: Apartment & Rental Housing Legal Seminar -- 38665 Provider: Texas Apartment Association (TAA) -- 0087

LIMITED ENROLLMENT Your place is guaranteed only after you receive an email confirmation (within 48 hours of submission).

CANCELLATIONS You must submit your cancellation in writing. For the March 17 seminar, cancel by 5:00 p.m., March 10. For the April 29 seminar, cancel by 5:00 p.m., April 22.

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OUSING MON H R I A F S I L I TH APR The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination because of: Race or color • National Origin • Religion • Sex • Familial status • Disability

FAIR HOUSING WITH ATTORNEY BILL WARREN April 9, 2020 | 8:30am - 12:00pm | AAA Classroom $80/AAA member | FREE for ACE Subscribers REGISTER: http://bit.ly/fairhousingbillwarren We have some Fair Housing questions for you: •To whom do fair housing laws apply? Who is exempt?

•Which service animals are allowed?

•What are the differences between accommodations and modifications?

•How do you address hoarding disorders?

•How do you use criminal records to evaluate a prospect or existing resident?

•How do you handle disability Inquiries to avoid disability discrimination?

•What are some unique aspects of housing for older persons?

•What are the pitfalls of enforcing occupancy?

Can YOU answer these legal questions? Attorney Bill Warren can.

REGISTER: http://bit.ly/fairhousingbillwarren • All AAA Education: www.austinaptassoc.com/education

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WE FURNISH MULTI-FAMILY

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