ABODE April 2023 by HAA Publishing

ABODE THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE www.haaonline.org Advocacy

Multifamily

HAA members participate in TAA’s Day at the Capitol. April 2023

for

April 2023

ON THE COVER 52

Advocacy for Multifamily –

HAA visited the Texas Legislature at the Capitol with Texas Apartment Association delegations from around the state. HAA members visited 43 offices of Houston and surrounding area Senators and Representatives to advocate on behalf of the multifamily industry. See photos from the visit starting on Page 52.

FEATURES & PHOTOS

26 On the Scene – Photos from the Avenues Leadership Lane session.

28 On the Scene – Photos from the NEXT Professional Breakfast.

30 On the Scene – Photos from the TAA Quarterly Board Meeting.

32 On the Scene – Photos from the 2023 Maintenance Mania.

38 Fair Housing: When A Complaint is Filed – Know the reasons and steps involved in renter complaints to the TWC Civil Rights Division.

42 Fair Housing Doesn’t Mean Poor Customer Service – Empower your employees with continuing education, open dialogue and prepare for common pitfalls.

46 Where is the Eviction Tsunami? –Why are landlords’ hands still tied?

50 RPM Careers Week – Celebrate with challenges and prizes.

52 On the Scene – Photos from the TAA Day at the Capitol.

58 On the Scene – Photos from the State of the Industry Breakfast.

72 On the Road with HAA – Photos from the State of the Submarket Montgomery County.

74 On the Scene – Photos from the HAA PAC Luncheon.

76 On Site with ABODE – Take a closer look at one of HAA’s Honor Award-winning communities.

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES

7 President’s Corner – Celebrate RPM Careers Week.

8 Patron of the Month – Meet and support CSC ServiceWorks.

9 Legislative Update – The Texas Legislative Session picks up the pace.

11 It’s The Law – HUD warns the housing industry about “Junk Fees.”

14 Resident Relations – A resident dispute is settled by the committee.

20 Calendar – HAA’s schedule of events for the coming months.

26 NAA Industry Update – Comparing Build-To-Rent.

62 Welcome Mat – Find out about the newest HAA members.

64 Go-Getters – Recruit and branch out with HAA

66 The Ambassador ONE Society –Come join and network with the teams.

70 Portfolio Changes and In The News – Property updates and industry news clips from our members.

78 Index of Advertisers – See the supplier members who support this publication.

79 MarketLine – The latest area market numbers.

80 Back Page – News from around the community.

We welcome your comments. Email us at comm@haaonline.org

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 3

Cover photo by Madison O’Bar, HAA Communications Manager

OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP

LOYAL PROFFITT Vice President at Large

PRODUCT SERVICE COUNCIL OFFICERS

CANDIS MOHR, CAS President AAA Plumbers

RYAN TERRELL

Vice President at Large

JOSEPH RODRIGUEZ, CAS Vice President Greenlogic Lighting & Electric

QUINTINA WILLIS Vice President at Large

North

TRACIE YODER Vice President at Large

DEBORAH DEROUEN, CAS Secretary PooPrints

BLAISE SPITALERI, CAS Treasurer

Gemstar Construction Development

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mack Armstrong

Julie Batche

Kristen Becker

John Boriack

Jill Bounds

Kyle Brown

Tina Cavaco

Terri Clifton

Michelle Croasmun

Deborah DeRouen

Derek DeVries

Scott Douglas

Gina Erwin

Tamara Foster

Melissa Friend

Diane Gilbert

Monica Gracia

Stephanie Graves

Elizabeth Castro Gray

Manu Gupta

Clay Hicks

Deborah Holcombe

Karen Hefner

Debbie Kelm

Crystal Jackson

Jacob Kunath

Barby Lake

David Lindley

Betsy Marshall

Joe Melton

Kristin McLaughlin

Candis Mohr

Katy Myrick

Carlos Neto

Jenifer Paneral

Angelee Kumar Parikh

Mark Park

Velissa Parmer

Michelle Pawelek

Loyal Proffitt

Christy Rodriguez

Joseph Rodriguez

Kelly Scott

Ingrid Schultz

Corri Smith

Penny Sprang

Kelley Suess

Debbie Sulzer

Blaise Spitaleri

Ryan Terrell

Starla Turnbo

Richard Wall

Shelley Watson

Richard Whatcott

Quintina Willis

Tracie Yoder

DIRECTORS EMERITUS

Josh Allen

Ken Bohan

Gary Blumberg

Kathy Clem

Jack Dinerstein

Jenard Gross

Darlene Guidry

Alison Hall

David Hargrove

Larry Hill

Stacy Hunt

Hap Hunnicutt

David Jones

Mel Kieke

Mike Koch

Dick LaMarche

Cesar Lima

Tim Myers

P David Onanian

Jackie Rhone

John Ridgway

Kim Small

Eileen Subinsky

Steve Sweet

Kirk Tate

Suan Tinsley

H J Tollett, Jr.

Pat Tollett

Vic Vacek, Jr.

Beth Van Winkle

Jerry Winograd

ADVISORY DIRECTORS

Susan Alvarado

Jeff Blevins

Michelle Bridges

Israel Garza

Billy Griffin

Valerie Lacy

Stacy Lastovica

Mary Lawler

Laura Lestus

Bruce McClenny

Monica Morales

Dean O’Kelley

Tony Whitaker

GENERAL COUNSEL EMERITUS

Joe Bax

CHRISTY RODRIGUEZ Immediate Past President

HONORARY

LIFE MEMBERS

Claude Arnold

Kenn Brown

Tina Cavaco

Terri Clifton

Kevin Fenn

Diane Gilbert

Anita Harrison

Dwayne Henson

Mike Koch

Merry Mount

Monette Reynolds

Sherry Stevenson

Kirk Tate

Suan Tinsley

Sonny Unverzagt

Del Walmsley

Nancé Wells

H.P. Paul Young

Jeanne Marie

Zublin Dicks

PATRON MEMBERS

1961 CSC ServiceWorks

1968

Century A/C Supply

1978

Houston Planned Energy Systems

1982

Cotton Commercial USA Inc.

1984

AAA Plumbers

1985

Gemstar Construction Development

1986

Craven Carpet

1987

Dixie Carpet Installations

1993

Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search

1994

Camp Construction Services

1997

Apartments.com

1999

FSI Construction Inc.

DEREK DEVRIES, CAS Immediate Past President

Susan Alvarado, CAS Century A/C Supply

Chris Bell, CAS, Greenlogic Lighting & Electric

Marivel Bownds, CAS, Valet Living

Tammy Broadway, CAS American Fire Systems

Shaun Callaway, CAS, Earthworks

Brandon Coleman, CAS Cinema Anywhere

Neal Conant, CAS, Gemstar Construction Development

Sean Cunningham, CAS, Flooring Warehouse

Deborah Derouen, CAS, PooPrints

Derek DeVries, CAS Marcelino “Tito"

Estrada, CAS One Source

Realty Advisors

Giovanna Gone, CAS, Century A/C Supply

Dan James, CAS, Redevelopment Services

Amanda Kelly, CAS, Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services

Debra Knight, CAS, Comm-Fit

Stephanie Krop, CASe, Poolsure

Liz Levins, CAS, Gemstar Construction Development

Jim Martensen, CAS Camp Construction Services

Candis Mohr, CAS, AAA Plumbers

Tracey Moore, CAS, Flooring Warehouse

Karen Nelsen, CAS ALN Apartment Data

Matthew Nunn, CAS, Capital Construction

Doug Oehl, CAS, Flooring Warehouse

Arely Pena, CAS

The Liberty Group

Nikki Sekunda, CAS, The Liberty Group

Joseph Rodriguez, CAS, Greenlogic Lighting & Electric

Blaise Spitaleri, CAS, Gemstar Construction Development

Amber Whitaker, CAS FSI Construction

STEPHANIE GRAVES President SHELLEY WATSON Secretary/Treasurer GINA ERWIN President-Elect

–

East

–

West

–

HOWARD BOOKSTAFF General Counsel CASEY WATTS MORGAN CEO PRODUCT SERVICE COUNCIL MEMBERS

–

South

ABODE

APRIL 2023 I VOLUME 46, ISSUE 4

Chief Executive Officer and Publisher

CASEY WATTS MORGAN, MPP cmorgan@haaonline.org

EDITORIAL AND DESIGN STAFF

Director of Publications and Design DEBORAH NIX dnix@haaonline.org

Communications Manager MADISON O’BAR mobar@haaonline.org

ADVERTISING

Vice President of Membership and Marketing

AMANDA SHERBONDY, CAE asherbondy@haaonline.org

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Chief Operating Officer SUSAN HINKLEY, CAE shinkley@haaonline.org

Vice President of Government Affairs BRADLEY PEPPER bpepper@haaonline.org

Chief Financial Officer TREY WIMBERLY, CPA twimberly@haaonline.org

Vice President of Education and Outreach LAUREN TURNER, CAE, CMP lturner@haaonline.org

Director of Resident Relations MATILDE LUNA mluna@haaonline.org

Director of Events and Meetings LAUREN RAGIN, CMP lragin@haaonline.org

Director of Rental Credit Reporting TINA DEFIORE tdefiore@haaonline.org

Government Affairs Manager MADISON POLSTON mpolston@haaonline.org

Membership and Marketing Manager KAYLON NEWCOMB knewcomb@haaonline.org

Education & Outreach Manager CINDY DE LA RIVA cdelariva@haaonline.org

Director of IT WILL ALFARO walfaro@haaonline.org

PRINTER TGI PRINTED www.tgiprinted.com

HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES

COMMITTEE CHAIR

Executive

Nominating

Fair Housing

Ethics

Finance

ByLaws

Past Presidents Council

Multifamily Fire

Safety Alliance

Legislative

Political Action

Stephanie Graves

Christy Rodriguez

Mack Armstrong

Michelle Pawelek

Gary Blumberg

Kyle Brown

Kathy Clem

Elizabeth Castro-Gray

Gina Erwin

Stacy Hunt

Golf Starla Turnbo

Century Club

Strategic Outreach

Education Advisory

Leadership Development

Community Outreach

Product Service Council

Expo Exhibitor

Membership

Ambassador ONE Society

Independent Owners

Connection

Resident Relations A

Blaise Spitaleri

Shelley Watson

Betsy Marshall

Penny Sprang

Kyle Brown

Joe Melton

Candis Mohr

Joey Rodriguez

Monica Gracia

Matt Nunn

Liz Levins

Blaise Spitaleri

Elizabeth Castro-Gray

Diane Totten

Resident Relations B Jana Gragg

Resident Relations Appeals

HAF Fundraiser

Property Awards

Darlene Guidry

Stephanie Krop

Brandon Coleman

Monica Morales

Susan Alvarado

Norma Alvear

Diane Gilbert

STAFF ADVISOR

Casey Morgan

Bradley Pepper

Madison Polston

Lauren Turner

Susan Hinkley

Amanda Sherbondy

Matti Luna

Lauren Ragin

Tina DeFiore

HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MISSION AND VISION: HAA is the leading advocate, resource and community partner for quality rental housing providers in the Houston and surrounding area. HAA develops leadership in the multifamily industry by engaging broadly diverse membership, embracing effective technology and advocating for a geographically inclusive association. ABODE IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION serving the multihousing industry in Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Waller and Wharton counties.

ABODE, APRIL 2023, VOLUME 46, ISSUE 4

ABODE (USPS 024-962) is published monthly by the Houston Multi Housing Corporation. Publishing, editorial and advertising offices are located at 4810 Westway Park Blvd., Houston, Texas 77041. Telephone 713-595-0300. The $50 annual ABODE subscription rate is included in all member dues and additional subscriptions are available. The annual subscription rate is $50 for members, $65 for non-members. Advertising rates are available upon request. Contributed material does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Houston Apartment Association. Copyright © 2023 by HAA. Periodicals Postage Paid at Houston, Texas.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ABODE, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., Houston, Texas 77041.

Do

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 5

you need to find a

The Buyer’s Guide is online! Simply search for a member by name or category to find the most up-to-date HAA supplier member listings. You can contact the companies directly or use our “Request for Information” tool. It's quick and easy! www.haabuyersguide.com

product or service for your property on the go?

SPONSOR MEMBERS

These companies have generously supported the Houston Apartment Association with their sponsor membership

Please give them careful consideration, whenever possible, in your business.

3BeeGuys Bee Removal

A Affordable Services Co

A.B.M. Commercial & Residential (DBA 1-800-Plumber+Air of Northwest Houston)

A1 Appliance Plug

AAA Staffing Ltd

AAdvantage Laundry Systems

ABC Supply

ACM Contractors of Texas

ACT Security Group

Action Window Coverings Inc

ACTIV Answer by Audio Images

Adobe Floors Inc

Adventure Playground Systems Inc

Advocate Construction Inc

Alcaraz Lawn Care

Alexander-Rose Associates Inc

All About Doody Pet Solutions LLC

All American Mailboxes of Houston Inc

All Dry Service

ALN Apartment Data

Ambassador Services LLC

The Ambrose Group

America Outdoor Furniture

American Fire Protection Group

American Fire Systems Inc

American Platinum Builders

AmRent

Andrews Myers PC

Apartment Lines

ApartmentData.com

Apex Multifamily

AppFolio

ASAP Personnel Inc

Atlantis Exterior Cleaning

Atom4 Security Camera

AZP Multifamily

Belfor Property Restoration

Bell’s Laundries

Bentley, Bratcher & Associates - PC

Bettencourt Tax Advisors LLC

BGE Inc/aka Brown & Gay Engineers Inc

Bio-One Houston South

BioTechs Crime & Trauma

Scene Cleaning

Black Tie Logistics

Blue Marlin Maintenance & Services

BluSky Restoration Contractors

Brady Chapman Holland & Assoc

Brandt Adjusting Service LLC

BrightView Landscape LLC

Brown & Brown Lone Star Insurance Agency Inc

BSI

C3 Building Solutions

Cano Electric Inc

Capital Disaster Solutions

CashFlow Pros LLC

Centex Construction

Century Fire Protection Houston

Certified Apartment Staffing

CFI Group

Chadwell Supply

Chicago Title Commercial Division

Citi Fence & Concrete

City Pups

City Wide Facility SolutionsHouston West

Classic Same Day Blinds

Clean & Green Solutions

CNM Project Management LLC

CoAdvantage

Comfort Systems USA (South Central) Inc

Comiskey Capital Insurance Agency Inc

Commercial Fire Protection

Construction ECO Services Contractors Inc

Contratista Direct

ControlByNet Cloud and Managed Video Surveillance Solutions

Core 24/7 Restoration & Construction

Core By KHI Restoration

Core Multifamily Fabrication

CORT Furniture

CRE Business Solutions LLC

Crowned Eagle Construction

CSC Serviceworks

Cypress Landscaping & Irrigation Inc

D&G Quality Roofing Inc

D&M Roofing

DeNyse Companies

Designs by Holmes

DHI Commercial Roofing

The Dick Law Firm

DNM Contracting Inc

Dryer Vent Wizard of Humble

Ecolo Environmental Inc

Embark Services

Emersyn Electrical Services LLC

Encore Services TX, LLC

EnviroSmart Multifamily

Pest Solutions

Epic Air Conditioning

EPICHTX Construction

ESI Fire & Security Inc

Exo Edge

Ezlo Innovation

Fantastic Floors

FASTSIGNS Missouri City

Featherston Sign Partners

FFH Inc DBA Liberty Builders

Fiat Construction LLC

Fidus Construction Services

Finish Factory Inc

Fire Reconstruction Inc

Flavor Finish Resurfacing

Frontier Waste Solutions

fun abounds

Gambit Construction

Gateman Inc

Get It Done Cleaning Service LLC

Gifford Roofing

Giordano Construction Inc

Go-Staff Inc

Graphic Stylus Promotional Products

Great American Business Products

Green City Security LLC

Green Garbology

Greenlogic Lighting & Electric

Grindstone General Contracting

GT Security Solutions

Guardian Gutters

Halo Doors Inc

Hamilton-Steele Outdoor Accents

Hard Works Valet Trash & Recycling

Higginbotham

Hive Technology

Homeland Protective Services Inc

Hoover Slovacek LLP

HQ Contracting

Hut Services LLC

Industrial Disposal Supply

Infinity Power Partners

Infinity Roofing & Restoration

Inner Loop Construction LLC

Innovative Roofing Company Inc

Insgroup

J and B Carpet Services

JAK Environmental LLC

Jenkins Restorations

Johnstone Supply

Jonah Digital Agency

Kathy Andrews Interiors

Keylo Painting & Construction

KONE

Law Office of Ernie Garcia PLLC

Leah McVeigh Design and Consulting

LeasePal Inc

Ledge Lounger

Lee & Barrier Builders LLC

The Liberty Group

Liftmaster

Lights Out Production Company

Lincoln Jacob Construction

Lithotech Printed Products/ Forms Center

Lopez Carpet Care & Painting

LP Building Solutions: LouisianaPacific Corporation

LVL Up Remodeling

Maldonado Nursery & Landscaping Inc

Masonry Solutions Inc

Matrix Construction Services

McMahan’s Flooring Inc

Men In Kilts

Modern Pest Control

Monge Contracting Group

MPS Direct

Mueller Water Conditioning Inc

MVI Construction

MX2 Commercial Paving

National Renovations LLC - DBA

Repipe Specialists Inc

NEI General Contracting

Nelson Painting and Construction

Norman Roofing and Construction

NorthMarq Capital

O’Conor Mason & Bone PC

On Duty Tree and Landscape

On Site Towing LLC

OnCall Patrol LLC DBA

Parking Pass.Com

Orkin Pest Control

Outdoor Elements

Pace Mechanical Services LLC

Pack It Movers

Parking Management Company/

PMC Towing

Pasadena Insurance Agency Inc

Paul Davis Greater Houston

PCS Creative Surface LLC

Perma Pier Foundation Repair

The Phoenix Staffing

Precision Safe Sidewalks LLC

Pro Kleen Exterior Services

Pro-Tex Contracting Group

PROCO Commercial Roofing

Professional Resurface LLC

Property Guardians

Pura Flo Corporation

PuroClean

Qira Inc

Quatro Tax LLC

Qwikkit

RAM Construction

Ram Jack Foundation Solutions

Real Floors Inc

Redevelopment Services

Reliable Roofing of Texas Inc

Reliant

RENCON

Rent Debt Automated Collection Services Inc

Rent.

Resia Construction LLC

Resident IQ

Residential Waste Service LLC

Restoration 1 of Central Houston

Revelation Windows & Doors

REVS (Refuel Electric Vehicle

Solutions)

Roadrunner Restoration Company LLC

Roosevelt General Contracting

Roto-Rooter Services Co

Rotolo Consultants Inc (RCI)

RTC Restoration & Glass Inc

SafeRent Solutions

Saifee Signs & Graphics

Saint Clair & Sons Inc

Santos Contracting LLC

Sayan Renovations and Construction

Scoop Troop HTX

SEAL Security Solutions LLC

Secure Insurance

Select Appliance Wholesale LLC

Sergeant Fifty-Five Insurance

ServiceMaster Recovery Management

SERVPRO of Cypress

Sherwin Williams

Shipman Fire Protection

Sign-Ups & Banners

Snappt

South Central Electric LLC

Southern Exposure

Landscaping LLC

Spectrum Brands

State Patrol Services LLC

Steward Trash Valet Service

Stormwater Professionals Group

Strata Roofing and Construction LLC

Strategic Electrical Solutions

Structural Concrete Systems LLC

Sunny Pressure Washing LLC

Surface Experts

Swain & Baldwin Insurance & Risk Management

Swift Bunny

Texas Apartment Pool Services

Texas Concrete Professional Company

Texas Engineered Roofing & General Contracting

Texas GroundWorks

Management

Texas Landscape Group LLC

Texas Southwest Floors Inc

Texas Window Cleaning Co Inc

Three Amigos Texas LLC

Threshold Agency LLC

Tpo Pros Roofing & Restoration

TradeCon Industries

Two Brothers Foundation Repair

United Protective Services

Urban Value Corner Store

USA Heroes Coalition D/b/a USA

Real Estate Professionals (USAREP)

USA Patrol Division

Valet Living

VBM Waste LLC

Vima Decor

WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems

Watermark Restoration and Construction

Webb Pest Control

Whitmans Contracting and Roofing

Wilsonart LLC

World Cinema Inc

XXL Construction Inc

Letter from the President

By STEPHANIE GRAVES, CAPS, CAM, IROP, 2023 HAA President

HOW OFTEN DO YOU CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR INDUSTRY, OUR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TEAM MEMBERS? IF YOUR ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS ‘NOT ENOUGH,’ THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY IS COMING UP THIS MONTH TO SHOW YOUR DESERVING EMPLOYEES SOME RECOGNITION.

NAA’s RPM (Residential Property Management) week is April 17-21. There is Dream Team Monday, Maintenance Tuesday, Thank a Teammate Thursday and Why I love My RPM Career Friday. NAA is offering awesome prizes for the winners of these challenges, and I would love for a hard-working team member from the Houston Apartment Association to be recognized during one of these days! You can read more about the challenges going on throughout the week and how to submit your photos on Pages 50 and 51.

Although this will be an amazing week to celebrate RPM, we should be doing small things year-round for our people, so they know how much we appreciate them. A select group of HAA members recently had the opportunity to attend a lunch program covering “quiet quitting.” One main takeaway from the session was that employees feeling unrecognized eventually leads to burn out, feeling undervalued, or worse, makes them start looking for a different career. This wasn’t a new discovery, but a reminder for all of us. So, I wanted to pass that reminder along to those members that didn’t get to attend the luncheon.

I have started integrating one tip into my daily routine that involves helping my employees feel valued while also having a better work life balance. Some people need to unplug and not feel the pressure to respond when the boss reaches out. But, as we know, this industry never sleeps. Most of us work on weekends and nights to ensure we get everything done, but that’s not always what our team members have signed up for. I want to connect with employees when they are in the office, not when I am working late hours on the dreaded paperwork needed to make things happen, so I have started scheduling my emails to deliver during that ‘9 to 5’ time frame to avoid staff burnout. There is this cool feature that allows you to type up an email while you are working overtime at 9 p.m., but scheduling it to send when your employee is in the office at 9 a.m. This tool has allowed me to get my work done after hours without disrupting the balance for my management team.

Let’s rally together and flood not only NAA with photos of our team members during RPM week to show how much Houston loves their employees, but also flood our great staffers who put in blood, sweat and tears to keep this industry thriving. A simple ‘thank you for your hard work’ could make the difference to someone!

https://rpm.naahq.org/rpm-careers-week/

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 7

Photos from Q10’s Maintenance Appreciation Day.

These companies have generously supported the Houston Apartment Association with their patron membership. Please give them careful consideration, whenever possible, in your business.

April Patron of the Month

Houston Planned Energy Systems

HAA Member since 1978

Cotton Commercial USA Inc.

HAA Member since 1982

Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search

HAA Member since 1993

CSC ServiceWorks

HAA Member since 1961

Craven Carpet

HAA Member since 1986

Camp Construction Services

HAA Member since 1994

Apartments.com

HAA Member since 1997

Gemstar Construction Development Inc.

HAA Member since 1985

AAA Plumbers

HAA Member since 1984

FSI Construction Inc.

HAA Member since 1999

Dixie Carpet Installations

HAA Member since 1987

Century A/C Supply

HAA Member since 1968

8 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Update By GINA ERWIN, HAA Legislative Chair, with BRADLEY PEPPER, Vice President of Government Affairs

SINE DIE FAST APPROACHES

The Texas Legislative Session picks up the pace.

THE LEGISLATIVE

session continues to march toward Sine Die (end of session) on May 29, the real work of the Texas House and Senate has begun in earnest. Committees are hearing bills in both the House and Senate daily and both chambers are in session for more days and longer hours each week.

The lack of progress and activity can be confusing as the session began back on January 10, but there are constitutional provisions that intentionally slow the legislative process down. Although members have 140 days to complete the business of the state, the only items that can be acted on within the first 60 days of the session are “emergency items” which are exclusively determined by the governor.

Now that we have passed that deadline, the pace of session has increased. Members began filing bills on November 14 and now that the March 10 bill filing deadline has passed, we know the full scope of the measures that have been filed and what to monitor and track for the remainder of the session. This year, members filed more than 7,850 bills, which is an alltime high and the most filed by more than 400 bills. That said, last session saw only 15% of filed bills become law.

While there are thousands of bills that will be considered, there is only one item that the Texas legislature must pass: The Budget. The budget is written to cover the biennium following that legislative session, in this case 2024-25. While both the House and Senate work together to craft a balanced budget (the Texas Constitution requires that the legislature pass a balanced budget), the chambers alternate the responsibility of introducing the bill each session.

With a historic budget surplus of more than $33 billion, the legislature will long debate the appropriate use for those dollars, but we can expect nearly half to be used for property tax relief. How they reach that property tax relief still remains to be seen.

The Texas House proposal would cut school district property taxes by 28%, as well as place

an appraisal cap of 5% on both residential and commercial property. Currently, only a homeowner’s primary residence is eligible for an appraisal cap of 10%.

The House plan differs drastically from the Senate proposal, which would see Texans vote on the single largest ISD Property Tax Homestead Exemption increase in Texas history. If approved, the homestead exemption for their primary residence would increase from $40,000 to $70,000.

TAA/HAA Supported Legislation

While property taxes have a dramatic impact on the industry and continue to be a top priority in both TAA and HAA’s advocacy efforts, there are two pieces of legislation that we are actively pushing:

House Bill 2035 by Rep. Shelby Slawson/Senate Bill 986 by Senator Brandon Creighton

The eviction process should be uniform across Texas. A patchwork of local requirements creates confusion and unintended consequences. Justices of the Peace follow state law and court rules in eviction proceedings and cities have no defined role. However, some cities have recently tried to intervene by passing ordinances that prolong the process.

For example, the City of San Marcos currently has a 90-day notice before you can file an eviction. HB 2035 and SB 986 would prohibit cities from imposing their own notice requirements outside of state law.

House Bill 2457 by Rep. J.M. Lozano/Senate Bill 767 by Senator Tan Parker

City fees fund essential services but stakeholders – and sometimes even council members – are often not aware of new or increased fees until after they have been adopted. These bills would increase transparency when cities are considering increasing fees in city budgets.

They will require a fee schedule of new/ increased fees to be included on the city budget’s cover page —similar to requirements

cities already meet when proposing new property tax rates. They will also require a separate vote by the city council to approve the use of the revenue raised by the new or increased fees and will allow interested parties to register for email notification about proposed new/ increased fees.

As these and other pieces of legislation progress through the session, members of the HAA Government Affairs team will be active in advocating in Austin on the issues that affect our industry and we will continue to keep HAA members updated.

HAA Had a Huge Day at the Capitol

Early on the morning of March 1, HAA members left Houston and made their way to Austin to participate in TAA’s Day at the Capitol. Each session, this special opportunity is offered for our members to meet and directly engage with our State Senators and Representatives on issues and legislation that affect the apartment industry.

Once in Austin, the day started with Comptroller Glenn Hegar addressing more than 200 apartment association members from around the state. Comptroller Hegar applauded the role that the industry plays in our state by providing not only housing, but jobs in the world’s ninth largest economy.

Following lunch, our groups made their way to the Capitol for an afternoon of meetings with our 46-member delegation. After successfully advocating on housing issues, including the bills mentioned above, we made our way back to Houston after a long and satisfying day.

The Day at the Capitol was a major success and HAA brought nearly half of the TAA’s total attendees. We received a lot of positive feedback from our delegation’s members and staff. Thank you to all that participated and see Pages 52 through 54 for photos from the event.

See you again in two years.

Legislative

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 9

NO MORE “JUNK”

Welcome to Fair Housing Month! HUD warns the housing industry about “Junk Fees.”

LAST MONTH, I wrote about the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights. In the blueprint, the Administration called for clear and fair leases without hidden or legal fees. President Biden urged federal agencies to do everything they can to crack down on “junk fees” across the economy, from banking services to cable and internet bills to airline and concert tickets.

On March 7, 2023, Marcia L. Fudge, the Secretary of HUD, published an open letter to the housing industry calling for action on “junk fees” that renters face, joining President Biden’s call to eliminate “these hidden fees, charges or add-ons.” Building on President Biden’s initiative, Secretary Fudge called on housing providers and state and local governments to adopt policies that promote fairness and transparency of fees faced by renters.

The letter penned by Secretary Fudge identifies a number of issues of which the housing industry should take note.

Discriminatory fees

Secretary Fudge states that in a rental market where perspective renters often apply to several units, non-refundable application fees present a financial burden for many applicants, particularly people with low incomes. When renters are charged even modest rental application fees for multiple units, the cost can quickly add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Secretary Fudge stated that research shows renters of color are more likely to be charged application fees and to be charged higher fees compared to white renters.

Fudge cited an article from Zillow to support her claim that discriminatory practices lead to higher fees. The article, entitled “Renters of Color Pay Higher Security Deposits,” states that renters of color typically submit more applications – and pay more in application fees – before they secure a place to

live than white renters do. Renters of color also typically pay a higher deposit when they move in. The article states:

• Higher upfront costs add to the challenge faced by renters of color searching for a new home in today’s tight rental market.

• Renters of color pay security deposits more often than white renters, and the deposits they pay are typically $150 higher.

• Black and Latino renters report submitting more applications than white or Asian American and Pacific Islander renters. The typical white or Asian American and Pacific Islander renter submits two applications, while the typical Black or Latino renter submits three.

The article states that the higher fees and number of applications for renters of color are likely partially attributable to their age, income and geography. The typical renter of color is two years younger than the median white renter, meaning two fewer years of potential income growth. White renters are also more likely to live in rural markets and the Midwest, both of which are generally less expensive. Asian American and Pacific Islander and Latino renters, in particular, are more likely to rent in the West, which includes many of the country’s most expensive and competitive rental markets.

Tenant screening fees

Secretary Fudge states that landlords typically use application fees to pay for tenant screening reports, and these reports may have inaccurate information and questionable validity in predicting renter behavior. If perspective renters are not given the opportunity to review and correct the information in these reports, these renters may end up paying numerous application fees only to be repeatedly rejected for this inaccurate information in their tenant screening reports.

Hidden and unnecessary fees

Secretary Fudge states that even after renters secure housing, their monthly costs may exceed the listed price of the unit due to hidden and unnecessary fees. The hidden fees may include move-in fees, late fees, high-risk fees or security bonds, convenience fees for online payments, and others.

Disclosure of fees

Secretary Fudge urges all fair housing providers, as well as state and local governments, to take action to better disclose fees charged to renters in advance of and during tenancy. These actions should aim to promote fairness and transparency for renters while insuring that fees charged to renters reflect the actual costs to housing providers.

The Secretary encourages all rental housing providers, as well as the companies that provide leasing and property management services to providers and rental platforms, to adopt policies that promote fairness and transparency for renters to:

• eliminate rental application fees or limit application fees to only those necessary to cover actual and a legitimate cost for services;

• allow a single application fee to cover multiple applications on the same platform or across multiple properties owned by one housing provider or managed by one company across providers;

• eliminate duplicative, excessive and undisclosed fees at all stages of the leasing

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 11

It’s the Law By HOWARD BOOKSTAFF, Hoover Slovacek LLP , HAA General Counsel

process, such as administrative fees and other processing fees, in addition to rental application fees; and

• clearly identify bottom-line amounts that tenants will pay for move-in and monthly rent in advertisements of rental properties and in lease documents, including all recurring monthly costs and their purpose.

HUD’s next action

As part of its leadership on this topic, HUD commits to sharing research, best practices and tools that state and local governments and housing providers can use to increase transparency and promote fairness for all fees associated with renting a home.

In addition, HUD commits to work with other federal agencies to release best practices on the use of tenant screening reports and strongly encourages property owners to align with these best practices on the use of tenant screening reports. This includes the importance of communicating clearly if a tenant screening report is used to reject a rental applicant or increase fees, as well as providing applicants the opportunity to address inaccurate information in these reports.

The Secretary stated that she will continue to look for other opportunities – engaging Congress, state and local leaders, and housing practitioners – to improve practices in the rental market.

A note on fees

Whether or not you agree with the Administration’s and Secretary’s positions stated in the Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights and the Secretary’s letter, it is apparent that the federal government is focused on the apartment industry. In light of Secretary Fudge’s letter and HUD’s request that housing providers adopt policies that promote fairness and transparency for renters, you might consider the following when adopting any fees:

• Be sure that all fees are agreed to in advance in writing by the resident. To promote fairness and transparency, fees that applicants and residents will be expected to pay should not be ignored in advertisements and should be identified in the application contract and lease documents.

• Be sure that the fees you are charging are not otherwise prohibited by law. For example, Texas law heavily regulates what fees can be

charged in connection with water billing. Up to a 9% service charge is permissible for submetered water billing only. Be sure that any fees you charge are not in conflict with applicable law.

• Be sure that the amount of the fee is reasonable considering what the fee is supposed to cover. As HUD has suggested, fees should cover actual and legitimate costs for services. For example, if you assess an amenity fee, it would be beneficial if the fee covered the cost associated with operating or maintaining amenities.

Housing providers should be aware that operations and policies are under scrutiny. In anticipation of the issues addressed by the government (and for a good time to celebrate fair housing month!), it would be beneficial to review policies and procedures regarding fees.

Want more Howard? He’s online! Go to http://issuu.com/haa_abode for past columns or watch his Legal Lowdown on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/HAATV. 12 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

A SHOT IN THE DARK

A resident files complaint after being charged for a carpet repair caused by a bullet hole.

A RESIDENT FILED a complaint

with the Houston Apartment Association’s Resident Relations Department disputing charges that were sent to collections by a previous apartment management company. The resident told HAA that her neighbor had shot off a gun and the bullet went through the wall, into the floor, causing holes in the carpet. The resident claimed she filed a police report of the events that took place. Upon moveout the resident received a call from collections telling her she had an overdue balance of $628.28. She then contacted HAA to file a complaint.

HAA reached out to the resident’s previous apartment property and passed along the information, and that response was forwarded to the resident. Enclosed in the management’s

response were copies of the lease, application, move-in condition form, revised final account statement, resident ledger and pictures. The property explained that the charges were for the carpet replacement due to the damage, various stains and a past due water bill that was not paid before moving out.

The Committee’s Decision

The case was heard during a Resident Relations Committee meeting and the committee decided in favor of management. The resident never turned in a police report to support her claims, but management did turn in pictures showing the damaged carpet. The charges were justified, and the resident owes the property $628.28.

The HAA Resident Relations Committees provide an impartial review of resident complaints using the documentation provided by both the resident and management. When the committee finds in favor of the resident, we appreciate a direct response from the property to the resident within two weeks and a copy of the payment sent to HAA for our records. When the committee finds in favor of the resident, management may file an appeal. When the committee finds in favor of the property owner, the decision is final.

If you are a manager with a resident relations issue, call HAA at 713-595-0300.

Residents can be directed online to www.haaonline.org/renters.

Resident Relations from the RESIDENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE 14 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

T T The Honors are back June 29! Visit www.haaonline.org/nominate Take a few minutes and recognize your superstars! The deadline for individual nominations is Friday, May 26. T T T

Show Schedule:

Education Sessions (paid attendees only)

8:30 a.m. – Registration opens

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Credential Corner open (second ﬂoor)

9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. – Education Sessions

(English & Spanish – Concurrent Sessions)

10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. – Education Sessions

(English & Spanish – Concurrent Sessions)

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Keynote Speaker & Luncheon

Expo (free for management company personnel)

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Expo opens, Hall C to all attendees

3:45 p.m. – 1st Featured Supplier Contest

$1,500 Winner drawn and announced

4:45 p.m. – 2nd Featured Supplier Contest

$1,500 Winner drawn and announced

5 p.m. – Expo closes

join the multifamily tree may 18, 2023 nrg center • hall c www.haaexpo.org

Thanks Sponsors: Show Schedule:

Lanyards: Chadwell Supply

Education Conference

Breakfast: Clozzits

Crowned Eagle Construction

Education Conference

Leadership Sessions:

Century Air Conditioning Supply

Massey Services Inc.

Education Conference

Spanish Sessions:

AAA Plumbers

American Fire Systems

Keynote Luncheon: EPICHTX Construction

Credential Corner:

Core Multifamily Fabrication

Grand Entrance: EPICHTX Construction

Aisle Signs:

Ameristar Screen & Glass

Best Plumbing

Encore Services TX

Flooring Warehouse

Greenlogic Lighting & Electric

Jenkins Restorations

Lowe’s Pro Supply Massey Services Inc.

Bars: ATI Restoration

Matrix Construction Services

Hand Sanitizer Stations:

Ameristar Screen & Glass

Lowe’s Pro Supply

Mobile Device

Charging Stations: G.O. Plumbing Services Jenkins Restorations

Roaming Photobooth: Massey Services Inc

Poolsure

Education Sessions:

(paid attendees only)

Price: $150 by April 18/$175 after April 18 NAA Credential Holders $120

8:30 a.m. – Registration opens

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Credential Corner open (second ﬂoor) Get “Rooted” in HAA and earn your credential today! Accredited through the National Apartment Association (NAA), these credentials show your true commitment to your career. Come learn about the six different credential programs we offer and the opportunity to receive an education grant for a program.

8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. – Breakfast

9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.– Two Concurrent Leadership Sessions:

English Session: Leadership Without a Title with Dr. Stevi Dawn

Even when we do not have the title or the power, we are still leaders in our work. Being a leader means understanding the VIP skills that leaders use daily. We call these Very Impactful Practices. Think of it as 8 things you can do every day to establish your leadership brand. Whether it’s learning how to communicate a message effectively or managing conﬂict in a positive way, these leadership skills create success regardless of your level. It is not about being the boss. It’s about inﬂuencing people towards a shared goal. You must lead yourself, before you can lead others.

Spanish Session: Leading with Questions – The Most Underutilized Tool of the Leader with Nelson Cárcamo

Nelson’s goal is to develop the individual’s ability to inﬂuence others so they can achieve exceptional results, not only in their professional career or function but also in other areas. Together we will raise the current level of motivation, personal commitment, and accountability and inspire them to be leaders with high-impact results by eliminating the barriers of mental and operational paradigms.

10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. – Two Concurrent General Sessions:

Spanish Session: Industry Update with Jesus Zepeda

Learn, share, and interact with Regional

Maintenance Manager Jesus Zepeda from Camden. This program will focus on upcoming changes to three key areas including HVAC changes, pool safety, emergency preparedness, and more.

English Session: Tech Tools For Serious Self Care with Beth Z

Discover easy tools that help you organize your day and manage your life. In the insanity of today’s world, you're busier than ever with deals, kids, health checks, high stress and exhaustion. Even though you're being pulled in every direction by everyone and everything, if you don't take time to keep your head on straight, you won't be able to be the leader you are. Join Your Nerdy Best Friend, author/speaker Beth Z, for a nerd's take on selfcare. Using today's technology, you can integrate tools and apps into your routine that will help you get more work done in less time. Discover resources to help you overcome the crippling effects of stress and overwork. And best of all, Beth Z's tools are free or darn cheap.

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Lunch

Noon to 1 p.m. – Keynote Speaker

Kintsukuroi: On Empathy and Other Things with S.C. Says (a.k.a. slam poet Andre Bradford)

The overall mission of the programming will be to provide attendees with a new lens, using slam poetry, with which to view Purposeful Empathy as well as help them truly understand the value and power of story, and how vital it is to seek a deeper understanding of the people around us to create a welcoming community and living experience. Kintsukuroi means to call attention to the lines made by time and rough use; these aren't a source of shame. This practice—also known as kintsukuroi, which literally means gold mending—emphasizes the beauty and utility of breaks and imperfections.

Expo:

(free for management company personnel) 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Expo opens, Hall C to all attendees

3:45 p.m. – 1st Featured Supplier Contest

$1,500 Winner drawn and announced

4:45 p.m. – 2nd Featured Supplier Contest

$1,500 Winner drawn and announced

5 p.m. – Expo closes

Cárcamo Dawn Zepeda Beth Z S.C Says

APRIL

4-5

Leasing 101

Tuesday, April 4 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday April 5

8:30 a.m. to noon

Visit www.haaonline.org for more information.

CAM: Certified Apartment Manager Property Maintenance/Human Resources

Tuesday, April 4 and Wednesday April 5 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Hahn Equipment and Liberty Builders

5 New Supplier Orientation

Wednesday, April 5 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Via Zoom

All new supplier members or representatives can attend this online orientation. Learn how to get involved and take advantage of member benefits.

Ambassador One Crawfish Boil & Cornhole Tournament Fundraiser

Wednesday, April 5 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Hans’ Crawfish Services Benefiting Shelter to Shutters. Email members@haaonline.org.

Avenues: Main Street 1

Basic to Bougie! Elevating Your Customer Experience to Extraordinary! with Nina Troester & Michelle Molinaro, Savvy Property Solutions

Thursday, April 6

9 a.m. to Noon.

This seminar will help elevate your customer service experience, adapt to constant change, manage your own brand, and create a vibrant culture. See Page 23 for more information.

MAY 2

PAC Steering Committee Meeting

Tuesday, May 2 Noon to 1 p.m.

New Supplier Orientation

Wednesday, May 3

10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Via Zoom

All new supplier members or representatives can attend this online orientation. Learn how to get involved and take advantage of member benefits.

Ambassador ONE Society Meeting

Wednesday, May 3

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Kirby Icehouse Memorial 1015 Gessner Road

Supplier partners can join this committee for HAA Ambassadors to find out how to promote HAA Events, contact properties to survey them on benefits, and network with other supplier partners. Supplier members only.

4 Legal Lowdown

Thursday, May 4 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Via Zoom

See Page 77 for details.

On the Scene with HAA

Avenues: Leadership Lane - 1

Thursday, February 9

New Technology Track!

Plus updated content featuring the top industry speakers

Technology ROW

• Fewer than 200 units: $199/year

• 200-350 units: $399/year

• More than 350 units: $499/year

Three (3) CEC credits awarded per session.

Avenues: Maintenance Blvd - 1

June 21

How to Create Win-Win Scopes, Bids, and Contracts with Chris King-Dye, Full House Marketing

Avenues: Maintenance Blvd - 2

October 4

Trends in Maintenance - Personnel, Service, Technology and Tools with Mark Cukro, Plus One Inc.Service Team Training

Avenues: Maintenance Blvd - 3

October 19

As the Apartment Turns- Preventing

Soap Opera Drama in your Apartment Turn Program with Chris King-Dye, Full House Marketing

Avenues: Leadership Lane – 2

June 14

The Persuasive Leader Workshop: How to Lead Your People to Their Highest Results with Rommel Anacan

Avenues: Leadership Lane - 3

September 20

Next Level Leadership with Debbie Phillips

Avenues: Marketing Place - 2

May 24

Video, Video, Video: The best ways to use video for marketing, leasing, and communication with Lisa Trosien, ApartmentExpert.com

Avenues: Marketing Place - 3

October 11

Say YES to the Address with Leah Brewer, Full House Training

Avenues: Technology Row - 2

May 9 Excel Intermediate (102) with Julie Hartman, B2G Victory

Avenues: Technology Row - 3

August 16

Microsoft Training (Teams, Outlook, and Office) with Julie Hartman, B2G Victory

Need just one seminar? Individual sessions are priced atonly$60per person,arealstealforqualityeducation! The Avenues series of seminars feature some of the best nationally-acclaimed speakers in the industry with learning sessions for every level of multifamily professional. Look for the class schedule at www.haaonline.org for details. Contact the HAA Education Department at education@haaonline.org or register online at www.haaonline.org. Main ST Maintenance BLVD Marketing PL Leadership LN Annual Property Subscriptions are available with unlimited attendance for all on-site property staff to attend all sessions at a discounted price.

Leasing 101 2023

An Introduction to Leasing and the Apartment Industry

From Fair Housing and the TAA lease paperwork to today’s terminology and techniques, the industry’s most seasoned and dynamic instructors are on hand to educate students on the boundless potential that awaits those who choose the apartment management industry as their career. This course is intended as an introduction to the apartment industry for new leasing professionals, as well as those individuals looking to learn more about the industry as a career.

Topics covered include:

• Greeting and qualifying the customer

• Executing the lease contract

• Telephone techniques and e-leasing

• Overcoming objections and closing techniques

Class Schedule:

Day One:

8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Registration

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Program

A complimentary lunch is provided.

Day Two:

8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Registration

9 a.m. to Noon – Program

Program Cost:

Registration closes at Noon the day before.

$75 for students paying in advance

$85 for students who provide payment at the door

Preregistration is required.

Seats and materials are not guaranteed for walk-ups.

For

• An overview of Fair Housing and more. Students who complete the course will receive a certificate, as well as a listing of HAA member management companies.

Leasing 101 Course Dates:

April 4-5

June 27-28

August 22-23

September 12-13

November 28-29

more information and to register, visit us online at www.haaonline.org or email education@haaonline.org

Lease

Know the

Class includes TAA Lease paperwork curriculum, brought to you by HAA Legal Counsel, Howard Bookstaff!

COMPARING BUILD-TO-RENT

This article is an excerpt from the January/February 2023 units Magazine article, "Build-to-Rent: Challenging Times Yield New Options & Strategies.”

How BTR Homes Compare in Size, Price, Location

Size and price. Most communities offer townhomes and single-family homes. Adam Wolfson’s Miami-based firm, Wolfson Development, is completing its first project, Cantabria, with 184 homes on the Bradenton, Fla., property. Homes will feature three and four bedrooms, measure an average of 1,500 square feet, have attached garages and be priced from $2,600 to $3,400 a month. It’s starting work on Encanto Isla in Kissimmee, Fla., with 214 units and a similar number of bedrooms, square footage and prices. “All are larger than most apartments and somewhat comparable to houses, a big part of the appeal to consumers,” he says.

RKW Residential, now owned by Hello Alfred, entered this sector as a manager a few years ago. “We identified BTR as an attractive option for renters due to the broader housing affordability issues and increasing demand for more space and privacy,” says Joya Pavesi, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Strategy at Charlotte, N.C.-based RKW Residential, which manages Sands’ BTR Seaglass Cottages Apartments in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and many additional BTR communities.

Your Vote Matters

The developments that Peter Chacon’s Northmarq firm is involved with reflect similar numbers and a mix of attached townhomes between 1,300 to 1,400 square feet and prices from $1,500 to $2,000 a month, and single-family homes of 1,800 to 2,100 square feet and prices between $2,000 and $2,500 a month, he says.

At Deercrest Townhomes, a new community of 64 rental townhomes in Antioch, Ill., square footage ranges from 1,400 to 1,700, with big driveways and garages adding to the feeling of space, and prices from $2,200 to $2,500, says Diana Pittro, Executive Vice President at Chicago-based RMK Management Corp., which manages the development.

Sarasota, Fla.-based Pearl Homes’ Founder Marshall Gobuty has taken a similar approach with his OurLives community in Ellenton, Fla., where single-family homes will range from 900 to 1,800 square feet and rental prices from $1,600 to $2,600 a month when completed in 2024.

Location. Locations vary too but share some commonalities such as being near good employment opportunities and schools, retail and other services and sometimes transportation hubs, though with WFH that may matter less.

Wolfson’s firm favors sites that are a five-to10-minute drive from a downtown such as St. Petersburg in Florida. Pittro says outlying suburban areas where there’s been little supply of

rental housing and residents can gain outdoor space have been a focus of the Chicago developer her company has worked with on Deercrest, which will gain more inventory in future stages. The same developer has also broken ground for the Conservancy in Gilberts, Ill., and next year will start on the Clublands of Antioch in Antioch, Ill., and Bristol Farms in Yorkville, Ill. “The land in these locations is cheaper,” she says.

Others also hear interest in sites farther out—30 minutes or so from a city—for another reason. Municipalities there are likely to approve the required density to accommodate enough houses to create a community, Chacon says. “We’re seeing BTR communities pop up in [Georgia] locations like Cartersville, Gainesville, Winder, Douglasville, etc. because the primary pockets like Marietta, Sandy Springs, Brookhaven and others are harder to get deals approved,” he says.

Barbara Ballinger is a frequent contributor to units Magazine.

Read the full BTR feature in the January/ February 2023 issue of units Magazine, visit https://www.naahq.org/units-magazine-januaryfebruary-2023.

For more from the National Apartment Association, visit www.naahq.org.

The Houston Apartment Association Political Action Committee is the PAC of the Houston Apartment Association, a non-profit trade association representing the area apartment industry. Without political capital, our industry would not be as successful in representing you or your clients’ interests, and thus, your financial well-being. The HAA PAC participates in local and state political campaigns, helping candidates who support the apartment industry and its supplier businesses. You can participate in the HAA PAC on several levels.

For more on HAA PAC, visit www.haaonline.org/haapac

Industry Update from the NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION 26 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

In many ways, build-to-rent (BTR) homes can be thought of as a hybrid between single-family homes and townhomes and apartments..

On the Scene with the HAA

NEXT Professional Breakfast

Friday, March 4

at the HAF Education Center

Sponsored by LC Towing and Fairway Architectural Railings Solutions

Guest speaker Mindy Price shared advice on how to reenergize your attitude and achieve personal and professional goals.

MEET THE NEXT GENERATION OF HAA LEADERSHIP. This niche group within HAA is dedicated to the networking and professional development needs of HAA’s young professionals. Network with your peers and grow your career together among the next generation of HAA leadership! To Learn how to become involved with NEXT, see online at www.haaonline.org/next.

NEXT 1

2 1 2 28 ABODE April 2023

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 29

Texas Apartment Association Quarterly Board Meeting

Wednesday, February 8 through Friday, February 10

TAA held their first quarterly board meeting of the year in Houston and HAA NEXT professionals, lyceum candidates and Houston alternates and delegates attended. Members from around the state discussed the legislative agenda and plans for TAA’s Day at the Capitol scheduled for March 1. Shaun Jackson, manager for Toro Place was recognized for her contributions to the annual food drive.

On the Scene Photos from TAA

30 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

On the Scene Photos by MARK HIEBERT, Hiebert Photography

Maintenance Mania

Tuesday, February 21 at Bayou City Event Center

Maintenance technicians and supervisors from across the area came out to compete in skill tests and race car building for both bragging rights and a chance to win a trip to the Maintenance Mania National Championships at the NAA Conference. For more photos visit www.haaonline.org

National Presenting Sponsor HD Supply

Championship Qualifying Program

1st place overall – Jose Torres, Gables Residential

2nd place overall – Luis Martinez, Gables Residential

3rd place overall – Carlos Quintanilla, Greystar

AO Smith Water Heater Installation

Fair Housing: When A Complaint is Filed

April is Fair Housing Month. Are you new to the apartment industry and fair housing laws or need a refresher? Know the reasons and steps involved in renter complaints to the TWC Civil Rights Division. Information from THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION

If an apartment resident believes they have been discriminated against while trying to rent a home or apartment in Texas, they may submit a discrimination complaint through the TWC Civil Rights Division. The complaint can be submitted within one year from the date of alleged harm.

The Civil Rights Division conducts neutral investigations and gathers information to determine if discrimination has occurred under the Texas Fair Housing Act and rules.

These are a few of the most common housing discrimination allegations:

• The landlord would not rent to me because I have a child.

• The bank would not give me a home loan because I was pregnant.

• The property manager refused to assign me a parking space close to my apartment even though I am mobility-impaired.

To submit a housing discrimination complaint, all of these requirements must be met:

• The property must be within the state of Texas.

• The property owner, in most cases, must have more than three properties.

• The date of discrimination must have occurred within the last 365 calendar days before the date the resident submits the complaint.

• The complaint must specify one or more of the following types of housing discrimination: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status.

•The complaint must identify the housing harm. The party making the complaint, is required to actively participate in the complaint process.

There are some exceptions:

• If the property the fair housing complaint is about is located in the Texas cities of Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth or Garland, TWC Civil Rights will not be able to take the complaint and the resident contacts the local Fair Housing office in those cities.

• If the resident has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), we will not be able to take the same complaint.

The Texas Fair Housing Act and the U.S. Fair Housing Act protects renters from discriminatory housing practices in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, or familial status (presence of a child under age 18 living with parents or legal custodians, person securing custody of children under 18, or a pregnant woman).

The Texas Fair Housing Act covers most housing. In some circumstances, the law exempts owneroccupied buildings with no more than four units, single-family housing sold or rented without the use of a broker, and housing operated by organizations and private clubs that limit occupancy to members. Also, housing developments that qualify as housing for persons age 55 or older may be

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 39

exempt from the provisions barring discrimination on the basis of familial status.

Definition

Everyone who lives in the United States is protected from discrimination in housing; sale, rental, and financing of dwellings; lending; home appraisal; insurance and accessibility. Fair housing means you may freely choose a place to live without regard to your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status.

Fair Housing Requirements

It is illegal for anyone to:

• Advertise or make any statement that indicates a limitation or preference based on race, religion, color, sex, national origin, disability or familial status. This prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to all housing, including single-family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Texas Fair Housing Act

• Harass, coerce, intimidate, threaten or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right or assisting others who exercise their fair housing rights

Under the U.S. Fair Housing Act and Texas Fair Housing Act, no one may take any of the following actions in the sale and rental of housing or in mortgage lending based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or familial status:

• Refuse to rent or sell housing

• Refuse to negotiate for housing

• Advertise housing to preferred groups of people only

• Show apartments or homes in certain neighborhoods only

• Say that housing is unavailable for inspection, sale or rental when in fact it is available

• Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental of a dwelling

• Provide different housing services or facilities

• Deny access to or membership in a facility or service (such as a multiple listing service) related to the sale or rental of housing

• Refuse to make certain modifications or accommodations for persons with a mental or physical disability

Housing Opportunities for Families

Unless a building or community qualifies as housing for older persons, the owner or manager may not discriminate based on familial status.

Protection against discrimination based on familial status applies to:

• Families in which one or more children under age 18 live with

o A parent

o A person who has legal custody of the child or children

o Designees of the parent or legal custodian, with parent or custodian’s written permission

• Anyone securing legal custody of a child under age 18

• Pregnant women

Housing for older persons is exempt from the prohibition against familial status discrimination if any of the following are true:

• It is specifically designed for and occupied by elderly persons under a Federal, State or local government program

• It is occupied solely by persons who are age 62 or older

• It houses at least one person who is age 55 or older in at least 80 percent of the occupied units, and adheres to a policy that demonstrates intent to house persons who are age 55 or older

If The Renter Has A Disability

If the renter has a physical or mental disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities, have a record of such a disability or are regarded as having such a disability, the renter is legally protected against housing discrimination based on that disability. Protection against housing discrimination due to a disability also applies for a person associated with the apartment resident.

A landlord may not:

• Make an inquiry to determine if an applicant for a dwelling, or a person intending to reside in the dwelling, or any person associated with that person has a disability.

• Refuse to let the renter make reasonable modifications to their dwelling or common use areas, at the renter’s expense, if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing. (Where reasonable, the landlord may permit changes only if the renter agrees to restore the property to its original condition when they move.)

• Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services if necessary so that the disabled person may have equal opportunity to use and enjoy the housing, including public and common-use areas. For example:

o In a building with a "no pets" policy, a visually-impaired tenant must be allowed to keep a guide dog.

o At an apartment complex that offers tenants ample, unassigned parking, management must honor a request from a mobility-impaired tenant for a reserved space near their apartment if necessary to assure that they can have access to the unit.

Accessibility Requirements for Buildings

All properties built after March 13, 1991 must comply with design and construction requirements of the Federal and Texas Fair Housing Acts.

In buildings ready for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 with four or more units and an elevator:

• Public and common areas must be accessible to persons with disabilities

• Doors and hallways must be wide enough for wheelchairs

• All units must have:

o An accessible route into and through the unit

o Accessible light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls

o Reinforced bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars

o Kitchen and bathrooms that can be used by people in wheelchair

In buildings ready for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 with four or more units and no elevator, these standards apply to ground floor units.

Complaint Process

Our first step is to determine whether we have jurisdiction to investigate. If we do have jurisdiction, then we work with the person who contacted us to complete the complaint. Once we receive all the required information, we will draft the complaint and send it to the renter for review and a signature.

/ See Fair Housing, Page 57

40 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Throughout the process, the investigator will try to reach an agreement with all parties through conciliation. A conciliation agreement takes into account the interests of all parties, as well as the public interest.

Another reason I like to work with new perspectives is because I like to get in on the ground level of connecting the dots of fair housing for others while demonstrating that we, as an industry, can still give good customer service.

42 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Image © fizkes

| iStock by Getty Images

Fair Housing Doesn’t Mean Poor Customer Service

By MEGAN ORSER, Smart Apartment Solutions & Smart Moves

One of my most favorite things to do is work with people that are new to our industry. They have a fresh take on our processes and often make us more efficient from the customer’s perspective. Another reason I like to work with new perspectives is because I like to get in on the ground level of connecting the dots of fair housing for others, while demonstrating that we, as an industry, can still give good customer service. I like to inspire them before our industry has the chance to scare them so badly, that they eradicate any human elements from their canned responses.

I believe that if you empower your employees with continual education on the topic and support an open dialogue for discussion, while also preparing the team for common pitfalls, they will be more engaged in the topic. Better yet, they will continually sharpening their swords to respond from a place of confidence and service, and not fear.

For example, a potential resident enters your community with an ESA – our industry drills it into our leasing professionals that

they are the front-line police – and often this scenario is riddled with fair housing challenges that don’t have to be.

At my company, we conduct a lot of mystery shops and have found that often, the mere mention of an animal triggers our sales teams to fire off probing questions that could easily be answered or discussed further along in the sales cycle, specifically at application time.

I ask this question:

Can we just tour the apartment without getting in the weeds about rules and regulations? I mean, come on! Take the tour, show off your wood-like flooring and let’s see if they even want to live there before we put up barriers.

There are fantastic services that remove the “in the weeds” conversation entirely from leasing professionals and moves it directly to the application process where it belongs.

Maintenance Isn’t Immune From Fair Housing

Fair housing pitfalls can even rear its ugly head in the maintenance side of things too, from work order management to contract

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 43

Empower your employees with continual education on the topic and support an open dialogue for discussion while also preparing the team for common pitfalls.

work. With consistent policies and customer service in mind, common fair housing pitfalls can be avoided.

Let’s take for example, having a policy (and monitoring and enforcing) that requires works orders to be completed in the order they were received (excluding emergencies, of course). Many operators do not enforce this policy if they have it, and it is one of the top 10 pitfalls in our industry according to Grace Hill.

Staying consistent to this policy will not only help you avoid unfair treatment allegations, it will also help you make sure work orders are not being overlooked entirely.

Looking for other ways to fine tune your customer service and fair housing skills?

Have you considered the service your suppliers are providing to your residents and the possibility of fair housing pitfalls there?

By now you may have heard of the story of the supplier that was discriminatory onsite that goes something like this: A resident or prospect witnesses it, files a complaint and the property is found to be liable. A variation of this story has happened at far too many properties across our country and although not completely avoidable, here are four things you can do to safeguard you, your team, and your community:

1. Make sure everyone that could possibly interact with your residents, your prospects, even your team members, have regular exposure to fair housing trainingLet’s see those certificates!

• Carpet cleaners, installers and their independent contractors

• Temporary staffers

• Capital improvement contractors

• Door-to-door trash service providers

2. Make sure the supplier is an active member of a local apartment association or an industry trade association. Active suppliers of an association generally:

• Make sure they are aware of what fair housing issues are arising.

• Support their association by sending their employees to fair housing education.

• Have a worthwhile reputation, and want to protect that with stellar service, and generally, are more involved in work for their clients.

3. Check references and reviews and lean into your network.

• Seriously Google them! – see what their reviews say.

• You are a member of an association, right? Then ask your peers if they have had a personal experience, or if they have heard anything positive or negative about the company

• Check out their employee rating on Indeed, Glass Ceiling or other like websites. It can be very telling what kind of company they can be by the ratings of their former employees.

When I am looking at reviews, I also try to remember that people writing reviews can also be unreasonable at times, but the response time from the company and how they respond can also give you some insight.

4. Tag along! I know you can’t team up with all of your suppliers while working at your community, but in the beginning, especially, it is important to inspect what you expect.

Taking the time to vet who gets to interact

with your residents, prospects and team members can help you not only give awesome customer service to them, but can also minimize your chances of your supplier causing a fair housing mishap, and gives your team the opportunity to re-enforce those expectations, too.

To me, fair housing and customer service work hand-in-hand in everything we do onsite interacting with one another. Each interaction will be different and not everyone will go as intended, but we can learn from all of them if we are open to it.

After your next memorable interaction with a customer or a team member ask yourself, how did that go? Is there anything that I could have done differently or to improve the experience or interaction? The very act of reflection will teach you a lot about what to do next or where more insight or education could be applied.

Smart Chick Megan Orser is a member of a solutionsdriven firm Smart Apartment Solutions & Smart Moves and is a regular presenter for HAA education seminars. Megan has presented for NAA, Multi-Family Brainstorming and IREM Conferences and, along with her team, has authored articles for JPM and UNITS magazine. Currently, Smart Chick Megan serves on 12 committees in a local, state and national capacity; in addition she serves as a director on her state and local association’s board.

44 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

To me, fair housing and customer service work hand in hand in everything we do onsite interacting with one another. Each interaction will be different and not everyone will go as intended, but we can learn from all of them if we are open to it.

46 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Image © Valeriy Volkonskiy | iStock by Getty Images

The tsunami of evictions, long predicted by tenant groups and housing advocates who portray landlords as evil instead of the businessoriented providers of housing they are, never happened.

Where is the Eviction Tsunami?

By DANIEL BERLIND, Snappt

Tfhere has been a burgeoning fear that as pandemic-era eviction moratoriums expired across the country, hordes of renters would suddenly be put out on the streets.

But the tsunami of evictions, long predicted by tenant groups and housing advocates who portray landlords as evil instead of the business-oriented providers of housing they are, never happened.

Just look at New York City, where a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic expired in January 2022. The city’s notoriously chaotic housing court is open and operating again. But instead of clogged hallways jammed with renters, owners and lawyers –a routine occurrence pre-pandemic – its passages and rooms today have a more muted, orderly tenor.

“It’s so dramatically lower than it was pre-pandemic,” Jean T. Schneider, the supervising judge for the New York City Housing Court, told The New York Times. “There is just not an explosion of filings.”

Indeed, while New York landlords filed 171,000 eviction cases in 2019, there were less than half of that number – around 75,000 – working their way through the system in mid 2022, six months after the local moratorium ended.

It’s not just New York City, either.

While there’s no uniform database that tracks all evictions nationally, Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, which tracks filings in 31 cities and six states that post updated data online, is the next best thing.

The site captures roughly a quarter of all renters nationally. But its analysts were likewise surprised when a groundswell of evictions never materialized.

“Given economic hardship resulting from the pandemic, we would have expected far more eviction cases to be filed in 2021 than in 2019,” the organization wrote in a blog post. “But the opposite happened.”

Indeed, while the group said in a typical pre-pandemic year, 865,000 eviction cases would be seen in the locales it tracks, last year saw just half that amount. “Using regression methods and historical data for the rest of the country, we estimate that nationwide, at least 1.36 million eviction cases were prevented in 2021,” the organization wrote.

Where did all the evil landlords go?

The reasons why evictions have not mushroomed are complex, and can be credited, at least in part, to the Center for Disease Control’s moratorium on evictions, which was struck down by the Supreme Court in August 2021.

But other locales have had longer, stricter moratoriums in place. In Oakland, California, for example, an eviction moratorium is indefinite until city council takes action to remove it. And in my hometown of Los Angeles, evictions are still off the table for owners until February of 2023, one of the longest running moratoriums in the country.

But by and large, as eviction moratoriums have

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 47

After moratoriums expired, the massive wave of evictions predicted by tenant groups never came. So why are landlords’ hands still tied?

expired for most of the country – there were no longer any statewide eviction bans in place as of July – renters have been spared.

The market dynamics that prevent evictions

Indeed, one of the main takeaways from a recent White House summit on eviction prevention was that the tsunami of evictions never happened, in part, due to the moratoria, but also because housing providers made a business-based decision to shoulder the burden of lost revenue while keeping their residents in their homes.

From that perspective, the primary stem that held off the eviction tsunami post moratoria was a predictable force: market dynamics. For landlords who look to their properties as an income-producing resource, evictions are a measure of last resort due to the high costs and lost time they generate.

Simply stated, evictions are bad business, and most owners just don’t want to go there. Instead, they work with residents on any other way to get whole on the rent first.

The reasons why are obvious.

According to a recent survey of 100 institutional property managers across the United States, the average eviction ends up costing property managers $7,500 in lost rent, legal fees and repair costs. It also takes time. In some jurisdictions, evictions may be carried out in a matter of weeks, but in others, the process can take as long as six months.

Or as Lisa Gomez, CEO of L&M Development Partners, which manages about 20,000 affording housing units, told the New York Times, “There is no upside in going to court.”

Marco Villegas, a landlord who owns nine buildings in the Bronx, said eviction was the least cost-effective way to generate income from his properties, and that he valued his renters as his greatest asset.

For him, court fees add up to $2,500, while turning over an apartment, making repairs and finding a new resident can run as high as $30,000. Instead, he prefers a communitybased approach where owners and renters work together to make the numbers work.

Some owners more aggressive

To be fair, not all owners have taken this approach during the pandemic. A recent Congressional report found four corporate property owners aggressively filed eviction papers, even while moratoriums were in place. However, those few bad apples still only represented 15,000 cases, a miniscule portion of the 2.7 million households that receive eviction notices in a normal year.

But while most landlords and property owners have shown market-driven moderation on evictions, even after moratoriums have expired, holdover legislation from the pandemic is still tying their hands as they try to work through the remaining renters in their portfolios who can’t, or won’t, pay their rent.

According to the National Apartment Association, a drafting error in the 2020 CARES Act means that owners of federally funded or assisted properties are still required to give renters an additional 30 days notice before filing an eviction in court, two years after the act expired. The result adds at least another month to an already drawn out and expensive process as owners struggle to recover from lost revenue during the pandemic.

While NAA has been lobbying to get this provision overturned and says it has found lawmakers sympathetic to owners’ challenges, by October 2022, it still hadn’t been able to find an actual legislative sponsor to fix this oversight. Apparently, Washington politicians did not want to be cast in the same lot as the “evil” landlords stoking the nonexistent eviction tsunami immediately before midterm elections.

The next potential eviction tsunami

The continued hurdles that owners have to clear, even post-pandemic, could result in some losing their properties in the months and years ahead.

As inflation has risen, increasing owners’ operating costs, and interest rates have gone up, yesterday’s operating numbers may not add up to a profitable building in today’s environment.

As Forbes points out, especially for owners with variable mortgages – a property that penciled out at a 3% mortgage rate may be underwater at 6%. That’s a troublesome thought, since 23% of Freddie Mac’s multifamily portfolio has variable rates, with 9% of Fannie Mae borrowers in the same boat. If rising rates lead to foreclosures, that could be the real trigger of an eviction tsunami, as many transactions require renters being out of a property before it changes hands.

With a post-pandemic wave of evictions averted, owners now have a new challenge to face – keeping their income-producing businesses viable in an increasingly tumultuous economic environment. Removing the remaining burdens they’ve responsibly shouldered over the last two and a half years to keep people housed during this crisis should be policymakers’ first order of business, if they want to prevent a real eviction tsunami ahead.

Daniel Berlind is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Snappt, a cuttingedge technology company that is eliminating financial fraud committed during the rental application process. Prior to founding Snapp, Daniel served as the President of Berlind Properties and oversaw the management of their properties from 2011 to 2017. Prior to Berlind Properties, Daniel was a professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins.

48 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

A recent Congressional report found four corporate property owners aggressively filed eviction papers, even while moratoriums were in place. However, those few bad apples still only represented 15,000 cases, a miniscule portion of the 2.7 million households that receive eviction notices in a normal year.

Upload here: https://rpm.naahq.org/rpm-careers-week/

On the Scene with the HAA

TAA Day at the Capitol

Wednesday, March 1 in Austin

Transportation Sponsors: EpicHTX Construction, Fidus Construction, Norman Construction and Poolsure

Lunch Sponsors: Rent. and Texscape Services

Breakfast Sponsors: ALN Apartment Data and Rasa Floors

Dinner Sponsors: Fidus Construction and Valet Living

Attendee Bag Sponsor: Hoffer Furniture

2023

ABODE April

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56 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Initial Response

After the signed complaint is returned to us, we will notify the person or persons who allegedly discriminated against the renter, explain the investigation and conciliation processes, permit that person to submit a response, and invite all parties to a formal settlement meeting (mediation).

Mediation (Optional)

If both parties agree to mediation, one of our professional mediators will arrange a mediation meeting. If all parties can agree to a settlement with the assistance of the mediator, the matter will be resolved, all parties will sign an agreement, and the complaint will be resolved.

Investigation

If a complaint cannot be resolved through mediation, an investigation of the complaint is conducted. If our investigation finds no reasonable cause of discrimination, we will notify the renter in writing and inform the renter of their right to file a civil suit, at your expense, in Federal or State District Court within two years of the alleged violation. If our Division believes there is reasonable cause of discrimination, the Director will issue a Charge of Discrimination and request the Texas Attorney General’s office to file a lawsuit against the parties who discriminated against you.

Conciliation

Throughout the process, the investigator will try to reach an agreement with all parties through conciliation. A conciliation agreement takes into account the interests of all parties, as well as the public interest. If an agreement is signed by all parties, we will take no further action on your complaint and the investigation is concluded. If the agreement is breached, we may recommend that the Texas Attorney General file suit.

Reconsideration Review

Under the following circumstances, a complainant who receives a no reasonable cause letter of determination may request a reconsideration review:

a. A written request for reconsideration shall be received from a complainant within thirty (30) days of the complainant’s receipt of a letter of determination of no reasonable cause. A timely verbal request may substitute for a written request upon the civil rights division director’s determination that a compelling reason exists for

not requiring a written request, e.g., as a reasonable accommodation of a disability.

b. A reconsideration request shall 1) specify an incorrect analysis of an element of a claim or defense and fully explain the rationale; or 2) offer additional, material evidence, but only upon a showing of good cause for complainant’s failure to produce such evidence previously.

c. If steps a. and b. above are not met, a management member of the civil rights division shall promptly inform the complainant in writing the reasons for rejecting the reconsideration request.

d. If steps a. and b. above are met, a management member of the civil rights division promptly shall acknowledge in writing that a reconsideration request has been received and that a response shall be provided within thirty (30) days.

e. In conducting a reconsideration review, the civil rights division fair housing manager, or assistant director, or director shall review the letter of determination, the final investigative report, any additional, material evidence, and other portions of the investigative file if needed. The reviewer may also request clarifying evidence from any party, or delegate such tasks to an investigator or supervisor. The complaint may be re-opened during the reconsideration review process if substantial, further investigative activities are conducted.

f. Upon completion of the reconsideration review process, the member of management who conducted the review shall inform the complainant whether the determination of no reasonable cause may change. If the determination may change, the division shall re-open the complaint, inform both parties, and resume the investigation (and conciliation, if appropriate). If the division informs the complainant that its determination of no reasonable cause is affirmed, the division shall not take any further action, but if the complainant seeks additional action, his/her remedy shall be filing a civil action in state or federal district court.

Want to know more about Fair Housing and the Texas Workforce Commission, visit www.twc.texas.gov.

HAA, in partnership with TWC, offers regular training sessions with William Keith Cooper, Investigator V, Housing Investigations, Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division.

Watch the HAA calendar at www.haaonline.org/events and ABODE for upcoming sessions.

Fair Housing,

from

continued

Page

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 57

On

State of the Industry Breakfast

Sponsored by Guardian Construction and Sentriforce

Thursday, February 16 at the Omni Houston Hotel

HAA and industry leaders assessed the current and future state of Houston’s multifamily market, including the latest economic trends, job growth, forecasts, rental rate and occupancy trends, new construction developments, technology, marketing trends, build to rent and much more. Thanks to our Moderator Gina Erwin, GWR Management, and panelists Patrick Jankowski, Greater Houston Partnership; Clay Hicks, TDC Management; Joe Melton, Morgan Group; and Bruce McClenny, ApartmentData.com

1 58 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org 2 1 2

the Scene Photos by MARK HIEBERT, Hiebert Photography

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 59

On the Scene

Photos by MARK HIEBERT, Hiebert Photography

60 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

State of the Industry Breakfast

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 61

OWNERS

ARDMAR Ventures LLC

David Onanian

4007 Colquitt St

Houston, TX 77227

(713) 545-0262

Charmed Properties

Yesenia Valles

910 Lantana Lane

Leander, TX 78641

(650) 537-5782

Empire Rental Living

Donald Povieng

3737 Executive Center Drive #200

Austin, TX 78731

(619) 520-2856

Empire Rental Living at Dellrose

Fifth Ward Community

Redevelopment Corporation

Mylles Hallado

4300 Lyons Ave #300

Houston, TX 77020

(713) 674-0175

Wainwright Apartments

Herman Capital LLC

George Lee

127 McGuey Circle

Conroe, TX 77384

(408) 799-5798

Inverness Baytown 1

Kari Halsch

907 N Pruett St

Baytown, TX 77520

(281) 839-7593

Inverness Apartments

Inverness Gardens

Kaelyn Motzel

2450 Louisiana St #400-427

Houston, TX 77006

(281) 706-6887

Stiles Apartment

Pine Hollow Apartments LP

Angie Shea

308 Sleepy Hollow Drive

Cleveland, TX 77327

(281) 592-2100

Pine Hollow Apartments

Serenity Property Management

Melissa Green

1000 Scenic Drive

Justin, TX 76247

(817) 941-7939

Serenity Property ManagementProperties

Silver Future

Andrew Gomes

333 Cage St

Houston, TX 77020

(214) 405-3635

Silver Future - Properties

SUPPLIERS

A-Affordable Roofing Co

Ed Rickert

3082 Lawn Oak Drive

Orange, TX 77632-5233

(281) 335-7663

Roofing Contractors, Roofing Consultants, Maintenance - Property Liability Specialists, Siding Contractors

ABC Supply

J Ryan Brawley

24650 Franz Road

Katy, TX 77494

(281) 932-1270

Roofing Materials, Siding Materials, Solar Energy Equipment & Installation, Windows

Advocate Construction Inc

Chris Combs

827 E North Ave

Glendale Heights, IL 60139

(630) 486-4514

Roofing Contractors, Roofing Consultants

Biomorph Studios

Kristi Shimek

6110 Pinemont Drive #255

Houston, TX 77092

(832) 869-6427

Graphic Designers, Website Design

Bondaro Construction

Rene Cisneros

4011 FM 1463 #B

Katy, TX 77494

(832) 272-8677

General Contractors, Drywall Contractors

Chicago Title Commercial Division

Kaylee Parmer

3700 Buffalo Spdwy

Houston, TX 77098

(713) 822-3986

Title Companies, Insurance

Referred by Velissa Parmer

Clean & Green Solutions

John Mickelson

12551 Steepleway Blvd #C-103

Houston, TX 77065

(713) 256-3966

Pressure Washing - Equipment & Service, Roofing Contractors, Window Cleaning

Coldwell Banker Realty - Lori Tell

Commercial Realty

Lori Tell

6115 Tarra Firma Drive

Spring, TX 77379

(832) 289-2436

Real Estate Commercial/Indust,

Real Estate

Referred by Liz Macias

Comiskey Capital Insurance Agency Inc

Liz Comiskey 401 Tiki Drive Galveston, TX 77554 (409) 935-0086

Insurance, Insurance Consultants

Referred by Dustin Dean

D&M Roofing

Brynn Rodriguez

33015 Tamina Road #A

Magnolia, TX 77354

(936) 331-2441

Roofing Consultants, Roofing Contractors

E&L Remodeling Services LLC

Emilio Hernandez

23703 River Place Drive

Katy, TX 77494

(832) 219-5579

Painting Contractors, Resurfacing

Referred by Amanda Walker, CAM

Fort Bend Battery & Golf Cars

Steve Williams

2112 1st St

Rosenberg, TX 77471-4349

(281) 342-7861

Golf Cars & Carts

Referred by Christy Rodriguez, CAPS

Fowler Laundry Solutions

Bob Pohl

565 Rahway Union, NJ 07083

(713) 823-1904

Laundry Service, Lawn Equip Sales & Service, Washer/Dryer Rental, Washer/Dryer Sales

Innovation Consulting

Edward Hoffman

134 Stoney Creek Drive

Houston, TX 77024

(281) 773-5266

Business Coaches & Consultants, Consultants-Planning/Economic

JRG Contractor

Javier Rodriguez

15503 Mira Monte Drive

Houston, TX 77083

(832) 787-2527

Resurfacing, Paint

NorthMarq Capital

Hollan Hensley

1 Riverway #1600

Houston, TX 77056-1934

(713) 622-6300

Financing, Banks

Precision Appliance Leasing

Shannon Cleveland

1920 Diplomat Drive

Dallas, TX 75234

(972) 239-7368

Appliances - Leasing, Washer/ Dryer Rental

Premier Compliance Consulting

Yvette Rodriguez

201 Penna Lane

Georgetown, TX 78628

(361) 944-6528

Housing Assistance - Low Income

Preventive Pest Control

Dana Mowe

10050 W Gulf Bank Road #214

Houston, TX 77040

(713) 983-7997

Pest Control Services, Termite Treatment

Pure A/C & Heating

Manuel Portillo

9247 Colleen

Houston, TX 77080

(832) 538-5749

A/C Contractors, A/C Systems Cleaning

Referred by Ruha Vohra, NALP, CAM

Southern Exposure Landscaping LLC

Tara S. Kreutter

PO Box 1957

Waller, TX 77484

(281) 384-4510

Irrigation Systems & Equipment, Lawn Maintenance

The Dick Law Firm

Marc Cowart 3701 Brookwoods Drive

Houston, TX 77092

(832) 282-2175

Attorneys, Insurance Consultants, Public Adjusters

Referred by Brian Cweren

TradeCon Industries

Jose Flores 901 E Expressway 83 La Feria, TX 78559

(956) 200-2628

Employee Contractors-Temporary Help, General Contractors

Woodlands Water Restoration

Shawna Thomas

25275 Budde Road #20

Spring, TX 77380

(936) 703-7810

Disaster Recovery/Relief, Fire/Water Damage Restoration, Mold

Remediation, Roofing Contractors

Referred by Terri Clifton

ALL SUPPLIER MEMBERS are listed online at www.haabuyersguide.com, searchable by product/service category or company name.

Introducing HAA’s

Welcome Mat

NEW MEMBERS

62 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Branch Out!

New Supplier

Orientations with the HAA Product Service Council via Zoom

10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

April 5

May 3

June

July 5

August 2

September 6

October 4

November 1

December 6

Owner/Management

Orientations with the HAA

Past Presidents Council via Zoom

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

June 8

September 14

December 6

Get rooted in HAA! Grow your knowledge and your network with these FREE informative online orientation sessions in 2023. Learn about member beneﬁts and how to get involved with your HAA. For

more information,

and visit www.haaonline.org Dates are subject to change www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 63

contact members@haaonline.org

BRANCH OUT! RECRUIT FOR HAA!

Honorary Life Members

Join the Go-Getters and help grow your association and your network.

members, the Go-Getter Club helps both new management and supplier companies and the association grow for the future. To

the club and get going on recruitment, see online at

at members@haaonline.org. The Go-Getters HAA’s MEMBERSHIP RECRUITERS 64 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

THE GO-GETTERS ARE THE BACKBONE

join

Membership Department

Claude

Brown

Cavaco

Clifton

Monette Reynolds Sherry Stevenson

Unverzagt

H.P. Paul Young

Marie Zublin Dicks Check the Go-Getters Corner for more information. June 15 September 21 December 14 Visit www.haaonline.org/gogetters for more information. Monica Gracia DayRise Residential Matthew Nunn Capital Construction 2023 Chairs: Join our Quarterly Meetings! Be the top recruiter for the year and you could win a genuine NEW Louis Vuitton GraceFull PM Tote! Every new member you recruit this year earns you a chance to be entered into a drawing to win this LV bag at the Holiday Go-Getter Meeting on December 14! (Must be present to win. No purchase necessary.) Recruit one member and get one entry. Recruit five members and get FIVE entries. It’s up to you! Contact the membership department at members@haaonline.org for more details!

Arnold Kenn

Tina

Terri

Kevin Fenn Diane Gilbert Anita Harrison Dwayne Henson Mike Koch Merry Mount

Kirk Tate Suan Tinsley Sonny

Del Walmsley Nancé Wells

Jeanne

Advertising in ABODE magazine can grow your market reach, engage potential clients, and build the trust of your target audience. Print advertisements tell the readers more about what you do and keep you top of mind!

Are you a 2023 Exhibitor?

Advertise in the MAY issue of ABODE and be a part of the Featured Supplier Contest to guarantee traffic to your booth.

with ABODE! GROW YOUR BUSINESS Email Amanda Sherbondy at asherbondy@haaonline.org to find out more! Space is limited! ABODE THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE www.haaonline.org May 2023

OUR SUPPLIER NETWORK

HAA’s Ambassadors are the pros at outreach to members.

Mark your calendars and join us!

Ambassador ONE Society meetings:

April 5 Crawfish Boil

May 3

June 7

July 5

August 2

September 6

October 4

November 1

The meeting spot is Kirby Ice House, 1015 Gessner Road, Houston, Texas 77055.

Photo below: “ONE of the Month” was a tie for 1st and 2nd Place: with Dillon Brown, Real Floors, and Bridget Angulo, GreenLogic, with 160 points each. 3rd Place was Crystal Varela, Century A/C Supply, with 102 points

Ambassador ONE Society members with at least 10 points, ranked by points earned:

THE AMBASSADOR ONE SOCIETY is an organized network exchange that helps supplier partners build their business contacts within HAA. It’s the perfect way for new suppliers to get started with the association. Group members share leads, make introductions and support HAA and its members. For details on how to join and for meeting dates, visit www.haaonline.org/ambassadors or contact Amanda in the Membership Department at 713-595-0316, or email asherbondy@haaonline.org.

The Ambassador ONE Society HAA’s WELCOMING COMMITTEE 66 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Dillon Brown Real Floors and Arbor 324 **Crystal Varela Century A/C Supply 206 Josalynne Williams FFH Inc DBA Liberty Builders 176 Bridget Angulo Greenlogic Lighting & Electric 164 **Susan Alvarado Century A/C Supply 146 **Giovanna Gone Century A/C Supply 117 Anisa Rodriguez Greenlogic Lighting & Electric 92 **Tammy Broadway American Fire Systems, Inc. 88 **Xochitl Flores Church Pool Services 76 **Amanda Kelly Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services 74 Kyle Turney Clozzits 56 Adoteh Joseph Akue Redevelopment Services 42 Brett Hebert Magna Pest 42 Mallory Hess Century A/C Supply 34 Krysta Chacon BG Multifamily 32 Chris Bell Greenlogic Lighting & Electric 27 **Tracey Leach-Moore Flooring Warehouse 24 Ashley Wiggin Infinity Power Partners 24 Michelle Smith Fire Reconstruction Inc 24 Ambassadors earn points by sharing leads, making introductions and visiting communities to promote HAA events and news.

Team photos at left, from top:

First place – BeeHAAppy with 579 points

Second place – You Already Know with 279 points

Third place – Super Suppliers with 213 points

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 67

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www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 69

Portfolio Changes

The following owner/management companies have added the listed properties to their portfolios:

• American Equity Properties LLC: Matthew Ridge, 240 units at 14551 Beechnut St.

• Asset Living: Montrose III 2211 W Alabama, 40 units at 2211 W Alabama; Montrose III 1919 W Main, 77 units at 1919 W Main; Montrose III 501 Branard, 12 units at 501 Branard; and Torrey Chase, 280 units at 14700 Torrey Chase Blvd.

• Avenue5 Residential: Apex at Royal Oaks, 282 units at 11212 Westpark Drive.

• Centra Partners LLC: The Park on Burke, 160 units at 4747 Burke Road in Pasadena.

• Creative Property Management: Aster on Aldine, 163 units at 4505 Aldine Mail Road, and Bayberry Apartments, 61units at 721 Janisch Road.

• Cushman & Wakefield: Villas at Sunterra, 114 units at 27035 Beacon Glen Drive in Katy.

• Empire Rental Living: Empire Rental Living at Dellrose, 182 units at 2382 Cumberland Ridge Drive in Hockley.

• Falls Management: Falls of Meadowglen, 576 units at 9801 Meadowglen Lane.

• Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation: Wainwright Apartments, 13 units at 812 Wainwright St.

• Foresight Asset Management LLC: Home at Waller, 118 units at 19240 Stokes Road in Waller.

• Greystar: Urban Crest Lake Jackson, 285 units at 221 Highway 332 W Lake Jackson; Harlow Spring Cypress, 253 units at 2539 Spring Cypress Road in Spring; Us Bayou Park, 404 units at 2221 W Dallas St; Broadstone Cross Creek Ranch, 348 units at 6030 Texas Heritage Pkwy in Fulshear; Lenox Grand West, 388 units at 750 W Grand Parkway S in Katy; West End, 335 units at 10510 W Aliana Trace Drive in Richmond; Elev8, 372 units at 1801 Smith St.; and Willow Plaza, 300 units at 12752 North Houston Rosslyn Road.

• Judwin Properties: The Argonne, 296 units at 6636 Argonne Drive in Fulshear.

• Kaelyn Motzel: Stiles Apartment, four units at 15 Stiles St.

• Leasington Property Management: The Heritage, 122 units at 2666 Marilee Lane.

• Midway Management LP: Avenue Grove, 270 units at 3815 Eastside St.

• Mist Property Management: 14 units at various locations.

• Portico Property Management: Preserve at Woodridge, 131 units at 4250 Woodridge Pkwy in Porter.

• RangeWater Real Estate: Ventana Lakes, 56 units at 4019 Ventana Ridge Drive in Katy, and Covey Homes Tamarron, 213 units at 29403 Cayman Canyon Way in Katy.

• RPM Living: Sovereign at the Ballpark, 229 units at 101 Crawford St.

• RyTE Asset Management LLC: Various locations.

• Sean Ferguson: Sean Ferguson – Properties, one unit at various locations.

• Sheng-Raamco Management Inc: Woodland Hills Apartments, 282 units at 3918 Atascocita Road in Humble.

• Silver Future: Silver Future – Properties, six units at various locations.

• TBD Management LLC/Wan Bridge Group: Enclave at Mason Creek, 192 units at 21455 Merchants Way in Katy.

• United Apartment Group Inc: Windsor Cypress Apartments, 208 units at 12035 Huffmeister Road in Cypress.

• Westdale Asset Mgmt Ltd: The Grand at Upper Kirby, 309 units at 4100 Southwest Fwy.

• ZRS Management LLC: The Crawford at Grand Morton, 336 units at 23223 First Park Drive in Katy.

Have property changes? Email us your updates to members@haaonline.org.

70 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org HoustonApartmentFoundation Course2023Education Catalog www.haaonline.org Get educated! The 2023 HAF Course Catalog is online now! Find all the professional development you are looking for. Download today. Scan the QR Code for a detailed list of upcoming educational offerings and visit www.haaonline.org/events to register.

Blevins

Jeff Blevins has joined We Do Trash as Chief Executive Officer.

Caren Reyes joined Westdale Asset Management as the Community Manager of The Grand at Upper Kirby.

Reyes

Westdale Asset Management acquired Metro Greenway from Simpson Housing and renamed the property The Grand at Upper Kirby

Israel “Izzy” Garza, Lowe’s Pro Supply, was awaarded the Lowe's Service Star Award.

Q10 Property’s Bella Vida Apartments was selected as a finalist for the National Apartment Association Large Community of the Year Award. Winners will be announced during the 2023 NAA Excellence Awards Ceremony at Apartmentalize in June.

Have something to report from your company or for yourself?

Email us your news at comm@haaonline.org.

In the News

www.haaexpo.org nrg center may 18, 2023 www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 71

Garza

On the Road with HAA

State of the Submarket

Montgomery County

Wednesday, February 22 at The Woodlands Country Club

Sponsored by American Fire Systems and Earthworks

HAA returned to Montgomery County with a great lineup of speakers for the area submarket report. Featured panelists included Moderator, Quin Willis, Venterra Realty; Crystal Bledsoe and Travis Guinn, Howard Hughes Corporation; Gil Staley, CEO, The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership; and Bruce McClenny, President, ApartmentData.com. Participants included Woodlands Township Board Chair Dr. Ann Snyder and Treasurer Richard Franks; Constable Ryan Gable; and Chief Jim Sumner, Representing Constable Cash were Lt. Wesley Mack and Sgt. Stephen Closson.

HAA IS REACHING OUT to better serve our members by bringing targeted networking and educational events to different parts of our 12-county service area. Contact HAA’s Education and Outreach Department at education@haaonline.org to sign up for these FREE, management-only events where you can learn about issues affecting your area and network with your fellow managers. Want to host an event? We are looking for member properties to host a Region Meeting. Contact education@haaonline.org.

1 1

72 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org 2 2

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 73

On the Scene with the HAA PAC

HAA PAC Luncheon

Wednesday, February 8 at the HAF Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center

WE’RE ALL ABOUT BETTER GOVERNMENT

Threats from government are coming at the apartment industry at a rapid pace. The HAA PAC, the political action committee of the Houston Apartment Association, needs your help to fight bad legislation. HAA members can participate in the PAC on several levels. Committee application forms are available. To join, renew or learn how to become involved with the PAC, see online at www.haaonline.org/haapac or contact govaffairs@haaonline.org.

74 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 75

CRIMSON

The 2022 HAA Honors Awards recipient for a high rise property built between 2010-2020.

Property: Crimson

Owner/Management: Gables Residential

Location: 2220 Westcreek Lane

Units: 295

Built: 2020 Web: www.crimsonliving.com

Interesting features:

Crimson offers Houston’s premier residential experience with resort style living, a superior level of style and finishes and at an alluring River Oaks location. When you pull up to the high-rise you will be greeted by personable valet staff and walk into a luxury lobby with an ambiance of comfort and touches of marble accents, welcoming fireplace and the signature scent of bergamot and tobacco filtering through the vents. The concierge also offers a small menu of soft drinks, coffee, beer, wine and cocktails.

Crimson also offers its residents outstanding amenities, including 24/7 concierge services, two dog runs with dog wash stations, electric car charging stations, a state-of-the-art fitness center with a dedicated yoga studio, heated spa style swimming pool, a library and a Club Observatory.

Crimson offers resident’s a different kind of “the answer is yes” experience. Whether someone wants to rent the model unit completely as is, or choose specific features, the services change in anticipation of the needs and wants of Crimsons resident base. Crimson opened at the peak of the pandemic in January 2020. But, through excellence in resident services, Crimson has been able to secure almost 100% 5-star reviews on social media and has maintained a retention ration of approximately 55-68%.

Congratulations Crimson!

ABODE

On Site with

Photos provided by Gables Residential

wasn’t expecting it at all. was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. never expect anything. For me, if get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was good experience, though, feeling that way. didn’t know that someone was watching!” wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. never expect anything. For me, if get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. didn’t know that someone was watching!” wasn’t expecting it at all. was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. never expect anything. For me, if get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was good experience, though, feeling that way. didn’t know that someone was watching!”

76 ABODE March 2023 www.haaonline.org

It’s not golf – it’s TOPGOLF! Give it a shot “fore” a cause

Top Sponsors

Ameristar Screen & Glass

Matrix Construction Services

Beverage Sponsors

ATI Restoration

Impact Property Solutions

Best Team Spirit Sponsors

G.O. Plumbing Services

Valet Living

It’s back for the PAC! Join us at Houston’s premiere golf entertainment complex for a fun-filled afternoon with the favorite twist to a traditional game, all while supporting the Houston Apartment Association Political Action Committee –your local PAC for the apartment industry.

Awards:

Team Awards – 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Best Male

Best Female

Last Place

Best Team Spirit

Show us your team spirit for a chance to win!

Thursday, April 13

TopGolf Houston - Katy

1030 Memorial Brook Blvd. Houston, TX 77084

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

*Please note this event is open to sponsors and players only, no spectators.

Welcome Sponsor

Crestmark

Construction Services

Lunch Sponsors

BlueLine

Construction & Remodel

Chadwell Supply

Hole In One Sponsor

Ideal Towing

Last Place Award

Gemstar Construction

Development

Team Awards Sponsors

Ferguson Facilities Supply

Merit Roofing & Construction

SafeRent Solutions

Best Male & Female Award Sponsors

Church Pool Services

Norman Construction

HAA reserves the right to reject any advertising if its content is inappropriate or inconsistent with HAA’s standards for publication or HAA’s business interests, in HAA’s sole opinion.

Want to see current and previous issues of ABODE online? Go to http://issuu.com/haa_abode. Or view this issue on your computer, tablet or smartphone at http://issuu.com/haa_abode/docs/abode_apr2023. A/C Supplies Century A/C Supply 15 281-530-2859 www.centuryac.com Carpet Installation Dixie Carpet Installations 41 281-261-6334 www.dixiecarpet.com Texas Southwest Floors 63 800-719-4321 www.texasswfloors.com Collection Agencies Alexander-Rose Associates Inc. 71 713-644-4441 www.alexanderrose-inc.com Electric Contractors Affordable Quality Electric 13 713-695-5992 www.acuityelectric.com Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services 2 281-693-3383 www.brandtelectrical.com Foundation Repair Church Foundation Repair 37 713-468-8400 www.churchfoundationrepair.com General Contractors Camp Construction Services Back Cover 713-413-2267 www.campconstruction.com Cotton Commercial USA Inc. 14 877-511-2962 www.cottongds.com Crestmark Construction Services 1 713-426-6161 www.crestmarkservices.com Gemstar Construction & Development 17 281-821-1195 www.gemstarconstruction.com Guardian Construction 31 832-672-4196 www.guardianconst.com MultiFamily Services 5 713-266-9100 RENCON Inside Back Cover 713-666-3636 www.rencon.com Three Amigos 45 281-988-6683 www.threeamigostexas.com Glass – Plate, Window, Etc. Ameristar Screen and Glass 75 713-683-6767 www.ameristarglass.com Landscape Contractors Texscape Services 57 281-846-3779 www.texscapeservices.com Laundry Equipment & Supplies Scott Equipment 75 713-686-7268 www.scott-equipment.com Maintenance Supplies HD Supply 27 800-431-3000 www.hdsupplysolutions.com Movers Ameritex Movers 10 713-484-MOVE www.stressfreemove.com Personnel Agency ASAP Personnel 71 972-432-6667 www.asapdo.com Plumbing Contractors AAA Plumbers 69 713-462-4753 www.aaaplumbers.com Resident Screening Service SafeRent Solutions Inside Front Cover 888-297-8821 www.saferentsolutions.com Screens Ameristar Screen and Glass 71 713-683-6767 www.ameristarglass.com Swimming Pool Service Poolsure 12 800-858-POOL www.poolsure.com Wrecker Service American Wrecker 49 713-528-8290 www.virtualparkingpermits.com HAA Products & Services Rental Credit Reporting 21 713-595-0300 www.haaonline.org/rcr

78 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org Index of Advertisers By CATEGORY With HAA’s job board, you’ll discover a professional community that’s committed to helping you find the right candidate or your next job opportunity in the greater Houston and surrounding areas. TARGET QUALIFIED LEADS www.haaonline.org jobs@haaonline.org 713-595-0300 www.haaonline.org

Snapshot

Occupancy: 90.3%

Price: $1,257/mo.

Rental Rate: $1.41/sq.ft./mo.

Size: 891 sq.ft.

Past

growth

History of Effective Rental Rate & Occupancy for All Units

Concessions

THE FIRST TABLE ABOVE GIVES A SNAPSHOT

of the current market conditions. The graph displays the overall occupancy and effective rental rates over the past 24 months. These statistics are derived from a continuous survey of all apartment communities in the Houston region. The effective rental rates are the calculated net of concessions and utility adjustments. The second table lists the five hottest submarkets in the Greater Houston area. There are a total of 42 submarkets, and the ranking is based on the best combination of rental rate growth and absorption over the past three months. The third table distributes and analyzes concessions (specials) by classification. Concessions generally are represented by three types of specials: move-in, months free or floor plans. The effect of these specials is captured and prorated over a lease term to arrive at a percentage reduction in market or street rents.

TEXAS Dallas/Ft. Worth

Occupancy: 91.9%

Price: $1,490/mo.

Rental Rate: $1.69/sq.ft./mo.

Size: 881 sq.ft.

Past 12 Months: 4.0% rental rate growth 1,840 units absorbed Operating Supply:

San Antonio

Occupancy: 89.6%

Price: $1,203/mo.

Rental Rate: $1.40/sq.ft./mo.

Size: 862 sq.ft.

Past 12 Months:

rental rate growth

Occupancy: 90.3%

Price: $1,625/mo.

Rental Rate: $1.85¢/sq.ft./mo.

Size: 877 sq.ft.

Past 12 Months: 0.8% rental rate growth 7,618 units absorbed

ApartmentData.com has been providing apartment data and marketing products since 1986. ApartmentData.com provides real-time access for property specific information, market surveys and historic submarket data for more than 3.5 million apartment units in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina and Tennessee. For more information, contact Bruce McClenny at 800-595-8730.

• Occupancy (%) Rental Rate (¢/sq.ft./mo.) Mar 21 Apr 21 May 21 Jun 21 Jul 21 Aug 21 Sep 21 Oct 21 Nov 21 Dec 21 Jan 22 Feb 22 Mar 22 Apr 22 May 22 Jun 22 Jul 22 Aug 22 Sep 22 Oct 22 Nov 22 Dec 22 Jan 23 Feb 23

12 Months:

4,054

Operating Supply: 3,064 communities 723,553 units Recently Opened (12 months): 80 communities 18,714 units Under Construction: 78 communities 22,019 units Proposed Construction: 109 communities 33,619 units Hottest Submarkets Over the Past Three Months Annualized % of Market Rental Rate Rank Submarket Absorbed Growth % 1 Montrose/Museum/Midtown 5.8% 1.1% 2 Woodlake/Westheimer 12.8% 0.5% 3 Northeast Houston/Crosby 5.6% 0.7% 4 Sugar Land/Stafford/Sienna 10.9% 0.4% 5 I-69 North 2.0% 2.2%

3.5% rental rate

units absorbed

Total Units % of Average Citywide Class w/Concessions Total Units Special Effect All 235,860 33% -1.9% -5.3% A 75,850 41% -2.5% -6.0% B 86,408 33% -1.5% -4.6% C 67,083 33% -1.7% -5.1% D 6,519 9% -0.7% -6.4% One Month Free = -8.33% – 90.0 – 89.0 – 88.0 – 87.0 – 91.0

HOUSTON 1050 –1025 –1000 –975 –1075 –• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • MarketLine By BRUCE MCCLENNY, Senior Director of ApartmentData.com From MRI Software

3,404

819,445 units

communities

2.6%

-665

Operating Supply: 1,009 communities 218,577 units

units absorbed

Austin

Operating

1,185 communities 283,712 units www.haaonline.org April 2023 ABODE 79

Supply:

Back Page with News from around the COMMUNITY 80 ABODE April 2023 www.haaonline.org

Houston Apartment Association 4810 Westway Park Blvd. Houston, Texas 77041

ABODE April 2023

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER 52

FEATURES & PHOTOS

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES

OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP

ABODE

Do

SPONSOR MEMBERS

Letter from the President

April Patron of the Month

SINE DIE FAST APPROACHES

THE LEGISLATIVE

TAA/HAA Supported Legislation

HAA Had a Huge Day at the Capitol

NO MORE “JUNK”

Welcome to Fair Housing Month! HUD warns the housing industry about “Junk Fees.”

Discriminatory fees

Tenant screening fees

Hidden and unnecessary fees

Disclosure of fees

HUD’s next action

A note on fees

A SHOT IN THE DARK

A RESIDENT FILED a complaint

The Committee’s Decision

Show Schedule:

Thanks Sponsors: Show Schedule:

Education Sessions:

Expo:

APRIL

MAY 2

On the Scene with HAA

New Technology Track!

Technology ROW

Leasing 101 2023

An Introduction to Leasing and the Apartment Industry

COMPARING BUILD-TO-RENT

Your Vote Matters

On the Scene with the HAA

NEXT Professional Breakfast

Texas Apartment Association Quarterly Board Meeting

On the Scene Photos by MARK HIEBERT, Hiebert Photography

National Presenting Sponsor HD Supply

Fair Housing: When A Complaint is Filed

Definition

Fair Housing Requirements

Housing Opportunities for Families

If The Renter Has A Disability

Accessibility Requirements for Buildings

Complaint Process

Fair Housing Doesn’t Mean Poor Customer Service

Maintenance Isn’t Immune From Fair Housing

Where is the Eviction Tsunami?

Where did all the evil landlords go?

The market dynamics that prevent evictions

The reasons why are obvious.

Some owners more aggressive

On the Scene with the HAA

Reconsideration Review

On

State of the Industry Breakfast

On the Scene

OWNERS

SUPPLIERS

Branch Out!

New Supplier

Owner/Management

BRANCH OUT! RECRUIT FOR HAA!

Honorary Life Members

OUR SUPPLIER NETWORK

Portfolio Changes

On the Road with HAA

State of the Submarket

On the Scene with the HAA PAC

WE’RE ALL ABOUT BETTER GOVERNMENT

CRIMSON

It’s not golf – it’s TOPGOLF! Give it a shot “fore” a cause

History of Effective Rental Rate & Occupancy for All Units

Concessions