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May 2013
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DENVER METRO • COLORADO SPRINGS • BOULDER
Vol. 5 Issue 5
Monthly CirCulation to More than 7,000 apartMent owners, property Managers, on-site & MaintenanCe personnel
Obama Administration Announces $1,237,701 to Continue Helping Homeless Persons and Families in Colorado HUD grants renew support for 9 local housing and service projects U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan recently awarded $1,237,701 a second round of grants to support 9 local homeless housing and service programs in Colorado. Provided through HUD’s Continuum of Care programs, funding announced recently will ensure these HUD-assisted local homeless assistance programs remain operating in the coming year. Last March, HUD awarded additional support to hundreds of other existing local programs and will make a third round of funding to support selected new projects later this year. View a complete list of all the Colorado homeless projects awarded funding. Continued on page 2
Apartment Industry Outlines Tax Reform Principles for Congress Tax reform must be comprehensive and take special care not to harm the thousands of businesses involved in multifamily real estate nor the 35 million Americans who call an apartment home. This was the focus of testimony by the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) before the House Committee on Ways and Means recently. Representing NMHC and NAA, Thomas Moran, Chairman and Managing Partner of Moran & Company, testified on the need to meet the housing needs of what the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies research suggests is up to seven million new renter households this decade.
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“Like many other small businesses, the apartment industry has a considerable stake in tax reform. In addition, we provide homes for millions of Americans covering the entire socioeconomic spectrum," said Moran. "An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 units a year must be built to meet expected demand; yet just 158,000 apartments were delivered in 2012 – not enough to even replace the units lost every year to demolition and obsolescence." To meet the ongoing demand for rental housing, the apartment industry asks Congress to: • Ensure that tax reform is comprehensive and does not reduce corporate taxes at the expense of small businesses.
Current Resident or
• Maintain the current treatment of carried interest to help offset the considerable financial risks in real estate. • Retain the 100 percent deduction for business interest. • Protect the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, which is responsible for more than 2.4 million affordable apartment homes. • Respect the estate tax legislation enacted as part of the American Relief Act of 2012. • Modify the section 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction to enable more properties to qualify for the incentive. “The apartment industry builds vibrant communities by offering Continued on page 3
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Clearing the Air: Best Practices for Enforcing Smoke-free Rules Not long ago, it was common to smell cigarette smoke in Washington workplaces and restaurants. But with mounting evidence that secondhand smoke causes disease and death, and the passage of Washington’s smoke-free indoor air law, people have come to expect clean air where they work and live. Secondhand smoke can cause heart attacks, lung cancer, and trigger longer and more severe asthma attacks in children. It is responsible for an estimated 49,400 deaths among non-smoking adults in the U.S. each year. Yet the home remains one of the most common places where people continue to be exposed—often due to secondhand smoke drifting from a neighboring unit or patio. Today, no-smoking rules are becoming the norm. In fact, ninetytwo percent of Washington renters prefer smoke-free housing. Over the last 10 years, thousands of rental properties across Washington and the nation have gone smoke-free. The trend reflects the benefits of reduced cleaning and turnover costs, fire and property damage prevention, and cleaner, healthier residences. The key to successfully implementing a no-smoking rule is clear and consistent enforcement. Taking the rule seriously from the start, and ensuring that it applies equally to all residents, will send a clear message that smoking is not allowed. Continued on page 3
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Obama ...continued from front page “We know these modest investments in housing and serving our homeless neighbors not only saves money, but saves lives,” said Donovan. “These local programs are on the front lines of the Obama Administrations efforts to prevent and end homelessness as we know it once and for all.” HUD’s Continuum of Care grants are awarded competitively to local projects to meet the needs of their homeless clients. The grants fund a wide variety of programs from street outreach and assessment programs to transitional and permanent housing for homeless persons and families. HUD funds are a critical part of the Obama Administration’s strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. “Despite fiscal challenges, HUD is proving its commitment to prevent homelessness through renewed investments in rental assistance, housing assistance and supportive
services,” said HUD’s Rocky Mountain Regional Administrator Rick M. Garcia. “Combined with the targeted efforts of our local communities, we’ll continue working to move homeless families and individuals to permanent housing.” While the Fiscal Year 2012 funds awarded recently are not impacted by the automatic across-the-board budget cuts under sequestration that began March 1st, Donovan cautioned that future budget cuts may reverse significant reported declines in homelessness: “During this challenging budget climate, we must make certain that we don’t balance our books on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. When we make even modest investments in these programs, we see a measureable decline in homelessness.” HUD recently announced its 2012 “point in time” estimate of the number of homeless persons in America. Approximately 3,000 cities and
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counties reported 633,782 homeless persons on a single night in January of 2012, largely unchanged from the year before. While HUD found significant declines among the long-term homeless and veterans, local communities reported an increase in the number of sheltered and unsheltered families with children. In Colorado, local communities reported a 10.9 percent overall rise in homelessness in 2012. HUD’s Continuum of Care grants announced recently will continue offering permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons as well as services including job training, health care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. Continuum of Care grants are awarded competitively to local programs to meet the needs of their homeless clients. These grants fund a wide variety of programs from street outreach and assessment programs to transitional and permanent housing for homeless persons and families. In 2010, President Obama and 19 federal agencies and offices that form the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) launched the nation’s first comprehensive strategy
to prevent and end homelessness. Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness puts the country on a path to end veterans and chronic homelessness by 2015 and to ending homelessness among children, family, and youth by 2020.
HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud. gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www. facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD’s News Mailing COLORA List.
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TheLandlordTimes.com The statements and representations made in advertising and news articles contained in this publication are those of the advertiser and authors and as such do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Professional Publishing, Inc. The inclusion of advertising in this publications does not, in any way, comport an endorsement of or support for the products or services offered. Metro Apartment Manager is produced monthly and is published by Professional Publishing Inc. An Oregon Corporation. PO Box 30327 Portland, OR 97294-3327. (503) 221-1260 • (800) 398-6751 Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
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Clearing ...continued from front page The following guidelines will help establish your no-smoking rule: • Write the policy into your lease. Make sure all current and new residents know where smoking is and is not allowed, and that the rule also applies to their guests. • Advertise your property as “no smoking.” Research shows that many renters are even willing to pay more for smoke-free housing. • Tell prospective residents that the building is smoke-free before they apply for an apartment, and remind them as they move in. • Post signs that clearly identify the smoke-free areas on your property. • Offer support to help residents quit smoking. Research shows that
smoke-free housing can help residents quit. Useful tools are available at www.SmokeFreeWashing ton.com. Property managers, owners and residents can work together to establish smoke-free housing. When you visit the property, ask residents if they are happy with the rules, and take note of anything that might indicate smoking, like cigarette butts or ashtrays for example. If you learn that a resident is smoking, enforce the rule like any other. Consider having a friendly face-to-face chat to remind them that they live in a smoke-free property. If there is a second incident, follow up with a nice but firm warning letter that outlines the next steps.
Apartment ...continued from front page housing choice, supporting local small businesses, creating millions of jobs and contributing to the fabric of communities across the country. In fact, apartment homes and our 35 million residents contribute $1.1 trillion annually to the economy and help support nearly 26 million jobs,” Moran added. For more than 20 years, the National Apartment Association (NAA) and the National Multi Housing Council
(NMHC) have partnered on behalf of America’s apartment industry. Drawing on the knowledge and policy expertise of staff in Washington, D.C., as well as the advocacy power of 170 NAA state and local affiliated associations, NAA and NMHC provide a single voice for developers, owners and operators of multifamily rental housing. Apartments and their 35 million residents support more than 25 million jobs and contribute $1.1 trillion to the economy. To learn more about apartments, visit www.weareapart-
Damage like burn holes, stains and carpet odors are expensive to clean when a resident moves out. Some vendors charge more for carpet cleaning or painting due to smoke damage. You may want to use a third party vendor to verify smoke damage and note the charges on the resident’s move-out security deposit statement. Free resources, including an online guide to going smoke-free, are available at www.SmokeFreeWashington. com. Visit the site to read stories from other landlords, and to find tools to help you with the process. Ultimately, going smoke-free is a win-win for you and your residents. One year after my company went smoke-free, an independent resident survey found that nearly three-quar-
ters of all residents were happy with the policy—and 43 percent of residents who smoked even reported smoking less! Smoke-free housing can promote better business and, ultimately, better health. Going smoke-free is the perfect way to protect your bottom line and do the right thing for residents and staff. Amanda Clark is a senior portfolio manager with Guardian Management LLC, a division of Guardian Real Estate Services in Portland, Oregon that manages 280 properties in 7 states. www. gres.com
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Advertise in the Landlord Times Colorado Circulated to over 7,000 Apartment owners, On-site, and COLORADO Maintenance personnel monthly. Call 503-221-1260 for more information.
ments.org. For more information, contact: NMHC at (202) 974-2300 or info@nmhc.org or www.nmhc.org. NAA at (703) 797-0616 or carole@naahq.org or www.naahq.org/ governmentaffairs.
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WA-RTG-20 Washington
CHECK-IN/CHE
CK-OUT CONDIT
OR-RTG-20 Oregon
CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT CONDITION
REPORT 48-HOUR
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TENANT(S): __________ ADDRESS: __________ ______________________________ ____________________ ____________________ ______ CITY: __________ __________________UN ____________________ IT: ______________ _____ STATE: ________ Rating Scale = (E)Excellent ZIP: _________________ (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair ((P)Poor IN Out LIVING AREAS WA-RTG-40 Washington In Out KITCHEN In Out BEDROOM 3
NOTICE OF ENTRY TENANT(S): ___________________ ______________________________________ _________ ADDRESS: ___________________ _____________________________UNIT: TENANT(S): ______________________ ______________
___________ ADDRESS: ___________ PET AGREEMENTCITY: ___________________________________ STATE: ________ ZIP: _____________ ______________________ ___________________ D DATE:_____ _________________ CITY:
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Pursuant to RCW 59.18.150, this is your 48 hour notice that entering the dwelling your la landlord or their agents unit and ______________________ premises located at (Address) will be ______________________ ______________________ ____________ on between the hours of (Date) and . (Time) (Time) The entry will occur for the ______________________ following purpose: ___________ Doors/Woodwork___________ ______________________ _________________________________ ___________ ______________________ Locks ______________________ _ _ BEDROOM
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Walls
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Floor
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Light Fixtures
AGREEMENT
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state specific forms for
Doors/Woodwork
Locks Tenant(s) certify that the above pet(s) are the only pet(s) on the premises. Tenant(s) understands that the additional pet(s) are not permitted unless the landlord gives ten Ceilings ant(s) written permission. Tenant(s) agree to keep the above-listed pets in the premises subject to the following terms and conditions: Electrical Outlets
1) The pet(s) shall be on a leash or otherwise under tenantÕ Garbage s control Cans when it is outside the tenantÕ s dwelling unit. TV Antenna/Cable 2) Tenant(s) shall promptly pick up all pet waste from the premises promptly. 3) Tenant(s) are responsible for the conduct of their pet(s) Fireplace at all times. 4) Tenant(s) are liable for all damages caused by their pet(s). 5) Tenant(s) shall pay the additional security deposit listedCleanliness above and/or their rental agreement as a condition to keeping the pet(s) listed above. 6) Tenant(s) shall not allow their pets to cause any sort of disturbance or injury to the BEDROOM other tenants, guests, landlord or any other persons lawfully on the premises. 1 7) Tenant(s) shall immediately report to landlord any typeWalls of damage or injury caused by their pet. Windows 8) This agreement is incorporated into and shall become part of the rental agreement exe -cuted between the parties. Failure by tenant to comply with any part of this agreement Blinds/Drapes shall constitute a material breach of the rental agreement.
Disposal
Dishwasher
Counter Tops
Cabinets
Sink
Floor
Light Fixtures
Ceilings
BEDROOM 2
Landlord
Phone
Blinds/Drapes
BATH ROOM Towel Bars
Method of Service:
Personal Service:
* Add one additional
Walls Windows Blinds/Drapes
Post and Mail:
day for compliance
Sink & Vanity
BEDROOM 2
if served by post
Rods
______________________________ Floor Tenant ______________________________ Light Fixtures Tenant Doors/Woodwork
Locks Ceilings Electrical Outlets
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Light Fixtures
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Essential Services
Tub/Shower Fan (Exhaust) Floor Electric Outlets
Light Fixtures
may be reproduced without written
©2009 NO PORTION
of this form may
Essential Services
Plumbing Heating Electricity Hot Water
©2009 NO PORTION
Smoke Detectors
©2011 NO PORTION of this form
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Toilet
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BATH ROOM
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Electric Outlets
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permission.
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