January 2012 RHA Update Newsletter

JANUARY 2012

THE RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION of Greater Portland

2012 JANUARY

Oregon Apartment Association, Inc. WWW.RHAGP.ORG

UPDATE INDEX

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

RHAGP Dinner Meeting

3

Upcoming Events

4

Presidents Message

5

Mayoral Candidates

6

Dear Maintenance Men

7

3 New Year’s Resolutions

8

Domestic Violence&FHLaws

9

Tenant Satisfaction = $$$

10-11

Preferred Service Guide

12-14

Norm Stoll

14

Comeback of Transfer Tenant

15

Fairhousing ABC’s

16-17

From Our Lobbyist

18-19

When You Inherit Tenants

20-21

Holiday Fire Safety

22

Eileen Brady, Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith

Mayoral Candidates to Speak at the January Dinner Meeting Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 at The Red Lion Inn Convention Center SEE PAGE 6 FOR DETAILS

www.RHAGP.org

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RHAGP UPDATE

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JANUARY 2012

2012 JANUARY DINNER MEETING

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If you are a new member, or just want to learn more about RHAGP, you should attend our orientation at 5:15pm before every dinner meeting. Meet board members who will discuss the numerous benefits attributed to being a part of our landlord advocacy group.

SEE PAGE 6 FOR SPEAKER INFORMATION When: Wednesday January 18, 2012 from 6pm-9pm.

Where:

Red Lion Inn 1020 NE Grand Ave. Portland, OR 97232

Price:

$15.00 per person.

Call for reservations.

503-254-4723 Big Thanks to Cindy Robert & RHAGP for sponsoring the January Dinner Meeting and the reduction in cost.

Agenda:

5:15 pm Membership Orientation Meeting 6:00 pm Meeting starts

Dinner Buffet Menu Chile Spice-rubbed Beef Tender Served over Roasted Sweet Potatoes Matzo Balls served in Roasted Vegetable Broth Windows Spinach Salad with Sun-dried Cranberries, Goat Cheese, Roasted Butternut Squash and Honey-lime Vinaigrette Butter-Roasted Chicken with Cilantro and Mint Twice-Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes Roasted Winter Vegetables Assorted Rolls & Butter Chef’s Assorted Dessert Platter Coffee, Decaf, Hot Tea and Egg Nog

President’s Message:: Phil Owen Guest Speaker: Mayoral Candidates (SEE page 6 )

Door Prizes and Money Pot Directions

From EAST Portland- Intersection of I-205 and I-84 take I-84 WEST to exit 1 toward Lloyd Center. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Convention Center/Rose Quarter and merge onto NE 16th Dr. Continue onto NE Lloyd Blvd. Turn right onto NE Grand Ave. Red Lion will be on the left.

From I-5 take exit 300 for I-84 east toward Portland Airport/ The Dalles. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Omsi/Central Eastside Industrial District and merge onto SE Yamhill St. Turn right onto SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Turn left onto SE Salmon St. Take the 1st left onto SE Grand Ave destination will be on the left.

Upcoming RHAGP Classes Buy Real Estate with Your IRA Funds Funds-- Taught by Jo Foraker Preferred Professional in the Portland area for Pensco.

Thursday, January 12th from 6:30pm-8:30pm at RHA Office, 10520 NE Weidler, Portland 97220 or Thursday, February 23rd from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Standard TV & Appliance, 3600 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton 97005.

Jo Foraker-Preferred Professional in the Portland area for Pensco, will discuss the steps, forms, time frame, and costs associated with self-directed IRA’s and real estate investing. This seminar is for those seeking to better understand the basic steps to Self-Directed retirement investing. Join us for this in depth discussion on real estate investment options.

Class cost is $25 for members or $35 for non-members. Register by Monday, January 9th for the January 12th class or register by Monday, February 20th for the February 23rd class and receive a $5.00 discount on the price of class. This class will be worth 1 Continuing Education Hour.

Evictions- Taught by Sam Johnson with Landlord Solutions Thursday, January 26th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at Standard TV & Appliance, 3600 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton 97005 or Thursday, February 9th from 6:30pm-8:00pm at RHA Office , 10520 NE Weidler, Portland 97220.

Sam Johnson will take you step by step through the eviction process. You will learn strategies to decrease the time and rent you lose. This class will improve efficiency in eviction court. You will hear the common pitfalls for landlords and how to avoid them.

Class cost is $25 for members or $35 for non-members. Register by Monday, January 23rd for the January 26th class or register by Monday, February 6th for the February 9th class and receive a $5.00 discount on the price of class. This class will be worth 1 Continuing Education Hour.

Landlording 102 – Tuesday February 28 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm Jeffrey S. Bennett, Attorney at Law, will take you through the coming changes to the ORLTA, a retrospective of the last two years, and up-to-the-minute insights into new cases. Along the way he’ll teach you how to avoid costly legal mistakes and help you improve your landlord skills.

Class will be at Standard TV & Appliance 3600 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton 97005. Cost is $35 for members or $45 for non-members. This class will be worth 1 Continuing Education Hour. There is a 35 person limit for this room. *Register by Friday, February 24 and receive a $5.00 discount on price of class.

www.RHAGP.org

RHAGP UPDATE

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UPCOMING EVENTS JANUARY 2012 Su 1 8 15 22 29

M 2 9 16 23 30

Tu 3 10 17 24

Date

Event

1/2 1/10

OFFICE CLOSED

W 4 11 18 25

Th 5 12 19 26

FEBRUARY 2012 F 6 13 20 27

Sa 7 14 21 28

Location

Su

M

Tu

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

W 1 8 15 22 29

Th 2 9 16 23

F 3 10 17 24

Sa 4 11 18 25

Time

Notes

RHA Office *Online Tenant Screening Class RHA Office

9-5 11am

In Observance of New Years Reserve by 1/9/12, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

1/11 1/12

Board Meeting

5pm 6:30pm See Page 3 for details.

1/18 1/24

Red Lion *Online Tenant Screening Class WebEx

Buy Real Estate with Your IRA Funds Class Dinner Meeting

RHA Office RHA Office

6pm 7pm

See Page 3 & 6 for details.

Reserve by 1/23/12, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

6:30pm See Page 3 for details.

1/26

Eviction Class

Standard TV & Appliance

Date

Event

Location

Time

2/8 2/9 2/14

Board Meeting Eviction Class *Online Tenant Screening Class Dinner Meeting Buy Real Estate with Your IRA Funds Class *Online Tenant Screening Class Landlording 102

RHA Office

5pm 6:30pm See Page 3 for details.

11am Reserve by 2/13/12, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

6pm 6:30pm See Page 3 for details.

2/15 2/23 2/28 2/28

RHA Office RHA Office TBA Standard TV & Appliance WebEx Standard TV & Appliance

Notes

7pm

Reserve by 2/27/12, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

6:30pm See Page 3 for details.

* Registration is required, please call the RHAGP office for details 503-254-4723

Other Events: January 17th, 6:30 p.m. - NWREIA Multi-Family Commercial Real Estate Secrets RHA Office - Call Jerad Goughnour for more info 503-789-3212 January 19th, 6:30pm- City-wide Landlord Forum Keeping Everyone Happy: Handling Issues During a Tenancy. Call 503-823-4064 for more information.

February 21st, 6:30 p.m. - NWREIA Multi-Family Commercial Real Estate Secrets RHA Office - Call Jerad Goughnour for more info 503-789-3212

~ Join us on facebook at Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland ~

JANUARY 2012 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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By Phil Owen

In December the RHA held a “Landlording 102” class, which was standing room only.

This class went into a little more detail on how to keep you out of trouble. Sometimes it seems that we landlords are the mole in the arcade game “Whack-a-Mole”. We have to know and abide by every new law and rule created by the City, State, Fire Department, Health Department, Housing Authority, and almost any other group that can get a judge or lawmaker to agree with them.

to be a member of RHAGP or any other organization but you do need to be educated in the laws and requirements of the rental housing industry and that is very hard to do on your own. If you aren’t educated, then like the previously mentioned mole you won’t know when to duck. We all want to do a good job, but I know of cases where decisions were made with the best of intentions, where it seemed to be a logical decision but it violated a law and it cost dearly.

RHAGP would like to raise the standard of professionalism in the state of Oregon by inviting everyone to participate in our training classes and using our forms. These two actions will go a long way to improve the profitability of your property and the professionalism of the industry.

That is why I need the RHA. Without the forms they sell- which were designed by attorneys that specialize in Landlord law to guide us through the mine field of dealing with litigious clients- I would be in trouble. I would be lost without the monthly meetings and classes that keep us up I would like to take a minute to thank Mark Passannante to date and give us an opportunity to network with other for serving as president of RHAGP for five of the last landlords to refine the best practices for dealing with the new seven years. His knowledge of the business and ability requirements as they are implemented. to manage the operations of the organization has kept the RHA on the leading edge of our industry.

The RHAGP hired a lobbyist to monitor what is going on in Salem. This is a very important asset for all the landlords in Some of you might recognize me as being a past president Oregon, because we all have our own work to be doing, and of RHA. Well I would like to thank the members of RHA for don’t have time to watch everything the lawmakers are up giving me another chance. I feel it is an honor and privilege to. I like the fact that the RHA has a very diverse group of to hold this position and I will do my best to continue the landlords. I can talk to others that have an understanding of quality of service we have for our members. It is important the problems that I am having and probably have experience that the members receive the best training, forms and that they are willing to share. RHA also has lots of members screening services available so they can be the best at that are vendors; everything from Accounting to Windows what they do. and all of them are willing to help by providing services, Thank You supplies and good advice.

I got into the rental industry because my dad was a builder and he built and managed his own apartments. Four of his five children were pressed into managing his apartments and I just never left the business. I look back on how he ran the business then and compare it to what we have to comply with now. I remember when we had the landlord lien and could put a boot on the door knob and then hold the tenant’s property until the rent was paid. Well, today we are held to a much higher standard and this is a business. You don’t need

Phil Owen

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor” Oliver Wendell Holmes 1858

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www.RHAGP.org

RHAGP UPDATE

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When:

2012 JANUARY DINNER MEETING

Wednesday January 18. 2012

Where: Red Lion Inn 1020 NE Grand Ave Portland, OR 97232

Price:

$15.00 per person.

Call (503) 254-4723 for Reservations or www.Rhagp.org

Agenda:

Big Thanks to Cindy Robert & RHAGP for Sponsoring the January Dinner meeting and the reduction in cost.

6:00pm Meeting Starts

Mayoral Candidates to Speak at the January Dinner Meeting Eileen Brady Born in 1961 in Chicago, Eileen is the eldest of five in an extended Irish Catholic family. Eileen was raising money for causes like muscular dystrophy by age nine and knocking on doors for political campaigns at age twelve.

Eileen graduated from Evergreen State College, convinced that business could be an effective catalyst for social change. She moved to Portland and went to work at Nature’s Fresh Northwest, a company that was an early pioneer in the natural foods grocery industry. She started at $5 an hour, earning just enough to pay for child care and worked her way up to Human Resources Director and served on the executive management team. In this role, she helped build a workplace culture of service and community, proving that you can create a sustainable, profitable business by providing a bridge between local farmers, fishers, ranchers and urban consumers.

Eileen is also the board chair of Celilo Group Media, publisher of the green coupon guide, ChinookBook. She served as Vice President for Food and Farms for Portland’s landmark conservation non-profit organization, Ecotrust, where she focused on market development with special emphasis on bringing together urban and rural communities. She brought this expertise to the advisory board of Voice for Oregon Sustainability and Innovation (VOIS) and to the launch board for the Portland Sustainability Institute (PoSI), where she currently serves as an advisor. Eileen also served as the board chair of Zenger Farms, an educational farm in Lents that introduces over 4,500 children a year to watershed health and to where their food comes from. She also sat on the City of Portland’s Mt. Tabor Reservoirs Independent Review Panel.

Charlie Hales Charlie Hales chose Portland as home more than 30 years ago. Like many Portlanders, Charlie saw promise for his family, opportunity, and a great natural environment.

Charlie’s call to public service began through neighborhood activism. Portland was growing rapidly, pressure for sprawl was building, and Portland’s treasured livability was threatened. Serving on his Hayhurst Neighborhood Association board, soon as its chair, and eventually being elected as a City Commissioner, Charlie steered Portland’s growth successfully – building partnerships, trust, and a common vision for its future. He served from 1993 through 2002.

Charlie’s life-long love for parks and greenspaces steered his success in other accomplishments for Portlanders. As Portland’s Parks Commissioner, Charlie led the first successful Parks Bond measure in 50 years. Then, he leveraged those dollars with community fundraising and philanthropic support and built or renovated 110 parks across the city. Charlie also ensured that the development of an effective transit system could also build livable communities.

Charlie brought Portland’s ideas for neighborhood livability to the nation. After his service as City Commissioner, he joined HDR Engineering. As its Senior Vice-President, Charlie has led teams of planners and engineers creating new light rail and streetcar lines. He is also a board member and regular weekend volunteer for Friends of Trees, serves on the board of the Portland Parks Foundation, and is part of the dedicated group that has worked for ten years to add a permanent, year-round Portland Public Market to our great network of neighborhood farmers’ markets.

Jefferson Smith Jefferson Smith was born and homegrown in Portland, Oregon. After attending Grant High School and the University of Oregon, Jefferson graduated from Harvard Law School. He left a high-paying corporate firm in New York to avoid defending big tobacco and to return home to Portland.

He became a nonprofit entrepreneur and gathered friends together to start the Oregon Bus Project, which grew into a national model of hands-on democracy for future generations. In the decade since, the Bus Project has developed hundreds of future leaders, registered tens of thousands of new voters, launched national activities in multiple cities across the U.S., won local and national awards, and inspired democracy efforts from Oregon to Colorado and Africa.

In 2008, Jefferson was elected to succeed Jeff Merkley to represent East Portland in the Oregon House. He successfully worked with citizens, lawmakers and stakeholders to campaign common-sense, high-road economic solutions like the landmark water investment program, the “Cool Schools” jobs program, and the “economic gardening” plan for homegrown Oregon businesses.

Dear Maintenance Men:

JANUARY 2012

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By Jerry L'Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men: My pest control company has removed a beehive from my property. However, the bees have not left and the tenants are complaining about bees inside their units. I have sealed every hole, crevasse and crack I can find. Yet, the bees still find a way of getting into the units. What is missing or are these bees just too smart?

Bert Dear Bert: We have had a similar problem at one of our properties. We also sealed everything we could think of and still the bees found a way in. You may want to look at your roof vents that service the bathroom & kitchen exhaust fans. The bees come down the vent and go into the voids between the ceiling and roof. Most fan boxes are not well sealed below the fan blades. Once they are in the ceiling, it is easy for them to travel to different units, find a hole and drop down into the apartment’s living area. Because the bees may be discovered in an area far from the original entry point, it is hard to track down where they first came in. We now install screening at all bath and kitchen exhaust vent tubes. The material used is 1/8 inch square metal screening and is attached to the top of the vent tube at the roof level. Be sure to extract the hive and any honey you find or you might not only continue to have a bee problem, but an ant problem also.

Dear Maintenance Men: The wood fence patios on my property are not very old, yet the posts appear to be rotting out in the ground. I feel they should have lasted much longer. The fence now leans and is a danger. I will be replacing all the posts soon and want to know how to stop the posts from rotting in the concrete footings. Do you have a suggestion?

Mark Dear Mark: Your problem is most likely poor drainage. The posts just rotted away because of excessive moisture.

For a long-term installation, use either redwood or pressure treated lumber. Dig your posthole at least 6 inches deeper than normal. Fill the bottom six inches of the hole with ½” sized gravel. Then set your post in place, level it and pour in another 2 or 3 inches of gravel. Fill the balance of the hole with Ready-Mix or Post-Mix concrete. Taper the top of the wet concrete at a slight angle to the post; that will help drain water away from the post. For added protection, you

may want to consider water proofing your post with Thompson’s Water Seal or roofing tar. That should help keep your post healthy for much longer.

Dear Maintenance Men: I have an older building and the kitchen and bath drains clog on a regular basis. I want to buy a small power snake for cleaning out these drains whenever they get clogged. At the rate my tenants seem to block their drains, it should pay for its self in no time. Is this a good idea?

Brian Dear Brian: We understand that almost any excuse is a good reason to buy a power tool. However,… most bathroom and kitchen drains can be cleared with a three-foot hand snake. The tub or shower will typically have a hair stoppage just past the tub shoe and the bathroom sink will have a toothpaste and hair stoppage in the trap before the wall. The kitchen sink will typically be stopped on the garbage disposal side because of improper usage of the disposer. If both sides of the kitchen sink are blocked, then it may be necessary to use the power snake.

Power snakes can be very dangerous. Most operate with a ¼ to ½ horse motor, which packs quite a punch, especially if your finger or arm gets caught! If you buy this snake, we highly recommend that you get some training on your machine. Power drain cleaning is very much an “art” when done properly. Knowing when you hit the stoppage and when the snake is snagged comes with experience. A broken snake cable in your drain system will be far more expensive than simply calling an experienced plumber when needed.

Another thought is; most kitchen stoppages are grease related. Your snake might only temporarily clear the stoppage. Consider using a company to “Hydro-Jet” your drains once a year. This may help cure any chronic grease stoppages.

Maintenance Tip: If you keep potted plants or flowers on your deck; always elevate the pot with plastic, or terracotta legs to let any water under the pot evaporate.

Bio: Please call Buffalo Maintenance, Inc or JLE Property Management, Inc for Maintenance, consultation or management. For an appointment, call Frankie Alvarez at 714 956-8371 or Jerry L’Ecuyer at 714 778-0480. CA contractor lic: #797645, EPA Certified Renovation Company and DRE lic: 01460075 Please view our websites at www.BuffaloMaintenance.com & www.ContactJLE.com

www.RHAGP.org

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RHAGP UPDATE

RHAGP LIST OF COMMITTEES

3 New Year’s Resolutions to Achieve Investment Property Profitability

You know that old adage: the only constant in life is change. I think this especially applies to the business of managing investment property.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know which changes will occur so we can anticipate and control them, or at least navigate in ways that benefit Community Relations/Donations us? But we can only affect change in areas where we have control.

Chair: Tony Kavanagh, Phone: 503-522-4474 Therefore, managing our areas of responsibility in ways that help us move towards our goals is the primary approach that will likely lead to Dinner/Program our year-over-year success.

Chair: Lynne Whitney, Phone: 503-284-5522 Where, When and How to Get Started January is the perfect time to think about what to achieve with your Education investment property by the end of the year, and to decide on the path Chair:Ron Garcia, Phone: 503-595-4747 you’ll take to arrive at your goal. At the beginning of each year, I plan a Forms few projects that will help achieve profitability in the face of changes that Chair: Mark Passannante, Phone: 503-294-0910 I can forecast.

See what you think of these three New Year’s Resolutions – I hope they House inspire some ideas for you, as you work toward increasing investment Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-805-5993 property profitability throughout 2012.

Resolution #1: Increase Investment Property Revenues Legislative I plan at least one revenue generating activity, and usually two. I always Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986 plan for lease renewals, and tenancy terminations, as needed. One way to stay profitable is to consider increasing rent rates with a goal Membership Chair: Elizabeth Carpenter, Phone: 503-314-6498 of making enough in gross revenues to profit after covering increasing expenses and funding reserve accounts.

Office I also brainstorm creative ways to add a new revenue source, or increase an existing one. Every investor is likely to choose a source Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-805-5993 based on their unique property investment and residents. And you’d be RHAGP LOBBYIST amazed at the creative ways one can make an investment property more Cindy Robert, Phone: 503-260-3431 appealing and valuable to residents.

Resolution #2: Decrease One Investment Property Expense I generally start with each category of the IRS Tax Schedule, and RHAGP OFFICE STAFF consider how to be more effective in keeping costs down. Okay, some Alita Dougherty, Office Manager - alita@rhagp.org years I need to work on more than one area. I’m not one to make Pam VanLoon, Bookkeeper - pam@rhagp.org unnecessary work, so I focus on the low-hanging fruit first. And don’t Cari Pierce, Member Svcs - cari@rhagp.org forget the 80/20 Rule: 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort.

Lori Franke, Member Svcs Assistant - lori@rhagp.org I’ve learned that it isn’t necessary to perfect a good idea if I see that it is already effective.

Resolution #3: Increase Long-Term ROI with a Bigger Project RHAGP OFFICE Consider a project that will take more than one year to complete and Monday - Friday * 9:00am - 5:00pm require an infusion of capital - like major apartment remodels, updating Phone: 503-254-4723 * Fax: 503-254-4821 all or part of electrical or plumbing systems, adding onto existing 10520 NE Weidler St structures for new common area spaces, or replacing an aging roof.

Portland, OR 97220 You Can Do It www.rhagp.org When planning resolutions, the good news is that the deadline for completion isn’t until the end of the year, or even two or three years for #3. So planning the work over the entire 12-month period (rather than “Landlords doing good things the first 3 weeks of January), makes a big goal seem less daunting. in their communities” Before long, it’s already the end of the year - time to celebrate and give thanks for being more profitable and having an investment that is worth more than it was just 12 months ago.

What will your Resolutions be in 2012?

Building Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986

Kathleen Wilcox, EMBA is a principal at Lamplight Enterprises, LLC. Lamplight Business Services, a division of Lamplight Enterprises, LLC, provides concierge-style business support services to real estate investors who own and manage real property to help them achieve greater profitability monthover-month and long term ROI. For more information about Lamplight Business Services, please contact us at 206.779.5231 or contact@lamplightnw.com or visit our website at www.lamplightnw.com.

JANUARY 2012

Page 9

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND FAIR HOUSING LAWS National and local statistics show that 85-90% of victims of domestic violence are women. When a housing provider has a policy of denying tenancy to or evicting anyone who is involved in a domestic violence incident, the housing provider's neutral policy could have a "disparate impact" on women. Because women are far more likely to be the victims of domestic violence and not the perpetrators, domestic violence policies such as these negatively affect women far more than men, and are likely to be a violation of fair housing laws.

Housing providers may establish policies and procedures to screen prospective residents and to evict residents; however, those policies could be discriminatory even when they appear neutral, if in fact, they have a disproportionately negative impact on a protected class of residents. Civil rights agencies analyze this type of discrimination under the "disparate impact" theory of discrimination.

Disparate impact cases in housing do not need to show intent. In other words, a resident or prospective resident need only establish that the housing providers' policies or practices had a significantly greater adverse impact on the resident's protected class. Statistical evidence (preferably figures gathered locally) is used to prove that the policy had a discriminatory impact.

Once a resident has shown sufficient evidence of a discriminatory impact, the burden shifts to the housing provider to demonstrate a "business necessity" to justify the policy or practice. The housing provider must supply objective evidence that the policy has a strong relationship to a legitimate and substantial goal, not merely generalizations or subjective evidence. Housing providers must also be able to show that no alternative policy exists that could accomplish that goal with less impact on the protected class.

Here are a few examples to show how this policy issue plays out in practice.

Q: A woman applied for an available unit at a apartment complex. Her screening report indicated that she had been involved in a domestic violence incident. Management did not want violence or other problems associated with domestic violence at their complex, so they have a policy of not accepting applications from prospective residents with a history of domestic violence on their screening report. Is this a violation of the fair housing laws?

A: When you receive an indication of a history of domestic violence during the screening process, you should ask the prospective resident about the circumstances. If she can show that she was the victim of domestic violence, then a refusal to take her application could be a violation of fair housing laws. Typically, policies such as this are based on a concern for the safety of residents in one's rental community. The policy, however, has an adverse impact on women based on sex/gender, because a disproportionate number of victims of domestic violence are women. The assumption that former victims of domestic violence would bring trouble to the community or introduce a safety concern is not enough to justify that policy, and has been found to be a violation of the fair housing laws.

Q: The police were called to a rental community in response to a domestic violence incident involving a husband and wife who live in the complex. The community has a "zero tolerance" policy for any type of violence, and has issued an eviction notice to the household. Does this policy violate fair housing laws?

A: This policy has a disproportionate adverse impact on women, because 85-90% of victims of domestic violence are women. Management may assert that zero tolerance for violence at the community simply represents concern for the health and safety of their residents. Such a rule, however, may not be supported by business reasons based on overly broad generalizations that fail to take into account the individual circumstances of the female domestic violence victim.

Housing providers have some options in this type of situation that would assist them in complying with the fair housing laws. A housing provider could evict the perpetrator and allow the tenancy to continue for the victim of domestic violence.

Housing providers may also: • offer a separate, available unit at their community to the victim of domestic violence • offer the domestic violence victim a chance to move to another rental at a different community managed by the same company • allow the victim of domestic violence to cancel her rental agreement or lease (without penalty) and move elsewhere.

The key is to take steps to work with the resident in this situation to help prevent any further harm or damages.

Housing providers, domestic violence advocates and fair housing agencies are working together to develop clearer guidelines for housing providers on how to manage domestic violence situations. A sample policy for landlords and managers on “Domestic Violence & Fair Housing” is available in CD format from King County Office for Civil Rights and also online at www.kingcounty.gov/exec/CivilRights/FH/HPresources.aspx.

If you have any questions about the fair housing laws in domestic violence situations, feel free to contact your local fair housing agency. (Editor’s note: You can find Oregon Fair Housing information at: FHCO.org/hs_provider_info.htm or www.fhco.org or call the Fair Housing Hotline 800 424-3247) Reprinted with permission of King County Office for Civil Rights www.RHAGP.org

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RHAGP UPDATE

Tenant Satisfaction Equates to Dollars in your Pockets

By Cliff Hockley, President Bluestone and Hockley Real Estate Services

I got up early this morning fully invigorated. My goal for the day was to read our client and tenant surveys and make sure we were doing a good job of taking care of the properties we manage. You might ask why I care and it would be a good question. The answer is that the happier tenants are the longer they will stay and the longer they stay, the more money your property makes.

The costs of Tenant Turnover Think of it this way. Every tenant turnover results in cleaning and painting expenses, maintenance expenses, and wear and tear on the hallways, stairwells and elevators as tenants move in and out. Just look outside and see how many carports downspouts and gutters have been damaged by moving trucks. Consider the advertising expenses, the leasing expenses, the hassle of showing units and screening new tenants. All of these expenses added together are very significant, and if you can delay or slow down the number of tenants vacating you make money.

Consider that, as a general industry-wide rule most apartment tenancies last 12 – 16 months, or as a general average fifty percent (50%) of the units become vacant every year. Just think of the savings if only a third of your tenants moved instead of half. (This rule is different for houses, which have a two year tenancy cycle. For commercial properties it averages every 3 – 5 years but the same principles apply).

How does an annual tenant survey help?

Let’s face it, you can’t be at your property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Things will happen that you aren’t aware of….the trash hauler will carelessly leave the dumpster or trash cans blocking a car, the person you have hired to answer the phones will have a grumpy tone, the maintenance man will forget to wipe his feet. The survey gives your tenant(s) an opportunity to share things they may have been too busy or too afraid to tell you face to face.

There are at least three ways to get feedback from your tenants. 1) ask them when you visit (works well if you have one or two houses), 2) send them a written survey with a stamped self addressed envelope, 3) survey them

Jeffrey S. Bennett Attorney at Law Serving Oregon & Washington Landlords For Over 15 Years Just three minutes from the RHAGP main office!

850 NE 122nd Ave., Portland, OR 97230 503-255-8795 • Bennett@warrenallen.com

electronically( SurveyMonkey, Zoomerang, SurveyGizmo, PollDaddy, Constant Contact offers "Listen-Up").

Questions you might consider asking include: • Is your on-site manager available during posted hours?

• Are the posted office hours convenient for you?

• Is the office staff (if you have staff) courteous and helpful?

• Are you satisfied with the maintenance work completed at your home/apartment?

• Are the common areas (laundry room, yard, parking area) kept clean and tidy?

• How would you rate the condition of your unit at move in?

• Are you interested in participating in on site activities?

• If you are not happy, what are your major concerns?

• Do you feel your problems are resolved promptly?

• Would you rent / lease from us again?

• Are you satisfied with the accounting?

• Are there other concerns that we should be aware of?

You might also want to consider a question that confirms the move in fees and rents received by an onsite manager, to verify that your records and actual fees, rents and deposits are the same. This also insures that your onsite manager is not skimming by charging the tenants extra fees that go into the onsite manager’s pockets (such as parking fees, or fees that might be illegal to charge in your state).

Once you have developed the questions that work for you and surveyed your tenants, you need to respond to their needs. If there are problems discovered by the survey, solve the problems and fix what is broken. If you do not, no one will respond to your next survey since you did not follow through with resolving the problems identified by the survey.

How to read and use the information First, know not all of your tenants will return the survey. If you are lucky you will get a response rate of 10 – 30% of your tenants. You can increase your response by offering Continued on page 11

Continued from page 10

JANUARY 2012

incentives (a free Pizza, movie night) to those who respond.

We pre-label (pre-identify) all of our surveys so that when they come back, we can identify the tenant and the location of the unit and sort out the problems at that unit (maintenance, co – tenant issues, problems with the onsite manager, etc.).

We survey annually and compare our results to the previous year to see if we are improving. While all of the information is critical, the most important question in our opinion, is “would you rent from us again?” This gives us insight into tenant satisfaction. Our goal is to exceed 85%. If you can reach that number you are on the right track.

Bear in mind, you will not make everyone happy all of the time, but how you respond to an issue will make a big impact. If the tenants only get voicemail, and never a human being or have to call numerous times before getting a response or wait an extended period of time for a resolution, they are more likely not to rent from you again. You should also consider the survey respondents fall into two extremes: those that are extremely happy/impressed, and those that are extremely unhappy and disappointed. The middle, silent majority are often too busy or neutral to take the time to respond. Don’t lose your perspective when reviewing your survey results.

Summary In summary, surveys often uncover the most amazing information. Don’t survey your residents unless you are ready to receive both good and bad news; remember they are just giving you their opinion as they see it. If you don’t have the time, money or staff in place to respond to the issues which may arise from the survey, you are only worsening your standing. Most importantly, remember there is always room to improve and you may be pleasantly surprised by some of the good ideas that come from the process.

Using surveys helps you gauge tenant satisfaction. The higher the tenant satisfaction the longer tenants will stay and when they move, the word of mouth advertising will fill your units right up again, whether your property is a four-plex or a hundred unit property. Finally, happy tenants mean increased revenue, reduced costs and improved positive cash flow for you.

About the Author Clifford A. Hockley is President of Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services, greater Portland’s full service real estate brokerage and property management company. Founded in 1972, Bluestone & Hockley’s staff totals nearly 110 employees, including 20 licensed brokers. The company’s property management division serves commercial buildings, apartments, condominium associations and houses in the Portland / Vancouver metro area, while the brokerage division facilitates both leasing and sales of investment properties throughout Oregon and Washington.

Reprinted with permission of Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services. You can read more articles at www.bluestonehockley.com/ or contact Bluestone & Hockley office by

phone at (503)222-3800. www.RHAGP.org

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RHAGP UPDATE

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Preferred Service Guide Dual and Affiliate members support the interest of rental housing through their membership in RHA. ACCOUNTING / BOOKKEEPING Balancing Point, Inc. Sandy Buhite-Landis P.503-659-8803, C.503-504-9466 12500 SE Oatfield Rd, Milwaukie, 97222 melandsandyl@hotmail.com

Northwood Business Svcs Jon Moon, P.503-297-2610 Accounting/Tax Services northwoodtax@comcast.net

Portland Tax Company P.503-258-0700, F.503-256-1527 Full Service Tax and Accounting portlandrose@comcast.net

ADVERTISING / MARKETING The Landlord Times P.503-221-1260 News for Property Managers and Owners www.thelandlordtimes.com

The Oregonian Publishing David Sandvig, P.503-221-8417 1320 SW Broadway, Portland 97201 dsandvig@oregonian.com

APPLIANCE-RENT,SERVICE,LEASE Azuma Leasing BJ Rosow, P.800-707-1188 P.512-236-9000, F.512-239-9009 2905 San Gabriel St #218 Austin, TX 78705

Mac-Gray Corporation Formerly Web Laundry Company Karen Anthony P-503-330-9628

Mr. Appliance of PDX, CCB#190613 P.503-658-5204 25% Labor for RHAGP Members Any Problem, Any Brand, Any Time

APPLIANCE-SALES ONLY G&C Distributing Company Tony Kavanagh, P.503-288-0221 5010 NE Oregon St, Portland 97213

Standard TV & Appliance Joe Mosee & Cathy Mosee P.503-619-0500, C.503-888-6927 3600 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton 97005

APPLICANT SCREENING National Tenant Network Marcia Gohman P.503-635-1118, F.503-635-9392 PO Box 21027, Keizer 97303 www.ntnonline.com

Prospective Renters Verification Service Charlie Kamerman P.503-655-0888, F.503-655-0900

RHAGP P.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821 Fast, affordable tenant screening www.rhagp.org

RS Investigators, LLC David Mustard P.866-976-3999 ex1, F.888-496-9998 www.rsinvestigators.com

Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland Tenant Check LLC Brent Vaughters P.360-574-3924, F.360-397-0196 www.aptcheck.com

ASPHALT PAVING Hal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434 Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S Molalla Ave, Oregon City 97045

ASSOCIATIONS Metro Area Smoke Free Housing Project P.503-718-6145 www.smokefreeoregon.com

ATTORNEYS Bittner & Hahs, P.C. Andy Hahs, P.503-228-5626 4949 SW Meadows Rd #260 Lake Oswego 97035

Broer & Passannante, P.S. Mark G Passannante, P.503-294-0910 1211 SW Fifth #2330, Portland 97204

Hummel & Barnhouse, P.C. Amy Barnhouse, P.503-228-7569 522 SW Fifth Ave #812, Portland 97204

Jeffrey S. Bennett Jeff Bennett, P.503-255-8795 850 NE 122nd Ave, Portland 97230 Protecting landlords’ rights in Oregon for over a decade.

Law Offices of Richard Schneider, LLC P.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com 2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210 Business formation ~ LLCs

Scott A.McKeown, P.C. Scott McKeown, P.503-224-1937 8700 SW 26th Ave, STE. S, Portland 97219 scottmckeown@comcast.net

CARPENTRY & REPAIRS Accent on Design Inc, CCB# 182683 P.503-841-0233, P.503-310-3841 Low rates, 30 years of experience. http://www.accentondesigninvestments.com

Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 Full Service General Contractor www.eatongeneral.com

G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743 P.503-826-9404 Maintenance & Painting Specialists miesner@comcast.net

CARPET CLEANING O’Meara Carpet Cleaning 503-538-1983, 503-620-5005 Cleaning, Pet Odor Removal, Flood Damage www.omearacarpetcleaning.com

Apple Cleaning Co. Order & Quotes for Carpet Steam Cleaning Apartment, House & Office Cleaning Call 503-380-5298/rolandhreed@msn.com

CARPET SALES Contract Furnishings Mart Ross Williams P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722 915 SE Sandy Blvd, Porltand 97214 Patrick VonPegert P.503-542-8900, 800-935-1250 14160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224 Roger Harms P.503-656-5277, 877-656-5232 15140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas 97015 info@cfmfloors.com

While the Rental Housing Association accepts advertising at face value, it cannot endorse the advertiser or otherwise guarantee the quality of the products or services being advertised.

Such guarantees, written or implied, are solely the responsibility of the advertiser.

Pat Hockman P.360-896-6150, 800-267-6150 11013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682

The Floor Store Ted Stapleton, P.503-408-6488 5628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland 97206 ted@floorstoreportland.com

CLEANING / CLEAN UP All Surface Cleaning Co., CCB# 155380 Adam Zumwalt, P.503-781-3611 Exterior surface clean & restore www.allsurfacecleaning.com

Expedia CBS LLC, CCB#172362 P.971-344-4449, C.503-780-4458 Apartment/House Cleaning Janitorial Service

Janus Janitorial P.503-775-4218 Cleaning services For the rental community

Poppino Enterprises, CCB# 82177 Gary Poppino, P.503-659-7551 Turnover cleaning

COLLECTION AGENCIES Anderson & Associates Credit Svcs, LLC P.503-293-5400, F.503-813-2159 PO Box 230286, Portland 97281 andersoncollectionagency@gmail.com

COMMUNICATIONS Comcast Business Services Dave Dronkowski, P.503-957-4186 Telephone, Internet and Cable TV services david_dronkowski@cablecomcast.com

DOORS Daystar Windows & Doors, Inc. Mike Litteral, Lori Litteral P.503-621-0121, 360-566-0121 1206 NE 146th St #D, Vancouver, WA 98685

Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898, F.503-620-8608 5215 SW Childs Rd, Lake Oswego 97035

ELECTRIC DeKorte Electric, Inc. CCB#159954 P.503-288-2211 5331 SW Macadam #258-113, Portland 97239

Portland General Electric Anne Snyder-Grassmann, P.503-464-7534

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB#163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully Licensed to do it all garyindra@rentalrepairs.com

ENERGY CONSERVATION EcoTech LLC P.503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com

ESTATE PLANNING Law Offices of Richard Schneider, LLC P.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com 2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210

EVICTIONS Action Services Wally Lemke, P.503-244-1226 PO Box 69621, Portland 97239 Your eviction & process service specialists

Barrister Support Service P.503-246-8934 Evictions, 1st appearances, process serving www.barristersupport.com

Landlord Solutions P.503-242-2312, F.503-242-1881 PO Box 7087, Portland 97007 Online evictions & first appearances www.landlord-solutions.com

Portland Pioneer Properties P.503-238-2560, F.503-232-0187 Full Prop. Management Service LIN# 200201113, CCB# 144531

1031 EXCHANGES/REITS TENANCY IN COMMON Doug Foley Professional Real Estate Team 503-704-2750, 503-336-6595 4326 SE Woodstock #507, Portland 97206 doug@prore.net, www.prore.net

Peregrine Private Capital Corp.

P.503-241-4949 5000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego 97035 rs@peregrineprivatecapital.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES American Commercial Mortgage Network Al Williams, P.206-264-1325 1366 91st Ave NE, Clyde Hill, WA 98004

Chase Commercial Term Lending Tom Barbour, P.503-598-3657 Steve Mozinski, P.503-598-3661 steve.mozinski@chase.com

RH Financial Services Inc. Robert Hogg, P.503-781-4181 1944 NE 45th Ave, Portland 97213 roberth@rhfinancial.net

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Ron Eiseman, P.503-946-1112 5100 SW Macadam Ave, STE 550, Portland 97239 ronald.c.eiseman@wellsfargo.com

FIRE / WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION Cooper Construction, CCB#08587 P.503-232-3121, Since 1950 2305 SE 9th Ave, Portland 97214 www.fire-water-restoration.com

Horizon Restoration, CCB#160672 John Pedden P.503-620-2215, F.503-624-0523 7235 SW Bonita Rd, Portland 97224

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676 P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.com

Vanguard Restoration, CCB#189506 P.866-993-3817 - 24/7 - Free Estimates You insure the property, we insure peace of mind

www.vanguardrestoration.com

FIRE SAFETY Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Eric T McMullen, P.503-612-7000 7401 SW Washo Ct, STE 101, Tualatin 97062 eric.mcmullen@tvfr.com

FLOOR CARE Americlean, Inc. Kristen Porter, P.503-771-0554 Americlean dyes, repairs & clean carpets.

FLOOR COVERING Contract Furnishings Mart Ross Williams P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722 915 SE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97214 Patrick VonPegert P.503-542-8900, 800-935-1250 14160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224

JANUARY 2012

Page 13

Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland Roger Harms P.503-656-5277, 877-656-5232 15140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas 97015 info@cfmfloors.com Pat Hockman P.360-896-6150, 800-267-6150 11013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682 Refinishing & Laminate flooring

Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 All Types of Floor Covering www.eatongeneral.com

J & B Hardwood Floors, Inc. Jim Cripps, P.503-519-4929 18912 SE Hwy 212, clackamas 97015

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Vinyl, VCT, ceramic, hardwood installs

The Floor Store Ted Stapleton, P.503-408-6488 5628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland 97206 ted@floorstoreportland.com

FORMS RHAGP P.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821 Court-tested, up-to-date rental forms www.rhagp.org

FURNITURE Express Contract Services Sean Filzen, P971-678-6691 www.EFRCONTRACT.com Because furnished units rent higher

HANDYMAN Accent on Design Inc, CCB# 182683 P.503-841-0233, P.503-310-3841 Low rates, 30 years of experience. http://www.accentondesigninvestments.com

Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services Chuck Hodges, P.503-222-3800 9320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Ptld 97219 maint@bluestonehockley.com

Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 Full Service General Contractor www.eatongeneral.com

G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743 P.503-826-9404 Maintenance & Painting Specialists miesner@comcast.net

Real Handy P.503-933-4890 Maintenance, Repair and Construction services

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully licensed to do it all garyindra@rentalrepairs.com

Wieder Works, CCB#164323 Darren J Wiederhold, C.503-260-2133 Maintenance, Repair, Replacement www.wiederworks.com

HAULING Junk Away Hauling CCB# 177966 P.503-517-9027 Licensed, bonded, insured, trash outs jcdoud@msn.com

HEATING & COOLING Midway Heating Co. CCB#24044 P.503-252-4003 12625 SE Sherman St, Portland 97233

Pyramid Heating & Cooling CCB# 59382 P.503-786-9522 Serving the Portland Metro area. info@pyramidheating.com

HEATING OIL Deluxe Heating & Cooling

PAINT / PAINTERS Expedia CBS, LLC, CCB#172362

P.971-344-4449, C.503-780-4458 Apartment/House Turnovers Interior/Exterior Painting

G&G Construction Inc, CCB# 162743 P.503-826-9404 Maintenance & Painting Specialists miesner@comcast.net

Brian Ray, P.503-287-6688 www.deluxefuel.com

Poppino Enterprises, CCB# 82177

HEATING OIL TANK EcoTech LLC

Gary Poppino, P.503-659-7551 Turnover interior / exterior Lead Paint Certified

P: 503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Professional interior & exterior painting garyindra@rentalrepairs.com

HOUSING AUTHORITIES Housing Authority of Portland

Richard Hallman Painting CCB# 142467

Jill Riddle, P.503-802-8565 135 SW Ash St, Portland 97204

RichardHallman, P.503-819-1210 Quality interior painting

INSURANCE Larry Thompson Agency

Rodda Paint

P.503-924-2200, F.503-924-2202 15573 SE Bangy Rd, STE 220 Lake Oswego 97035

Robinson Financial Group Rita J. Robinson , P.503-557-4997 Group & Indiv. Health Insurance

State Farm Insurance Paul Toole, P.503-655-2206 6105 W “A” St #B, West Linn 97068

Stegmann Agency - Farmers Insurance P.503-667-7971, F.503-666-8110 202 SE 181st Ave #201, Portland 97233 lstegmann@farmersagent.com

Wolter Van Doorninck, CPCU Elliot, Powell, Baden & Baker P.503-227-1771, F.503-274-7644 8355 SW Davies Rd, Beaverton 97008

INVESTMENT SERVICES Peregrine Private Capital Corp.

P.503-241-4949 5000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego 97070 rs@peregrineprivatecapital.com

LANDSCAPING J. Salinas Landscaping

Tim Epperly, P.503-572-8191 tepperly@roddapaint.com

PEST CONTROL Alpha Ecological Pest Control

Marisa Swenson PDX 503-252-5046 Van.360-750-0702 1200 NE 112 Ave, Vancouver WA 98684

Frost Integrated Pest Mgmt P.503-863-0973 Residential • Commercial • Multi-Family www.frostpestfreezone.com

NW Pest Control Bruce Beswick, P.503-253-5325 9108 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97220 www.goodbyebugs.com nwpestcontrol@aol.com

PLUMBING / DRAIN CLEANING MJ’s Plumbing, CCB# 36338 Michael LeFever, P.503-261-9155 1045 NE 79, Portland 97213

ProDrain & Rooter Service, Inc. West 503-533-0430, East 503-239-3750 Drain cleaining/plumbing www.prodrainpdx.com

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully licensed to do it all garyindra@rentalrepairs.com

J. Salinas, P.503-816-1190

Oregon Tree Care P.503-929-9437 www.oregontreecare.com info@oregontreecare.com

PROPERTY MANAGERS Action Management

MASON CONTRACTORS D&R Masonry Restoration, Inc., CCB#99196 Ray Elkins, P.503-353-1650 8890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222 www.drmasonry.com

Wendi Samperi, P.503-710-0732

Alpine Property Management Tiffany Arrington, P.503-641-4620 4750 SW Washington Ave, Beaverton 97005 www.alpinepdx.com

Associated Property Management Jane Raffety, P.503-648-2150 408 SE Baseline, Hillsboro 97123

MOLD J.R. Johnson Inc. , CCB#102676 P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.com

Real Estate Roofing Service, CCB# 149575 Yost Espelien, P.503-232-6653 Free Inspections, Testing & Remediation www.realestatemoldsolutions.com

MOVERS-HOUSE Emmert Development Company Terry Emmert, P.503-655-9933 11811 SE Hwy 212, Clackamas 97015

Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services Clif Hockley, P.503-222-3800 9320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219

Bridge City Properties Tony Forhan, P.503-866-8894 Serving Multn., Clackamas, Wash. counties www.bridgecitypm.com

Eagle Property Management Bill Lamberth, P.503-697-9500 williamlamberth@yahoo.com www.eaglepropertymanagementpdx.com

www.RHAGP.org

Fox Management, Inc. Tressa L. Rossi, P.503-280-0241 C.503-750-8124, F.503-280-0242 1734 NE Broadway, Portland 97232 tressa@foxmanagementinc.com

The Garcia Group Ron Garcia, P.503-595-4747 5320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239 www.4-homes.com

Gateway Property Management P-503-303-8545 www.gatewaypdx.com Property Management Done Right!

Lakeside Property Management Co. Michelle Wrege, P.503-828-2283 Finding Home Owners Qualified Tenants www.lakesidepmc.com

Portland Pioneer Properties P.503-238-2560, F.503-232-0187 Full prop. managment service LIN#200201113, CCB# 144531

Prim & Prosperous Property Management 3PM, 503-635-8926 Patricia Turner turnerfp@yahoo.com

Rappold Property Management Troy K. Rappold, P.503-232-5990 1125 SE Madison St STE 201, Portland 97214 troy@rappoldpropertymanagement.com

University Real Estate Services, Inc. Tom Coulter, P.503-492-8668 929 NE 181st STE C, Portland 97230

Voss Property Management Richard Voss, P.503-546-7902 6110 N Lombard St, Portland 97203

RADON EcoTech LLC P: 503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com

REAL ESTATE SALES Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services Cliff Hockley, P.503-222-3800 9320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219

Chris Anderson John L. Scott Real Estate 503-783-2442 chrisanderson@johnlscott.com

Denise L Goding Keller Williams Realty P.503-336-6378, C.503-799-2970 www.denisegoding.com

Doug Foley Professional Real Estate Team 503-704-2750, 503-336-6595 4326 SE Woodstock #507, Portland 97206 doug@prore.net, www.prore.net

Elizabeth Carpenter LizC Real Estate Investments, LLC P.503-314-6498, F.503-698-6566 liz @ lizcrei.com, www.lizcrei.com

Hagerman, Frick, O’Brien, LLC Greg Frick, P.503-241-5541 1028 SE Water Ave, STE 270, Portland 97214 www.hfore.com

Ilse Norman Multifamily Investment Specialist Winkler DuPont Real Estate Services p-503-405-7820 ext123, www.winklerdupont.com

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 14

Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland

RESTORATION / RECONSTRUCTION Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142 P.503-539-0811 Full Service General Contractor www.eatongeneral.com

Horizon Restoration, CCB#160672 John Pedden P.503-620-2215, F.503-624-0523 7235 SW Bonita Rd, Portland 97224

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676 P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.com

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427 J.L. Lutz & Company Jim Lutz P.503-297-7101, F.503-291-7851 5440 SW Westgate Dr #115, Portland 97221 info@jllutz.com

Mal & Seitz/ Real Estate Solutions 1450 SE Orient Dr., Gresham 97080 P.503-358-4070, P..503-667--1200

Philip Barry - Broker Joseph Bernard, LLC P.503-546-9390, C.503-593-9707 pbarry@josephbernard.net

The Garcia Group Ron Garcia, P.503-595-4747 5320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239 www.4-homes.com

Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Fully licensed to do it all garyindra@rentalrepairs.com

ROOFING AAA Roof Service, CCB# 78618 Jack Robinson, P.503-642-5353 Shingle & Flat Roof Systems www.aaaroofservice.com

All Surface Cleaning Co., CCB# 155380 Adam Zumwalt, P.503-781-3611 Replacement, repair, cleaning www.allsurfacecleaning.com

Real Estate Roofing Service, CCB# 149575 Amber Furness, P.503-284-5522 Free Inspections, ReRoof and Repairs www.realestateroofing.com

SEAL COATING Hal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434 Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S Molalla Ave, Oregon City 97045 halspave@easystreet.com

SEISMIC RETROFITS EcoTech LLC P.503-493-1040 info@ecotechllc.com www.ecotechllc.com

SIDING J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676 P.503-240-3388 General Contracting Services www.jrjohnsoninc.com

Prestige Products NW LLC, CCB#135948 P.503-997-6344 17125 SW Ivy Glenn St, Aloha 97007 dave@bagwellnet.com

TELEPHONE Comcast Telephone, internet, Cable and TV Services Dave Dronkowski P.503-957-4186

WATERPROOFING / CONCRETE REPAIR D&R Waterproofing, Inc. CCB# 99196 Ray Elkins, P.503-353-1650 8890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222 www.drmasonry.com

WINDOWS / STORM WINDOWS Daystar Windows & Doors, Inc. Mike Litteral, Lori Litteral P.503-621-0121, P.360-566-0121 1206 NE 146 St #D, Vancouver WA 98685

Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898, F.503-620-8608 5215 SW Childs Rd, Lake Oswego 97035

J.R. Johnson Inc.., CCB#102676 P.503-240-3388 General Contracting Services www.jrjohnsoninc.com

Prestige Products NW, LLC, CCB#135948 P.503-997-6344 17125 SW Ivy Glenn St, Aloha 97007 dave@bagwellnet.com

UTILITY BILLING Minol USA 15280 Addison Rd. Suite 100 Addison, TX. 972-386-6611 minolusa.com

PAST PRESIDENT Norm Stoll 1921-2011 Norm & Helen Stoll joined the Oregon Apartment Association in 1950, around the time Norm purchased his first investment property, the Holly Rose Apartments. For 60 years Norm helped guide the association as Portland grew and the need for landlord education increased. By 1956 Norm was third vice-president of the Oregon Apartment and Hotel Association (later to become the Oregon Apartment Association and now the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland) and then went on to become president in 1959. Norm continued to serve on the board of directors through association name changes until again becoming president in 1981-1982. Norm remained active, attending meetings and calling the RHAGP with suggestions, always starting the conversation with “Good Moaning.”

Helen was an active partner in their investments. She also served on the board and was president in 1987.

Norm grew up in Northeast Portland and attended Washington High School. Norm graduated Maxima Cum Laude in 1942 with a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Portland. When he finished college Norm worked in the Oregon shipyards building Liberty Ships. After the war he began teaching ballroom dancing at the Palais Royale Ballroom on West Burnside Street and purchased the building in 1949. While there Norm met another

teacher and professional dancer, Helen Mills. Norm proposed to Helen at a dance party at Palais Royale.

Norm was very active in Norm Stoll Enterprises, managing a group of apartment buildings, office buildings, shopping centers, duplexes and houses.

Norm worked three jobs, his day job of dispatcher for Manning Mayflower Moving Co, nights teaching dancing, and during the weekend managing and working in their apartment building where he lived with Helen and their son Wayne.

During his career Norm was a long time member and served as President of the Portland Hollywood Lions Club, President and Life Board Member of the Hollywood Boosters and President of the Hollywood Neighborhood Association.

Norm loved swimming, especially open water swimming in the ocean and rivers. Even after he lost one leg he purchased a special prosthetic leg and continued his 3 times a week 2-mile workouts until one week before his passing.

He will be greatly missed by the board and staff of RHAGP and all who knew him. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, neighbor and friend. Norm was preceded in death by his beloved Helen and is survived by his son, Wayne; daughter-in-law, Alison, grandchildren, Annsley and Kaitlyn; greatgranddaughter, Isabelle; and brother, Jack.

JANUARY 2012

Page 15

THE COMEBACK OF THE TRANSFEREE TENANT

By Ben Holubecki, STML Realty Group, Glen Ellyn, IL

One area that really took a hit during the economic downturn over the past few years was the ability to lease property to employees being hired and transferred.

Nobody was hiring, and it seemed that very few companies were taking on the expense of transferring their employees to other markets. Although the job market continues to stagnate, overall it does appear that in many markets companies are beginning to add staff, and once again we are seeing an influx of transferring employees and executives.

Renting a property to an incoming transferee presents a few issues that need to be considered that don’t necessarily apply to local tenants.

1. Timeframes are much more rigid.

When an employee needs to transfer, they need to move.

They typically have a start date for work set already. They have received instructions from their HR department to secure housing and are under pressure to get things coordinated as soon as possible. These tenants have a matter of days or weeks to completely relocate their lives.

They don’t have the ability to move back a move-in due to utility problems or issues with a previous tenant moveout. When dealing with a transferee, it is important make sure that everyone commits to specific dates and that the property is 100% ready for occupancy on the lease start date.

2. You may not be able to assess creditworthiness.

For international transferees, it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to retrieve a credit report. In many cases all that we have to make a decision on is a letter from the employer and the estimated income details provided by the applicant. This makes it increasingly important to verify every single piece of information that is provided, which includes contacting the employer to verify job offer details and income. If the company is making the investment to relocate an employee, they will do whatever they can to verify the information and expedite the process. If the information is difficult or impossible to verify, this should act as an immediate red flag.

3. If the tenant is working with their own agent, you may never get a chance to meet the tenant or review the lease terms with them.

While this does otherwise happen occasionally when other agents are involved, it is the norm when dealing with transferees. These tenants are very often only in town for a day or two at a time to look at properties and get corporate affairs in order. By the time that they decide that they want to rent our property, they have left town to return home. Much or all of the communication is done via solely the other agent involved. While this is not a huge deal in most cases, it has to be taken into account, as we will likely have no chance to begin real dialogue with the tenant until the time of occupancy. It is also

possible that the exact terms of the lease have not been clearly conveyed to the tenant with the detail that you are comfortable. It is a good idea to bring a copy of the lease to the move-in in order to review any important items within the lease that you would like to clarify, as we know that many tenants do not review their lease completely prior to move-in.

4. Tenants may be unaware of utility guidelines and setup procedures.

Our experience is that the employees that companies are willing to transfer are generally pretty successful and many of them are property owners in their current location, not renters. Many of them have not rented for many years and this is a fairly unfamiliar process. They are not familiar with the local utility companies or the process for setting up their accounts. It is particularly important to provide these details as early and as clearly as possible to avoid any delay in switching utilities, and any chance of an accidental disconnection of service.

Provide as much detail as possible, no matter how obvious or excessive it seems.

5. Don’t assume tenants understand local weather conditions.

I write from experience on this item. You absolutely can’t assume that someone coming from another location (especially internationally) understands the local weather. One of the worst maintenance situations we ever experienced was a townhome near Chicago that we rented to an executive from Italy. This tenant planned a trip home to Italy during December. The temperature had not fallen below 50 degrees in Chicago when he left and he had never experienced a winter in the U.S., so he did what he would normally do when vacationing back in Italy—he turned the heat off completely. Within a week, the temperature had fallen below zero, the pipes broke, and the nightmare ensued. He had never experienced that type of temperature change before. From that point on, I’ve made it a point to explain the details of the local weather to anyone relocating from a different type of climate.

The fact that executive rentals are now being scooped up by transferring execs is a great sign for our industry, as our higher end rentals are filling more quickly with high quality, longer-term tenants. However, every relocation deal presents its own set of challenges and issues that need to be addressed to ensure that we are providing toplevel service to our tenants and clients.

This article was originally published at www. allthingspropertymanagement.com, a property management industry blog managed by property management software company Buildium, LLC.

www.RHAGP.org

Page 16

RHAGP UPDATE FAIR HOUSING IS AS EASY AS ABC, LET’S DO IT WITH SOME POETRY!

By Jo Becker, Education/Outreach Specialist, Fair Housing Council of Oregon

In typical Nadeen Green-style, following is a spirited take on the legalities of fair housing law in poetic form. Ms. Green is an attorney who has spoken on fair housing topics to residential rental audiences across the country since the Fair Housing Amendments Act’s inception in 1989.

Here at the Fair Housing Council (FHCO) we make ourselves available to those who feel their fair housing rights have been violated, as well as to those with fair housing questions, including housing providers! If you have a question about your rights or responsibilities under federal, state, and local fair housing laws, please visit us at www.FHCO.org or call our free Hotline at 800/424-3247 Ext. 2.

We are taking the alphabet, letter by letter, So perhaps you can do things a little bit better.

To make your community open to all, and not take an unexpected fair housing fall!

A

is for Animals, and you can say no To my dog, cat, or birdie, unless I can show That this critter is truly needed by me To manage better with my disability.

Then dog, cat or birdie is not a pet, So accepting my service animal is a wise bet.

The law says the poster must be in view To those who have come to seek housing with you.

At least 11” x 14” is the size it must be, And displayed where it is easy to see.

G

is for Gender, which simply means “sex” When we are looking at the fair housing context.

Our sleeping arrangements are not yours to ponder, So don’t even hint that in fact you may wonder Which bedrooms will house me, or my daughter or son, Because this is how fair housing cases are won.

H

is for Hailstorm, when I want to see What it is that you have to offer to me.

Do you take me to tour in the storm at its height, Or how about when gloom turns into night?

Think out your plan now, and put it in writing, So suits based on tours are not ones you are fighting.

I

is for Insurance, which you may have or not.

Often communities don’t know what they’ve got.

Don’t assume you have coverage for that or for this, It can be costly if it’s fair housing coverage you miss.

Talk with your agent, read your policy through.

What it doesn’t provide or cover may surprise you.

J

B

is for Jargon, all industries have it, Expressions we use from force of habit.

Depending on viewpoints, there are those who say, If you use certain words, you might have to pay.

So look out for “adult” – “traditional” – and “active” And beware as well “mature” and “exclusive.”

C

is for King, as in Doctor and Reverend, Whose civil rights fight was abruptly ended.

Then Congress decided in response to enact, For the first time ever, the Fair Housing Act. Out of sadness and tragedy our country would see A commitment to equal housing opportunity.

is for Boa, as in the large snake, So that you understand that you might have to take, This reptile, or the monkey or even the horse (The latter is a miniature one, of course), Because these can be service animals, too.

And when appropriate they move in with you.

is for Children, they will live with you, Unless your residents are older – 55 to 62.

Be careful how you restrict them with your community rules, Since perhaps except for your gyms, your spas and your pools, Your policies should reflect the behaviors you desire, From both the young and those with ages much higher.

D

is for Damages, and oh, what the cost, If yours is the legal position that’s lost.

From punitive damages to penalties civil, The amount you might pay could make you snivel.

Communities have lost millions in some of their cases, Where fair housing violations have been the bases.

E

is for Everyone, the message two-pronged, All of us have protection when rights are wronged.

We each qualify, in some way, for equal opportunity, But keep in mind, in our business, we each have liability.

Sales, management, leasing or maintenance, Our level of employment is no legal defense.

F

is for Fair Housing Poster, so let me see Your commitment to equal housing opportunity.

K L

is for Logo, the house with the roof, And words of commitment that are the proof: “Equal Housing Opportunity” is available here, And to no other place, you will we steer.

Use it on ads, signs, leases and such, A little logo whose message means much.

M

is for Mothers-in-law, those bedrooms Master, And you need to know that it’s not a disaster To say Merry Christmas at that time of year, So no fair housing action need you to fear.

HUD has said these words are OK, As long as all else is done the fair housing way.

N

is for National Origin, which tells us It matters not whether Spain, Haiti or Belarus Is from where someone or their family came, Because no matter the country, you’ll treat them the same As you treat all others who knock on your door, Because this is one of the protected classes EHO is for.

Continued on page 17

Continued from page 16

JANUARY 2012

O

is for Occupancy Standards, the number Of how many people can live and can slumber In housing that’s owned or managed by you; Generally for each bedroom the number is two.

But it could be more, which you may not realize, Depending on local laws, or the dwelling’s overall size.

Page 17

Believe that you will turn down their housing bids.

The majority and minority groups you must use, If human models to market is the technique you choose.

X

P

is for Xenophobia, “the dislike, mistrust or fear Of foreigners or that which is strange” to us here.

And while you may to such a phobia cling, To act upon it is not a wise thing.

So get used to diversity, in our lives it’s a fact, And much is protected under the Fair Housing Act.

Q

is for Yarmulke, worn by the observant Jew, A religious symbol likely recognized by you.

In decorating and advertising please stay away From using any symbols that clearly show or say That the message is intended in a religious way.

(But Santa and the Easter Bunny are actually OK!)

R

is for Zip Code, it’s where people live, And there is information about them that zip codes give. Perhaps their ethnicity or race or income Is known by where they now make their home.

So target market by zip only if you can show A good business reason for where your promotions go.

S

We have rhymed the letters A through Z; Questions may have been raised by this poetry.

You are welcome to ask me any of those, Though it may be your attorney who best knows.

“Do it right” is the final message from me, Offer everyone Equal Housing Opportunity.

is for Parking, a significant issue When those with disabilities approach you Needing a particular designated spot Somewhere in the community’s parking lot.

Reasonable accommodation is what you may often owe, Requiring that you assign parking and violators tow. is for Quiet, and yes, that can be A condition imposed at your community.

But remember this standard is for everyone, The adults, the children, the vow-silenced nun.

Noise is the issue, and all must you scold, Not just the young ones, but those who are old.

Y Z

is for Recovery, which has been deemed to give Protection of fair housing to those who may live With an addiction that is now under control, Meaning no drug use or abuse of alcohol.

While not intended for those who manufacture or deal, Those with addictions have a disability that’s real.

is for Steering, when you send them away, Or limit the housing at which they may stay.

Playgrounds or ponds, tennis courts or stairs, It matters not for families or those in wheelchairs.

Any available housing your prospects may choose; Limit their options, the lawsuit you’ll lose.

T

is for Testers, they have standing to sue Your company, your manager, and yes, even you.

And while no law requires your consistency, It’s certainly a great operating policy.

Email, phone or in-person communication, All people should get the same information.

U

is for Unjust, and it’s important to this poet To point out that everyone should know it It’s not just about law or about what it can cost, And it’s not just about the opportunity that’s lost.

It’s about destroying someone’s personal dignity By denying simple equal housing opportunity.

V

is for Voice, and now people do sue Based on the concept that it’s easy for you To know their race, particularly white or black, Even though a visual meeting you lack.

So promptly return phone messages, and invite those who call, So you don’t take a linguistic profiling fall.

Let me know if you have questions about any of them. If I can’t help you, it would be wise that you look, To your attorney, or a fair housing book, For info and answers on housing opportunity.

This article brought to you by the Fair Housing Council; a nonprofit serving the state of Oregon and SW Washington. Learn more and / or sign up for our free, periodic newsletter at FHCO.org.

“Fair Housing Focus” is written by Nadeen Green, also known as The Fair Housing Lady. She gets to be Senior Counsel with For Rent Media Solutions™, which means that she is their attorney, not yours. So the information contained in this article is not to be considered legal advice.

Both the author and FRMS strongly suggest that you consult with your own counsel as to any fair housing questions or problems you may have. Fair Housing Lady can be reached at Nadeen.Green@ForRent. com.

Qs about your rights and responsibilities under fair housing laws?

Visit FHCO.org or call 1-800-424-3247 Ext. 2.

W

is for White Only Advertising, a major sin When you select only blonde Barbie® to appear in Your ads, so that those of color and those with kids

www.RHAGP.org

Page 18

RHAGP UPDATE

FROM OUR LOBBYIST

By Cindy Robert RHAGP Members: While our first annual session convening is coming upon us in February and we are gearing up to address association concerns that may arise, I think it is also important for you to note progress on issues we have tracked in the past.

Governor Kitzhaber continues to work toward strengthening our economy and recently addressed the Oregon Business Summit on his next steps. They are in the press release below.

Cindy Robert Press Release: December 12, 2011 Governor Kitzhaber gives update on Oregon business plan, recommends actions to grow economy (Portland, OR) — Before 1,000 business, community and political leaders, Governor Kitzhaber today gave a progress report on the Oregon Business Plan, called for a continuation of education and healthcare transformation, and outlined a series of next steps intended to grow Oregon’s economy.

The Governor acknowledged that while too many Oregonians remain out of work, Oregon has made progress since January, including an upgrade on Oregon’s credit rating to AA+, passage of SB 766 to speed up permitting for industrial property, the successful launch of Oregon’s National Career Readiness Program, and the implementation of Regional Solution Teams throughout the state.

The Governor called on business, community and political leaders to continue building on Oregon’s education and health care transformation efforts in the upcoming legislative session. During the 2011 session, the Legislature passed: • SB 99, establishing the state health care insurance exchange.

• HB 3650, establishing a pathway to transform the health care delivery system for 600,000 people on the Oregon Health Plan.

• SB 909 and SB 242, aligning funding and governance across the full continuum of education from early childhood services through K-12 and post-secondary education and training.

The Governor outlined next steps on improving Oregon’s economic footing, including: - Proposing the Invest Oregon Act to allow the state to leverage a small amount of public resources to encourage a greater level of private investment in Oregon.

- Rethinking revenue policy to ensure that Oregon’s tax policy is more rational and equitable; adequate to invest seriously in public education and workforce development; and aligned with the state’s long-term economic development objectives.

-

Continuing to ensure a sustainable economy to truly move away from a boom/bust economic cycle that depletes Oregon’s natural capital and leaves the state highly vulnerable to fluctuations in the national and global economies.

“I vowed to focus on three priorities from day one of my administration. First, I wanted to ensure that the state would be an effective partner getting the private sector economy going again for big companies and small entrepreneurs alike – and to set the stage for breaking the boom bust cycle that has plagued us for decades. Second, I wanted to transform our health care system to reduce the opportunity costs involved with spending an ever growing portion of our resources on this one sector alone. Third, I wanted to transform our system of public education to create a skilled workforce capable of competing and excelling in the global economy of the 21st century.

One year later, I believe we have made significant progress.

And while too many Oregonians still remain out of work and facing uncertainty, we will emerge from this recession stronger and better positioned for the future.

Lost in the headlines about the European debt crisis and the failed Super Committee is the fact that we are creating jobs in Oregon. So far this year we have created over 18,000 jobs – and we are still working hard to meet the Oregon Business Plan goal of 25,000 jobs by the end of the year.

And believe it or not, unemployment is lower in Hood River, Boardman and Corvallis than in the Portland metropolitan area. Why? Because we have islands of innovation in both urban and rural communities that are tapping into Oregon’s natural assets and market advantages in new and creative ways.

From biomass energy entrepreneurs at the Port of Morrow creating jobs that pay 150 percent of local wage rates -- to the cutting edge, home grown companies that will emerge from the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute in Corvallis – an economy of innovation is emerging in Oregon. It is our best hope for the future because it is locally-driven and rooted in our strengths – from our solid base in agricultural, forest and advanced manufacturing industries; to promising technology research and development; to our strategic location on the Pacific Rim with access to burgeoning Asia markets.

State government can and must play the role of accelerator and barrier buster for this emerging economy of innovation.

That role is multi-faceted – and begins with the basics – like our success passing a balanced budget, which in turn was cited by Standard and Poor’s as a prime reason to upgrade Oregon’s credit rating to AA+. And that budget includes reserves that are cushioning the blow to Oregonians in need of essential services in a time of ongoing economic uncertainty.

Continued on page 19

Continued from page 18

JANUARY 2012

To truly move away from a boom/bust economic cycle that depletes our natural capital and leaves us highly vulnerable to fluctuations in the national and global economies we must continue to develop a more sustainable economy based on the following goals – which I would like to incorporate into the evolving framework of the Oregon Business Plan.

Create and retain economic activity and family wage jobs while reducing our carbon footprint and restoring our natural environment.

Expand our manufacturing sector to reduce our need to import goods and services.

Minimize the export of our raw materials and maximize the export of value added products and advanced manufactured products.

Minimize the need for imported energy.

Keep capital circulating in our state through local sourcing and supply chains.

While it won’t be easy – I am optimistic about Oregon’s future. With you help, we can weather this economic challenge, and we can do it without losing our sense of community, without losing our commitment to one another, and emerge stronger and more united that where we began.

Page 19

The RHAGP Would Like to Hear from You Dear RHAGP Member, As we start to focus on and plan for the coming year, we would like to provide viable, interesting and necessary topics of discussion at our monthly dinner meetings.

We would like to hear from you about topics and /or speakers of interest to you.

Please send your suggestions and comments directly to me via e-mail.

Lynne@RealEstateRoofing.com Lynne Whitney, Chair, Dinner Program Committee

www.RHAGP.org

Page 20

RHAGP UPDATE

WHEN YOU INHERIT RESIDENTS...

If you're purchasing a property that already has residents, here are the seven action steps you should take: 1.

Before purchasing rental property with inherited residents, always ask for a copy of each resident's current rental agreement, original rental application, property condition checklist, and records regarding security deposit, payment history, or rental violations.

Any information that the previous owner can provide could help you.

2.

Prepare a letter that introduces you as a "management company", your role as manager, and your main win-win policies. When inheriting residents, any lease in effect with the former owners transfers to you. If residents were on fixed-length leases, you can't change major terms until their current lease expires. With month-to-month agreements, you still have to give the resident proper notice (in most states, 30 days) before changing any major terms of the agreement.

3.

In your first communication with residents, come across in a businesslike manner. Communicate that you want to maintain a mutually beneficial, winwin relationship. Always see things from the residents' perspective. Don't make your communication onesided. Mail a letter and mention in the letter that you will be stopping by to introduce yourself.

4.

Within the first seven to ten days of taking over ownership of a property, if at all possible, plan a

personal visit. If, for any reason, residents indicate that there are some things they need fixed or things they would like to see improved on the property, respond by saying this: "Our company will see what we can do and will be comparing notes with the original move-in condition checklist. We appreciate that you, as the resident, are concerned about the maintenance of the property and that I am as well, which is why we will be doing periodic inspections of the property. We're looking forward to seeing that you're handling routine upkeep and maintenance. I'll make sure we take care of any property concerns that are the company's responsibility."

This type of response not only deals with the customer's most pressing concerns, but also starts to establish how maintenance matters will be handled.

5.

Take care of major matters in a priority manner; not necessarily every little concern, and take care of things in a systematic way based on priority and your schedule. At the same time, expect the resident to handle routine upkeep and maintenance.

6.

Let residents know the time frame in which you'll take care of their biggest concern (ex: within the next 72 hours, three to five days or two to four weeks), and also have them fill out a resident information sheet so you have updated records on all residents (especially those who need work done on their property). This information sheet need not be anything more than a rental application. Simply remove the word application from the top of the page and substitute the words resident information. Do you see how I'm setting the tone for how the relationship will work? That is, a resident requests something of you, and you in turn, request something of the resident. Residents soon learn that if they're looking to you for something, that you focus first on most important concerns, and that matters are handled based on priority and your schedule (not the resident's whims), and that you also look to them for cooperation and assistance. Starting the relationship in this way helps significantly reduce (if not eliminate) frivolous or spontaneous requests during the rental term.

7.

Do what's necessary to address the resident's most important concern within the promised time frame (the sooner the better). As implied earlier, don't try to deal with every matter residents may mention.

Have them focus on their biggest concerns; and NEVER ask for a "list" of all the problems they may have. If you do. that sets up the relationship for disappointment, because if you don't complete everything on the list, many residents remain Continued on page 21

JANUARY 2012

Continued from page 20

unsatisfied for weeks, months, perhaps the entire term of the tenancy. They will feel you are not doing your job. However, by always having residents focus on one issue at a time, it's easier to address that one concern and they'll see you as the HERO when you are able to take care of that one concern. Starting off the relationship in this way makes it easier to take over as manager of a new house or building with residents you've inherited.

Raise the Rent Now or Later?

The question often comes up, when inheriting new residents, about whether to raise rents as soon as legally permissible-especially if rent amounts are below market rates. I suggest that if they need to be raised (and the residents are on a monthto-month agreement), ask the "seller" of the property to send out a rent increase letter even before you close on the property and take over ownership. The rent increase letter states that the new rental amount will take place in the next 60 The Rental Housing Association of days. In this way, let the Greater Portland is a group of rental housing owners and managers in the seller be seen as the bad Portland metropolitan area who have guy, not you. Instead, you joined together for the purposes of: come in as the hero ready • Providing information to improve to promptly take care of the knowledge of rental owners and the one big concern the managers. resident may have.

The RHAGP Mission

The above tips are shared on the MrLandlord.com website and in the Mr. Landlord newsletter from Jeffrey Taylor, founder of MrLandlord.com, landlord contributors and real estate advisors and authors featured on MrLandlord. com. To receive a free sample of Mr. Landlord newsletter, call 1-800950-2250 or visit their informative Q&A Forum at LandlordingAdvice. com, where you can ask landlording questions and seek the advice of other rental owners 24 hours a day.

• Enhancing the reputation of “landlords” by promoting professional practices.

• Assisting local public officials on various community endeavors relating to public or private housing.

The Update is a monthly publication for members of The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland.

10520 NE Weidler St, Portland, OR 97220 Phone 503-254-4723, Fax 503-254-4821 www.rhagp.org Hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Editorial Staff Alita Dougherty Cari Pierce - Graphic Designer Publisher: The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not reflect those of the Board of Directors or the newsletter editor or committee.

All advertising inquiries should be directed to Alita Dougherty or Cari Pierce at 503-254-4723.

Please notify the RHA office of any address changes.

www.RHAGP.org

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RHAGP UPDATE

JANUARY 2012

www.RHAGP.org

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RHAGP UPDATE

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