January 2013 RHA Newsletter by Cari Pierce

UPDATE

Monthly Newsletter Published by the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland

January 2013

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bugging You? Page 1

Why Would Someone be Moving this Time of Year? Page 9

Membership Changes

Great Time to be a Landlord

Page 4

Page 15

VISIT US AT www.RHAGP.org

DINNER MEETING When:

Wednesday January 16, 2013 from 6:00pm-9pm

Menu: Buffet Dinner Caesar Salad

Where: Red Lion Inn Convention Center 1020 NE Grand Ave. Portland, OR 97232 Price:

Pecan Crusted Boneless Chicken Garlic Mashed Potatoes Grilled Vegetables Warm Breadsticks

$25.00 per person, Call 503/254-4723 for reservations

Speaker: David Frost from Frost Integrated Pest Management

Carrot Cake Coffee, Tea, Decaf or Iced Tea Directions:

RED LION INN-CONVENTION CENTER 1020 NE Grand Ave. Portland, OR 97232

WHAT’S BUGGING YOU? A brief overview of some of the more common pests in our area, including small ants, carpenter ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas, spiders, mice and rats. How to identify them and how to best prevent them before they become a problem and cut into profits. Q & A to follow.

Affiliate Speaker: Steve & Annie Tucker, Cascade Radon

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.

January 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS RHAGP Dinner Meeting.............................................. 1 President’s Message............................................ 2 & 6 RHA Calendar............................................................. 3 Membership Changes.................................................... 4 Fair Housing: It’s Good Business.........................5 & 7 Dear Maintenance Men............................................ 6-7 Encourage Renters Insurance.................................... 8 Why Would Someone be Moving this Time of Year?.. 9 www.RHAGP.org

Landlord’s Liability for Dangerous Conditions......... 10 The Update Q & A ................................................... 11 Guidelines for Sustainable Landscaping.............12-14 A Great Time to be a Landlord................................. 15 Minimum Wage Deserves Attention.................... 16-17 2012 RHA Accomplishments................................... 17 The Preferred Service Guide ............................. 18-20

January 2013 1

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE RHAGP LIST OF COMMITTEES

It is my pleasure, as the newly installed President of RHAGP, to extend my thanks to Phil Owen for his three years of service in the office of President. Phil goes above and beyond in his support of landlords and their concerns. I would like to thank him for his mentoring during my term as President Elect this past year.

Building Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986 Community Relations/Donations Chair: Tony Kavanagh, Phone: 503-522-4474 Elizabeth Carpenter RHA President

I look forward to providing information concerning the Rental Housing Community to Landlords throughout the State of Oregon, as well as those within the Portland Metro area.

Education Chair: John Sage, Phone: 503-667-7971

RHAGP has continually grown and is progressively assisting landlords in our state. As your chair of the Membership Committee for the last 2 years, it has been my pleasure to see our association grow to over 1700 members. We have the largest membership of any rental housing association in Oregon! We are continually improving, with newly added benefits for our members. From our up-to-date attorney written forms, to our presence in the State legislation (thanks to our lobbyist Cindy Roberts), the RHAGP represents and protects landlords well. During this Legislation year, Cindy will be keeping us informed throughout the session. Look for future updates within the RHAGP Newsletter and on our website, www.rhagp.org. Some of the new changes for our members this year include reducing our membership dues for landlords with 1-4 units to $99.00. We are rolling out our Premium Membership that includes an online resource library with white papers, videos and special discounts from our vendor members, as well as access to basic accounting software and unlimited use of online forms. The Premium Membership is ever evolving, and will be, in time, a robust resource for landlords to find relevant answers to their questions. Our classes have expanded to include New Membership Orientation and Mentoring Meetings on the last Thursday of each month. Please join us by calling the office and reserving your spot! Additionally, our education committee is launching lunch time sessions for our working property managers and owners this year; keep your eye out for dates and times.

Electronic Media Chair: Ron Garcia, Phone: 503-595-4747 Forms Chair: Mark Passannante, Phone: 503-294-0910 House Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-760-7171 Legislative Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986 Membership Chair: Elizabeth Carpenter, Phone: 503-3146498 Newsletter Chair: Will Johnson, Phone: 503-221-2160 Office Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-760-7171 Public Relations Chair: Margaret Baricevic, Phone: 503-329-5223 Government Relations Chair: Phil Owen Phone: 503-244-7986 Gresham Liaison: Jim Herman Phone: 503-6458287 Marketing Chair: Ami Stevens Phone: 503-407-3633

We will release two (2) publications this year: The forms book and our new law book. Premium Members will receive free, ongoing updates to the law book.

RHAGP LOBBYIST

Cindy Robert, Phone: 503-260-3431

We at RHAGP are always looking for new and improved ways to bring information to the Landlords of Oregon. As a nonprofit organization we welcome members to join our board meeting and committees. You can make a difference in keeping our organization strong. Committees currently seeking additional members: Dinner Program Education Electronic Media Government Affairs Marketing Membership Update Newsletter

RHAGP OFFICE STAFF Alita Dougherty, Office Manager - alita@rhagp.org Pam VanLoon, Bookkeeper - pam@rhagp.org Cari Pierce, Member Svcs - cari@rhagp.org Lisa Craddock, Member Svcs-lisa@rhagp.org

RHAGP OFFICE Monday - Friday * 9:00am - 5:00pm Phone: 503-254-4723 * Fax: 503-254-4821 10520 NE Weidler St Portland, OR 97220 www.rhagp.org

“Landlords doing good things

This past year was a one of planning and strategy for RHAGP. This year CONTINUED ON PAGE

2 January 2013

Dinner/Program Chair: Lynne Whitney, Phone: 503-284-5522

in their communities” RHAGP Update

RHA Mark Your Calendar EVENTS Date

Event

Location

Time

1/9

Board Meeting

RHA Office

5pm

1/16

Dinner Meeting

Red Lion

6pm

1/17

Brown Bag Lunch Session- Credit Services

RHA Office

11:30am Brought to us by Don Eva, Anderson & Associates Credit Services.

1/31

New Member/Mentor Session

RHA Office

6-8

2/13

Board Meeting

RHA Office

5pm

2/20

Dinner Meeting

Old Spaghetti Factory

6pm

2/21

Brown Bag Lunch- Leveraging Social Media for Your Listings

RHA Office

11:30am See February’s Update for more details. Brought to us by Guy Edwards, Brainjar MEDIA

CLASSES

Information See Page 1

FREE for Members Only See February’s Update for more details

In observance of the Holiday the RHA Office will be closed January 1st, 2013

Date

Class

Location

Time

Information

1/8

Online Tenant Screening

RHA Office

11am

1/10

Insurance Class

RHA Office

6:30pm

Taught by John Sage, Stegmann Agency

1/11

Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report

11am

1/17

Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report

7pm

1/22

Landlording 102

Homebuilders Association

6:30pm

Taught by Jeff Bennett, Attorney at Law 15555 Bangy Rd. STE 301 Lake Oswego 97035

1/22

Online Tenant Screening

WebEx

7pm

1/29

Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report

7pm

2/8

Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report

11am

2/12

Online Tenant Screening

RHA Office

11am

2/12

Landlording 102

RHA Office

6:30pm

Taught by Jeff Bennett, Attorney at Law

2/22

Understanding Your Decision Point WebEx Report

7pm

2/26

Insurance Class

Standard TV & Appliance

6:30pm

Taught by John Sage, Stegmann Agency 3600 SW Hall Blvd. Beaverton 97005

2/26

Online Tenant Screening

WebEx

7pm

Register by 2/25/13 FREE for Members Only, with current service agreement for tenanct screening. *Registration is required for all classes/events, Call RHA at 503/254-4723. Three day advance registration required to receive early registration discount of $5.00 on classes. Credit ServicesBrown Bag Lunch Session Bring your brown bag lunch and come hear about collections. Don will talk about the initial interview with the prospective tenant, the landlord’s efforts to collect the money him/herself and finish with the use of a collection agency when the tenant refuses to pay. FREE for Members Only

www.RHAGP.org

Landlording 102

Insurance Class Are you a target for your tenants? What happens when a tenant trips and falls or your unit has a fire or the wind blows a tree over? What does “renters insurance” do for the Landlord? Do you wake up at night worried? John will discuss what the risks, exposures, or causes of potential loss are. How can the right coverage get you thru and back on track?

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. 1 Continuing Education Credit Hour

$25.00/Member, $35.00 Non-Member

$35.00/Member, $45.00 Non-Member

January 2013 3

ANNOUNCING MEMBERSHIP CHANGES FOR 2013

NEW! $99 Membership for Members with 1‐4 units. Effective for renewals after January 1, 2013, now only $99*! Continue to enjoy all the RHAGP benefits including:

³ Your voice heard: State & Local legislative representation. ³ Monthly Networking Dinner Meetings with informative guest speakers ³ Educational Classes: Deep discounts on monthly training programs ³ Mentor Program: Personal referral or monthly meeting ³ Substantial discounts on printed rental forms ³ Fully staffed office for your property management needs: Monday – Friday, 9am‐5pm ³ Tenant Screening Membership rates apply *For Members new to RHAGP, a one‐time only $25 set up fee applies.

Visit www.rhagp.org for more details!

NEW! RHA Premium Membership In addition to the Standard Rental Housing Association Membership, you now have the option to upgrade for additional benefits.

³ Continually expanding online resource library of instructional tools and educational downloads

³ Exclusive offers from Affiliate / Vendors ³ Rentegration’s Property Management Database ³ Easy‐to use, basic accounting software ³ Unlimited use of RHAGP online forms Premium Membership Pricing: One time Set Up Fee $ 35.00

Per Unit $ 7.00/year (minimum $30)

Contact the RHAGP office for trial Premium Membership options, or learn all there is to know about premium membership at a free working session on Wednesday January 30th at 6pm

Visit www.rhagp.org/premium for more details! 4 January 2013

RHAGP Update

Fair Housing: It’s Good Business By the King County Office of Civil Rights Fair housing is not just the law – it’s also good business practice. Fair housing compliance helps ensure that you have a wide application pool for your rental housing and that all applicants and tenants are treated equitably. The guidelines below offer common-sense policies and practices for fair housing.

anyone who asks about renting from you. Follow the Fair Tenant Screening Act – notify prospective tenants about what screening you conduct and what can result in a denial.

•

Display a Fair Housing poster on the property or in a unit that you’re showing, so it is readily apparent to everyone looking for housing.

Establishing policies, procedure and rules • Develop policies and procedures that are consistent Tenant Selection with fair housing laws. Rental criteria should focus • A fair housing best practice is to accept the first on whether an applicant will pay the rent, maintain qualified applicant. Date and timestamp all the premises, and live in harmony with neighbors. applications so you will know when each was • Establish consistent protocols for inquiries, tours of received. the property, and accepting applications. • Be sure not to make assumptions about an Examples include describing and showing applicant – use your fact based criteria to determine amenities, completing visitor cards, explaining qualifications. screening procedures, and conducting follow-up. Denying rental • Make sure that property and amenity rules apply • If you reject an applicant or decide to charge an to everyone rather than to groups of people. increased deposit or to require a consigner, For example, rather than, “Children cannot you should provide the applicant with written ride bikes in the parking lot,” the rule should notice and the reason for your decision. state, “Riding bikes in the parking lot is not allowed.” • If the applicant disputes information on the Marketing your unit screening company’s consumer report, provide an • Include the HUD Equal Housing Opportunity logo, opportunity for reconsideration. slogan, or statement on all written documents and in During tenancy all print, online, television and radio advertising. • Enforce rules consistently, but consider extenuating • In written materials, include a notice such as, “This circumstances in situations that are disability related information is available upon request in alternate or that involve victims of domestic violence. formats including large print.” • Provide services, upgrades and maintenance to all • Consider translating marketing materials and tenants equally. forms into other languages. Learn about how to obtain the assistance of translators Reasonable accommodations and modifications for to facilitate communication with tenants who do not people with disabilities • Ensure that applicants and tenants know of speak English as a primary language. your willingness to consider requests for reasonable • Describe your rental unit accurately. There is less accommodations and modifications. Include risk of a fair housing complaint if an ad describes phrases like “We provide accommodations for the property and its desirable features people with disabilities upon request” in (size, location, price, amenities) rather than some written materials such as application forms, target audience. tenancy rules, newsletters, and on your website. • Feel free to market to certain protected classes • Establish a policy and procedure for addressing by pointing out that rentals are accessible for people requests for reasonable accommodations or with disabilities or families are welcome, or by modifications. emphasizing amenities such as playgrounds. • An Accommodation is reasonable if it is related to Inquiries and tours of properties the tenant’s disability, is not an undue • Describe application procedures and explain your administrative and financial burden for the selection criteria consistently. Use the housing provider, and does not fundamentally same phrasing for all applicants. Provide alter the housing and services the housing an application and written admissions criteria to provider offers. Before saying “no”, call a Fair CONTINUED ON PAGE

www.RHAGP.org

January 2013 5

Dear Maintenance Men: By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Dear Maintenance Men:

The Rental Housing Community is built upon relationship with landlords, tenants, associations and service providers. We are continually looking to expand the list of quality vendors/affiliate members. Please contact the office with any suggestions you may have for improvements to the Vendor/Affiliate Marketing Program, as well as referrals for future members.

I have a residence built in the early 60's and it has the original cast iron drains. The last time I had a clog, my plumber said cast iron pipes have a 50-year life expectancy. During the auguring process he said they felt rough inside and may backup more frequently. Last year we replaced a ruptured pipe with a plastic pipe. The main drain, part of which is above ground, is rusty and tends to flake away. What are the possibilities for this situation - replace when they fail, replace before they fail, reline the pipes to prevent trouble, or some other option? Long term, what makes sense financially?

we look forward to implementing those ideas and new programs for your association.

I’d like to make the RHAGP your first stop for information concerning your Rental, your tenants and all your landlord needs. Here’s to a happy and successful 2013! ~Elizabeth Carpenter, RHA President

Korey Dear Korey: We recommend calling a plumbing company that specializes in sewer pipe inspections using a camera snake. The camera snake will be able to tell you the actual condition of the pipe and where there are trouble areas, breaks and clogs etc. The snake will be able to pinpoint the location, depth and direction of the sewer line. If part of your system is failing now, chances are the rest of the sewer line is not far behind. The best solution to a damaged or broken sewer line is to replace it with a new pipe. However, this is not always an easy or cost effective solution. The distance to the city sewer may be too great or extensive landscape or property damage may result from the re-piping. If replacing the pipe is not viable, consider using a pipe liner as preventive maintenance or to repair a damaged pipe. The cost to reline a pipe is approximately $130 a foot with a 50-year warranty. Balance this cost against the cost of trenching in a new line with landscape repairs and down time. A pipe liner will be as strong as the original pipe. Dear Maintenance Men: The stench in the rental unit following a nasty eviction was overwhelming. The tenant smoked heavily and collected all sorts of garbage. The unit was a disaster. We have cleaned the unit, including the carpet and painted the walls. The place still smells bad when we show the unit to a prospective resident. Because of the lingering smell, this unit is un-rentable. What do you suggest? Jessica

BUY RHAGP ATTORNEY DRAWN ONLINE FORMS AT WWW.rhagpforms.ORG

Dear Jessica: Rancid smells, nicotine, animal and organic odors are very hard to remove even after painting the walls and CONTINUED ON PAGE

6 January 2013

RHAGP Update

DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

cleaning the carpets. Chances are if the resident was a long time hoarder; carpet replacement will be inevitable. Remove the carpets, pad and tack strips. The tack strips are wood and can absorb and release the smell of smoke, urine etc. Thoroughly clean the floors with soapy water mixed with bleach. After cleaning the floors, it is not a bad idea to paint or use a primer to coat the flooring. One of the best ways to remove the odors from the walls is using old-fashioned elbow grease! Before painting wash the walls with soapy water using a brush or rag. Adding TSP (a powdered cleaning solution available at most hardware stores) or using a degreasing agent will help in the cleaning. If you have flat ceilings, wash them too. If you have “acoustical” or “pop-corn” type ceiling, that’s a problem. By its nature, acoustical ceiling material is difficult to clean. Encapsulating the acoustical ceiling with spray paint may solve the problem. You will need a primer coat and a minimum of two coats of paint. If the smell is still present, give it another coat of paint and let the unit air as much as possible. Don’t forget to wash the windows and window frames as they can retain nicotine odors. Replace any HVAC filters and vacuum dust from furnaces and A/C units. Dear Maintenance Men: I have just received a code enforcement violation letter for some problems I was not aware of at my building. I typically keep my property in good order, but a few maintenance items may have slipped by. The violation letter has me very upset, as the problems mentioned are minor. How do I make this all go away? What do I do first? Bill Dear Bill: It is always a bit upsetting to have someone else tell you what to do with your property. The first thing to understand about a code violation letter is that it is not a personal attack. Look at the violation letter as an opportunity. The city is giving you a heads up to potential problems at your building. You may have a drug or gang issue you were not aware of or landscaping issues, or even deferred maintenance issues. Essentially, it is a wake up call to pay closer attention to your building & neighborhood. The first thing to do when you get a code enforcement violation letter is to call the city and speak to the code enforcement department. Make the call with an open mind and calmly get the facts. The purpose of the call is to let the code enforcement department know you are aware

www.RHAGP.org

of the situation; you are cooperative and willing to resolve the issue. Keeping the lines of communication open with the city is essential to solving your current issue. Should you need more time to compete the corrections, contact the officer in charge of your case and ask for an extension. Remember, the violation will not go away if you ignore it! Take before and after pictures of the repairs or issues. Upon correction of the violations, call the code enforcement department and let them know the work is complete. The faster they sign off on the violation letter the better. QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? more Maintenance Questions!!!

We need

To see your maintenance question in the “Dear Maintenance Men:” column, please send submission to: Questions@BuffaloMaintenance.com Bio: Please call: Buffalo Maintenance, Inc for maintenance work or consultation. JLE Property Management, Inc for management service or consultation Frankie Alvarez at 714 956-8371, Jerry L’Ecuyer at 714 778-0480 CA contractor lic: #797645, EPA Real Estate lic. #: 01216720 Certified Renovation Company. Websites: www. BuffaloMaintenance.com & www.ContactJLE.com

PLEASE VISIT US AT WWW.RHAGP.ORG

FAIR HOUSING CONTINUED from PAGE 5

Housing Partners of Washington agency and ask for help in determining these factors.

•

Have a procedure to protect confidential information about tenants with disabilities.

•

If you have a business office, ensure it is accessible to people with disabilities.

This article reprinted with permission of the King County Office of Civil Rights. The following are Fair Housing resources for Oregon landlords. Fair Housing Training and resources • The Fair Housing Council of Oregon, www.fhco. org •

Oregon State Bar web site, www.osbar.org/ public/legalinfo/tenant.html

•

Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland, www.rhagp.org

January 2013 7

Why You Should Encourage Your Tenants to Purchase Renters Insurance By Tracy Myers The importance of renters insurance really cannot be highlighted enough. Tenants often forget about renters insurance, because a lease is temporary and the property is not their own. Some believe that if their landlord already has the property insured, they have nothing to worry about, but if you think about it, you wouldn’t lease a car without purchasing car insurance. Not just because it would be illegal to not buy car insurance, but because your finances would be ruined if you were to get into a car accident or suffer some other form of loss. Although residents are not required by law to buy renters insurance, the financial ramifications of not having it are great. Even if a landlord or property owner has insured the building, there are still many reasons why residents need renters insurance. For example: To Cover the Loss of Personal Property If a resident loses personal property (clothing, electronics, furniture, home ware, etc.) because of damage from fire or smoke, severe weather damage, theft, and more, they will be left to replace those items out of pocket if they don’t have renters insurance. With insurance, the depreciated value of their possessions will be covered. They can even upgrade the policy to cover the actual value. Just the thought of losing everything they own should be enough to convince them to insure their belongings. For those who believe they don’t own enough for it to matter, most people’s personal property is worth more than what they think. If they don’t have the extra cash to replace everything with their own money, they need to consider buying renters insurance, which only costs around $15 per month. For Liability Protection If some accident starts in a tenant’s home and the damage spreads to other homes, renters insurance will protect the tenant from any legal action. For example, if a neighbor suffers personal property loss or injury from a fire that

8 January 2013

started in another resident’s home, that resident will be protected from any potential legal action taken by the neighbor. For Guest Medical Coverage If a resident has a guest at their home who suffers injuries from an accident on the property, renters insurance can cover the medical expenses incurred by the incident. For example, if a guest gets bitten by the resident’s dog, the resident’s insurance policy will pay for all necessary medical treatment. These reasons clearly show just how essential renters insurance is to the protection of your personal property and your personal finances. If you are a landlord or property manager, share this information with your tenants and encourage them to purchase a policy as soon as possible. If you are very serious about every tenant having insurance, consider making renters insurance a stipulation in the lease agreement. You can enforce this requirement by only giving a renter their apartment keys after they have shown an official copy of their policy. To be sure that every tenant maintains their policy, ask for an updated declaration of insurance every six months. If you are timid about requiring renters insurance, consider this: many renters are only interested in leasing at properties that require it, because they know that it is important for all of their neighbors to be insured as well. Renters also like to see that their landlords care about their well-being. Tracy Myers is a freelance blogger with a passion for helping others navigate the dark waters of personal finance. As a regular contributor to several consumer help websites, such as www.HomeInsurance.Org, Tracy often covers topics related to personal property advice, retirement, and financial planning. Article Source: allthingspropertymanagement.com/

RHAGP Update

So why would someone be moving this time of year? By Marcia Gohman, National Tenant Network Trying to rent your place any time between Thanksgiving and the New Year? Be very careful! This is the time of year that we call, “The Silly Season”. If you think about it, who would want to move this close to Christmas? Nobody in their right mind! That's who! Many of us already have Christmas decorations up; we have purchased a tree or lights and other assorted decor for our homes, front porches and lawns. So why would someone be moving this time of year? Because they HAVE to. Typically the applications we see from December to January 1st have the most inventive information and the most interesting Criminal reports we see all year.

anywho.com for that. One of my favorite tricks, when I know I’m going to talk to a friend or family member, is to call and ask about the rental I heard they have. The family member automatically says, “What?!? We don’t have rentals!”, and bingo. You have verified a fib on the application. I know, I know. This sounds like a LOT of extra work. But it will pay off in the end. You don’t want to start out your New Year in evictions court trying to get that tenant out because you didn’t verify that “One little Thing”.. Once we get to January the company transfers go out and the better applicants re-appear. Until then, just remember. ‘Tis the Season!!

> On one application under "Why are you moving" "Just got out of the Canadian Navy".. Canada has a Navy, but he just got released from prison in Washington. That's close, right? >On another application the applicant listed her name, then we noticed a different last name in her email address and that she signed it with a slightly different name.. >The applicant warned the landlord that there was “This one little thing” on her criminal report. Two Pages of little things. They apparently all blend together. So what do we do? We take things very slowly. Pay more attention to how the application is filled out, check picture ID more carefully, and ask for a recent pay stub. If the applicant is in a BIG hurry, you tell them it will take you five days to complete your verification process. And no matter how tempting, remember that almost everyone who offers to pay you six months’ rent in advance, is a recreational pharmaceutical salesperson. (Drug Dealer) Verify all telephone numbers; just today I have found that one phone number was a family member, and one was to a friend who runs a storage facility. The applicant listed that she lived in #6. How did I find that? Google Earth. It’s is a great tool for landlords! Plug in the address and see what comes up! Does it appear to be an apartment community? A house? Or is it a strip mall or office complex? If you are given what appears to be a single family residence address, you can call the county tax assessor and get the owner’s name and address. Many counties have a web site where you can enter the address and find the owner. You still have to find the phone number, use Dexknows.com or

www.RHAGP.org

January 2013

Landlord’s Liability for Dangerous Conditions on Rentals Landlords are liable for dangerous conditions on the property they own if they knew or should have known about the danger. For example, if the concrete blocks in the sidewalk leading up to an apartment building are uneven and the landlord has visited the building and had the opportunity to see the sidewalk or if the tenants have complained, the landlord knows or should know of the problem and must fix it. If he or she doesn’t and an elderly guest of a tenant trips and breaks a hip, the landlord will be liable. It is always a good idea for tenants to inform the landlord in writing of any possibly dangerous conditions either in the rented unit or in the common areas of a number of rentals, and to keep copies of those letters. Landlords should make repairs as quickly as possible. The dangerous conditions don’t have to be physical problems with the building. They can include other things, like vicious dogs or dangerous activities of tenants. If the landlord has seen a dangerous dog or been told about the problem and doesn’t take action to evict the tenant or force the tenant to get rid of or control the dog, the landlord could be held liable if the dog injures or kills someone. If the landlord knows a tenant is using a blowtorch to do body work on a car in the common driveway, he or she could be liable for any injury the tenant causes if the landlord has not taken all possible action to stop the tenant. To be held liable for injuries or damage the landlord has to have been negligent in some way. For example, if there’s a snowstorm followed by a thaw and a freeze so that the sidewalks are covered with ice, the landlord won’t be responsible if a tenant slips and falls. The landlord can’t

control the weather. If the tenant’s child runs the hose during a freeze to make a skating rink and mom falls and breaks a leg, that isn’t the landlord’s fault. On the other hand, if there is some problem with the slope of a sidewalk that makes it dangerous in normal winter weather for the area, the landlord will be liable if he or she doesn’t repair the problem and someone is injured. In the case of the mean dog, if the landlord has given the tenant the notice to get rid of the dog that is required by the relevant state law and the dog bites someone before the notice period is up, the landlord probably won’t be liable. He or she will have done everything possible under the law. A landlord may be held liable for dangers he or she has no actual knowledge of. For example, if the wiring of a house is very old and the owner doesn’t have it checked, he or she might be held liable to someone who is injured by a shock or a fire. If the owner doesn’t have a chimney cleaned for many years and the tenant is damaged or injured by a flue fire, the landlord will probably be liable, even if he or she didn’t actually know the chimney was clogged. A reasonable person would check old wiring and clean a chimney. Tenants or others who are injured by dangerous conditions on the landlord’s property should consult a personal injury lawyer of advice. (Ed. note: you could talk with your insurance agent about how their company approaches landlord negligence. It is usually better to err of the side of caution. There are cases where melted-frozen snow has been determined to be negligence on the landlord.) Article Source: www.real-estate-law.freeadvice.com

Fishing for Articles! We want to publish articles of interest to you in the future issues of the Update. Contact Alita with your suggestions or email an article you would like us to consider publishing. Alita@rhagp.org or 503/254-4723

10 January 2013

RHAGP Update

The Update Q & A Here is your opportunity, submit your landlord/tenant questions to Q&A at Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland at 10520 NE Weidler, Portland, OR. 97220 or email your questions to alita@rhagp.org. The following are questions and answers supplied by oregonlandlordlaw.com Small Claims Q. Are there other steps I must take to enforce the judgment? Q. How do I recover the money a current or former tenant owes me for rent, late fees or other damages? A. You may need to record the Small Claim judgment in the Circuit Court docket. You may also need to record a A. Often, a Small Claims action provides the most costNotice of Lien in the county in which the debtor owns real effective way to obtain a judgment against former tenants property. Additional steps may be necessary to preserve the who still owe you money. Small Claims actions typically judgment for future collection. cost less than Circuit Court actions and are heard on a more expedited basis. Q. Are attorneys allowed in Small Claims court? A. Rarely. The Small Claims statutes specify that attorneys are allowed to appear only with judicial. However, corporations and public entities may appear through attorneys. Q. Is there a limit on the amount of money I may seek in Small Claims court? A. Yes, the most you may demand in a Small Claims action is $7,500.00 If you wish to obtain a judgment for an amount greater than $7.500.00, then you must file your action in Circuit Court. Q. Can I bring a Small Claims action against a current tenant? A. Yes. In fact, it occasionally makes sense to sue your tenant while you can still find him. (You must obtain valid service of a Summons and Complaint before you can obtain an enforceable judgment against a current or former tenant) Q. How do I get paid on a judgment against the tenant? A. Unfortunately you, or someone on your behalf, may be required to collect the judgment through garnishment or other means. Unless your tenant has a good paying job or significant assets, it may be difficult to collect on your judgment. Accordingly, we generally advise our clients to choose the least expensive method for obtaining judgments (i.e., Small Claims). If your tenant has a solid job, then a Circuit Court action may be desirable. The best strategy will ultimately be determined by your facts and goals. Q. Can the tenant request a jury trial or remove the case from Small Claims court? A. Yes, in some circumstances. This is another scenario that could drive up your litigation expenses (to unanticipated levels).

www.RHAGP.org

January 2013 11

Guidelines for Sustainable Landscaping By Cliff Hockley, President Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services Bluestone and Hockley is working hard to respond to its clients and tenants regarding healthier living and working environments. We are feeling the pressure from tenants and clients to develop landscaped environments that use less chemicals. It is an established fact that many of the insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers we use in day to day landscaping present varying hazards to people, pets and the environment, and are not meant for human consumption. That is why they have a skull and cross bones on the packaging and a note: “not for human inhalation or ingestion.” On the other hand, many of the chemicals used in day to day landscaping get rid of weeds without hand weeding, kill invasive species like blackberries (think Crossbow) and “green up” large commercial and residential landscaped areas. (In other words the green grass is greener and looks stronger). “Chemical fertilizers are used in the gardening industry to provide nutrients and compounds which help promote growth to plants, flowers and trees. There are 3 major plant nutrients which consist of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They also contain the 3 secondary plant nutrients which are: calcium, sulphur and magnesium. Other chemicals which are generally included in chemical fertilizers include the following: chlorine, iron, zinc and copper. Chemical fertilizer is added to soil, plant roots and turf areas. It provides plant nutrients to plants and areas which are lacking or which have been affected by harvesting, grazing or lack of watering.

It’s 20% acetic acid (as opposed to the 5% acetic acid in household vinegar), and it works the same way as the other organic herbicide sprays – by burning the waxy cuticle off above-ground portions of the plant. It can also be injected into the taproots of dandelions or the base of the plant using a syringe (the manufacturer recommends a 40cc syringe without a needle). The best thing about this method is that you can kill dandelions fully in any weather.” Courtesy of: http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/03/ organic-weed-control-how-to-kill-weeds/ • Other Landscapers are using fatty acids: “..such as Dr. Earth in liquid, spray and granular form. They are made from weak natural organic acids and lemon, clove oil and other people- and pet-friendly ingredients. Fatty acid weed killers dissolve cell membranes, dehydrating the weed. Acetic acid weed killers affect weeds’ roots and produce quick results. These weak acids break down in a few days, so they have no lasting impact on worms and other soil life. Organic weed killers and herbicides can knock out dandelion, foxtail, poison hemlock, ragweed, Canadian thistle, clover, milkweed, ivy leaf, pigwood, nettles, buttercups, quack grass, mosses, liverwort and other plant pests.” Courtesy of http://www.thefarmatgreenvillage.com/ weeding-control.html •

And some landscapers are using bark mulch or compost in landscape beds to block the sunlight from weeds, make it easier to pull weeds should they actually appear, and keep the beds moist to hold water for healthy root growth.

•

Another option for getting rid of weeds and black berries, is the rental of goats to clean up difficult to manage areas. Goats will eat almost anything, but watch out for rhododendrons (they are poisonous to goats.)

What are our options and will our landscaping look as good as it does now? Cutting edge landscape companies realize there is a demand for sustainable landscaping practices. They are experimenting with many options to try to find the least costly approach to effective sustainable landscaping practices. Clearly the challenge is managing the increased cost of sustainable landscaping which is driven by the cost of labor (because there is more hand weeding involved). • First on the list of sustainability options is to mow more often and to mulch lawn clippings, rather than haul them away. Many companies are experimenting with organic fertilizers to manage the growth of shrubs and lawn areas • Some Landscapers are applying or injecting Weed Pharm (20% acetic acid vinegar spray 80 % other stuff) (Note: This too is a chemical of sorts and had warning labels on it.) “It’s the only food-grade herbicide currently on the market.

12 January 2013

Other landscapers are experimenting with different seed mixtures for lawns/ green areas that are healthier, and are self-fertilizing (Clover supplies nitrogen into the soil for example). These eco-lawns might include: • • • • •

Yarrow Dwarf yarrow Roman Chamomile English lawn daisy White Clover CONTINUED on PAGE 13

RHAGP Update

GUIDELINES CONTINUED from PAGE 12

Often beds closer to buildings with more use will be planted with typical grass products and those areas not accessed as often will be planted with eco-lawns. Landscapers also try to gauge the need for landscaped areas that are urine and feces resistant to accommodate pet owners. The high concentration of salt and nitrogen in dog urine can burn the grass and cause yellow patching and dead brown grass. (Creating an off leash area that is not grassed, or frequent watering of grassy areas will reduce grass burned by pet urine.) Plant bedding areas In plant bedding areas landscapers are planting native plants that are naturally found in the native habitats such as (in Oregon) : • • •

Sedum Rubus Cotoneaster

Aromatic plantings such as: • Sage • Rosemary • And flowers It is also fun to plant edible landscaping that is aromatic and yet interacts with the environment, including humans such as : • • • • • • • •

Sage Basil Lavender Rosemary Thyme Strawberries Raspberries Blueberries

From our stand point we would like to see gardens and landscaping developed that are beneficial for some insects and pollinators that encourage the survival of the plants. Some readers will rightly comment that we want to encourage the revival of bee colonies and that they are allergic to bees. This is a significant issue that each property will need to deal with on a case by case basis. In the big picture, without pollinators gardens will look gloomy and dull. We want to encourage healthy gardens with the appropriate landscaping smells and flowers and maybe even a blueberry or two. Sterilized landscaping is not healthy for humans. Ways to save money and manage your landscaping One of the goals of better landscape management is to manage the watering. Many landscaped areas are over

www.RHAGP.org

watered. This is a huge problem as thirty-six states are facing water shortages in the next 1-2 years. Our vendors are utilizing smart controllers to help with water conservation. These are particularly useful in large installations. They are mechanical devices that get information from a weather station transmitter and tell each controller the expected rate of soil moisture depletion in that microclimate. Some even measure the waterfall at that location. This information is then used to decide how much additional watering is needed to manage the growth of the grasses and the plants. Of course these work better in wet clients vs dry climates, but it is a place to start and given the huge increases in water bill we see, a typical install can be paid off in 24 months. (See technical note below) In areas that are very short on water one can reuse gray water, or harvest water that falls on the buildings and dry well cisterns. The US only reuses 8% of its waste water today. (Walter J Freedman Twitter) , so there is room for a lot of growth as changing weather patterns affect the way landscapers plan for sustainable gardens. Reusing gray water is part of the future for sustainable landscaping. Summary: In Summary we are working hard to train our staff and work closely with our landscapers to change our methods of landscaping. Key to sustainable landscaping is a thoughtful choice regarding ground covers. We will champion a changeover from strictly grass to eco-lawns that do not need as much care. This will take an understanding from Landlords that some weeds are not weeds at all but healthy plant life that extends the life of the grasses they are planted with. The key question is how tenants will react to this changeover. Will they rent buildings that are surrounded by eco-lawns? ( My personal response to this is that if we educate the tenants, they will want to work in an environment that is healthier for them for our planet and is more sustainable.) We will need to mulch grass clippings and aerate the grass for healthy plant life. Using eco-lawns we should not have to fertilize grass areas. Using controllers, we can reduce the use of water, and if we mulch bedding areas that water will stay in the beds for a longer time and not run off. Clearly I have only touched the surface of landscape sustainability. My goal was to introduce the possibility of making changes to landscape practices and reduce the use of chemicals in landscape applications. Please consider some of these ideas; let’s do our part to build a healthy planet. CONTINUED on PAGE 14

January 2013 13

GuIDELINES CONTINUED FRoM PAGE 13

The RHAGP Mission

Technical Note:

“Smart Controllers” automatically update the watering schedule to allow for changes in water needs throughout the year. So a smart controller will automatically reduce the watering times as the weather gets cooler and less water is needed. Then as the weather begins to warm up, the controller will add more watering time. These are common methods used by smart controllers to determine the watering time: •

Historical: Uses historical weather and water use data.

•

Historical with a sensor: Uses historical data to determine an initial reduction in watering time, but then further adjusts the time based on a sensor.

•

Off-site data: Uses water and/or weather data provided by a remote provider. The controller uses a radio, Internet, or phone connection to obtain the data from either a central data provider, or from a local weather station

•

Weather station: This controller has it’s own weather station that you install with it..

•

Moisture Sensor: A moisture sensor (often more than one) is placed under the irrigation system to measure the actual amount of moisture in the soil.

Courtesy of: http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/faq/smartcontrollers.htm 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.

The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland is a group of rental housing owners and managers in the Portland metropolitan area who have joined together for the purposes of: • Providing information to improve the knowledge of rental owners and managers. • 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.

Why attend a dinner meeting?

1. 2.

ADVERTISING AVAILABLE!!!

Are you Utilizing all your advertising opportunities? There

Are you an Affiliate or Dual Member of the RHA?

Education, Education, Education A chance to network with other owners and vendors Great door prizes from Affiliate/Dual members Interesting Speakers

is space available and we want YOU.

Call 503/254-4723 to ﬁnd out more!

BUY RHAGP ATTORNEY DRAWN PAPER FORMS MAILED DIRECTLY TO YOU AT www.rhagp.org/store

14 January 2013

RHAGP UPDATE

A Great Time to Be a Landlord? By Robert L. Cain, Copyright 2012 All Property Management, LLC The coming year could be a terrific time to be a landlord. Changes in the tax code could mean more business for us. As there have been for some time, there are rumblings about doing away with the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners. Should that happen, homeownership would lose one of its biggest benefits, the ability to deduct the interest people pay from their income taxes. That is a deduction that is worth $215 billion dollars by 2021 according to the Wall Street Journal. The White House also wants to eliminate the deduction for real estate taxes running the total up to $400 billion in 10 years. Congress wouldn’t phase it out all at once but rather in fits and starts. Most likely it would begin with a lowering of the limit of the mortgage amount eligible for the deduction from $1.1 million to $500,000. Then, inch by inch, Congress would take away more and more of it until homeowners could no longer deduct any mortgage interest from their income taxes. Would it make much difference? According to a USA Today study with data from the IRS, only 26 percent of people take the deduction now with some states higher and some lower. But that means about a quarter of the people take advantage of it. USA Today apparently didn’t calculate the loan amounts of those people who took the deduction. The question is, though, what would be the result for those people who were taking the deduction? As we all know, you can’t do just one thing. Every action results in someone reacting to the action to his or her benefit, or at least trying to react that way. One possible result would be that some people would become renters since owning a home would be less of a benefit. That especially might be the case in the states where more people take the deduction, such as those in the Pacific Northwest and New England with, the IRS reports, 30 percent or more taking it. Maryland has the highest rate with 37 percent taking it followed by Connecticut with 34 percent.

deduction now. We will also be able to deduct real estate taxes, a deduction the Obama administration wants to get rid of, for the same reason. It’s a business expense. The elimination of the deduction could well impact the number of new homes built, too, because since fewer people would be buying homes, fewer would be needed. That would mean existing housing could become more valuable because there is less of it to go around. That means rents would go up. Is a total elimination of the mortgage interest deduction going to happen anytime soon? Most likely not. Might Congress start chipping away at it? Maybe so. Count on the Realtors and National Association of Homebuilders to come out swinging. The Realtors spent $26 million on lobbying in 2012 while the Homebuilders spent about $4 million in 2012, down from $10 million in 2009. That’s just lobbying, not campaign contributions. If the mortgage interest deduction is on the line, count on that spending going up. Will the lobbying and campaign contributions have an effect? Absolutely. Politicians don’t want millions of dollars thrown to their opponents in elections, something that would happen if they were to vote to eliminate the deduction. Will Congress do something to the mortgage interest deduction soon? That seems likely since they have dug such a deep hole with the deficit that they have to at least make a show of trying to fill that hole. Will anything Congress does, in that regard, benefit rental owners? You bet. It will mean more renters and more profitable rentals. It’s a great time to be a landlord. Robert Cain is a nationally-recognized speaker and writer on property management and real estate issues. Visit the web site www.rentalprop.com.

That does not include the people who decide not to buy a home because there is no tax advantage. It’s just as cost effective to rent, especially considering the tenuous housing market the last few years. If people bail out of homeownership, they still have to live somewhere, and that somewhere would be renting from landlords. Will all of them do it? Obviously not, but think about what an influx of customers that would mean to people who own and manage rental properties. You see, rental owners will still be able to take the deduction because it is a business expense taken on Schedule C, not Schedule A where consumers take the

www.RHAGP.org

January 2013 15

Why the Minimum Wage Deserves your Maximum Attention Violations found among employers nationwide When you create your business plan, forecast your expenses, and balance your budget, staffing costs play a pivotal role. Determining hourly rates to pay your employees causes you to take many factors into consideration. How much should you pay your entry level employees? How much should you pay your managers? Minimum wage requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are a key component in that formula. Minimum hourly rates, as well as the circumstances under which you are allowed to make deductions from employees’ pay for items like uniforms, cash shortages, etc., not only steer your business decisions but are also clearly established by the requirements of the FLSA. The U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division enforces the FLSA, the federal law that provides minimum wage, overtime, child labor, and recordkeeping requirements for covered employers in the U.S. Determining and paying the minimum compensation due to your employees under that law depends upon paying at least the legally-required minimum wage for all hours worked. Unless a specific exemption applies, employees must be paid at least the minimum wage for each hour worked, and time-and-one-half their regular rates for any hours in excess of 40 hours worked in a workweek. Employees who do not qualify for an exemption are commonly referred to as “non-exempt” employees, while those who do qualify are referred to as “exempt” employees. The federal minimum wage for covered, nonexempt employees is currently $7.25 per hour, which has been effective since July 24, 2009. Some of the most frequent problem areas identified in businesses that lead to violations of the minimum wage requirements include: 1) Paying hourly rates below $7.25 per hour; 2) Making deductions from employees’ pay for uniforms; 3) Making deductions from employees’ pay for cash register shortages; 4) Making deductions from employees’ pay to cover damages to equipment, customers who walked out on their bills, or other property losses to the employer; and 5) Failing to pay for hours worked. FLSA violations result when all hours worked are not paid for and overall wages fall below $7.25 per hour. Minimum Wage Principles: The federal minimum wage provisions are contained in the FLSA. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. Many states also have their own minimum wage laws, some of which provide greater

employee protections. In cases where an employer is subject to both a federal and a state law at the same time, the employer must comply with the higher standard in order to be in compliance with both. For example, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. If the minimum wage in your state is $8.00 per hour, you must pay your employees $8.00 per hour in order to be in compliance with both the federal and the state requirements. Generally speaking, when you’re subject to two laws at the same time, the stricter standard applies. Posters: Every employer of employees subject to the FLSA’s minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the law in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments (i.e., in a place where employees can readily read it). WHD prescribes the content of this notice. An approved copy of the poster may be downloaded free of charge at the following link: www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/minwagep.pdf Questions about the minimum wage often arise in the following situations: 1) What is the lowest amount I can legally pay my employees per hour? The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. $7.25 per hour is the lowest amount you can pay a non-exempt employee. Even if an employee agrees to work for less, such an agreement would not make payment below that amount legal. However, certain specific programs do allow wage payments to certain employees in amounts less than $7.25 per hour, but only when specific conditions are met. Examples include student learners (vocational education students), and workers whose earning or productive capacities for the work to be performed are impaired by physical or mental disabilities. (See www.dol.gov/whd/ specialemployment/index.htm for more information on these programs). 2) Can I charge my employees for uniforms? Yes, under certain conditions. The FLSA does not require that employees wear uniforms. However, if the wearing of a uniform is required by some other law, the nature of a business or by an employer, the cost and maintenance of the uniform is considered to be a business expense of the employer. If the employer requires the employee to bear the cost, that cost may not reduce the employee's wage below the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Nor may that cost cut into overtime compensation required by the Act. If an employee who is subject to the minimum wage of CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

16 January 2013

RHAGP Update

2012 RHA ACCOMPLISHMENTS MINIMUM WAGE CONTINUED from PAGE 16

$7.25 per hour is paid only the minimum amount of $7.25 per hour, the employer may not make any deduction from the employee's wages for the cost of the uniform, nor may the employer require the employee to purchase the uniform on his/her own. If an employer only requires a general type of ordinary basic street clothing to be worn while working and permits some variation (For example, the employer requires only khaki pants and a green polo-style shirt), such clothing would not be considered a uniform. The cost to the employee of buying these items, which could be worn for personal use outside of work, does not have to be considered by the employer. Some states impose their own requirements with regard to permissible deductions. In areas of mutual jurisdiction, the higher standard applies. 3) If the cash register comes up short at the end of a shift, can I require the employees responsible for the cash drawer to pay back the shortage? No deduction may be made from an employee’s wages which would reduce the employee’s earnings below the required minimum wage or overtime compensation. In addition to cash drawer shortages, employers sometimes consider making deductions for damages to their property caused by an employee, financial losses due to customers not paying their bills, and/or theft of the employer’s property by the employee or others. Employees may not be required to pay for any of these items if, by doing so, their wages would be reduced below the required minimum wage or overtime compensation. This is true even if an economic loss suffered by the employer is due to the employee’s negligence. Employers may not avoid FLSA minimum wage and overtime requirements by having the employee reimburse the employer in cash for the cost of such items in lieu of deducting the cost directly from the employee’s wages. 4) How often does the federal minimum wage increase? The minimum wage does not increase automatically. Congress must pass a bill which the President signs into law in order for the minimum wage to go up. However, there is nothing in the law that prevents employers from paying more than the minimum wage. For additional information on the requirements of the FLSA, visit the U. S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s website at www.dol.gov/whd , or call 866-4US-WAGE (866-487-9243). Your state may have additional or different statutes or regulations. To find your state labor department’s contact information, visit www.dol.gov/whd/contacts/state_of.htm .

www.RHAGP.org

In 2012 our membership went over 1,700 in Regular, Affiliate and Dual members. Many of the new members purchased a rental taking advantage of the low prices and low interest rates. Under Chair Ron Garcia the Education committee doubled the number of classes offered. All classes are now offered on both the East and West sides of the Portland metro area. Plans were made to begin offering lunch time sessions to serve additional members. The brown bag lunch sessions will be held in the RHAGP conference room once a month. Membership chair and new RHAGP President Elizabeth Carpenter found a way to lower dues for members with 1 to 4 units. (See page 4) Plus this month we launch a new level of membership with the Premium Membership with additional benefits for members that want more online programs and information. (See page 4) In November the membership committee changed the New Member Orientation sessions from just before the dinner meeting to the last Thursday of the month and added a Mentor question and answer time. All members can now stop by the office conference room on the last Thursday of the month to learn more about the association or ask an experienced landlord questions. Several RHAGP members have volunteered to answer questions on maintenance, management or tenant behavior. The volunteers are not attorneys and cannot answer legal questions but have years of experience in managing rental properties. The Government Affairs committee chair Phil Owen suggested we needed a representative on the Portland Fair Housing Committee and then found the volunteer to serve on this important committee. Jerad Goughnour is the only residential rental property manager on the committee. Each year the Community Relations committee holds a Toy Drive to benefit the families of Oregon National Guard and Reserve personnel serving overseas. This year committee chair Tony Kavanagh emphasized the need for gifts for children age 9 and up. RHAGP members came through with a pickup load of toys and gift cards. Our accomplishments are achieved by the many members of committees. If you would like to join a committee and help RHAGP do even more please call a committee chair today. (See page 2) PLEASE VISIT US AT WWW.RHAGP.ORG

January 2013 17

PREFERRED SERVICE GUIDE 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

Cheryl C. Delozier, CPA 503-239-0111 Charlie Rogers & Vicki Martin Tax & Accounting Service charlie@cdelozier.com

Northwood Business Svcs

Jon Moon, P.503-297-2610 OBTP #B01422 LTC 5177 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

TrueSource Screening, LLC

David Mustard P.888-546-3588, F.888-546-3588 www.truesourcescreening.com

Dual and Affiliate members support the interest of rental housing through their membership in RHA.

Tenant Check LLC

Brent Vaughters P.360-574-3924, F.360-397-0196 www.aptcheck.com

carpet sales Contract Furnishings Mart

Ross Williams P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722 915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 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 Pat Hockman P.360-896-6150, 800-267-6150 11013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682

Asphalt paving Hal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434

Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S HWY 213, Oregon City 97045 www.halsconstruction.com halspave@easystreet.net

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

The Floor Store

ATTORNEYS Bittner & Hahs, P.C.

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

Broer & Passannante, P.S.

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

Mark G Passannante, P.503-294-0910 1001 SW Fifth Ave. STE 1220 Portland, OR 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

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

Scott A.McKeown, P.C.

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

Timothy Murphy, Attorney at Law

COncrete Hal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434

Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S HWY 213, Oregon City 97045 www.halsconstruction.com halspave@easystreet.net

Always representing ONLY landlords Tim Murphy P. 503-550-4894 522 SW 5th Ave, #812, Portland 97204

BASEMENT WATERPROOFING John’s Waterproofing, CCB# 15830 Crawlspace Waterproofing P. 503-233-0825 Fully Staffed www.johnswaterproofing.com

Carpentry & repairs 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

Doors Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898 marymann@goosehwc.com CCB#53631 goosehwc.com Energy Trust Trade Ally

EFFICIENCY Energy Diet

Free Efficiency Installations P. 503-960-5482 theenergydiet@gmail.com

Electric DeKorte Electric, Inc. CCB#159954

P.503-288-2211 5331 SW Macadam #258-113, Portland 97239

CARPET CLEANING Apple Cleaning Co.

Portland General Electric

Anne Snyder-Grassmann, P.503-464-7534

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

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

Dura Clean Carpet Cleaning

Upholstery, Pet odor removal, Flood Service P.503-914-8785 F.503-372-9163 www.duracleanllc.com dura-clean@comcast.net

energy conservation EcoTech LLC

O’Meara Carpet Cleaning

503-538-1983, 503-620-5005 Cleaning, Pet Odor Removal, Flood Damage www.omearacarpetcleaning.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

Oregon Legal Assistance Services P.503-954-1009, F.971-266-8372 olasllc@comcast.net

1031 EXCHANGES/REITS TENANCY IN COMMON 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

Associated Mortgage Group, Inc.

Sandi Swinford 503-781-0092 sandi@associated mortgage.com Licensed Mortgage Broker, NMLS 89930

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

Commercial Lending Group, Inc.

Trevor T. Calton, P.503-704-4999 Professor of Real Estate Finance, PSU Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Broker

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Ron Eiseman, P.503-886-1497 1300 SW Fifth Ave. STE 950, Portland 97201 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

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676

P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.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

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

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

18 January 2013

RHAGP Update

PREFERRED SERVICE GUIDE Floor COVERING Contract Furnishings Mart Ross Williams P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722 915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 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 Pat Hockman P.360-896-6150, 800-267-6150 11013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682

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.503-519-4920 jandbhardwoodfloors@gmail.com

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

handyman 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

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

Dual and Affiliate members support the interest of rental housing through their membership in RHA.

heating oil tank EcoTech LLC

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

Housing authorities Housing Authority of Portland

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

insulation Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898 marymann@goosehwc.com CCB#53631 goosehwc.com Energy Trust Trade Ally

insurance Larry Thompson Agency

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 www.epbb.com wvandoorninck@epbb.com

investment services Peregrine Private Capital Corp.

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

Landscaping J. Salinas Landscaping

J. Salinas, P.503-816-1190

Oregon Tree Care

P.503-929-9437 www.oregontreecare.com info@oregontreecare.com

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

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

Paint / painters Brad Poppino Painting Co. CCB# 185497 Brad Poppino P.503-659-7551,/503-957-8298 Interior / Exterior Lead Paint Certified

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

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

Richard Hallman Painting CCB# 142467 RichardHallman, P.503-819-1210 Quality interior painting

Rodda Paint

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

Orkin Pest Control

Dan Wolcott Account Manager & Inspector P-503-384-8384 dwolcott@orkin.com

plumbing / drain cleaning Grumpy’s Drains

Portland’s #1 Drain Cleaning Service www.grumpysdrains.com 503422-9476

MJ’s Plumbing, CCB# 36338

Michael LeFever, P.503-261-9155 1045 NE 79, Portland 97213

Nichols Plumbing, CCB# 132527

Expert in all phases of residential Licensed, Bonded and Insured P: 503-653-2069

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

PROPERTY MANAGERS Action Management

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 www.associatedmgmt.com

Fox Management, Inc.

Tressa L. Rossi, P.503-280-0241 C.503-750-8124, F.503-280-0242 2316 NE Glisan St., 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

Micro Property Management

“We focus on the small details” P- 503-473-3742 jeannie@micropropertymgmt.com

Portland Pioneer Properties

P.503-238-2560 pppropertiesllc@comcast.net Full prop. managment service

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

Voss Property Management

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

radon Cascade Radon Inc.

P: 503-421-4813 cascaderadon.com office@cascaderadon.com

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

Elizabeth Carpenter

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

HFO Investment Real Estate

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

Ilse Norman

Associate Advisor Sperry Van Ness Bluestone & Hockley p-503-459-4376 www.svnbluestone.com

Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Cliff Hockley, P.503-222-3800 9320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219

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

www.RHAGP.org

January 2013 19

PREFERRED SERVICE GUIDE J.L. Lutz & Company

Jim Lutz P.503-297-7101, F.503-291-7851 5440 SW Westgate Dr #115, Portland 97221 info@jllutz.com

M. Maltase Real Estate Group

Michelle Maltase, P.503-730-2596 www.mmaltasegroup.com michelle@mmaltasegroup.com

Dual and Affiliate members support the interest of rental housing through their membership in RHA.

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

The Garcia Group

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

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

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676

P.503-240-3388, 24/7 Response Catastrophe Restoration Specialists www.jrjohnsoninc.com

Portland Construction Solutions P.503-908-0822 CCB# 174542 General Contractor OR & WA projects@pdxcs.com

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

Lynne Whitney, P.503-284-5522 Free Inspections, ReRoof and Repairs www.realestateroofing.com

Seal coating Halâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434

Brian King, P.503-656-4999 20666 S HWY 213, Oregon City 97045 www.halsconstruction.com halspave@easystreet.net

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

Portland Construction Solutions P.503-908-0822 CCB# 174542 General Contractor OR & WA projects@pdxcs.com

TELEPHONE Comcast

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

UTILITY BILLING Minol USA

15280 Addison Rd. Suite 100 Addison, TX. 972-386-6611 minolusa.com

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 Goose Hollow Window Co., Inc. Mary D. Mann P.503-620-0898 marymann@goosehwc.com CCB#53631 goosehwc.com Energy Trust Trade Ally

Scan QR Code on Smartphone for Online Vendor Info.

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

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

20 January 2013

RHAGP Update

RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION of GREATER PORTLAND

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 655

10520 NE Weidler Portland, OR 97220

The Floor Store For All Your Flooring Needs

Property Managers and Owners ... We are offering special package deals just for you! Package # 1 $16.50 per sq. yard ✔ Filament plush nylon or cut & loop ✔ 7/16 rebond pad ✔ Carpet Installation ✔ Tear & haul of old carpet & pad

his ion t Ment hen you ad w me in co

Package #2 $15.50 per sq. yard ✔ Plush and Cut and Loop ✔ 7/16 rebond pad ✔ Carpet Installation ✔ Tear & haul of old carpet & pad

Make your flooring purchases and installation EASY with ... FREE Delivery • FREE On-site measuring • FAST, Worry-FREE Installation!

Bargain Rollout! FHA Vinyl Only $3.99 per square yard!

Quantity Limited • Minimum 16 yard purchase

Ted Ted Stapleton Stapleton & & John John Fabian Fabian •• 5628 5628 SE SE Woodstock, Woodstock, Portland Portland

(503) 408-6488

January 2013

RHAGP Update