March 2012 RHA Newsletter

MARCH 2012

THE RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION of Greater Portland

2012 MARCH

Oregon Apartment Association, Inc. WWW.RHAGP.ORG

UPDATE INDEX RHAGP Dinner Meeting

3

Upcoming Events

4

President’s Message

5

Dear Maintenance Men

6

RHAGP Classes

7

My Tenant Didn’t Move

8

FHCO Poster Contest

9

Tax Planning Countdown to 2013

10

World Spay Day

11

Preferred Service Guide

12-14

Housing Discrimination “ The Rest of the Story” 15 & 18 HUDMovestoEnsureEqualAccess

16-17

Not Following the Recommendation

18

Why Renters Insurance?

19

Asbestos Making a Comeback Fire Safety

20-21 22

Cindy Robert, RHAGP Lobbyist

March Dinner Meeting Wednesday, March 21th, 2012 at the Stockpot at Red Tail Golf Course Cindy Robert will be speaking on “The Legislative Report ” See page 3 for more details. www.RHAGP.org

Page 1

Page 2

RHAGP UPDATE

MARCH 2012 Wednesday, March 21st 6pm

WHEN

Page 3

RHAGP

DINNER MEETING

STOCKPOT 8200 SW Scholls Ferry Rd. Beaverton, OR 97008

WHERE

5:15 p.m. Membership Orientation Meeting and Doors open

GUEST SPEAKERS Cindy Robert, RHAGP LobbyistCindy Robert is the founder and partner for Rainmakers LLP. She has been lobbying the Oregon State Legislature for more than two decades, with clients ranging from local governments to Fortune 500 businesses to non-profits. Cindy is an expert in all aspects of government relations, legislative strategy, campaign development and advising, organizational development and governance structure, corporate partnership and leveraged packaging.

In 1987, Cindy worked in Washington, D.C. for the Republican National Committee and was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention in New Orleans. Cindy is a Willamette University graduate who also studied at American University in Washington, D.C.

++++Door Prizes and Money Pot++++

ORIENTATION 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.

DIRECTIONS

Affiliate Speaker- Marcia Gohman, National Tenant Network 5:30pm- Ask the Expert, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Buffet Dinner Menu: $26.00 Per Person Rosemary Tied Pork Loin w/ Apple Cider Jus

Chef’s Fresh Vegetables

Mediterranean Breast of Chicken served over Creamed Orzo Pasta

Assorted Fresh Fruit

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

Classic Caesar Salad

Fresh Baked Crusty Roll Dessert Cake Coffee, Tea Decaf or Iced Tea

STOCKPOT 8200 SW Scholls Ferry Rd. Beaverton, OR 97008 From DOWNTOWN Portland- take US-26 W toward the Zoo. Merge onto OR-217S via Exit 69A towards Beaverton/Tigard. Take the Hall Blvd exit, Exit 4A. Turn left onto SW Hall Blvd. Turn left onto SW Scholls Ferry Road210 to 8200 SW Scholls Ferry Rd is on the right.

FROM SOUTH OR NORTH ON 1-5- From I-5 Merge onto OR-217N toward Tigard/ Beaverton. Take the OR-210/Scholls Ferry Road exit, Exit 4. Turn right onto SW Scholls Ferry Rd/OR-210. Stockpot at Red Tail Golf Course is on the right.

Please call 503/254-4723 for reservations. Reservations for dinner must be made by Monday March 19, 2012. If you register for dinner and cannot attend you must cancel by Tuesday March 20th, or you will be charged a $5.00 no show fee. www.RHAGP.org

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 4

UPCOMING EVENTS

Scan QR Code on Smartphone for Online Events Info.

MARCH 2012 Su

M

Tu

W

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

Th 1 8 15 22 29

APRIL 2012 F 2 9 16 23 30

Sa 3 10 17 24 31

Su 1 8 15 22 29

M 2 9 16 23 30

Tu 3 10 17 24

W 4 11 18 25

Th 5 12 19 26

F 6 13 20 27

Sa 7 14 21 28

Date

Event

Location

Time

3/8 3/13

Craigslist & Facebook Class *Online Tenant Screening Class Board Meeting Dinner Meeting Inspections Class

RHA Office RHA Office

6:30pm See Page 7 for details.

11am Reserve by 3/12/12, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

5pm 5:15pm See Page 3 for details.

6:30pm See Page 7 for details.

3/14 3/21 3/22 3/27

*Online Tenant Screening Class

Date

Event

4/10

*Online Tenant Screening Class Board Meeting Inspection Class Dinner Meeting *Online Tenant Screening Class Craigslist & Facebook Class

4/11 4/12 4/18 4/24 4/26

RHA Office Stockpot Standard T.V. & Appliance WebEx

Notes

7pm

Reserve by 3/26/12, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

Location

Time

Notes

RHA Office

11am

Reserve by 4/09/2012, 5 people need to register for there to be a class.

RHA Office

5pm 6:30pm See Page 7 for details 5:15pm Reserve by 4/23/12, 5 people need to register 7pm for there to be a class.

6:30pm See Page 7 for details

RHA Office TBA WebEx Standard T. V. & Appliance

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

Other Events: March 20th, 6:30 p.m. - NWREIA Multi-Family Commercial Real Estate Secrets RHA Office - Call Jerad Goughnour for more info 503-789-3212 March 15, 6:30pm - City-wide Landlord Forum Tales From A Full Moon: Crazy But True Stories. Call 503-823-4064 for more information.

VISIT US ON THE WEB- www.rhagp.org/calendar-event

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

MARCH 2012

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Phil Owen, RHAGP President

I would like to give you an overview of what the City of Portland is working on in regards to the apartment inspection program.

The Bureau of Development Services (BDS) administers Title 29 of the Portland City code. Title 29 concerns a variety of minimum housing maintenance requirements with a focus on rental housing.

In June 2009, BDS increased fees and fines for non-compliance of Title 29 Minimum standards for Housing and Nuisance to encourage compliance and increase cost recovery.

With support from Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) in 9/10 and 10/11, BDS was able to develop a pilot program for the enhanced complaint system of rental inspections in East Portland. The enhanced complaint model of unit inspections identifies property owners that are chronically out of compliance with local housing maintenance codes. These property owners are unwilling to make cited repairs in a timely manner. Over the past two and a half years, the pilot program has generated data that the BDS would like to use to expand the enhanced complaint model of rental inspections citywide. In FY 2010-2011, 1,545 high risk non-compliant inspections occurred at 1,386 units and 3,541 violations, including Fire, Life Safety, Health and Sanitation were identified and corrected in East Portland.

In the 2011/12 budget process, Council provided BDS with an additional onetime allocation of $875,500 in General Fund resources. The General Fund was used to increase BDS inspections staffing, reduce response times, and restore nuisance abatement funding. This allowed the enhanced complaint pilot inspection program in East Portland, previously funded by PHB, to improve and maintain current basic service levels.

The Public Health Institute is working with stakeholders on a City Portland Rental Housing Inspections Program (RHIP) | Health Impact

Assessment (HIA)(Rental Housing Inspection Program HIA Steering Committee). The ultimate target of the RHIP HIA is to impact the City’s budgetary decision in June, so the majority of this project’s work will be completed before this month.

The general steps in the HIA process (screening, scoping, assessment, recommendations, reporting, and evaluation) will be followed for this project, as they are recognized as best practices based on the Health Impact Project and the National Research Council.

One comparable HIA to this project was “Unhealthy Consequences: A Child Health Impact Assessment of energy costs and the low income home energy assistance program” conducted in 2011. It was extremely effective, as the final report impacted the state auditor’s decision to fully fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) due to its positive influence on the health of children in low income households. The RHIP HIA assessment is operating on the assumption that: 1.

Code-compliant housing leads to improved health outcomes.

2.

Other factors such as education and lifestyle of tenants also affects health outcomes.

3.

Health is not inherently improved with an enhanced compliant inspections model; it happens when non-compliant property owners are compelled to address substandard housing.

This is a developing situation for consideration, which RHAGP will monitor and will keep you informed of any developments.

Phillip Owen

PAINTING/CLEANING POPPINO ENTERPRISES “Specialists in Apartment Turnover” • Complete Interior Cleaning • Fast Interior/Exterior Painting Svcs • Lead Paint Certified Call Gary Poppino

503-659-7551 Fax 503-659-6442 CCB # 82177

www.RHAGP.org

Page 5

Page 6

DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN:

RHAGP UPDATE

By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men: I am starting my planning for a major kitchen cabinet remodeling project in my rental units. However, I am having a difficult time making material and design decisions. What recommendations can you give?

Allen.

Dear Allen, When doing a kitchen or bath material selection, cohesive and functional design is important. Kitchen and bath rehabs are some of the most expensive work you can do in an apartment unit and proper planning is a must. In order to appeal to a larger segment of the population, try to keep the interior color scheme to neutral earth tones. Cabinetry quality varies greatly. Don’t let the cabinet fronts fool you. Manufactures designed their cabinets to look good at first glance.

Keep in mind, being in a rental environment, the cabinets also need to hold up to abuse. Look at the actual construction of the cabinet box or frame. Keep in mind; you do not need to use custom cabinets to fit your existing layout. The use of prefabricated modular cabinetry can greatly reduce the time and cost to have a finished kitchen or bathroom. Using real wood cabinet fronts with 3/8” plywood sides is essential for durability. The drawer fronts and sides should be connected with a dovetail or other positive lock construction. Drawers that are held together by nails will not hold up to tenant abuse, nor will particle board constructed cabinets.

On a side note; if you are gutting the kitchen or bathroom, use this time to relocate and add more electrical outlets and under cabinet lighting.

Dear Maintenance Men: The kitchen counter tops in my rental units are old and tired looking. I want to upgrade but I am confused about which counter top material will be best.

Can you go over the pros and cons of some of the more popular counter top surfaces available?

John Dear John, We are lucky today to have so many choices of countertop materials available. The four most popular materials are plastic laminate, granite, engineered stone & ceramic tile.

Plastic laminate or better known as Formica Brand is still the most popular choice for apartment counter tops. This is because the choice in colors is almost unlimited and the ease of installation keeps the costs down. With proper care, plastic laminate will last for years; however, it can be easily scratched by knives or scorched by hot pots. Laminate counter tops can be easily installed by the average handyman, DYI person or contractor.

Granite counter tops in the apartment industry are very popular and with good reason. The cost of granite has come down to reasonable levels and the upgraded look of a granite countertop is substantial.

They are very tough and are resistant to staining, scratching and scorching. Granite countertops will need to be professionally installed and sealed periodically.

Engineered stone countertops are almost as popular as granite, and are slightly more expensive than granite. Popular brands are DuPont & Silestone.

Engineered stone countertops are composed of quartz particles and resins and the surface is smooth, non-porous, and scratch resistant. They require less maintenance than granite. Engineered stone countertops are not DIY friendly and will need professionally trained installers.

Ceramic tile countertops have been around almost as long as plastic laminate. They can be installed by the average handyman, DYI person or contractor. They are heat & stain resistant. Ceramic tiles do need to have periodic maintenance to keep the grout lines clean and sanitary.

From a management and maintenance prospective, we are finding granite countertops to be the top choice. The price difference between laminate and granite are close enough to warrant upgrading to granite. If you intend to hold onto your investment for a long time, granite will more than pay for itself.

Dear Maintenance Men: I am thinking of converting my thirsty lawn into a drought resistant landscape. What recommendation do you have to help me achieve my plan?

Dorothy Dear Dorothy: Creating a drought tolerant landscape is a great idea.

In the end, the drought tolerant landscape will cost you less money in water and will be easier to maintain. The single greatest consumer of water in your landscape is the turf. Reduce the grass area to ease the burden on water. Xeriscaping is a term for a water conserving landscape. Some of the benefits of Xeriscaping is water saving, low maintenance, pesticide free, pollution free (no lawnmowers) and use of local native plants. You might want to consider using Ornamental grasses, as they are drought tolerant, look great and give your landscape a bit of vertical dimension. Succulents of course are great at conserving water. Flax Delphiniums and Iris are a few perennials to use. Marigolds, Mexican Sunflowers, Phlox and Vinca Passion are Annuals that will work well. As for shrubs, look at Japanese black pine, Mountain currant, Sassafras, Honeysuckles etc and good trees are Acacia, Gray Birch, Monterey Cypress, Eucalyptus, Fig, Juniper, Amur Maple to name a few.

Be sure to provide good drainage and using plants native to your area are best.

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

MARCH 2012

RHAGP CLASSES

Page 7 Scan QR Code on Smartphone for Online Event Ticket Info.

Craigslist & Facebook ClassThursday March 8, 2012 from 6:30pm-8:00pm at RHAGP office 10520 NE Weidler Portland 97220 or Thursday April 26, 2012 from 6:30pm-8:00pm at Standard T.V. & Appliance 3600 SW Hall Blvd. Beaverton 97005

The RHAGP Mission 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.

The 6 Facebook Essentials: Guy Edwards, of Brainjar Media, will share the same 6 Facebook essentials he advises for his clients, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Animal Planet and several Gresham small-businesses. This easy-to-understand step-bystep course helps you start from the very beginning of creating a Facebook page, optimizing your page for search engines, and linking your page to resources relevant to your industry needs. A hand out will be provided for you to take home.

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

Craigslist Property Marketing: Cari Pierce, RHAGP Member Services Representative will walk you through the basics of marketing your rental property on Craigslist.

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.

Cost is $15 for members or $20 for non-members. There is a 35 person limit for this room. Register by Monday March 5 and receive a $5.00 discount on the price of class.

Inspections ClassTaught by Troy Rappold of Rappold Property Management Thursday March 22, 2012 from 6:30pm-8:00pm at Standard T.V. & Appliance 3600 SW Hall Blvd. Beaverton 97005 or Thursday April 12, 2012 from 6:30pm-8:00pm at RHAGP Office 10520 NE Weidler Portland 97220 Interior inspections are crucial! It is imperative to visit your property and do a thorough walk-thru with the tenant at least once a year. This class will discuss the best practices to do property inspections from beginning to end. There are also many tips and tricks that have been learned along the way that will be discussed.

The goal is to keep your property’s value high and your tenants responsible and happy.

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

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.

Cost is $35 for members or $45 for non-members. There is a 35 person limit for this room. Register

by Monday March 19 and receive a $5.00 discount on the price of class. This class will be worth 1 Continuing Education Hour.

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 www.RHAGP.org

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 8

MY TENANT DIDN’T MOVE

By Robert Cain

Q: My tenant gave me a 30-day (or whatever your city or state requires) Notice that they were moving. Then at the end of the month they didn't move. Can I evict them on their notice?

A: No, in most states and localities. You could only start an eviction based on your notice to the tenant, not on their notice to you. The best thing to do is when you receive their notice send them a confirmation and telling them that you expect them to vacate the property by midnight on the termination date of their notice to you. You can also add language that, in effect, gives them a 30-day (or whatever your state requires) at the same time. Mind you, some state laws allow a different number of days notice for landlords and tenants, so make sure you get the days right.

Tenants would also probably have some financial liability if you spent money in advertising and such trying to rerent the property and they did not move out when they promised.

Reader Bill Heikkila writes that in his state landlords are better protected than in most others, "in Georgia, a tenant's (written) notice of intent to vacate is not only an irrevocable notice, but the landlord can move to evict should the tenant fail to vacate once he has given this written notice. The Georgia dispossessory forms even have a box to check for this specific purpose." (Check your state law to see if your rights are protected this way.)

Q: My tenant is on a lease and the last day of that lease is the end of this month. Do I have to give them a 30-days written notice to coincide with the last day of the lease?

A: Not usually. However, there are customized leases that have it written in that either side would have to give 30 days written notice. Just as a courtesy, you might want to give your tenant a written reminder that the lease is ending on a certain date. If the tenant is one you want to keep, you might begin marketing to him or her to try to get them to continue making your property his or her home. Actually, studies have shown that tenants decide to move 45 days before they ever let their landlord know about it. So your marketing efforts need to start long before the 30 days before the lease is up.

Q: I have my tenants on a lease with a provision that it automatically converts to a month-to-month at the end of the lease. Do I need to give my tenants a notice to terminate?

A: Yes, you would. However, you could not issue a 30-day notice to terminate prior to the last month of the original lease period. You could give them a notice at any time that tells them you are not going to renew

their lease that expires on x date. That way they will have more time to find another place to live.

Landlord Q&A Since getting rent is essential to your landlording business, should you market your properties as soon as they are vacant or only after they have been prepared properly for showing? If they need to be prepared for showing before marketing, at what point have you done enough preparation?

Answer: Make sure your property is in "showing shape" before you do any marketing. The condition of your property is part of the marketing effort. A well-maintained and "staged" unit attracts the best applicants. Good tenants take pride in their homes and expect to live in places that match their image of themselves. Bad tenants also expect to live in places that match the image of themselves.

So before you market a property, make sure it looks like a place where a good tenant would be proud to live.

Robert Cain is a nationallyrecognized speaker and writer on property management and real estate issues. For a free sample copy of the Rental Property Reporter call 800654-5456 or visit their web site at www.rentalprop.com."

YOUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE Energy-efficient windows can prevent unwanted drafts and condensation, regulate temperatures, reduce noise and trim energy costs—benefits tenants value. Energy Trust of Oregon offers cash incentives on qualified windows—making the decision to upgrade even easier.

+To learn more, visit www.energytrust.org/multifamily or call 1.866.368.7878.

Serving customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas.

MARCH 2012

www.RHAGP.org

Page 9

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 10

The Tax Planning Countdown to 2013 Starts Now!

By Cliff Hockley, CCIM, CPM President, Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services Executive Director, Sperry Van Ness | Bluestone & Hockley

As we begin 2012, all real estate investors need to pay very close attention to the ever changing tax landscape.

Particular attention needs to be paid to the significant tax increases slated to occur in 2013.

Investors considering whether or not to sell and pay their taxes, or sell and 1031 Exchange, must consider the year-over-year tax implications.

Real estate investors will have a much greater tax burden in 2013 than in 2012.

Call to Action The bottom line is that 2012 should be a watershed year for investors, given current low interest rates and lower tax rates. Real estate investors should be motivated to consummate deals in 2012 rather than wait until 2013. Call your Sperry Van Ness real estate advisor today

Tax Rate Changes for 2012 and 2013

Ordinary income Qualified Dividends Capital Gains Tax State of Oregon

2012

2013

35% 15% 15% 9.9%

39.6% 39.6% 20% 9.9%

Courtesy of Delap CPA, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Beginning January 1, 2013 a new Medicare tax of 3.8% will be applied to investment income of those investors with a modified adjusted gross income of over $200,000 ($250,000 for couples filing jointly). The tax applies to the lesser of the (1) total investment income for the year, and (2) the amount by which the individual’s total income exceeds the threshold. For example a single individual taxpayer who has $150,000 of investment income and $125,000 of other income will pay the new Medicare tax on $75,000(the amount by which the individuals’ income exceeds the $200,000 threshold. Because the threshold amounts for the new Medicare tax are not indexed for inflation, more taxpayers will be subject to the new Medicare Tax over time. (courtesy of Jenee” Hilliard ,Attorney at Law , Miller Nash)

Estate Taxes 2012

2013

Lifetime Gift exemption

$5 Million

$1 Million

Top Federal Estate Tax Rate

35%

55%

Annual Gift exclusion

$13,000

$13,000

Courtesy Delap CPA, Lake Oswego, Oregon

More details for those investors that have employees on-site at their properties: 1. Minimum Wages have increased in Oregon and Washington: As of 1 January 2012 the Minimum wage has increased to:

Medicare Tax

GIFTING

to plan your 2012 real estate decisions.

~ Oregon to $8.80 an Hour ~ Washington $9.04 an Hour Note: Continued uncertainty regarding social security taxes: Even though the President and Congress have extended the social security tax reductions for 2 more months there is no guarantee that they will be continued through next year 2012. Under the compromise late in 2010 that extended the tax cuts by President George W. Bush, employees in 2011 are paying Social Security at a reduced rate of 4.2 percent. President Obama would like to lower the 2012 Social Security tax rate for both employers and employees to 3.1 percent. But if Congress does not take action in two months, the Social Security tax rate in 2012 reverts to the usual 6.2 percent for both employers and employees.

MARCH 2012

In Honor of World Spay Day In honor of World Spay Day, The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) will be holding free spay/neuter clinics from February 28th (World Spay Day) to March 17th (St. Catrick’s Day). FCCO stresses the importance of spaying and neutering cats before the weather gets warmer and the spring breeding cycle begins.

Feral and stray cats are commonplace in urban and rural environments, and the most common complaints voiced by neighbors about the cats include fighting, spraying, and “yowling.” Spaying or neutering these cats will help reduce and prevent these issues. You will not only reduce these nuisance behaviors, but you will also help prevent future litters of homeless cats.

Why is it so important to get a head start on helping the cats now? Cats can multiply quickly, and a prime example of this comes from Amie K., a caregiver who recently used FCCO’s services. Amie moved to Newberg last August to a property that had a few cats.

Within two weeks females were giving birth, and by fall she had 41 cats. In two days last month she was able to trap all of them: 17 males and 24 females. Had it not been for FCCO’s services, the female cats could easily have produced an additional 96 kittens this spring.

Instead, no new kittens will be born into this colony!

If you are feeding feral or stray cats in your neighborhood, call the Feral Cat Coalition at 503797-2606 or visit www.feralcats.com today and take advantage of this free special. Don’t delay. Space is limited.

*World Spay Day is an annual campaign of The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International to inspire people to save animal lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats. Spay Day is officially the last Tuesday of February – the 28th this year, but there are Spay Day events throughout the month and beyond.

Founded in 1995, the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization supported solely through donations, is a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for feral and outdoor stray cats living in Oregon and southwest Washington. The goal of our program is to reduce suffering for existing feral cats and prevent the births and suffering of future generations. Our services are targeted for feral cats who have caregivers feeding them. The caregivers trap the cats, bring them to a clinic, and return the cats to where they are being fed with a commitment to feed the cat(s) on a permanent basis. We have spayed/neutered over 52,000 cats and are set to help over 6,000 this coming year.

www.RHAGP.org

Page 11

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 12

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

Let the advertiser know that you received their contact information through the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland TrueSource Screening, LLC David Mustard P.888-546-3588, F.888-546-3588 www.truesourcescreening.com

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

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

CARPET SALES Contract Furnishings Mart Ross Williams P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722 915 SE Sandy Blvd, Porltand 97214 Patrick VonPegert

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.

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

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

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

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

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 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

MARCH 2012

Page 13

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

HEATING OIL Deluxe Heating & Cooling

Eaton General Construction, CCB# 154142

HOUSING AUTHORITIES Housing Authority of Portland

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 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

Poppino Enterprises, CCB# 82177 Gary Poppino, P.503-659-7551 Turnover interior / exterior Lead Paint Certified

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

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427

HEATING OIL TANK EcoTech LLC

Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136 Professional interior & exterior painting garyindra@rentalrepairs.com

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

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

PEST CONTROL Alpha Ecological Pest Control

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

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

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

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

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

J. Salinas, P.503-816-1190

Oregon Tree Care

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427

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

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

MASON CONTRACTORS D&R Masonry Restoration, Inc., CCB#99196 PROPERTY MANAGERS Action Management 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

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

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

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

Fox Management, Inc. Tressa L. Rossi, P.503-280-0241 C.503-750-8124, F.503-280-0242

www.RHAGP.org

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

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

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

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

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 14

RHAGP LIST OF COMMITTEES

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 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 Lynne Whitney, 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

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

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

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

Dinner/Program Chair: Lynne Whitney, Phone: 503-284-5522 Education Chair:Ron Garcia, Phone: 503-595-4747 Forms Chair: Mark Passannante, Phone: 503-294-0910 House Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-805-5993 Legislative Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986 Membership Chair: Elizabeth Carpenter, Phone: 503-314-6498

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

Scan QR Code on Smartphone for Online Vendor Info.

Office Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-805-5993

RHAGP LOBBYIST Cindy Robert, Phone: 503-260-3431

RHAGP OFFICE STAFF Alita Dougherty, Office Manager - alita@rhagp.org Pam VanLoon, Bookkeeper - pam@rhagp.org Cari Pierce, Member Svcs - cari@rhagp.org Lori Franke, Member Svcs Assistant - lori@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 in their communities”

MARCH 2012

Page 15

Housing Discrimination in Portland: The Rest of the Story

By Larry Southall

In April of 2011, we read what we assumed were the facts about ill treatment of minorities seeking rental housing in Portland. We saw the summary that purported illegal discriminatory treatment in 64% of the test cases. If they reported it in the newspaper, it must be true, right? In the time since, the rest of the story has unfolded, and presents quite a different picture.

In order to continue receiving many millions from HUD for public housing projects, the metropolitan area was required to study and report on the local impediments to fair housing choices. It is called the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing or AI Report.

The Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) led a coalition of contributors, one of whom was the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO). The PHB contracted with FHCO to perform a “test audit” of illegal discrimination by sending out undercover testers ostensibly looking for rental housing, but in fact only looking for evidence of illegal discrimination. They used the technique of “parallel testing”, in which a Latino or black tester was followed by a white tester to gauge discriminatory treatment from an unsuspecting rental property manager. FHCO claimed they found it in abundance, or so they told the City and the press, who reported the results in April.

Scroll forward, past the predictable public outcry, past the letter from Republican Senators in Salem demanding prosecution, past the posturing city officials, past the refusal by FHCO to release any of the actual test data under pretense of protecting their test methods, past the subpoena served upon FHCO by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) for said documents, all the way up to August 9th, when Margaret Van Vliet, then director of the PHB, wrote a letter to FHCO suspending all contract negotiations with them. Her reason: The PHB had finally taken a look at some of their actual test data and began to see the storm that was coming. On August 23rd, BOLI released their analysis discrediting FHCO’s test data. A mild storm broke in the press and FHCO complained of being made a scapegoat by the politicos. However, very few people have actually seen the real test data, which was later declared public information by BOLI. Behold, the facts in one of the tests FHCO claimed as evidence of illegal discrimination: On June 25th, 2010 a female tester with a Spanish accent called a local property management company about an apartment for her mother, whose English was limited. She spoke with a woman named Angie, whom she described as “nice and friendly”. Angie spoke “positively” about the apartment and was “OK with (the) mother being a limited English speaker”. The tester asked

numerous questions, including whether there was an application fee, to which Angie gave information about the application process and what would be required. Angie asked the tester if her mother was working, the tester responded yes, and Angie told her they would require a pay stub with the application.

Angie encouraged the tester to come see the unit.

The phone call lasted four minutes. The tester stated in her report that what was said about the application process had been tester initiated.

Three days later, a white female tester called the same office and inquired about the same apartment.

She spoke with a woman named Debbie who identified herself as the secretary. The tester said she had a “friendly female voice” and “spoke very clearly”.

The second tester was given the same information as the first tester about move-in costs and fees. Debbie spoke positively about the neighborhood and said they would be showing the apartment from 9 to 5 on the next two days. Again, what was said about the application process was identified as tester initiated, and described as “There was an application fee for your basic renters history and credit.” The phone call lasted four minutes.

Neither of the testers visited the apartment or picked up an application. If they had, they would have no doubt both been given a printed list of criteria for application acceptance, as is required in Oregon if an application fee is charged. There were no recordings of the phone conversations, and the FHCO employee reviewing the test narratives had no other declared information upon which to base a judgment.

Nonetheless, he judged this test as positive, “evidence of discrimination based on national origin”, because, “Agent told (the Spanish accent tester) she would need to provide pay stubs to verify income but did not state requirement to (the white tester)”. The fact that these were phone calls fielded by different people who were asked different questions was apparently not considered.

Throughout the remaining thirty-one tests cited as evidence of illegal discrimination, the same theme plays out: any minor difference in conversational speech, even when different rental agents are involved, any minor difference in one tester’s recollection from another tester’s recollection, is judged evidence of illegal discrimination. On viewing the test narratives, an objective reader would place the score near three or five that might suggest some evidence of bias, not thirty-two.

Now, scroll back to May, when FHCO was riding the swelling wave of public scorn aimed at the local housing shoreline. Read their quotes from an article Continued on page 18

www.RHAGP.org

Page 16

RHAGP UPDATE

HUD MOVES TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY

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

The following media release from HUD was distributed on January 30, 2012 and marks a trend toward greater sexual orientation / gender identity protections on a national level.

The regulations HUD announced relate specifically to HUD-funded housing, including rental and homeownership programs as well as FHA-insured home loans. While we applaud this move, here in Oregon and SW Washington we already have broader state protections against sexual orientation / gender identity discrimination that apply to the entire housing market.

The impact of HUD’s announcement locally is the added threat of lost subsidy for federally funded housing projects and programs, in addition to a state protected class violation if one is found to have illegally discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in a housing transaction or situation.

This is clearly an area of law that is evolving; stay tuned… As always, please consider us a resource for fair housing-related questions; you can contact us at information@FHCO.org or 800/424-3247 Ext. 2.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today new regulations intended to ensure that HUD's core housing programs are open to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Donovan previewed the announcement at the 24th National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Equality – Creating Change. View the final rule online at http://portal. hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=5359F-02EqAccessFinalRule.pdf.

•

Requires owners and operators of HUDassisted housing, or housing whose financing is insured by HUD, to make housing available without regard to the sexual orientation or gender identity of an applicant for, or occupant of, the dwelling, whether renter- or owneroccupied. HUD will institute this policy in its rental assistance and homeownership programs, which include the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs, community development programs, and public and assisted housing programs.

“The Obama Administration has viewed the fight for equality on behalf of the LGBT community as a priority and I’m proud that HUD has been a leader in that fight,” said Secretary Shaun Donovan. “With this historic rule, the Administration is saying you cannot use taxpayer dollars to prevent Americans from choosing where they want live on the basis sexual orientation or gender identity – ensuring that HUD’s housing programs are open, not to some, not to most, but to all.”

•

Prohibits lenders from using sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis to determine a borrower’s eligibility for FHAinsured mortgage financing. FHA’s current regulations provide that a mortgage lender’s determination of the adequacy of a borrower’s income “shall be made in a uniform manner without regard to” specified prohibited grounds. The rule will add actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity to the prohibited grounds to ensure FHA-approved lenders do not deny or otherwise alter the terms of mortgages on the basis of irrelevant criteria.

•

Clarifies that all otherwise eligible families, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, will have the opportunity to participate in HUD programs. In the majority of HUD’s rental and homeownership programs the term “family” already has a broad scope, and includes a single person and families with or without children. HUD’s rule clarifies that otherwise eligible families may not be excluded because

The new regulations, published as final in the Federal Register next week, will go into effect 30 days after the rule is published.

U.S. Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) also expressed support for the publishing of final LGBT housing guidelines, “I am grateful to the Obama administration for instituting this important policy.”

The final rule, published as Equal Access to Housing in HUD Programs – Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, makes the following provisions:

Continued on page 17

Continued from page 16

MARCH 2012

one or more members of the family may be an LGBT individual, have an LGBT relationship, or be perceived to be such an individual or in such relationship.

•

Prohibits owners and operators of HUDassisted housing or housing insured by HUD from asking about an applicant or occupant’s sexual orientation and gender identity for the purpose of determining eligibility or otherwise making housing available. In response to comments on the proposed rule, HUD has clarified this final rule to state that this provision does not prohibit voluntary and anonymous reporting of sexual orientation or gender identity pursuant to state, local, or federal data collection requirements.

•

Other actions HUD has taken for LGBT Americans include:

•

HUD conducted the first-ever national study of discrimination against members of the LGBT community in the rental and sale of housing. Every ten years, HUD does a study of the impact of housing discrimination on the basis of race and color. HUD undertook this important research in 1977, 1989 and 2000 and is currently undertaking this study again. It is believed that LGBT individuals and families may remain silent because in many local jurisdictions, they may have little or no legal recourse. While there are no national assessments of LGBT housing discrimination, there are state and local studies that have shown evidence of this sort of bias. For example, a 2007 report by Michigan’s Fair Housing Centers found that nearly 30 percent of same-sex couples were treated differently when attempting to buy or rent a home.

•

•

•

HUD currently requires its recipients of discretionary funds to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that cover sexual orientation or gender identity.

In 2011 HUD issued new guidance that treats discrimination based on gender nonconformity or sex stereotyping as sex discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, and instructs HUD staff to inform individuals filing complaints about state and local agencies that have LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination laws.

Page 17

across the nation have additional protections that specifically prohibit such discrimination against LGBT individuals. Under the guidance issued in June 2010, HUD will, as appropriate, retain its jurisdiction over complaints filed by LGBT individuals or families but also jointly investigate or refer matters to those state, district, and local governments with other legal protections.

•

HUD, HHS and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) hosted the first ever federal government summit addressing issues for LGBT seniors in December 2011.

• HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business.

More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.

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.

Qs about your rights and responsibilities under fair housing laws?

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

Qs about this article? Want to schedule an inoffice fair housing training program or speaker for corporate or association functions?

Contact Jo Becker at jbecker@FHCO.org or 503/453-4016.

Have property to promote?

Advertise vacancies or for-sales free across the Portland / Vancouver market at HousingConnections.org!

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in rental, sales and lending on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status . Approximately 20 states, and the District of Columbia, and more than 150 cities, towns and counties www.RHAGP.org

Scan QR Code on Smartphone for more information on HUD

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 18 Continued from page 15 on BlackAmericaWeb.com on May 17th “Nearly 70 percent of blacks and Latinos …were victims of "shocking" discrimination, according to the Fair Housing Council of Oregon. “We deal with housing discrimination every day," Moloy Good … told BlackAmericaWeb.com, "… it's hard to shock me, but the level of bias we found with this study, so stark and so pervasive, was very surprising."

Scroll forward to June, when the voluminous AI Report for Portland was ceremoniously delivered to HUD. On page 80 of the report is the following statement: “The audit testing done by the Fair Housing Council of Oregon especially gives concrete examples of the historical and institutional racism in the housing industry that continues in Oregon and Multnomah County today”. An offensive picture appears on the next page, without caption, explanation or credit, obviously included for shock value, and without any concern for the housing industry’s image. The picture depicts a sign with large black letters on a white background topped by two small American flags. The sign reads, “WE WANT WHITE TENANTS IN OUR WHITE COMMUNITY”. There was no indication of where this picture was taken, or when, and no indication of what it had to do with housing in Portland, Oregon in 2011. Upon investigation, it was found to belong to the federal government, taken at a public housing project in Detroit in 1942 during violent protests against proposed integration. The sign was erected by tenants.

Scroll forward to December, when FHCO released a study they purchased from a fellow Fair Housing Council director, Anne Houghtaling of Wheaton, Illinois with a reported price tag of $5,500.

Houghtaling is a former employee of the National Fair Housing Alliance where she, “participated in the development of testing methodology for enforcement-

based testing”. FHCO hired her to study their test results and methodology and give her expert opinion.

Predictably, Houghtaling points out some of the glaring errors in FHCO’s analysis but, by and large, supports their finding of “different treatment” and “instances of potential housing discrimination”. She is very careful not to rise to the level of Mr. Good’s public comments, or the language used in the AI Report. Her report was written after the actual test data had been made public.

As an expert, what Houghtaling did not say is noteworthy; that such testing for different treatment does not prove discriminatory intent nor an act of illegal discrimination from the simple fact that no control tests were performed in which black testers followed black testers, Latino testers followed Latino testers and white testers followed white testers.

Different treatment would no doubt have been found in almost every case, undermining any claims that the different treatment was racially motivated, however, such tests were not made.

On December 9th, Leroy Patton, the chairman of FHCO’s board, sent a letter out to prominent members of the Portland rental housing community, addressed to “Dear Partner”. He presented Ms. Houghtaling’s review confirming that the audit tests revealed a significant amount of different treatment, again retreating from the hyperbole used earlier by Mr. Good and trying hard to restore credibility.

We in the housing community can ask for fewer meritless accusations against decent people and for less public trumpeting of unfounded conclusions. We can even ask for housing councils that are actually fair. After the rest of the story is known, it is easy to ask for too much.

NOT FOLLOWING THE RENTAL RECOMMENDATION

By Marcia Gohman, National Tenant Network

If your applicant's report comes back with a very poor score and the Rental Recommendation is Reject, you need to REJECT!!

I know it was a long winter. It was even longer and more painful if you had an empty unit. But removing a bad tenant is far more expensive than waiting for a good one.

Recently one of my clients called to talk about her applicants. They had a low DecisionPoint score, and had earned a Reject. They also had a "Long Story" about that criminal history that wasn't his fault, and several other indicators that they would not be the best residents.

The house had been empty for a while and the landlord decided to take a chance with them. The next time I saw her was at one of my classes. These tenants had moved in some other people to help with the rent, one of the original tenants had a fight with the new people and had left. And on, and on.

Now this landlord has to get these people out, fix whatever they broke and start over. It's not worth it! If they have a bad score and a LONG story, you are done! Send out the written denial letter and Keep looking!

MARCH 2012

Page 19

WHY YOUR RENTERS NEED RENTERS INSURANCE A CUT OUT FOR LANDLORDS TO GIVE TO THEIR RENTERS

WHY YOU NEED RENTERS INSURANCE Renters face the same risk as homeowners. Your landlord or condo association may have insurance, but it only protects the building structure, not the personal items inside. Renters insurance can protect your belongings in cases of disaster, such as fire, storm or earthquake. That’s a given that’s easily understood. However, renters insurance offers much more than those basic protections. Policies will cover theft of personal property, the cost of a hotel during times when the rental is uninhabitable, and can even cover items lost during traveling.

Most renter’s insurance policies will also offer liability coverage. You can choose how much liability coverage you need depending on your budget and the amount of protection you’re most comfortable with. Liability coverage will help protect a renter if they are sued due to an accident that happened in or on the property they rent.

TAKE INVENTORY To ensure you’re compensated for any belongings you lose from a fire, storm or other catastrophe, you should inventory all of your personal belongings. List each item, its value and serial number. Photograph or videotape each room,

including closets, open drawers, storage building and your garage. Keep receipts for major items in a fireproof place.

TYPES OF POLICIES Renters can choose from policies that will pay the replacement cost or Actual Cash Value (ACV) of their belongings. Policies that cover the actual cost of replacing items, rather than their depreciated worth, or ACV, are more expensive. However, these policies will be worth the additional cost if a renter should find him or herself in a situation where their belongings need to be replaced.

There’s much more to renters insurance than meets the eye.

The best feature of all may be that a renters insurance policy may literally only cost pennies when bundled with another policy, such as auto insurance. Additional information needed to purchase a policy is brief and easy to come by, including: • • •

The year your apartment (house, condo) was built The type of construction used (brick, wood frame, etc.

The dollar value of your personal property ( most companies have a minimum amount for property, some start at @20,000 or $30,000.

www.RHAGP.org

Page 20

RHAGP UPDATE

Asbestos Making a Comeback? Why the hazard still exists

By Melanie Mesaros

For years, asbestos has been known as a substance that will make you sick. Then, why are so many employers still exposing workers?

“The biggest misconception is that asbestos isn’t out there anymore,” said Penny Wolf-McCormick, Oregon OSHA’s Portland health enforcement manager. “Since the Environmental Protection Agency had its ban of the material overturned in court (a 1991 ruling permitted consumer products to contain trace amounts), asbestos is showing up in new products again.”

“When the roofer bid on this job, he was told there was no asbestos,” Ragan said. “It’s notable because it shows the misconception goes beyond just the contractor – the building owner was also misinformed.”

Oregon OSHA inspector Chris Zimmer said in recent years he has cited subcontractors in trades such as plumbing, electrical, or HVAC for their exposures.

In fact, recent Oregon OSHA inspections have uncovered asbestos in everything from flooring to glue adhesives, roofing materials, and even car parts.

“They are constantly putting themselves at risk because they don’t think of asbestos as a primary concern,” Zimmer said. “You have electricians who need to drill into siding or walls and may unknowingly come in contact with it.”

“Employers have heard of asbestos and know it’s bad for you but they forget to test for it,” said Wolf-McCormick. “They can’t assume it’s not asbestos. You can’t tell by just looking at it.”

It’s well-known that many building materials installed before 1981 contain asbestos, but employees who perform jobs such as brake and clutch repair should also be cautious.

Asbestos fibers are typically too small to see with the naked eye and are odorless and tasteless.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers by workers can cause serious diseases of the lungs and other organs that may not appear until years after the exposure has occurred. For instance, asbestosis can cause a buildup of scar-like tissue in the lungs or lead to lung cancer.

“Any auto shop that does brake or clutch work should assume asbestos is present and must follow specific control methods,” said WolfMcCormick. “Many parts are imported from foreign countries and don’t highlight the asbestos hazard.”

Sandy Ragan, an Oregon OSHA health inspector, cited a roofing company in 2009 for not performing an asbestos survey or training workers. The crew had been removing roofing material that tested for 25 percent chrysotile — a type of asbestos.

An employee working at the convenience store (where work was under way) saved a piece of roofing debris and made an OSHA complaint because he suspected the material contained asbestos,” Ragan said. “They were ripping off the pieces and throwing them down from the rooftop, making it airborne.”

Oregon OSHA rules require building owners to perform a survey to identify asbestos-containing or presumed asbestos-containing material.

If it’s identified, the owner must maintain asbestos-survey records and inform employees, contractors, subcontractors, and tenants’ employees about the hazard.

Training workers to ask questions or recognize when asbestos might be present is essential to keeping them safe, said Wolf- McCormick.

“Even if there’s less than 1 percent asbestos, OSHA rules apply,” she said. “The truth is you can’t grind it, cut it, or work with it dry and create a dusty environment if there is even trace amounts of asbestos.”

How workers are exposed today One thing about asbestos has not changed over the years: the nature of exposure. People are exposed when they ingest or inhale asbestos fibers. The fibers end up in the lungs or the stomach and that’s where they do their damage.

Now, however, workers who are exposed to asbestos can protect themselves with appropriate engineering and administrative controls – and personal protective equipment. Still, many workers and employers aren’t aware of potential exposures and they may not know how to protect themselves. In the construction industry, for Continued on page 21

Continued from page 20

MARCH 2012

example, exposures can occur during renovation work and in demolition. And workers can still be exposed to asbestos in general industry work such as automotive brake and clutch repair.

Regulating asbestos exposures in the workplace Oregon OSHA’s rules regulating asbestos cover construction, general industry, and agricultural work (federal OSHA has jurisdiction over maritime and shipyard work).These rules require that employers provide personal exposure monitoring to assess employees’ exposure risk and hazard awareness training for work where there is potential exposure to asbestos.

The rules prohibit airborne levels of asbestos from exceeding “permissible exposure levels” (PELs). If the exposure does exceed legal limits, employers are required to create regulated areas, prohibit certain work practices, and use engineering controls to bring exposures within permissible limits. Employers must also use administrative controls and require workers to use appropriate personal protective equipment to reduce exposure levels.

The rules also assume that building materials installed before 1981 contain asbestos – they’re

Page 21

defined as “presumed asbestos-containing materials” (PACM). Workers must treat these materials as if they contain asbestos until they have been sampled and shown to be asbestos free.

All employees who are exposed to asbestos must have one of four different levels of training, which depends on the type of work they’ll do.

Construction work involving handling and disposal of asbestos invokes additional requirements from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority. These agencies require that all public and private buildings be surveyed for asbestos before renovation or demolition. All asbestos-containing material must be removed before any work - including demolition and remodeling begins.

More information on working with asbestos: Oregon OSHA fact sheet for automotive shops: http://www.orosha.org/pdf/ hazards/2993-09.pdf Guidance for building owners: http://www.orosha.org/pdf/ pubs/3022.pdf Reprinted with permission OSHA For general information, technical answers, or information about Oregon OSHA services, please call 503-378-3272 or toll-free within Oregon, 800-922-2689.

www.RHAGP.org

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 22

Monthly Fire Safety Tip for Multi-Family Housing Issue: Match and Lighter Safety

Matches, lighters, and other heat sources are the leading causes of fire deaths for children. Never underestimate your child's curiosity about fire, nor their ability to strike matches or start a lighter.

Store matches and lighters out of children's

reach and sight, preferably in a locked cabinet.

Remember: even child-resistant lighters are not

childproof and should be stored securely as well.

When a child is curious about fire or has

been playing with fire, calmly and firmly explain that matches and lighters are tools for only adults to use carefully.

In addition, instruct toddlers to tell you

when they find a match or lighter.

Never use matches or lighters as amusement for your children. They may imi-

tate your actions.

Take extreme care with the storage March

of your matches and lighters. Your children are depending on you!

TUALATIN VALLEY FIRE & RESCUE South Division Fire Prevention Office 7401 SW Washo Court, Ste 101 Tualatin, Oregon 97062 Phone: (503) 612-7000 Fax: (503) 612-7003 Web: www.tvfr.com

TVF&R — Safety, Performance, Customer Service, and Professionalism

MARCH 2012

www.RHAGP.org

Page 23

RHAGP UPDATE

Page 24

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