Valley Rental Housing Journal February 2015

Testing: What is It?

By Guest Editor Cj Mann, Section 8 Housing Inspector and ROA Board Member

A single adult, over the age of 65 and living on Social Securi-ty benefits; a parent with two

children under the age of six; a vet-eran that has served and sacrificed; a student trying to get the education needed to get a good job; a disabled individual or couple struggling to make ends meet on Social Security disability payments; and families with children, fraught with the stress of paying bills, affording food, utili-ties, rent, and day-to-day expenses – this is the population of people that our agency serves. The Housing and Community Services Agency (HAC-SA) is part of the vital safety net that thousands of your neighbors depend on for their economic survival.

The most recent US Census esti-mated that one in four families here in Lane County are considered “low income.” That is, their income falls substantially below the median household income for their local area. A direct result of the anti-pover-ty efforts nationwide beginning in

the 1960’s, HACSA, has been con-tracting with the federal agency, Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to administer the Section 8 housing assistance program for decades. We began building and pur-chasing our own rental units for the Public Housing portion of our ser-vices way back then, and currently own and manage more than 1,000 units throughout Lane County. But our housing is not enough; we also rely heavily on private landlords like you. The Section 8 voucher program provides more than $10 million in rental payments to approximately 900 private landlords renting to more than 2,500 tenant families.

To join the program, low-income individuals apply and have their names added to our waiting list. Once their turn comes, eligible cli-ents are screened for income, crimi-nal history, and citizenship status, and then are required to attend a series of educational classes to learn the rules and regulations of the Section 8 program, the rental pay-ment guidelines, and the basics of being responsible tenants. Upon completion of the final class the cli-

ents earn their voucher.The voucher is the family’s con-

tract with the Housing Authority (HA), agreeing to follow the rules and regulations. In turn the HA agrees to make payments directly to landlords whose rental property has passed a Housing Quality Standards inspection. Prior to scheduling the property inspection, the tenant must be approved by you, their prospec-tive landlord, through whatever screening criteria you use for your tenants. If the prospective tenant is already a voucher holder HACSA will provide, at your request, the ten-ant’s current address and the name and address of the tenant’s current and prior landlords, if known.

When you are first approached by a prospective Section 8 tenant, they should have three forms in their pos-session to give to you:

1) their Voucher itself;

2) their Calculation Worksheet (which confirms the amount of rent they can afford depending on rent amount and what utilities and appliances are included); and

Advertise in Rental Housing Journal VALLEY Circulated to over 6,000 Apartment owners, On-site, and

Maintenance personnel monthly.

Call 503-221-1260 for more info.

Rental Housing Journal Valley

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2. 4 Tips to Survive the Next Stock Market Crash

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6. Secret Shopper

7. Your Voice Carries The Words of 10,000 Leases!

February 2015

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

The topic of fair housing testing strikes fear and incites anger in many within the housing

industry—in independent landlords and professional property manag-ers, among sales brokers, mortgage lenders, homeowners’ associations, and other housing providers. Most are very unclear what testing is, and what it isn’t. With this article I’ll

delve into the topic and explain the process.

First, let me say that as a former Realtor®, I am well aware (as I’m sure you are) that the housing indus-try is heavily regulated. Legal issues and accompanying regulatory bod-ies range from licensing law and contract law to landlord / tenant law in the rental market to fair housing law. The Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO) is not the only orga-nization that performs testing. For those of you familiar with the sales

world, you might recall when the Oregon Real Estate Agency conduct-ed audit tests a few years ago to verify that agents were explaining the then new Agency Disclosure Pamphlet and presenting it for signa-ture upon “first substantive contact” with a prospective client. This is but one more example of testing in the industry.

What is fair housing testing? Who does it? What are the impli-

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By Cliff Hockley, PresidentBluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Residential landlords are faced with many challenges. At the top of the list is making sure

that their property is well taken care of and complies with the essential services conditions. This has become an imperative as more cities and counties require licensing and hire rental unit inspectors to keep land-lords compliant. Additionally, ten-ant advocates are working to tighten down the habitability laws.

So what are essential services?In Oregon, according to ORS

90.320, residential landlords must maintain tenant spaces in a habitable condition during the term of a rental agreement or lease. A dwelling unit is considered uninhabitable if:

1. The roof leaks and/or if the dwelling is not effectively pro-tected from the weather. For example, a window does not close properly, or is broken.

2. The plumbing facilities are not functioning properly, for example:

a. There is no hot or cold water; both are necessary.

b. There is a lack of running water in one or more plumbing fixtures.

c. The plumbing does not properly connect to sewage disposal systems, or is completely blocked up.

d. There is no safe drinking water, (if safe drinking water is available).

3. The heating fixtures are not sup-plying heat, or are in poor work-

...continued on page 2

continued on page 3

PRSRT STDUS Postage

PAIDPortland, OR Permit #5460

10 Things That Make the Difference Between Habitable and Uninhabitable

Dwelling

Mind Your BusinessTips for Better Rental Management Navigating Section 8 forms and Processes

2 Rental Housing March Valley • February 2015

RENTAL HOUSING JOURNAL VALLEY

10 Things ...continued from front page

ing condition.

4. There is no electricity in the dwelling, or the electrical equip-ment is not functioning properly, or is in poor working order (i.e. an outlet has blown, but is not replaced/repaired, etc.).

5. If any area under control of the landlord, including, but not lim-ited to: the buildings, grounds, or appurtenances at the time of the start of the rental agreement are dirty, unsanitary, cluttered, or have accumulated debris, filth, rubbish, garbage, rodents, or ver-min.

6. In certain areas a dwelling can be considered uninhabitable if garbage receptacles are not provided (except as allowed by local ordinance and/or by written agreement between the landlord and the tenant) or if the provided garbage receptacles are not ser-viced in a timely basis.

7. The floors, walls, ceilings, stair-ways, or railings are in a state of disrepair creating a hazard to ten-ants.

8. Provided systems, or systems required to be provided by the landlord, are not in good repair (i.e. out of order elevator, existing ventilation or air conditioning not working, etc.)

9. The required smoke detectors and/or carbon monoxide detec-tors are not present or function-ing.

10. The dwelling is not secur-able (i.e. broken door locks, or window latches, etc.)

What happens if there is a maintenance problem?

First of all, tenants have a respon-sibility to keep a property in good condition. ORS 90.325 basically says that tenants need to keep their unit clean, test the smoke alarms and car-bon monoxide alarms every 6 months, and not cause intentional damage. When something breaks, tenants need to notify their landlord.

Under ORS 90.360 the landlord

has seven (7) days from the actual notice to repair an essential service and thirty (30) days to repair non-essential services.

What can a tenant do if a landlord does not repair / provide essential services?

A tenant should first contact the landlord and state the problem. They should then follow up with a written notice stating the problem again. If the essential service is not restored within 7 days, the tenant may buy the service or have the repairs done to restore the service (if not more than $300) and deduct the cost from their rent. They may also move somewhere else until the service is restored. The tenant does not have to pay rent while living in substitute housing and may go to court to recover the cost of the substitute housing up to the amount charged on the original rent if necessary (ORS 90.365).

If the landlord fails to supply any essential service and the lack of which poses an imminent and seri-ous threat to tenant’s health, safety or property, the tenant can deliver a written notice to the landlord speci-fying the nature of the breach and warning that this gives them grounds to terminate the rental agreement or lease if the breach is not remedied within 48 hours.

A landlord shall not be consid-ered intentionally or negligently fail-ing to supply an essential service if the landlord:

a. Substantially supplies the essential service, or

b. Makes a reasonable and good faith effort to supply the essential service and the failure is due to conditions beyond the landlord’s control.

Does the Landlord have to pay for a hotel or replacement food if the essential services are not available (i.e. a refrigerator fails and all the food spoils)?

There is nothing in Oregon’s Landlord Tenant Act that requires that. Typically landlords will make

decisions that keep tenants living in the home or apartment, and may or may not provide some sort of com-pensation.

Some examples of essential ser-vice responses:

A furious winter storm causes a power outage at a 30 unit apartment property. The transformer blew and a second one, installed by the electric company, fails as well. There are no replacements in the city so a new transformer has to be flown in; in the meantime the apartments have no heat. Tenants decide to leave their homes and move in with friends and relatives. The landlord has no con-trol over this essential service. The on-site manager makes sure to stay in touch with all of the tenants to let them know when the power comes back. The landlord has done all he can to get the electricity back.

The water heater fails for a ten-ant at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night. The landlord contacts a plumber and a new water heater is installed on Sunday.

The tenants in a 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment have a clogged toi-let. The tenants call the landlord at 10 p.m. at night. The landlord decides that the plumber can rooter the toilet the next day since the ten-ants still have one toilet available.

The tenant’s children throw a toy into the toilet. The tenants live in a three bedroom 1 bath home. They call the landlord for help. Since this is an essential service, he calls the rooter company for service that night. The rooter company confirms that the tenants created the damage. The Landlord’s rental agreement spells out that the tenants need to

pay for tenant created damages. The Landlord bills back the tenants for the needed plumbing and repair services.

The refrigerator fails. The tenant calls the landlord. The freezer ice has melted and the water service to the ice maker broke as the tenants pulled out the refrigerator. The kitchen is flooded. The landlord calls both a plumber and an emer-gency contractor to suck up the water and install dehumidifiers. This all occurred within one day. Had the landlord not responded ( because they were vacationing) the tenant could either have had it fixed for a cost up to $300 (which they would then subtract from the rent), or moved out and stayed in an alter-nant space until the landlord replaced the refrigerator and the water repairs were taken care of.

A five year old puts a car into drive and the car runs into the side of an apartment building. The land-lord calls the insurance company and they hire a contractor to repair the wall. The wall is repaired in 10 days, work started on the same day the accident occurred.

Clearly, landlords must respond to the essential service needs of their tenants, but tenants also have the responsibility to keep their homes and apartments in good order and communicate with their landlords when a failure of an essential service occurs. Essential services are just that, services that are critical to the health and well-being of tenants, and healthy tenants pay for these essen-tial services with their rent.


VALLEY

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4 Tips to Survive the Next Stock Market CrashAdvice on Smart Alternative Investments from Investment Banker

Oil prices are plummeting, taking energy stocks down with them. Meanwhile,

financial experts such as Harry Dent and Robert Shiller say the U.S. stock market is overdue for a correction. Shiller recently noted in Forbes that the market is 65 percent overvalued, mainly fueled by “irrational exuber-ance.”

“Many investors today are yield-starved savers who are losing their earnings power to inflation, increased taxes, and persistent low interest rates,” says Salvatore M. Buscemi, managing director of Dandrew Partners LLC in New York City and author of “Making the Yield: Real Estate Hard Money

Lending Uncovered,” (www.MakingTheYield.com).

“As a result, they are being forced to take risks by investing against their better judgment into markets where they have little to no control, and for the majority, can’t afford to lose their money in another stock market crash as they did in 2001 and 2008.”

A growing trend among those seeking to beat the bear is to channel investments into real estate, he says. Not the kind of venture that turned many into reluctant landlords dur-ing the housing bust, but another type called hard money lending.

“Here’s how it works,” Buscemi says. “Investors act like a bank and

make short-term loans to small busi-nesses that buy and repair distressed properties, refinance them with con-ventional bank loans and repay the short-term loans at higher interest rates, generating more profitable returns for the original lenders.”

Buscemi reviews ways to get the most out of this lucrative venture.• Shop local. All things being equal, private investors are often served by small, perhaps localized real estate private partnerships that throw off real cash flow than by global, publicly listed full-service investment brands where an align-ment of interest between investors and these corporations may be defi-cient or missing.

• Explore crowd funding. With the advent of crowd funding and federal rule changes since the last real estate cycle, more people with less money can participate in deals that they may have never been able to get into before.• Have a pre-flight checklist. The best time to worry about a real estate loan is before you make it. Al-ways have a list of items to review before committing capital. These in-clude job history, experience in rehab property, education, and most im-portant, credit quality. Always read the entire credit report as the devil is in the details. Also make sure to ac-cept reports from a third party, not

continued on page 5

Rental Housing Journal Valley • February 2015 3


Mind Your Business ...continued from front page

3) their Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA).

Once approved, you, the land-lord, complete the (RTA) and fax or mail it to our office. If you need help filling out the form, please contact a member of the Inspection Team or the Housing Specialist listed on the voucher for assistance. After the completed form is received by the HA, the next step is the property inspection. The faster you get the form in, the sooner we can inspect. If you’re not sure that your property will pass the inspection or you want to do your best to ensure that it will, please check out our publication, “A Good Place to Live” available as a link on the ROA website (www.laneroa.com). This is a checklist of the items our team will be looking for. The Inspection Team (currently, Daniel Roth, Jon Wild and Cj Mann), makes every effort to inspect within 3-5 days of receiving the RTA. It may take a few more days if your prop-erty is outside the metro area or in outlying areas such as Florence or Oakridge.

You will be notified promptly if

your property does or does not pass the inspection. If deficiencies are noted, it is then your choice to cor-rect them or not. Depending on the type or severity of the repair, the Inspection Team will either conduct a second inspection, or will agree to accept invoices, work orders, photos, and receipts for materials and labor attached to a signed statement of completion.

Once the unit is approved, you are then required to send the Agency copies of the standard lease docu-ments signed by the tenant: the rent-al agreement, proof of the tenant’s receipt of the Lead-Based Paint pam-phlet, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm acceptance form, Mold and Mildew agreement, and any other standard Oregon Landlord-Tenant forms that will be enforced during the lease term. Having this informa-tion on file, will help the assigned caseworker, known as a Housing Specialist, work with both you and the tenant, to provide guidance dur-ing the term of the lease. Housing Specialists may not give legal advice, or their interpretation of Oregon’s

Landlord-Tenant Act, but can assist you with questions regarding the agency’s procedures and policies. The eight specialists and their con-tact information can be accessed on the Housing Agency website at www.hacsa.org.

So, you have an approved tenant, your unit has passed inspection, and you have submitted the required paperwork; rental assistance pay-ments known as HAP monies will then be directly deposited into your chosen banking institution. The cli-ent, the landlord, and the Housing Agency will all have signed con-tracts that link us together in provid-ing safe and affordable housing as our families strive for economic security. In addition to housing a qualified, paying tenant, you benefit from prompt direct deposit of HA rent payments, market-rate rent, and annual housing quality inspections. In addition, you are also able to access the Housing Choice Act miti-gation fund should you experience damage from a Section 8 tenancy above and beyond the amount of their security deposit.

And just like any other tenant, upon occasion there are issues with a Section 8 tenant. If there are prob-lems, nothing in the HAP contract prohibits you from pursuing any and all legal avenues at your disposal. This includes a tenant’s failure to pay their portion of the rent, unlaw-ful occupants or pets, damage to the property, disturbance of the peaceful enjoyment of others, etc. You may take any action, up to and including eviction, in accordance with the law and the terms of the lease. One cave-at: You are required to send copies of any notices served upon the tenant to their Housing Specialist at the time you serve the notice upon the tenant.

Thank you for your interest in the Housing Choice Voucher program known as the “Section 8” or “Voucher” program. If you would like know more about the program or renting to a family with a voucher, please contact us at 541-682-3755. Together, we can work to make this a positive experience for all.


VALLEY

cations for you in your daily prac-tice?

The FHCO is not an enforcement agency, per se. We do, however, con-duct enforcement-related activities such as testing or filing a complaint with the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or another reg-ulatory governmental agency (such as Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), either on our own behalf or in assisting a housing con-sumer who feels a fair housing viola-tion has been committed against them. We also sometimes file law-suits with private attorneys, espe-cially if testing evidence supports an allegation of a fair housing violation. Each year, we also assist hundreds of housing providers and consumers in resolving fair housing problems in an informal manner, to the satisfac-tion of both parties and a good deal of our day-to-day work focuses on education and outreach to both housing consumers and housing providers about their rights and responsibilities under federal, state, and local fair housing laws . (For information on in-house training visit www.FHCO.org/pdfs/classlist.pdf.)

If someone contacts our office with what appears may be a fair housing allegation, we take the infor-mation and determine if it is a test-able situation. Testing is used to identify ordinary business practices (of a company, an individual, etc.) and these practices are usually con-firmed with a series of tests. Additionally you should know, we may use testers who are not simply posing as a housing consumer, but someone who may follow a transac-tion through to the end and to pur-chase a home, obtain a loan, enter into a lease agreement, etc. These folks aren’t just testers, they’re bona-

fide prospects currently in the mar-ket to buy / lend / lease.

As I’ve said many times before, we’d much rather eradicate illegal housing discrimination through education and outreach and making ourselves available for your ques-tions, than to “catch” you doing something wrong. Consider us a resource – if fact, did you know that we provide testing as a fee-for-ser-vice? Organizations and firms may contract with us to see how staff or members are doing in complying with fair housing laws – the results of these tests are confidential under the terms of the contract.

In addition, we offer a wealth of information available for housing providers on our website. A few pages likely to be of interest include:

• www.FHCO.org/hs_provider_info.htm

• www.FHCO.org/guidebooks.htm

• www.FHCO.org/videos.htm

• www.FHCO.org/forms.htm (including 4 interactive sample forms translated into laymen’s terms -- 2 or sales, 2 for rentals)

• www.FHCO.org/brochures.htm

• www.FHCO.org/translations.htm

Please consider supporting the work we do by joining the FHCO today. Support from the housing industry is particularly important as we stand together to ensure housing for all in the spirit of fair housing laws. Visit www.FHCO.org/join_us.htm or call our office for member-ship information.

This article brought to you by the Fair Housing Council; a civil rights organization.

All rights reserved © 2015. Write [email protected] to reprint articles or inquire about

ongoing content for your own publication. To learn more… Learn more about fair

housing and / or sign up for our free, periodic newsletter at www.FHCO.org.

Qs about this article? ‘Interested in arti-cles for your company or trade association? Contact Jo Becker at [email protected] or

800/424-3247 Ext. 150Want to schedule an in-office fair housing

training program or speaker for corporate or association functions? Visit www.FHCO.org/

pdfs/classlist.pdf


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Testing ...continued from front page



16083 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Suite 105, Tigard, OR 97224 503-213-1281, 503-213-1288 Fax www.multifamilynw.orgScott Arena

President, Multifamily Northwest

Good Client Relationships Focus on the Basics!On a global level,

today’s service industries fierce-

ly compete for business around the clock. Property manage-ment is no exception. To attract new business a company must sell and demonstrate what they have to offer. This is ultimately exemplified by the business already in place. Clients de-mand superior levels of service and want to be assured they are receiving the best value for their management dollar. Establishing sound practices is a great start but the essential com-ponent is maintaining consistent de-livery of superior service.

The path to good client relations is successfully navigated with hard-work and steady commitment. Here are a few essential tips for navigating the course:Fiduciary Management:

Make money-spending decisions as if you are managing your own money. Owners expect their manag-ers to seek out the best deals possi-ble. Obtain the best value at the best price. A wise mentor once told me “watch the pennies and the dollars will follow”.

Such a basic principle - time test-ed and true.Communicate regularly:

Keeping an open line of commu-nication is vital. Whether done elec-tronically or verbally can depend on desired convenience, but regular updates and keeping an owner apprised of important issues is key

to maintaining trust and credibility. No one likes costly surprises. This also goes a long way in building solid trust relationships.Return the call:

When an owner asks for a return call, text or email response – DO IT! Even if you will need to contact them later, at least acknowledge the call or message as quickly as possible. No one appreciates being ignored. Especially when paying for services.

Just think of the “automated phone menu of endless options” when trying to contact a human cus-tomer service rep! Frustration never breeds comfort.Know the property:

Regular walks and inspections of a property convey that you are in tune with the structural conditions, interacting at the site level, and familiar with staffing and resident matters. It’s impossible to effectively manage property if you are behind a desk 100% of your time. Smart phones and tablets are convenient, but are no substitute for walking and inspecting sites.Manage revenues:

Consistently monitor rents, rate trends and understand your market. Train site managers to do the same. In our current robust rental market it is essential to maximize rents and take full advantage of favorable sup-ply-demand conditions. Make cer-tain that leasing staff understands the importance of lease renewal increases and pushing new market

rent levels at turnover. Be a trendsetter:

Seek out new ways to save on expenses, generate revenues, and ultimately add value to your prop-erty. Utility costs, for example, have increased dramatically in recent years. Implementation of a utility bill-back system can result in signifi-cant cost recovery, as well as pro-mote conservation efforts. Explore energy-rebate programs available to multi-family communities. Upgrades in lighting, plumbing, windows, HVAC can save significant dollars on a long-term basis. Honesty – always the best policy:

Nothing strengthens a relation-ship more than being truthful, dependable and trustworthy. When a problem arises, be honest with your supervisor or owner. And noti-fy promptly. Do not hesitate. Let them know that a new roof is need-ed, parking lot needs an overlay, or

the siding must be replaced. Most investors in multi-family real estate already understand requirements to maintain a property. Needs are to be expected. They are looking to you for cost-effective answers. Notify of a problem or need, but ALWAYS pro-vide well thought-out and effective solutions. Build credibility and instill confi-dence through your actions.

Seek that “win-win” partner rela-tionship that benefits all parties. Such efforts significantly help you weather the “ups-and-downs” of business trends and market cycles. Meeting objectives and achieving desired results are the ultimate goals, but always remember… good rela-tionship-management is essential to establishing long-term customer loy-alty.


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Multifamily NW’s forms collection has Garage/Storage Rental Agreement for both Oregon and Washington. These are written to accompany the resident’s rental agreement. This form sets the rental term or the garage/storage space, the monthly rental amount, specific security deposit and late fee. There ample room to add lan-guage under special provisions and page two details the terms and conditions that protect the landlord against an array of potential issues.

DATE __________________________________________ PROPERTY NAME / NUMBER __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

GARAGE UNIT NUMBER _____________________________________________ STORAGE UNIT NUMBER _____________________________________________

UNIT LOCATION ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RESIDENT NAME(S) ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

UNIT NUMBER ___________________________________ STREET ADDRESS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ STATE __________________________________________________ ZIP __________________________________________________________________________

RESIDENT PHONE _________________________________________________________________________________

*Throughout this Agreement the term “storage unit” shall includegarage except where expressly stated to the contrary.

ON SITE RESIDENT MAIN OFFICE (IF REQUIRED)

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OWNER/AGENT DATE

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DAMAGE OR DEFICIENCIES IN THE STORAGE UNIT* ON COMMENCEMENT DATE:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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SPECIAL PROVISIONS:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PAGE 1 OF 2

OREGONRESIDENT GARAGE/STORAGE RENTAL AGREEMENT (USE ONLY FOR RESIDENTS)

RENT FROM _____________________________________ THRU _____________________________________ $__________________________________

SECURITY DEPOSIT $__________________________________

c KEY/CARD DEPOSIT $__________________________________

c REMOTE DEPOSIT $__________________________________

TOTAL DUE AT START OF RENTAL $__________________________________

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______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ _____________________________ ________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

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______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ _____________________________ ________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ _____________________________ ________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ _____________________________ ________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________

c IF CHECKED, GARAGE IS TO BE USED FOR MOTOR VEHICLE PARKING ONLY. NO STORAGE THAT WOULD PREVENT VEHICLEPARKING IS ALLOWED.

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DATE RENTAL TERM BEGINNING:

_____________________________________________________________

MONTHLY RENTAL AMOUNT:

$__________________________________________________

LATE FEE $________________________________________

NSF FEE $35.00 + BANK CHARGES

Resident Garage/Storage Rental Agreement M036 OR & M036 WA

Multifamily NW

Upcoming Educational Opportunities 1/21/2015 CAM Legal Responsibilities

1/29/2015 Safety & OSHA Preparedness

2/2/2015 Oregon Landlord/Tenant Law Part 1

2/4/2015 Emergency Readiness

CAM Risk Management

2/5/2015 Forms & Notices 101

2/6/2015 NALP - Bringing in New Residents: Be Prepared

2/11/2015 CAS Supplier Success

Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Pitfalls (Vancouver, WA)

2/13/2015 It's The Law Lunchtime Series - Marijuana: Smokin' Hot Issues

2/16/2015 Oregon Landlord/Tenant Law Part 2

2/17/2015 CAM Fair Housing

Law & Rule Required Course (LARRC)

Membership Luncheon - An Update from Mayor Charlie Hales

2/19/2015 CAM Human Resources Part 1

2/24/2015 NALP Marketing & Maintaining Your Community

2/25/2015 Basic Electrical for Spanish Speakers

2/26/2015 CAM Human Resources Part 2

ACE Awards | May 21, 2015

ACE Award Nominations FAQ Who gets nominated for an ACE Award? ACE award nominees encompass a wide spectrum of Property Management employees. Companies often nominate at all levels, from on-site leasing staff to Portfolio Managers. The titles may differ across companies but generally ACE nominees are: Leasing Agents, Maintenance Techs, Assistant Managers, Maintenance Supervisors, Managers and Portfolio Managers.

How many nominees are in each category? We do not currently put a cap on the number of nominees in each category. Nominations vary across categories but average about 10-12 per grouping.

Who decides the winner? When ACE nominations are sent to the Multifamily NW office, all specific nominee information is redacted before being sent to the out-of-state judges. The judges make their decision based only on the information provided with no background about the individual or company. There are 3-4 out-of-state judges each year generally Executive Directors of other apartment associations.

Can I, a supplier, nominate someone for an ACE Award? Unfortunately no. Due to the specific information required, entrants can only be nominated by their company. However, if you work with a client that you think deserves a nomination, don’t hesitate to tell their manager!

SAVE THE DATE

Nominations are now open!

Questions? Visit www.multifamilynw.org or call 503-213-1281 for more information.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from our website and completed forms should be sent to [email protected].



the borrower as they can be faked.• Always ask how your interests

are aligned with your borrowers. If they are not going to make any money, neither will you. The loan will default, and you’ll both be dis-couraged. “Individual investors are looking for a more intimate method of manag-ing their own money, insulated from geopolitical shocks,” Mr. Buscemi says. “They don’t want to wake up in the morning blindsided that they’ve lost a good chunk of their portfolio because of something that happened overseas. Real estate keeps climbing

higher and higher in some markets. And people implicitly trust real es-tate; it’s a very bankable asset class.”

Salvatore M. Buscemi, author of “Making the Yield: Real Estate Hard Money Lending

Uncovered,” is managing director of Dandrew Partners LLC in New York City (www.dan-drewmedia.com). The company specializes in placing capital from prominent institutional investors into middle-market distressed com-mercial real estate investments. He began his

career at Goldman Sachs, where he worked four years as an investment banker. A fre-quent speaker on hard money lending, Mr.

Buscemi also co-founded Dandrew Strategies LLC, a $30 million real estate solutions pro-vider in the secondary mortgage market spe-

cializing in non-performing residential mort-gage portfolios.

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48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRYTENANT(S): ____________________________________________________ DATE:________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ UNIT: _________

CITY: _________________________________________ STATE: __________ ZIP: _________48-HOUR NOTICE OF ENTRY

Pursuant to RCW 59.18.150, this is your 48 hour notice that your landlord or their agents will be

entering the dwelling unit and premises located at (Address)______________________________________________________________________________on between the hours of and . (Date) (Time) (Time)The entry will occur for the following purpose:______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Landlord Phone

Method of Service: Personal Service: Post and Mail: ** Add one additional day for compliance if served by post and mail.

WA-RTG-40 Washington

©2009 NO PORTION of this form may be reproduced without written permission.

CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT CONDITION REPORTTENANT(S): __________________________________________________________________ADDRESS: ________________________________________________UNIT: ______________CITY: ___________________________________ STATE: ________ ZIP: _________________Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor IN Out In Out In OutLIVING AREAS KITCHEN BEDROOM 3Walls Walls Walls

Windows Stove/Racks WindowsBlinds/Drapes Refrigerator Blinds/DrapesRods Ice Trays RodsFloor Shelves/Drawer FloorCarpet/Vinyl/Wood Disposal Light FixturesLight Fixtures Dishwasher Doors/WoodworkDoors/Woodwork Counter Tops LocksLocks Cabinets CeilingsCeilings Sink Electric OutletsElectrical Outlets FloorGarbage Cans WindowsTV Antenna/Cable Blinds/Drapes BATH ROOMFireplace

Towel BarsCleanlinessSink & Vanity

ToiletBEDROOM 1 BEDROOM 2 Tub/ShowerWalls Walls Fan (Exhaust)Windows Windows FloorBlinds/Drapes Blinds/Drapes Electric OutletsRods Rods Light FixturesFloor FloorLight Fixtures Light Fixtures Essential ServicesEssential ServicesDoors/Woodwork Doors/Woodwork PlumbingLocks Locks HeatingCeilings Ceilings ElectricityElectrical Outlets Electric Outlets Hot Water

Smoke Detectors

OR-RTG-20 Oregon


PET AGREEMENTTENANT INFORMATION

TENANT(S): ____________________________________________________ DATE:________ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________ UNIT: _________CITY: _________________________________________ STATE: __________ ZIP: _________

DESCRIPTION OF PET(S)

1) Type _______________ Breed _______________ Size ______ Age __ Weight ___ Color ____ Name ________ Vaccinations: Yes____ No____ License Number: ______________



Additional Security Deposit Required:$

AGREEMENTTenant(s) certify that the above pet(s) are the only pet(s) on the premises. Tenant(s) understands that the additional pet(s) are not permitted unless the landlord gives tenant(s) written permission. Tenant(s) agree to keep the above-listed pets in the premises subject to the following terms and conditions:

1) The pet(s) shall be on a leash or otherwise under tenant’s control when it is outside the tenant’s dwelling unit. 2) Tenant(s) shall promptly pick up all pet waste from the premises promptly. 3) Tenant(s) are responsible for the conduct of their pet(s) at all times. 4) Tenant(s) are liable for all damages caused by their pet(s). 5) Tenant(s) shall pay the additional security deposit listed above and/or their rental agreement as a condition to keeping the pet(s) listed above. 6) Tenant(s) shall not allow their pets to cause any sort of disturbance or injury to the other tenants, guests, landlord or any other persons lawfully on the premises. 7) Tenant(s) shall immediately report to landlord any type of damage or injury caused by their pet. 8) This agreement is incorporated into and shall become part of the rental agreement exe -cuted between the parties. Failure by tenant to comply with any part of this agreement shall constitute a material breach of the rental agreement.

_____________________________ ______________________________Landlord Tenant ______________________________ Tenant

OR-RTG-24 Oregon


CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT CONDITION REPORTTENANT(S): __________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ________________________________________________UNIT: ______________

CITY: ___________________________________ STATE: ________ ZIP: _________________Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor

Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor







Rating Scale = (E)Excellent (VG) Very Good (G)Good (F)Fair (P)Poor IN OutIn Out

In Out

LIVING AREASKITCHEN

BEDROOM 3

Walls

Walls

WallsWindows

Stove/RacksWindows

Blinds/DrapesRefrigerator

Blinds/DrapesRods

Ice TraysRods

Floor

Shelves/DrawerFloor

Carpet/Vinyl/WoodDisposal

Light FixturesLight Fixtures

DishwasherDoors/Woodwork

Doors/WoodworkCounter Tops

LocksLocks

CabinetsCeilings

CeilingsSink

Electric OutletsElectrical Outlets

Floor

Smoke DetectorsGarbage Cans

WindowsTV Antenna/Cable

Blinds/DrapesBATH ROOM

Fireplace

Towel BarsCleanliness

Sink & Vanity

ToiletBEDROOM 1

BEDROOM 2Tub/Shower

Walls

Walls

Fan (Exhaust)Windows

WindowsFloor

Blinds/DrapesBlinds/Drapes

Electric OutletsRods

Rods

Light FixturesFloor

FloorLight Fixtures

Light FixturesEssential ServicesEssential Services

Doors/WoodworkDoors/Woodwork

PlumbingLocks

Locks

HeatingCeilings

CeilingsElectricity

Electrical OutletsElectric Outlets

Hot WaterSmoke Detectors

Smoke DetectorsSmoke Detectors

WA-RTG-20 Washington


www.rentegration.com 503-933-6437 [email protected]

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Color Standards for National Tenant Network Logo

• Logos are provided on the CD in all three forms: all black, reversed to white, or in PMS 280 Blue/PMS 7543 Gray spot or 4/color applications. Please see below for specific use examples.

• No other colors are acceptable for use for the logo.

• No altering of the logo is allowed. If you have a special circumstance that requires something not provided on the CD, please call NTN NaTioNaL HeadquarTerS 1.800.228.0989 for assistance.

• Logos should not be put over a busy background.

BLACK WHITE (with 40% gray circle)

PMS 280/PMS 7543 over colorBlue PMS 280/Gray PMS 7543

uNaCCePTaBLe CoLor uSaGe

do NoT put over a busy backgrounddo NoT change the color do NoT alter in any way

02

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In strong rental markets, many leasing employees are faced with the wonderful challenge of being

100% leased. Some apartments are being rented “sight unseen,” and perhaps there are only a few days in any given month where vacant apartments are available to look at before the new residents move in. For communities that have rented and done away with their model apartments, many leasing consul-tants are now in situations where they have nothing to show, even if they have unrented notices. The following question expresses this di-lemma and the leasing consultant’s frustration:

Q: Our property consistently stays full and we typically rent our notices almost as soon as they come in. When people call to inquire about an apartment and I don’t have any-thing available to show, I will usual-ly refer them to our website or rec-ommend that they call back at a later date. I don’t want to waste their time if I don’t have anything available. However, lately some callers have been pretty insistent about wanting to come by even when I don’t have an apartment they can see. Should I really be trying to set appointments

when all I can do is hand out a floor plan and give a property tour?

A: This is a challenge, and yet a unique and incredible opportunity for you to highlight and sell many other aspects of your community that you might not normally focus on during an apartment tour. EVERY caller should be extended an invita-tion to visit your community, wheth-er you have an apartment to show or not. While a website is just one of many “sales tools” at your disposal, it is not the only tool you have. What about your property and the many community benefits you have to offer? Even if you work at a smaller community, you still have numerous benefits to sell. Perhaps it’s the loca-tion of your building and the many area conveniences, which no one will truly appreciate unless they make a visit and drive through the neighbor-hood. Maybe you have an outstand-ing maintenance staff that is highly visible that a prospective resident would observe hard at work when visiting your community. What about your friendly residents who are out and about? The ones who smile and cheerfully say “Hello” to everyone they meet. Have you ever considered your existing residents as

a “sales tool?” Then, last, but cer-tainly not least, there is YOU!! No website or other form of “inanimate” advertising can take the place of a warm, friendly and VERY enthusias-tic person who is excited about their product and what they are doing.

Of course it’s much “easier” to just refer someone to a website or encourage them to check back with you when you have no apartments to show. After all, it does “appear” that you are trying to be “helpful.” What if you extended an invitation to visit instead? You would defi-nitely have to expend some extra time and energy and get creative to sell your product in a new and excit-ing way without a “visual.” Perhaps your enthusiastic personality could describe and demonstrate with such animation that you could create your own “visual?”

Of course you want to be honest about your apartment availability and not get your prospects so “worked up” that you sell them on renting an apartment that is not

available for their time frame. On the other hand, maybe there is some flexibility with their move date. Remember: Part of your job as a sales person is to convince the customer that what you have to offer is worth waiting for.

If you are interested in leasing training or have a question or con-cern that you would like to see addressed, please reach out to me via e-mail.

ASK THE SECRET SHOPPER

Provided by: Joyce (Kirby) Bica former owner of Shoptalk Service

Evaluations Phone: 425-424-8870

E-mail: [email protected]

Copyright Joyce (Kirby) Bica


VALLEY

Secret ShopperAsk TheNorthwestNorthwest

Vis it us at

www.rentalhousingjournal .com



From the moment you spoke your first word as a small child, your voice and the

words you select are often taken for granted—a gift you use throughout your life. As leasing professionals, you know the importance of using the telephone, because this is how a majority of your future residents contact your apartment communi-ties. In this article, we are going to ask you to capture your voice and listen closely to how you are han-dling each call—a powerful exercise for becoming a leasing SuperStar.

Capturing your voice and words: Let’s start by agreeing that capturing your voice and hearing the words you are using to lease apartments is an important first step. As a leasing professional, how much would your leasing skills and closing ratios improve if you listened to 50 or even 100 of the most recent calls you received from future residents? Capturing your voice and listening to the words you are using to paint verbal pictures about your apart-ment community will have a positive impact on your leasing performance and your career in the multi-housing industry. As a resident manager or property supervisor, imagine the

powerful coaching you could do with/for your leasing teams, if you could hear the five best presentations this week, given to future residents?

Tip From The Coach: Using the simplest of tools, place a digital recorder next to your telephone and start the record every time a future resident calls your apartment com-munity. This will give you the opportunity to hear your voice and listen to the words you are using to lease your apartment lifestyle. For a more powerful system, select a ven-dor who can help you automatically capture, save, and index every future resident telephone call. An impor-tant note for resident managers and property supervisors: you must receive written permission from your leasing teams to capture their voices and we recommend a system be used just for in-bound calls from future residents, as these are the calls that increase your occupancy and define property management success.

Learning from your voice-mirror: Once you have selected a system for capturing your leasing voice, it’s now time to learn from your power-ful voice-mirror. Begin by play the recording of your calls from today and ask yourself these important

questions as you listen to your voice-mirror: Can I hear the smile in my voice? Was my voice too soft or too loud? Was the speed of my voice too fast or too slow? Am I proud of the way I handled the questions asked by this future resident? If I could re-do this call with the same future resident, what single improvement would I make? Now, continue this process of capturing your calls and listening to your voice-mirror for the next four weeks. Then, call us in 30 days at 435-615-8486 and tells us how your leasing skills and closing ratios improved. We want to hear your success stories!

Tip From The Coach: As a resi-dent manager or property supervi-sor, imagine how powerful it would be to have a recording collection of the best-of-the-best in telephone pre-sentations to share with a newly hired leasing professional. These powerful telephone presentations could also be shared during weekly leasing meetings so your entire team could continue to polish their skills and refine the verbal pictures they are using to invite future residents to your apartment communities. In addition, try comparing these tele-phone calls to the shopping reports used by your company—and watch to see how the scores of your leasing teams improve.

Linking your voice with your leasing success: As an added bonus, companies like Who’s Calling® or Lead Tracking Solutions® will help you and your leasing teams auto-matically capture every in-bound telephone call from future residents and will provide you with a special index number that is spoken out by the system at the end of each call. As a leasing professional, this becomes a wonderful audio guest card which you can go back and replay right after you finish speaking with each future resident. By replaying this message right after each call, you can add any additional notes you might have missed during the original tele-phone call. In addition, if you place

this special index number on your guest card or traffic log, you can replay this saved call minutes before your appointment with each future resident! Wow! Can you imagine the response you are going to receive from future residents when you can remember the exact details of your telephone conversation from a week ago? More importantly, how will this personalized approach increase your leasing success?

Tip From The Coach: As a resi-dent manager or property supervi-sor, this special index number can serve a dual purpose. For example, your leasing professional, Mary, speaks by telephone to Rick Brown on Monday and schedules an appointment for a Friday morning leasing tour. Mary calls in sick on Friday so you can now ask Bill to cover for Mary and have him use this special index number to hear Mary’s original telephone call with Rick Brown. What a concept! Bill is right in step with Rick Brown, a future resident, and Bill has a better oppor-tunity to lease a new apartment to Rick because he has the information he needs to close this sale.

Want to hear more about this important topic or ask some addi-tional questions about how to cap-ture your voice-mirror or how to link your voice with your leasing suc-cess? Send an E-mail to [email protected] and The Coach will E-mail you a free PowerHour invita-tion.

Author’s note: Ernest F. Oriente, a business coach/trainer since 1995

[33,300 hours], serving property management industry professional

since 1988--the author of SmartMatch Alliances™, the founder of

PowerHour® [ www.powerhour.com ], the founder of PowerHour SEO [ www.powerhourseo.com ], the live

weekly PowerHour Leadership Academy [ www.powerhourleader-shipacademy.com/pm ] and Power

Insurance & Risk Management Group [ www.pirmg.com ], has a pas-sion for coaching his clients on execu-tive leadership, hiring and motivating

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Your Voice Carries The Words of 10,000 Leases!©

By Ernest F. Oriente, The Coach {Article #225…since 1995}



The Coach – Ref. Checks ...continued from page 7

property management SuperStars, traditional and Internet SEO/SEM marketing, competitive sales strate-gies, and high leverage alliances for

property management teams and their leaders. He provides private and

group coaching for property manage-ment companies around North

America, executive recruiting, invest-ment banking, national utility bill auditing, national real estate and

apartment building insurance, SEO/SEM web strategies, national WiFi

solutions [ www.powerhour.com/propertymanagement/nationalwifi.

html ], powerful tools for hiring prop-erty management SuperStars and

building dynamic teams, employee policy manuals [ www.powerhour.com/propertymanagement/employ-eepolicymanuals.html ] and social media strategic solutions [ http://

www.powerhour.com/propertyman-agement/socialmedialeadership.html ]. Ernest worked for Motorola, Primedia

and is certified in the Xerox sales

methodologies. Recent interviews and articles have appeared more than

8000+ times in business and trade publications and in a wide variety of leading magazines and newspapers,

including Smart Money, Inc., Business 2.0, The New York Times,

Fast Company, The LA Times, Fortune, Business Week, Self

Employed America and The Financial Times. Since 1995, Ernest has writ-

ten 225+ articles for the property management industry and created 400+ property management forms, business and marketing checklists, sales letters and presentation tools.

To subscribe to his free property man-agement newsletter go to: www.pow-

erhour.com. PowerHour® is based in Olympic-town…Park City, Utah, at

435-615-8486, by E-mail [email protected] or visit their website:

www.powerhour.com


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Valley Rental Housing Journal February 2015