January 2013 RHA Newsletter

MembershipChanges

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VISIT US AT www.RHAGP.org

What’s Bugging You?

Why Would Someone be Moving this Time of Year?

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Great Time to be a Landlord

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UPDATEMonthly Newsletter Published by the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland

January 2013

www.RHAGP.oRG January 2013 1

January 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS

12 & 6

34

5 & 76-7

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RHAGP Dinner Meeting..............................................President’s Message............................................RHA Calendar.............................................................Membership Changes....................................................Fair Housing: It’s Good Business.........................Dear Maintenance Men............................................Encourage Renters Insurance....................................Why Would Someone be Moving this Time of Year?..

Landlord’s Liability for Dangerous Conditions.........The Update Q & A ...................................................Guidelines for Sustainable Landscaping.............A Great Time to be a Landlord.................................Minimum Wage Deserves Attention....................2012 RHA Accomplishments...................................The Preferred Service Guide .............................

1011

12-1415

16-1717

18-20

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

Menu: Buffet Dinner

Caesar SaladPecan Crusted Boneless Chicken

Garlic Mashed PotatoesGrilled VegetablesWarm Breadsticks

Carrot CakeCoffee, Tea, Decaf or Iced Tea

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

Price: $25.00 per person, Call 503/254-4723 for reservations Speaker: David Frost from Frost Integrated Pest Management

wHAT’S BUGGING YoU?

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

Affiliate Speaker: Steve & Annie Tucker, Cascade Radon

Directions:

RED LIoN INN-CoNVENTIoN CENTER 1020 NE Grand Ave.Portland, OR 97232

FRoM EAST PoRTLAND- Intersection of I-205 and I-84 take I-84 wEST to EXIT 1 toward Lloyd Center. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for CoNVENTIoN CENTER/RoSE QUARTER and merge onto NE 16TH DR. Continue onto NE LLoYD BLVD. Turn right onto NE GRAND AVE. RED LIoN will be on the left.

FROM I-5 Take EXIT 300 for I-84 EAST toward PoRTLAND AIRPoRT/ THE DALLES. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for oMSI/CENTRAL EASTSIDE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT and merge onto SE YAMHILL ST. Turn right onto SE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVD. Turn left onto SE SALMoN ST. Take the 1ST left onto SE GRAND AVE destination will be on the left.

RHAGP UPDATE 2 January 2013

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

RHAGP LIST oF CoMMITTEESBuilding Chair: Phil Owen, Phone: 503-244-7986

Community Relations/Donations Chair: Tony Kavanagh, Phone: 503-522-4474

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

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

Electronic Media Chair: Ron Garcia, Phone: 503-595-4747

Forms Chair: Mark Passannante, Phone: 503-294-0910

House Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-760-7171

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

Membership Chair: Elizabeth Carpenter, Phone: 503-314-6498 NewsletterChair: Will Johnson, Phone: 503-221-2160

office Chair: Robin Lashbaugh, Phone: 503-760-7171

Public RelationsChair: Margaret Baricevic, Phone: 503-329-5223

Government RelationsChair: Phil Owen Phone: 503-244-7986Gresham Liaison: Jim Herman Phone: 503-645-8287

Marketing Chair: Ami Stevens Phone: 503-407-3633

RHAGP LoBBYIST

Cindy Robert, Phone: 503-260-3431

RHAGP oFFICE STAFFAlita Dougherty, Office Manager - [email protected]

Pam VanLoon, Bookkeeper - [email protected]

Cari Pierce, Member Svcs - [email protected]

Lisa Craddock, Member [email protected]

RHAGP oFFICEMonday - Friday * 9:00am - 5:00pm

Phone: 503-254-4723 * Fax: 503-254-482110520 NE Weidler StPortland, OR 97220

www.rhagp.org

“Landlords doing good things in their communities”

Elizabeth CarpenterRHA President

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

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

RHAGP has continually grown and is progressively assisting landlords in our state. As your chair of the Membership Committee for the last 2 years, it has been my pleasure to see our association grow to over 1700 members. We have the largest membership of any rental housing association in Oregon! We are continually improving, with newly added benefits for our members. From our up-to-date attorney written forms, to our presence in the State legislation (thanks to our lobbyist Cindy Roberts), the RHAGP represents and protects landlords well. During this Legislation year, Cindy will be keeping us informed throughout the session. Look for future updates within the RHAGP Newsletter and on our website, www.rhagp.org.

Some of the new changes for our members this year include reducing our membership dues for landlords with 1-4 units to $99.00. We are rolling out our Premium Membership that includes an online resource library with white papers, videos and special discounts from our vendor members, as well as access to basic accounting software and unlimited use of online forms. The Premium Membership is ever evolving, and will be, in time, a robust resource for landlords to find relevant answers to their questions.

Our classes have expanded to include New Membership Orientation and Mentoring Meetings on the last Thursday of each month. Please join us by calling the office and reserving your spot! Additionally, our education committee is launching lunch time sessions for our working property managers and owners this year; keep your eye out for dates and times.

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

We at RHAGP are always looking for new and improved ways to bring information to the Landlords of Oregon. As a nonprofit organization we welcome members to join our board meeting and committees. You can make a difference in keeping our organization strong.

Committees currently seeking additional members:Dinner Program EducationElectronic Media Government AffairsMarketing Membership Update Newsletter

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

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6


RHA Mark Your Calendar

Date Event Location Time Information1/9 Board Meeting RHA Office 5pm1/16 Dinner Meeting Red Lion 6pm See Page 11/17 Brown Bag Lunch Session- Credit

ServicesRHA Office 11:30am Brought to us by Don Eva, Anderson & Associates

Credit Services.1/31 New Member/Mentor Session RHA Office 6-8 FREE for Members Only2/13 Board Meeting RHA Office 5pm2/20 Dinner Meeting Old Spaghetti

Factory6pm See February’s Update for more details

2/21 Brown Bag Lunch- Leveraging Social Media for Your Listings

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

EVENTS

CLASSESDate Class Location Time Information1/8 online Tenant Screening RHA Office 11am Register by 1/7/13 FREE for Members Only, with

current service agreement for tenant screening.1/10 Insurance Class RHA Office 6:30pm Taught by John Sage, Stegmann Agency1/11 Understanding Your Decision Point

ReportWebEx 11am Register by 1/10/13 FREE for Members Only, with

current service agreement for tenant screening.1/17 Understanding Your Decision Point

ReportWebEx 7pm Register by 1/16/13 FREE for Members Only, with

current service agreement for tenant screening.1/22 Landlording 102 Homebuilders

Association6:30pm Taught by Jeff Bennett, Attorney at Law

15555 Bangy Rd. STE 301 Lake Oswego 970351/22 online Tenant Screening WebEx 7pm Register by 1/21/13 FREE for Members Only, with




ReportWebEx 11am Register by 2/7/13 FREE for Members Only, with

current service agreement for tenant screening.2/12 online Tenant Screening RHA Office 11am Register by 2/11/13 FREE for Members Only, with

current service agreement for tenant screening.2/12 Landlording 102 RHA Office 6:30pm Taught by Jeff Bennett, Attorney at Law2/22 Understanding Your Decision Point


current service agreement for tenant screening.2/26 Insurance Class Standard TV &

Appliance6:30pm Taught by John Sage, Stegmann Agency

3600 SW Hall Blvd. Beaverton 970052/26 online Tenant Screening WebEx 7pm Register by 2/25/13 FREE for Members Only, with

current service agreement for tenanct screening.

Landlording 102

Jeffrey S. Bennett, Attorney at Law, will take you through the coming changes to

the ORLTA, a retrospective of the last twoyears, and up-to-the-minute insights into new cases. Along the way he’ll teach you

how to avoid costly legal mistakes and help you improve your landlord skills.

1 Continuing Education Credit Hour

$35.00/Member, $45.00 Non-Member

Credit Services- Brown Bag Lunch Session

Bring your brown bag lunch and come hear about collections. Don will talk about

the initial interview with the prospective tenant, the landlord’s efforts to collect the money him/herself and finish with the use

of a collection agency when the tenant refuses to pay.

FREE for Members Only

*Registration is required for all classes/events, Call RHA at 503/254-4723. Three day advance registration required to receive early registration discount of $5.00 on classes.

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

Insurance ClassAre you a target for your tenants?

What happens when a tenant trips and falls or your unit has a fire or the wind

blows a tree over? What does “renters insurance” do for the Landlord? Do you

wake up at night worried? John will discuss what the risks, exposures, or causes of potential loss are. How can

the right coverage get you thru and back on track?

$25.00/Member, $35.00 Non-Member

RHAGP UPDATE4 January 2013

NEW! $99 Membership for Members with 1‐4 units.

Effective for renewals after January 1, 2013, now only $99*! Continue to enjoy all the RHAGP benefits including:

Your voice heard: State & Local legislative representation.

Monthly Networking Dinner Meetings with informative guest speakers

Educational Classes: Deep discounts on monthly training programs

Mentor Program: Personal referral or monthly meeting

Substantial discounts on printed rental forms

Fully staffed office for your property management needs: Monday – Friday, 9am‐5pm

Tenant Screening Membership rates apply

*For Members new to RHAGP, a one‐time only $25 set up fee applies.

NEW! RHA Premium Membership

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

Continually expanding online resource library of instructional tools and educational downloads

Exclusive offers from Affiliate / Vendors

Rentegration’s Property Management Database

Easy‐to use, basic accounting software

Unlimited use of RHAGP online forms

Premium Membership Pricing:

One time Set Up Fee Per Unit $ 35.00 $ 7.00/year (minimum $30)

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

Visit www.rhagp.org for more details!

ANNOUNCING MEMBERSHIP CHANGES FOR 2013

Visit www.rhagp.org/premium for more details!


FAIR HouSING: IT’S GooD BuSINESS By the King County office of Civil Rights

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Fair housing is not just the law – it’s also good business practice. Fair housing compliance helps ensure that you have a wide application pool for your rental housing and that all applicants and tenants are treated equitably. The guidelines below offer common-sense policies and practices for fair housing.

Establishing policies, procedure and rules• Develop policies and procedures that are consistent with fair housing laws. Rental criteria should focus on whether an applicant will pay the rent, maintain the premises, and live in harmony with neighbors.

• Establish consistent protocols for inquiries, tours of the property, and accepting applications. Examples include describing and showing amenities, completing visitor cards, explaining screening procedures, and conducting follow-up.

• Make sure that property and amenity rules apply to everyone rather than to groups of people. For example, rather than, “Children cannot ride bikes in the parking lot,” the rule should state, “Riding bikes in the parking lot is not allowed.”

Marketing your unit• Include the HUD Equal Housing Opportunity logo, slogan, or statement on all written documents and in all print, online, television and radio advertising.

• In written materials, include a notice such as, “This information is available upon request in alternate formats including large print.”

• Consider translating marketing materials and forms into other languages. Learn about how to obtain the assistance of translators to facilitate communication with tenants who do not speak English as a primary language.

• Describe your rental unit accurately. There is less risk of a fair housing complaint if an ad describes the property and its desirable features (size, location, price, amenities) rather than some target audience.

• Feel free to market to certain protected classes by pointing out that rentals are accessible for people with disabilities or families are welcome, or by emphasizing amenities such as playgrounds.

Inquiries and tours of properties• Describe application procedures and explain your selection criteria consistently. Use the same phrasing for all applicants. Provide an application and written admissions criteria to

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

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

Tenant Selection• A fair housing best practice is to accept the first qualified applicant. Date and timestamp all applications so you will know when each was received.

• Be sure not to make assumptions about an applicant – use your fact based criteria to determine qualifications.

Denying rental• If you reject an applicant or decide to charge an increased deposit or to require a consigner, you should provide the applicant with written notice and the reason for your decision.

• If the applicant disputes information on the screening company’s consumer report, provide an opportunity for reconsideration.

During tenancy• Enforce rules consistently, but consider extenuating circumstances in situations that are disability related or that involve victims of domestic violence.

• Provide services, upgrades and maintenance to all tenants equally.

Reasonable accommodations and modifications for people with disabilities• Ensure that applicants and tenants know of your willingness to consider requests for reasonable accommodations and modifications. Include phrases like “We provide accommodations for people with disabilities upon request” in written materials such as application forms, tenancy rules, newsletters, and on your website.

• Establish a policy and procedure for addressing requests for reasonable accommodations or modifications.

• An Accommodation is reasonable if it is related to the tenant’s disability, is not an undue administrative and financial burden for the housing provider, and does not fundamentally alter the housing and services the housing provider offers. Before saying “no”, call a Fair


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

BUY RHAGP ATTORNEY DRAWN ONLINE FORMS

AT WWW.RHAGPFORMS.ORG

DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN: By Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Dear Maintenance Men:

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

Korey

Dear Korey:

We recommend calling a plumbing company that specializes in sewer pipe inspections using a camera snake. The camera snake will be able to tell you the actual condition of the pipe and where there are trouble areas, breaks and clogs etc. The snake will be able to pinpoint the location, depth and direction of the sewer line. If part of your system is failing now, chances are the rest of the sewer line is not far behind.

The best solution to a damaged or broken sewer line is to replace it with a new pipe. However, this is not always an easy or cost effective solution. The distance to the city sewer may be too great or extensive landscape or property damage may result from the re-piping.

If replacing the pipe is not viable, consider using a pipe liner as preventive maintenance or to repair a damaged pipe. The cost to reline a pipe is approximately $130 a foot with a 50-year warranty. Balance this cost against the cost of trenching in a new line with landscape repairs and down time. A pipe liner will be as strong as the original pipe.


The stench in the rental unit following a nasty eviction was overwhelming. The tenant smoked heavily and collected all sorts of garbage. The unit was a disaster. We have cleaned the unit, including the carpet and painted the walls. The place still smells bad when we show the unit to a prospective resident. Because of the lingering smell, this unit is un-rentable. What do you suggest?

Jessica Dear Jessica:

Rancid smells, nicotine, animal and organic odors arevery hard to remove even after painting the walls and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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

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

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

~Elizabeth Carpenter, RHA President


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

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

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

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

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

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

cleaning the carpets. Chances are if the resident was a long time hoarder; carpet replacement will be inevitable. Remove the carpets, pad and tack strips. The tack strips are wood and can absorb and release the smell of smoke, urine etc. Thoroughly clean the floors with soapy water mixed with bleach. After cleaning the floors, it is not a bad idea to paint or use a primer to coat the flooring. One of the best ways to remove the odors from the walls is using old-fashioned elbow grease! Before painting wash the walls with soapy water using a brush or rag. Adding TSP (a powdered cleaning solution available at most hardware stores) or using a degreasing agent will help in the cleaning. If you have flat ceilings, wash them too. If you have “acoustical” or “pop-corn” type ceiling, that’s a problem. By its nature, acoustical ceiling material is difficult to clean. Encapsulating the acoustical ceiling with spray paint may solve the problem. You will need a primer coat and a minimum of two coats of paint. If the smell is still present, give it another coat of paint and let the unit air as much as possible. Don’t forget to wash the windows and window frames as they can retain nicotine odors. Replace any HVAC filters and vacuum dust from furnaces and A/C units.


I have just received a code enforcement violation letter for some problems I was not aware of at my building. I typically keep my property in good order, but a few maintenance items may have slipped by. The violation letter has me very upset, as the problems mentioned are minor. How do I make this all go away? What do I do first?

Bill

Dear Bill:

It is always a bit upsetting to have someone else tell you what to do with your property. The first thing to understand about a code violation letter is that it is not a personal attack. Look at the violation letter as an opportunity. The city is giving you a heads up to potential problems at your building. You may have a drug or gang issue you were not aware of or landscaping issues, or even deferred maintenance issues. Essentially, it is a wake up call to pay closer attention to your building & neighborhood. The first thing to do when you get a code enforcement violation letter is to call the city and speak to the code enforcement department. Make the call with an open mind and calmly get the facts. The purpose of the call is to let the code enforcement department know you are aware

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

QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? We need more Maintenance Questions!!!

To see your maintenance question in the “Dear Maintenance Men:” column, please send submission to: [email protected]

Bio: Please call: Buffalo Maintenance, Inc for maintenance work or consultation. JLE Property Management, Inc for management service or consultation Frankie Alvarez at 714 956-8371, Jerry L’Ecuyer at 714 778-0480 CA contractor lic: #797645, EPA Real Estate lic. #: 01216720 Certified Renovation Company. Websites: www.BuffaloMaintenance.com & www.ContactJLE.com

PLEASE VISIT US AT WWW.RHAGP.ORG

DEAR MAINTENANCE MEN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

FAIR HouSING CONTINUED FRoM PAGE 5


WHy you SHouLD ENCouRAGE youR TENANTS To PuRCHASE RENTERS INSuRANCE By Tracy Myers

The importance of renters insurance really cannot be highlighted enough. Tenants often forget about renters insurance, because a lease is temporary and the property is not their own. Some believe that if their landlord already has the property insured, they have nothing to worry about, but if you think about it, you wouldn’t lease a car without purchasing car insurance. Not just because it would be illegal to not buy car insurance, but because your finances would be ruined if you were to get into a car accident or suffer some other form of loss. Although residents are not required by law to buy renters insurance, the financial ramifications of not having it are great.

Even if a landlord or property owner has insured the building, there are still many reasons why residents need renters insurance. For example:

To Cover the Loss of Personal Property

If a resident loses personal property (clothing, electronics, furniture, home ware, etc.) because of damage from fire or smoke, severe weather damage, theft, and more, they will be left to replace those items out of pocket if they don’t have renters insurance. With insurance, the depreciated value of their possessions will be covered. They can even upgrade the policy to cover the actual value. Just the thought of losing everything they own should be enough to convince them to insure their belongings. For those who believe they don’t own enough for it to matter, most people’s personal property is worth more than what they think. If they don’t have the extra cash to replace everything with their own money, they need to consider buying renters insurance, which only costs around $15 per month.

For Liability Protection

If some accident starts in a tenant’s home and the damage spreads to other homes, renters insurance will protect the tenant from any legal action. For example, if a neighbor suffers personal property loss or injury from a fire that

started in another resident’s home, that resident will be protected from any potential legal action taken by the neighbor.

For Guest Medical Coverage

If a resident has a guest at their home who suffers injuries from an accident on the property, renters insurance can cover the medical expenses incurred by the incident. For example, if a guest gets bitten by the resident’s dog, the resident’s insurance policy will pay for all necessary medical treatment.

These reasons clearly show just how essential renters insurance is to the protection of your personal property and your personal finances. If you are a landlord or property manager, share this information with your tenants and encourage them to purchase a policy as soon as possible. If you are very serious about every tenant having insurance, consider making renters insurance a stipulation in the lease agreement. You can enforce this requirement by only giving a renter their apartment keys after they have shown an official copy of their policy. To be sure that every tenant maintains their policy, ask for an updated declaration of insurance every six months.

If you are timid about requiring renters insurance, consider this: many renters are only interested in leasing at properties that require it, because they know that it is important for all of their neighbors to be insured as well. Renters also like to see that their landlords care about their well-being.

Tracy Myers is a freelance blogger with a passion for helping others navigate the dark waters of personal finance. As a regular contributor to several consumer help websites, such as www.HomeInsurance.Org, Tracy often covers topics related to personal property advice, retirement, and financial planning.

Article Source: allthingspropertymanagement.com/


So WHy WouLD SoMEoNE BE MovING THIS TIME oF yEAR? By Marcia Gohman, National Tenant Network

Trying to rent your place any time between Thanksgiving and the New Year? Be very careful! This is the time of year that we call, “The Silly Season”. If you think about it, who would want to move this close to Christmas? Nobody in their right mind! That's who! Many of us already have Christmas decorations up; we have purchased a tree or lights and other assorted decor for our homes, front porches and lawns.

So why would someone be moving this time of year? Because they HAVE to.

Typically the applications we see from December to January 1st have the most inventive information and the most interesting Criminal reports we see all year. > On one application under "Why are you moving" "Just got out of the Canadian Navy".. Canada has a Navy, but he just got released from prison in Washington. That's close, right?

>On another application the applicant listed her name, then we noticed a different last name in her email address and that she signed it with a slightly different name..

>The applicant warned the landlord that there was “This one little thing” on her criminal report. Two Pages of little things. They apparently all blend together.

So what do we do? We take things very slowly. Pay more attention to how the application is filled out, check picture ID more carefully, and ask for a recent pay stub. If the applicant is in a BIG hurry, you tell them it will take you five days to complete your verification process. And no matter how tempting, remember that almost everyone who offers to pay you six months’ rent in advance, is a recreational pharmaceutical salesperson. (Drug Dealer)

Verify all telephone numbers; just today I have found that one phone number was a family member, and one was to a friend who runs a storage facility. The applicant listed that she lived in #6. How did I find that? Google Earth. It’s is a great tool for landlords! Plug in the address and see what comes up! Does it appear to be an apartment community? A house? Or is it a strip mall or office complex? If you are given what appears to be a single family residence address, you can call the county tax assessor and get the owner’s name and address. Many counties have a web site where you can enter the address and find the owner. You still have to find the phone number, use Dexknows.com or

anywho.com for that. One of my favorite tricks, when I know I’m going to talk to a friend or family member, is to call and ask about the rental I heard they have. The family member automatically says, “What?!? We don’t have rentals!”, and bingo. You have verified a fib on the application.

I know, I know. This sounds like a LOT of extra work. But it will pay off in the end. You don’t want to start out your New Year in evictions court trying to get that tenant out because you didn’t verify that “One little Thing”..

Once we get to January the company transfers go out and the better applicants re-appear. Until then, just remember. ‘Tis the Season!!


LANDLoRD’S LIABILITy FoR DANGERouS CoNDITIoNS oN RENTALS

Landlords are liable for dangerous conditions on the property they own if they knew or should have known about the danger. For example, if the concrete blocks in the sidewalk leading up to an apartment building are uneven and the landlord has visited the building and had the opportunity to see the sidewalk or if the tenants have complained, the landlord knows or should know of the problem and must fix it. If he or she doesn’t and an elderly guest of a tenant trips and breaks a hip, the landlord will be liable. It is always a good idea for tenants to inform the landlord in writing of any possibly dangerous conditions either in the rented unit or in the common areas of a number of rentals, and to keep copies of those letters. Landlords should make repairs as quickly as possible.

The dangerous conditions don’t have to be physical problems with the building. They can include other things, like vicious dogs or dangerous activities of tenants. If the landlord has seen a dangerous dog or been told about the problem and doesn’t take action to evict the tenant or force the tenant to get rid of or control the dog, the landlord could be held liable if the dog injures or kills someone. If the landlord knows a tenant is using a blowtorch to do body work on a car in the common driveway, he or she could be liable for any injury the tenant causes if the landlord has not taken all possible action to stop the tenant.

To be held liable for injuries or damage the landlord has to have been negligent in some way. For example, if there’s a snowstorm followed by a thaw and a freeze so that the sidewalks are covered with ice, the landlord won’t be responsible if a tenant slips and falls. The landlord can’t

control the weather. If the tenant’s child runs the hose during a freeze to make a skating rink and mom falls and breaks a leg, that isn’t the landlord’s fault. On the other hand, if there is some problem with the slope of a sidewalk that makes it dangerous in normal winter weather for the area, the landlord will be liable if he or she doesn’t repair the problem and someone is injured. In the case of the mean dog, if the landlord has given the tenant the notice to get rid of the dog that is required by the relevant state law and the dog bites someone before the notice period is up, the landlord probably won’t be liable. He or she will have done everything possible under the law.

A landlord may be held liable for dangers he or she has no actual knowledge of. For example, if the wiring of a house is very old and the owner doesn’t have it checked, he or she might be held liable to someone who is injured by a shock or a fire. If the owner doesn’t have a chimney cleaned for many years and the tenant is damaged or injured by a flue fire, the landlord will probably be liable, even if he or she didn’t actually know the chimney was clogged. A reasonable person would check old wiring and clean a chimney.

Tenants or others who are injured by dangerous conditions on the landlord’s property should consult a personal injury lawyer of advice. (Ed. note: you could talk with your insurance agent about how their company approaches landlord negligence. It is usually better to err of the side of caution. There are cases where melted-frozen snow has been determined to be negligence on the landlord.)Article Source: www.real-estate-law.freeadvice.com

Fishing for Articles!

we want to publish articles of interest to you in the future issues of the Update. Contact Alita with your suggestions or email an article you would like us to consider publishing.

[email protected] or 503/254-4723


The update Q & A

Here is your opportunity, submit your landlord/tenant questions to Q&A at Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland at 10520 NE Weidler, Portland, OR. 97220 or email your questions to [email protected] following are questions and answers supplied by oregonlandlordlaw.com

Small Claims

Q. How do I recover the money a current or former tenant owes me for rent, late fees or other damages?

A. Often, a Small Claims action provides the most cost-effective way to obtain a judgment against former tenants who still owe you money. Small Claims actions typically cost less than Circuit Court actions and are heard on a more expedited basis.

Q. Are attorneys allowed in Small Claims court?

A. Rarely. The Small Claims statutes specify that attorneys are allowed to appear only with judicial. However, corporations and public entities may appear through attorneys.

Q. Is there a limit on the amount of money I may seek in Small Claims court?

A. Yes, the most you may demand in a Small Claims action is $7,500.00 If you wish to obtain a judgment for an amount greater than $7.500.00, then you must file your action in Circuit Court.

Q. Can I bring a Small Claims action against a current tenant?

A. Yes. In fact, it occasionally makes sense to sue your tenant while you can still find him. (You must obtain valid service of a Summons and Complaint before you can obtain an enforceable judgment against a current or former tenant)

Q. How do I get paid on a judgment against the tenant?

A. Unfortunately you, or someone on your behalf, may be required to collect the judgment through garnishment or other means. Unless your tenant has a good paying job or significant assets, it may be difficult to collect on your judgment. Accordingly, we generally advise our clients to choose the least expensive method for obtaining judgments (i.e., Small Claims). If your tenant has a solid job, then a Circuit Court action may be desirable. The best strategy will ultimately be determined by your facts and goals.

Q. Can the tenant request a jury trial or remove the case from Small Claims court?

A. Yes, in some circumstances. This is another scenario that could drive up your litigation expenses (to unanticipated levels).

Q. Are there other steps I must take to enforce the judgment?

A. You may need to record the Small Claim judgment in the Circuit Court docket. You may also need to record a Notice of Lien in the county in which the debtor owns real property. Additional steps may be necessary to preserve the judgment for future collection.

RHAGP UPDATE12 January 2013

GuIDELINES FoR SuSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING By Cliff Hockley, President Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Bluestone and Hockley is working hard to respond to its clients and tenants regarding healthier living and working environments. We are feeling the pressure from tenants and clients to develop landscaped environments that use less chemicals. It is an established fact that many of the insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers we use in day to day landscaping present varying hazards to people, pets and the environment, and are not meant for human consumption. That is why they have a skull and cross bones on the packaging and a note: “not for human inhalation or ingestion.”

On the other hand, many of the chemicals used in day to day landscaping get rid of weeds without hand weeding, kill invasive species like blackberries (think Crossbow) and “green up” large commercial and residential landscaped areas. (In other words the green grass is greener and looks stronger).

“Chemical fertilizers are used in the gardening industry to provide nutrients and compounds which help promote growth to plants, flowers and trees. There are 3 major plant nutrients which consist of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They also contain the 3 secondary plant nutrients which are: calcium, sulphur and magnesium. Other chemicals which are generally included in chemical fertilizers include the following: chlorine, iron, zinc and copper.

Chemical fertilizer is added to soil, plant roots and turf areas. It provides plant nutrients to plants and areas which are lacking or which have been affected by harvesting, grazing or lack of watering.

What are our options and will our landscaping look as good as it does now?

Cutting edge landscape companies realize there is a demand for sustainable landscaping practices. They are experimenting with many options to try to find the least costly approach to effective sustainable landscaping practices. Clearly the challenge is managing the increased cost of sustainable landscaping which is driven by the cost of labor (because there is more hand weeding involved).• First on the list of sustainability options is to mow more

often and to mulch lawn clippings, rather than haul them away.

Many companies are experimenting with organic fertilizers to manage the growth of shrubs and lawn areas• Some Landscapers are applying or injecting Weed

Pharm (20% acetic acid vinegar spray 80 % other stuff) (Note: This too is a chemical of sorts and had warning labels on it.)

“It’s the only food-grade herbicide currently on the market.

It’s 20% acetic acid (as opposed to the 5% acetic acid in household vinegar), and it works the same way as the other organic herbicide sprays – by burning the waxy cuticle off above-ground portions of the plant.It can also be injected into the taproots of dandelions or the base of the plant using a syringe (the manufacturer recommends a 40cc syringe without a needle). The best thing about this method is that you can kill dandelions fully in any weather.”

Courtesy of: http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/03/organic-weed-control-how-to-kill-weeds/

• Other Landscapers are using fatty acids:“..such as Dr. Earth in liquid, spray and granular form. They are made from weak natural organic acids and lemon, clove oil and other people- and pet-friendly ingredients. Fatty acid weed killers dissolve cell membranes, dehydrating the weed. Acetic acid weed killers affect weeds’ roots and produce quick results. These weak acids break down in a few days, so they have no lasting impact on worms and other soil life.Organic weed killers and herbicides can knock out dandelion, foxtail, poison hemlock, ragweed, Canadian thistle, clover, milkweed, ivy leaf, pigwood, nettles, buttercups, quack grass, mosses, liverwort and other plant pests.”

Courtesy of http://www.thefarmatgreenvillage.com/weeding-control.html

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

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

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

These eco-lawns might include:

• Yarrow• Dwarf yarrow• Roman Chamomile• English lawn daisy• White Clover

CONTINUED oN PAGE 13


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

Plant bedding areas

In plant bedding areas landscapers are planting native plants that are naturally found in the native habitats such as (in Oregon) :

• Sedum• Rubus• Cotoneaster

Aromatic plantings such as:• Sage• Rosemary• And flowers

It is also fun to plant edible landscaping that is aromatic and yet interacts with the environment, including humans such as :

• Sage• Basil• Lavender• Rosemary• Thyme• Strawberries• Raspberries• Blueberries

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

ways to save money and manage your landscaping

One of the goals of better landscape management is to manage the watering. Many landscaped areas are over

watered. This is a huge problem as thirty-six states are facing water shortages in the next 1-2 years.

Our vendors are utilizing smart controllers to help with water conservation. These are particularly useful in large installations. They are mechanical devices that get information from a weather station transmitter and tell each controller the expected rate of soil moisture depletion in that microclimate. Some even measure the waterfall at that location. This information is then used to decide how much additional watering is needed to manage the growth of the grasses and the plants. Of course these work better in wet clients vs dry climates, but it is a place to start and given the huge increases in water bill we see, a typical install can be paid off in 24 months. (See technical note below)

In areas that are very short on water one can reuse gray water, or harvest water that falls on the buildings and dry well cisterns. The US only reuses 8% of its waste water today. (Walter J Freedman Twitter) , so there is room for a lot of growth as changing weather patterns affect the way landscapers plan for sustainable gardens. Reusing gray water is part of the future for sustainable landscaping.

Summary:

In Summary we are working hard to train our staff and work closely with our landscapers to change our methods of landscaping.

Key to sustainable landscaping is a thoughtful choice regarding ground covers. We will champion a changeover from strictly grass to eco-lawns that do not need as much care. This will take an understanding from Landlords that some weeds are not weeds at all but healthy plant life that extends the life of the grasses they are planted with. The key question is how tenants will react to this changeover. Will they rent buildings that are surrounded by eco-lawns? ( My personal response to this is that if we educate the tenants, they will want to work in an environment that is healthier for them for our planet and is more sustainable.)We will need to mulch grass clippings and aerate the grass for healthy plant life. Using eco-lawns we should not have to fertilize grass areas. Using controllers, we can reduce the use of water, and if we mulch bedding areas that water will stay in the beds for a longer time and not run off.

Clearly I have only touched the surface of landscape sustainability. My goal was to introduce the possibility of making changes to landscape practices and reduce the use of chemicals in landscape applications. Please consider some of these ideas; let’s do our part to build a healthy planet.

GuIDELINES CONTINUED FRoM PAGE 12

CONTINUED oN PAGE 14


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

Technical Note:

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

These are common methods used by smart controllers to determine the watering time:

• Historical: Uses historical weather and water use data.

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

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

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

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

Courtesy of: http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/faq/smart-controllers.htm

Clifford A. Hockley is President of Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services, greater Portland’s full service real estate brokerage and property management company. Founded in 1972, Bluestone & Hockley’s staff totals nearly 110 employees, including 20 licensed brokers. The company’s

property management division serves commercial buildings, apartments, condominium associations and houses in the Portland / Vancouver metro area, while the brokerage division facilitates both leasing and sales of investment properties throughout Oregon and Washington.

The 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.

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

• Assisting local public officials on various com-munity endeavors relating to public or private housing.

The Update is a monthly publication for members of The Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland.10520 NE Weidler St, Portland, OR 97220Phone 503-254-4723, Fax 503-254-4821www.rhagp.orgHours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Editorial Staff Alita DoughertyCari Pierce - Graphic Designer

Publisher: The Rental Housing Associati onof Greater Portland

The opinions expressed in this newslett er are those of the authors and do not refl ect those of the Board of Directors or the newslett er editor or committ ee.

All adverti sing inquiries should be directed to Alita Dougherty or Cari Pierce at 503-254-4723.Please noti fy the RHA offi ce of any address changes.

GuIDELINES CONTINUED FRoM PAGE 13

Why attend a dinner meeting?1. Education, Education, Education2. A chance to network with other owners and vendors 3. Great door prizes from Affi liate/Dual members4. Interesting Speakers

ADVERTISING AVAILABLE!!!Are you an Aff iliate or Dual Member of the RHA?

Are you Utilizing all your advertising opportunities? There

is space available and we want YOU.

Call 503/254-4723 to fi nd out more!


A GREAT TIME To BE A LANDLoRD? By Robert L. Cain, Copyright 2012 All Property Management, LLC

The coming year could be a terrific time to be a landlord. Changes in the tax code could mean more business for us.

As there have been for some time, there are rumblings about doing away with the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners. Should that happen, homeownership would lose one of its biggest benefits, the ability to deduct the interest people pay from their income taxes. That is a deduction that is worth $215 billion dollars by 2021 according to the Wall Street Journal. The White House also wants to eliminate the deduction for real estate taxes running the total up to $400 billion in 10 years.

Congress wouldn’t phase it out all at once but rather in fits and starts. Most likely it would begin with a lowering of the limit of the mortgage amount eligible for the deduction from $1.1 million to $500,000. Then, inch by inch, Congress would take away more and more of it until homeowners could no longer deduct any mortgage interest from their income taxes.

Would it make much difference? According to a USA Today study with data from the IRS, only 26 percent of people take the deduction now with some states higher and some lower. But that means about a quarter of the people take advantage of it. USA Today apparently didn’t calculate the loan amounts of those people who took the deduction.

The question is, though, what would be the result for those people who were taking the deduction? As we all know, you can’t do just one thing. Every action results in someone reacting to the action to his or her benefit, or at least trying to react that way. One possible result would be that some people would become renters since owning a home would be less of a benefit. That especially might be the case in the states where more people take the deduction, such as those in the Pacific Northwest and New England with, the IRS reports, 30 percent or more taking it. Maryland has the highest rate with 37 percent taking it followed by Connecticut with 34 percent.

That does not include the people who decide not to buy a home because there is no tax advantage. It’s just as cost effective to rent, especially considering the tenuous housing market the last few years.

If people bail out of homeownership, they still have to live somewhere, and that somewhere would be renting from landlords. Will all of them do it? Obviously not, but think about what an influx of customers that would mean to people who own and manage rental properties.

You see, rental owners will still be able to take the deduction because it is a business expense taken on Schedule C, not Schedule A where consumers take the

deduction now. We will also be able to deduct real estate taxes, a deduction the Obama administration wants to get rid of, for the same reason. It’s a business expense.

The elimination of the deduction could well impact the number of new homes built, too, because since fewer people would be buying homes, fewer would be needed. That would mean existing housing could become more valuable because there is less of it to go around. That means rents would go up.

Is a total elimination of the mortgage interest deduction going to happen anytime soon? Most likely not. Might Congress start chipping away at it?

Maybe so. Count on the Realtors and National Association of Homebuilders to come out swinging. The Realtors spent $26 million on lobbying in 2012 while the Homebuilders spent about $4 million in 2012, down from $10 million in 2009. That’s just lobbying, not campaign contributions. If the mortgage interest deduction is on the line, count on that spending going up. Will the lobbying and campaign contributions have an effect? Absolutely. Politicians don’t want millions of dollars thrown to their opponents in elections, something that would happen if they were to vote to eliminate the deduction.

Will Congress do something to the mortgage interest deduction soon? That seems likely since they have dug such a deep hole with the deficit that they have to at least make a show of trying to fill that hole. Will anything Congress does, in that regard, benefit rental owners? You bet. It will mean more renters and more profitable rentals. It’s a great time to be a landlord.

Robert Cain is a nationally-recognized speaker and writer on property management and real estate issues. Visit the web site www.rentalprop.com.


WHy THE MINIMuM WAGE DESERvES youR MAxIMuM ATTENTIoN

Violations found among employers nationwide

When you create your business plan, forecast your expenses, and balance your budget, staffing costs play a pivotal role. Determining hourly rates to pay your employees causes you to take many factors into consideration. How much should you pay your entry level employees? How much should you pay your managers? Minimum wage requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are a key component in that formula. Minimum hourly rates, as well as the circumstances under which you are allowed to make deductions from employees’ pay for items like uniforms, cash shortages, etc., not only steer your business decisions but are also clearly established by the requirements of the FLSA.The U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division enforces the FLSA, the federal law that provides minimum wage, overtime, child labor, and recordkeeping requirements for covered employers in the U.S. Determining and paying the minimum compensation due to your employees under that law depends upon paying at least the legally-required minimum wage for all hours worked. Unless a specific exemption applies, employees must be paid at least the minimum wage for each hour worked, and time-and-one-half their regular rates for any hours in excess of 40 hours worked in a workweek. Employees who do not qualify for an exemption are commonly referred to as “non-exempt” employees, while those who do qualify are referred to as “exempt” employees. The federal minimum wage for covered, non-exempt employees is currently $7.25 per hour, which has been effective since July 24, 2009.

Some of the most frequent problem areas identified in businesses that lead to violations of the minimum wage requirements include:

1) Paying hourly rates below $7.25 per hour;2) Making deductions from employees’ pay for uniforms;3) Making deductions from employees’ pay for cash register shortages;4) Making deductions from employees’ pay to cover damages to equipment, customers who walked out on their bills, or other property losses to the employer; and5) Failing to pay for hours worked. FLSA violations result when all hours worked are not paid for and overall wages fall below $7.25 per hour.

Minimum wage Principles:

The federal minimum wage provisions are contained in the FLSA. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, effective July 24, 2009. Many states also have their own minimum wage laws, some of which provide greater

employee protections. In cases where an employer is subject to both a federal and a state law at the same time, the employer must comply with the higher standard in order to be in compliance with both. For example, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. If the minimum wage in your state is $8.00 per hour, you must pay your employees $8.00 per hour in order to be in compliance with both the federal and the state requirements. Generally speaking, when you’re subject to two laws at the same time, the stricter standard applies.

Posters:

Every employer of employees subject to the FLSA’s minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the law in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments (i.e., in a place where employees can readily read it). WHD prescribes the content of this notice. An approved copy of the poster may be downloaded free of charge at the following link:

www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/minwagep.pdf

Questions about the minimum wage often arise in the following situations:

1) What is the lowest amount I can legally pay my employees per hour?

The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. $7.25 per hour is the lowest amount you can pay a non-exempt employee. Even if an employee agrees to work for less, such an agreement would not make payment below that amount legal. However, certain specific programs do allow wage payments to certain employees in amounts less than $7.25 per hour, but only when specific conditions are met. Examples include student learners (vocational education students), and workers whose earning or productive capacities for the work to be performed are impaired by physical or mental disabilities. (See www.dol.gov/whd/specialemployment/index.htm for more information on these programs).

2) Can I charge my employees for uniforms?

Yes, under certain conditions. The FLSA does not require that employees wear uniforms. However, if the wearing of a uniform is required by some other law, the nature of a business or by an employer, the cost and maintenance of the uniform is considered to be a business expense of the employer. If the employer requires the employee to bear the cost, that cost may not reduce the employee's wage below the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Nor may that cost cut into overtime compensation required by the Act.

If an employee who is subject to the minimum wage of

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17


$7.25 per hour is paid only the minimum amount of $7.25 per hour, the employer may not make any deduction from the employee's wages for the cost of the uniform, nor may the employer require the employee to purchase the uniform on his/her own.

If an employer only requires a general type of ordinary basic street clothing to be worn while working and permits some variation (For example, the employer requires only khaki pants and a green polo-style shirt), such clothing would not be considered a uniform. The cost to the employee of buying these items, which could be worn for personal use outside of work, does not have to be considered by the employer.

Some states impose their own requirements with regard to permissible deductions. In areas of mutual jurisdiction, the higher standard applies.

3) If the cash register comes up short at the end of a shift, can I require the employees responsible for the cash drawer to pay back the shortage?

No deduction may be made from an employee’s wages which would reduce the employee’s earnings below the required minimum wage or overtime compensation.

In addition to cash drawer shortages, employers sometimes consider making deductions for damages to their property caused by an employee, financial losses due to customers not paying their bills, and/or theft of the employer’s property by the employee or others. Employees may not be required to pay for any of these items if, by doing so, their wages would be reduced below the required minimum wage or overtime compensation. This is true even if an economic loss suffered by the employer is due to the employee’s negligence.

Employers may not avoid FLSA minimum wage and overtime requirements by having the employee reimburse the employer in cash for the cost of such items in lieu of deducting the cost directly from the employee’s wages.

4) How often does the federal minimum wage increase? The minimum wage does not increase automatically. Congress must pass a bill which the President signs into law in order for the minimum wage to go up. However, there is nothing in the law that prevents employers from paying more than the minimum wage.

For additional information on the requirements of the FLSA, visit the U. S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s website at www.dol.gov/whd , or call 866-4US-WAGE (866-487-9243). Your state may have additional or different statutes or regulations. To find your state labor department’s contact information, visit www.dol.gov/whd/contacts/state_of.htm .

2012 RHA ACCoMPLISHMENTS

In 2012 our membership went over 1,700 in Regular, Affiliate and Dual members. Many of the new members purchased a rental taking advantage of the low prices and low interest rates.

Under Chair Ron Garcia the Education committee doubled the number of classes offered. All classes are now offered on both the East and West sides of the Portland metro area. Plans were made to begin offering lunch time sessions to serve additional members. The brown bag lunch sessions will be held in the RHAGP conference room once a month.

Membership chair and new RHAGP President Elizabeth Carpenter found a way to lower dues for members with 1 to 4 units. (See page 4) Plus this month we launch a new level of membership with the Premium Membership with additional benefits for members that want more online programs and information. (See page 4)

In November the membership committee changed the New Member Orientation sessions from just before the dinner meeting to the last Thursday of the month and added a Mentor question and answer time. All members can now stop by the office conference room on the last Thursday of the month to learn more about the association or ask an experienced landlord questions. Several RHAGP members have volunteered to answer questions on maintenance, management or tenant behavior. The volunteers are not attorneys and cannot answer legal questions but have years of experience in managing rental properties.

The Government Affairs committee chair Phil Owen suggested we needed a representative on the Portland Fair Housing Committee and then found the volunteer to serve on this important committee. Jerad Goughnour is the only residential rental property manager on the committee.

Each year the Community Relations committee holds a Toy Drive to benefit the families of Oregon National Guard and Reserve personnel serving overseas. This year committee chair Tony Kavanagh emphasized the need for gifts for children age 9 and up. RHAGP members came through with a pickup load of toys and gift cards.

Our accomplishments are achieved by the many members of committees. If you would like to join a committee and help RHAGP do even more please call a committee chair today. (See page 2)

PLEASE VISIT US AT WWW.RHAGP.ORG

MINIMuM WAGE CONTINUED FRoM PAGE 16


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.

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

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

Accounting / bookkeepingBalancing Point, Inc.

Sandy Buhite-LandisP.503-659-8803, C.503-504-946612500 SE Oatfield Rd, Milwaukie, [email protected]

Cheryl C. Delozier, CPA 503-239-0111Charlie Rogers & Vicki MartinTax & Accounting [email protected]

Northwood Business SvcsJon Moon, P.503-297-2610OBTP #B01422 LTC 5177Accounting/Tax [email protected]

Portland Tax CompanyP.503-258-0700, F.503-256-1527Full Service Tax and [email protected]

Advertising / mArketingThe Landlord Times

P.503-221-1260News for Property Managers and Ownerswww.thelandlordtimes.com

The Oregonian PublishingDavid Sandvig, P.503-221-84171320 SW Broadway, Portland [email protected]

AppLiAnce-rent,service,LeAseAzuma Leasing

BJ Rosow, P.800-707-1188P.512-236-9000, F.512-239-90092905 San Gabriel St #218Austin, TX 78705

Mac-Gray CorporationFormerly Web Laundry CompanyKaren AnthonyP-503-330-9628

Mr. Appliance of PDX, CCB#190613P.503-658-520425% Labor for RHAGP MembersAny Problem, Any Brand, Any Time

AppLiAnce-sALes onLyG&C Distributing Company

Tony Kavanagh, P.503-288-02215010 NE Oregon St, Portland 97213

Standard TV & ApplianceJoe Mosee & Cathy MoseeP.503-619-0500, C.503-888-69273600 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton 97005

AppLicAnt screeningNational Tenant Network

Marcia GohmanP.503-635-1118, F.503-635-9392PO Box 21027, Keizer 97303www.ntnonline.com

Prospective Renters Verification ServiceCharlie KamermanP.503-655-0888, F.503-655-0900

RHAGPP.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821Fast, affordable tenant screeningwww.rhagp.org

TrueSource Screening, LLC David Mustard

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

Tenant Check LLCBrent VaughtersP.360-574-3924, F.360-397-0196www.aptcheck.com

AsphALt pAvingHal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434

Brian King, P.503-656-499920666 S HWY 213, Oregon City [email protected]

AssociAtionsMetro Area Smoke Free Housing Project

P.503-718-6145www.smokefreeoregon.com

AttorneysBittner & Hahs, P.C.

Andy Hahs, P.503-228-56264949 SW Meadows Rd #260Lake Oswego 97035

Broer & Passannante, P.S.Mark G Passannante, P.503-294-09101001 SW Fifth Ave. STE 1220 Portland, OR 97204

Jeffrey S. BennettJeff Bennett, P.503-255-8795850 NE 122nd Ave, Portland 97230Protecting landlords’ rights in Oregon for over a decade.

Law Offices of Richard Schneider, LLCP.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210Business formation ~ LLCs

Scott A.McKeown, P.C.Scott McKeown, P.503-224-19378700 SW 26th Ave, STE. S, Portland [email protected]

Timothy Murphy, Attorney at LawAlways representing ONLY landlordsTim Murphy P. 503-550-4894522 SW 5th Ave, #812, Portland 97204

bAsement WAterprooFingJohn’s Waterproofing, CCB# 15830

Crawlspace WaterproofingP. 503-233-0825 Fully Staffedwww.johnswaterproofing.com

cArpentry & repAirsEaton General Construction, CCB# 154142

P.503-539-0811Full Service General Contractorwww.eatongeneral.com

G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743P.503-826-9404Maintenance & Painting [email protected]

cArpet cLeAningApple Cleaning Co.

Order & Quotes for Carpet Steam CleaningApartment, House & Office CleaningCall 503-380-5298/[email protected]

Dura Clean Carpet CleaningUpholstery, Pet odor removal, Flood ServiceP.503-914-8785 [email protected]

O’Meara Carpet Cleaning503-538-1983, 503-620-5005Cleaning, Pet Odor Removal, Flood Damagewww.omearacarpetcleaning.com

cArpet sALesContract Furnishings MartRoss Williams

P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97214

Patrick VonPegertP.503-542-8900, 800-935-125014160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224

Roger HarmsP.503-656-5277, 877-656-523215140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas [email protected]

Pat HockmanP.360-896-6150, 800-267-615011013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682

The Floor StoreTed Stapleton, P.503-408-64885628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland [email protected]

cLeAning / cLeAn upAll Surface Cleaning Co., CCB# 155380

Adam Zumwalt, P.503-781-3611Exterior surface clean & restorewww.allsurfacecleaning.com

coLLection AgenciesAnderson & Associates Credit Svcs, LLC

P.503-293-5400, F.503-813-2159PO Box 230286, Portland [email protected]

communicAtionsComcast Business Services

Dave Dronkowski, P.503-957-4186Telephone, Internet and Cable TV [email protected]

concreteHal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434


doorsGoose Hollow Window Co., Inc.

Mary D. Mann [email protected]#53631 goosehwc.comEnergy Trust Trade Ally

eFFiciencyEnergy DietFree Efficiency InstallationsP. 503-960-5482 [email protected]

eLectricDeKorte Electric, Inc. CCB#159954

P.503-288-22115331 SW Macadam #258-113, Portland 97239

Portland General ElectricAnne Snyder-Grassmann, P.503-464-7534

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB#163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Fully Licensed to do it [email protected]

energy conservAtionEcoTech LLC

[email protected]

estAte pLAnningLaw Offices of Richard Schneider, LLC

P.503-241-1215, www.rbsllc.com2455 NW Marshall St #11, Portland 97210

evictionsAction Services

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

Barrister Support ServiceP.503-246-8934Evictions, 1st appearances, process servingwww.barristersupport.com

Landlord SolutionsP.503-242-2312, F.503-242-1881PO Box 7087, Portland 97007Online evictions & first appearanceswww.landlord-solutions.com

Oregon Legal Assistance ServicesP.503-954-1009, F.971-266-8372 [email protected]

1031 eXchAnges/reitstenAncy in common

Peregrine Private Capital Corp.P.503-241-49495000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego [email protected]

FinAnciAL servicesAmerican Commercial Mortgage Network

Al Williams, P.206-264-13251366 91st Ave NE, Clyde Hill, WA 98004

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

Chase Commercial Term LendingTom Barbour, P.503-598-3657Steve Mozinski, [email protected]

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

Wells Fargo Home MortgageRon Eiseman, P.503-886-14971300 SW Fifth Ave. STE 950,Portland [email protected]

Fire / WAter dAmAge restorAtionCooper Construction, CCB#08587

P.503-232-3121, Since 19502305 SE 9th Ave, Portland 97214www.fire-water-restoration.com

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676P.503-240-3388, 24/7 ResponseCatastrophe Restoration Specialistswww.jrjohnsoninc.com

Fire sAFetyTualatin Valley Fire & Rescue

Eric T McMullen, P.503-612-70007401 SW Washo Ct, STE 101, Tualatin [email protected]




FLoor coveringContract Furnishings MartRoss Williams

P.503-230-1250, 800-275-6722915 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland 97214

Patrick VonPegertP.503-542-8900, 800-935-125014160 SW 72nd Ave #110, Tigard 97224

Roger HarmsP.503-656-5277, 877-656-523215140 SE 82nd Dr, Clackamas [email protected]

Pat HockmanP.360-896-6150, 800-267-615011013 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA 98682

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

J & B Hardwood Floors, Inc.Jim Cripps, [email protected]

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

The Floor StoreTed Stapleton, P.503-408-64885628 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland [email protected]

FormsRHAGP

P.503-254-4723, F.503-254-4821Court-tested, up-to-date rental formswww.rhagp.org

hAndymAnBluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Chuck Hodges, P.503-222-38009320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Ptld [email protected]

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

G&G Construction Inc., CCB# 162743P.503-826-9404Maintenance & Painting [email protected]

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Fully licensed to do it [email protected]

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

hAuLingJunk Away Hauling CCB# 177966

P.503-517-9027Licensed, bonded, insured, trash [email protected]

heAting & cooLingMidway Heating Co. CCB#24044

P.503-252-400312625 SE Sherman St, Portland 97233

Pyramid Heating & Cooling CCB# 59382P.503-786-9522Serving the Portland Metro [email protected]

heAting oiL tAnkEcoTech LLC

P: [email protected]

housing AuthoritiesHousing Authority of Portland

Jill Riddle, P.503-802-8565135 SW Ash St, Portland 97204

insuLAtion GOOSE HOLLOW WINDOW CO., INC.

Mary D. Mann [email protected]#53631 goosehwc.comEnergy Trust Trade Ally

insurAnceLarry Thompson Agency

P.503-924-2200, F.503-924-220215573 SE Bangy Rd, STE 220Lake Oswego 97035

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

State Farm InsurancePaul Toole, P.503-655-22066105 W “A” St #B, West Linn 97068

Stegmann Agency - Farmers InsuranceP.503-667-7971, F.503-666-8110202 SE 181st Ave #201, Portland [email protected]

Wolter Van Doorninck, CPCUElliot, Powell, Baden & BakerP.503-227-1771, F.503-274-76448355 SW Davies Rd, Beaverton [email protected]

investment servicesPeregrine Private Capital Corp.

P.503-241-49495000 Meadows Road, # 230 Lake Oswego [email protected]

LAndscApingJ. Salinas Landscaping

J. Salinas, P.503-816-1190

Oregon Tree [email protected]

mAson contrActorsD&R Masonry Restoration, Inc., CCB#99196

Ray Elkins, P.503-353-16508890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222www.drmasonry.com

moLdJ.R. Johnson Inc. , CCB#102676

P.503-240-3388, 24/7 ResponseCatastrophe Restoration Specialistswww.jrjohnsoninc.com

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

movers-houseEmmert Development Company

Terry Emmert, P.503-655-993311811 SE Hwy 212, Clackamas 97015

pAint / pAintersBrad Poppino Painting Co. CCB# 185497

Brad Poppino P.503-659-7551,/503-957-8298Interior / ExteriorLead Paint Certified

G&G Construction Inc, CCB# 162743P.503-826-9404Maintenance & Painting [email protected]

Rental Housing Maint. Svcs. CCB# 163427Gary Indra, P.503-678-2136Professional interior & exterior [email protected]

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

Rodda PaintTim Epperly, [email protected]

pest controLAlpha Ecological Pest Control

Marisa SwensonPDX 503-252-5046 Van.360-750-0702

1200 NE 112 Ave, Vancouver WA 98684

Frost Integrated Pest MgmtP.503-863-0973Residential • Commercial • Multi-Familywww.frostpestfreezone.com

NW Pest ControlBruce Beswick, P.503-253-53259108 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland [email protected]

Orkin Pest ControlDan WolcottAccount Manager & InspectorP-503-384-8384 [email protected]

pLumbing / drAin cLeAningGrumpy’s Drains

Portland’s #1 Drain Cleaning Service www.grumpysdrains.com503422-9476

MJ’s Plumbing, CCB# 36338Michael LeFever, P.503-261-91551045 NE 79, Portland 97213

Nichols Plumbing, CCB# 132527Expert in all phases of residentialLicensed, Bonded and InsuredP: 503-653-2069

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


property mAnAgersAction Management

Wendi Samperi, P.503-710-0732

Alpine Property ManagementTiffany Arrington, P.503-641-46204750 SW Washington Ave, Beaverton 97005www.alpinepdx.com

Associated Property ManagementJane Raffety, P.503-648-2150408 SE Baseline, Hillsboro 97123www.associatedmgmt.com

Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate ServicesCliff Hockley, P.503-222-38009320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219

Fox Management, Inc.Tressa L. Rossi, P.503-280-0241C.503-750-8124, F.503-280-02422316 NE Glisan St., Portland [email protected]

The Garcia GroupRon Garcia, P.503-595-47475320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239www.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 Tenantswww.lakesidepmc.com

Micro Property Management “We focus on the small details”

P- 503-473-3742 [email protected]

Portland Pioneer [email protected] prop. managment service

Prim & Prosperous Property Management3PM, 503-635-8926Patricia [email protected]

Rappold Property ManagementTroy K. Rappold, P.503-232-59901125 SE Madison St STE 201, Portland [email protected]

Voss Property ManagementRichard Voss, P.503-546-79026110 N Lombard St, Portland 97203

rAdonCascade Radon Inc.

P: [email protected]

EcoTech LLCP: [email protected]

reAL estAte sALesBluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services

Cliff Hockley, P.503-222-38009320 SW Barbur Blvd STE300, Portland 97219

Chris AndersonJohn L. Scott Real [email protected]

Denise L GodingKeller Williams RealtyP.503-336-6378, C.503-799-2970www.denisegoding.com

Elizabeth CarpenterLizC Real Estate Investments, LLCP.503-314-6498, F.503-698-6566liz @ lizcrei.com, www.lizcrei.com

HFO Investment Real EstateGreg Frick, P.503-241-55411028 SE Water Ave, STE 270, Portland 97214www.hfore.com

Ilse NormanAssociate AdvisorSperry Van Ness Bluestone & Hockleyp-503-459-4376 www.svnbluestone.com


J.L. Lutz & CompanyJim LutzP.503-297-7101, F.503-291-78515440 SW Westgate Dr #115, Portland 97221 [email protected]

M. Maltase Real Estate GroupMichelle Maltase, [email protected]

The Garcia GroupRon Garcia, P.503-595-47475320 SW Macadam STE 100, Portland 97239www.4-homes.com

restorAtion / reconstructionEaton General Construction, CCB# 154142

P.503-539-0811Full Service General Contractorwww.eatongeneral.com

J.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676P.503-240-3388, 24/7 ResponseCatastrophe Restoration Specialistswww.jrjohnsoninc.com

Portland Construction SolutionsP.503-908-0822 CCB# 174542General Contractor OR & [email protected]


rooFingAAA Roof Service, CCB# 78618

Jack Robinson, P.503-642-5353Shingle & Flat Roof Systemswww.aaaroofservice.com

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

Real Estate Roofing Service, CCB# 149575Lynne Whitney, P.503-284-5522Free Inspections, ReRoof and Repairswww.realestateroofing.com

seAL coAtingHal’s Construction, Inc. CCB# 34434


seismic retroFitsEcoTech LLC

[email protected]

sidingJ.R. Johnson Inc., CCB#102676

P.503-240-3388General Contracting Serviceswww.jrjohnsoninc.com


teLephoneComcast

Telephone, internet, Cable and TV ServicesDave DronkowskiP.503-957-4186

utiLity biLLingMinol USA

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

WAterprooFing / concrete repAirD&R Waterproofing, Inc. CCB# 99196

Ray Elkins, P.503-353-16508890 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie97222www.drmasonry.com

WindoWs / storm WindoWs

GOOSE HOLLOW WINDOW CO., INC.Mary D. Mann [email protected]#53631 goosehwc.comEnergy Trust Trade Ally

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




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Vendor Info.

24 January 2013 RHAGP UPDATE

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(503) 408-6488

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January 2013 RHA Newsletter

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Transcript of January 2013 RHA Newsletter