Property Manager Magazine February 2011

So-Cal Property Manager MagazinePM MagazinePROP

ERTY

MAN

AGER

Information | Resources | Training Issue 9 | Feb 2011

2011: Plan A Productive Year

Marketing: Keep Your Eye On The Ball2011 Legislature UpdatesPET DNA: Find Pooper-Scooper Violators

s the New Year starts, we car-ry on unrealized expectations from 2010. There are things we

wanted to change and things we wanted to have happened, but it didn’t. We find ourselves going around and around in a circle while we wait. What are we wait-ing for? We’re waiting for that day when life will suddenly change. We dream of a big break, of winning the lotto, or some another meaningful breakthrough. Mean-while, we fail to take control of our lives because of fear - fear of taking risks. But there is no change without a risk.

“A man cannot discover new oceans un-less he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Andre Gide.

Personally, I’m well acquainted with changes and taking risks. There are great rewards for risk-taking. First, you will nev-er regret not trying! Second, you become much more experienced: you tried the safe route and the risky route, you obtained victories and dealt with failures, and as a result you became a stronger person.

On this issue of PM Magazine, Natalie Gahrmann shows that by looking at 2010 more objectively we will be able to plan a better 2011 Plan a Productive Year (page 6). The author asks 10 questions to help us take inventory of our lives and bring closure to unresolved issues.

If you’ve ever asked “What is distract-ing or keeping me from pursuing my life-long desires?” you will want to read Get-ting in Control (page 22). Eileen McDargh suggests ways in which we can begin to gain control of our lives and relieve our-selves from self-induced pressure.

What if we would take courage to em-brace changes in 2011? We can find in-spiration by meditating on the words of Denis Wait, from the book “Seeds of Be-lief: Attitude is Everything.”

“The most important three words you can say to yourself: “Yes, I can!”If you believe you can... you probably can. If you believe you won’t... you most assuredly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.”

from the Editor

What’s Holding You Back?

“Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence to take the

risks. Yet most people don’t. They sit in front of their TV and treat life as if it goes on

forever.” Philip Andrew Adams

PMPRO

PERT

Y M

AN

AGER

Information | Resources | Training

Editor and Publisher

ELAINE SILBERBERG

This Issue’s Contributors

ANNE SADOVSKY

EILEEN McDARGH

ERNEST F. ORIENTE

JACKIE RAMSTEDT

JAMIE STERNBERG, ESQ.

J. KATHLEEN BELVILLE, ESQ.

NATALIE GAHRMANN

Photography

STEPHEN COBURN

Graphic Design

ELAINE SILBERBERG

Proof Reader

HEIDY RIVAS

Copyright 2011PM Magazine is published by Clever Publish-ing Co. All rights are reserved. Reproduction of this publication in whole or in part without express written consent is prohibited. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher or Staff. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is ac-curate and neither PM Magazine nor Clever Publishing Co. is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine.

Published byClever Publishing Company

P. O. Box #1234, Tustin CA 92781Ph: 949-275-1453 Fax: 877-381-0751

For AdvertisingCall 949-275-1453

or Email us [email protected]

A

Elaine SilberbergPublisher & Editor-in-Chief

[email protected]

cover story

15 Manager SpotlightKanya Smith, Community Manager ofPark Summit Apartments

departments

6 Time ManagementPlan a Productive Year!by Natalie Gahrmann

8 MarketingKeep Your Eye on the Ball!by Anne Sadovsky

10 Team Building4 Steps to Building a Powerful Incentive Programby Ernest F. Oriente

12 Legal 2011 Legislative Updatesby J. Kathleen Belville, Esq. & Jamie Sternberg, Esq.

18 Resident RelationsPet DNA: Find Pooper-Scooper ViolatorsCourtesy of BioPet Vet Lab

20 Security Deposit DisputesSo, When Do I Get My Money Back?by Jackie Ramstedt

22 InspirationGetting In Controlby Eileen McDargh

www.pmmag-socal.com 5

ISSUE 9 • FEB-11CONTENTS

10

18

12

PM

time management

6 PM Magazine | Feb 2011 | www.pmmag-socal.com

A new year is an opportunity for a fresh start, a clean slate, a new begin-ning, a rebirth, or a transformation.

It’s a chance to review life, affirm your values, and outline your course of action for the year ahead.

If you are hoping to make 2011 easier on you and your family, one of the key secrets to create an easier life as a working parent is to clean up your 'messes' and then design a personal practice or system that doesn't permit them to recur.

Things in your life that are unresolved, unfinished or left hanging are referred to as an incompletion. Incompletions are those

physical, emotional or mental items that are in some way unresolved in the current moment. They can be about an issue in a relationship, unpaid bills or fines, unman-aged health problems, commitments you didn't honor, work issues, things like clutter in your physical environment, or, even, your own personal level of stress or uncertainty. Left unresolved, an incompletion of any kind drain your energy. Your life will simply be easier and flow better when it is intact and you feel whole.

Start the year by reviewing 2010 and look-ing at yourself objectively. Begin by evaluating where are in your life, where you want to make changes and where you have unfinished business. List all the challenges you endured, the joys you shared, the goals you accom-

plished, the people who made a difference in your life, the mistakes you’ve made, and what you intended to accomplish but did not.

The following questions will allow you to take inventory in some important areas of your life. It's important to be honest with yourself and explore what's going on in your life, what's up, what's in progress, what might be stuck, or what just isn't working. It's also important during this process to detach your critical judgment of yourself and to look at your life with a new perspective. The better you are at defining your current reality, the easier it will be to gain clarity about what needs to be done, created or accomplished in your life.

1. What excited and stretched you in 2010? What are you most grateful for?

2. What have you learned this past year? What can you continue building upon in the year ahead?

3. Where has your life felt in balance? Where has your life felt out of balance?

4. How many events have you missed in your children's life because of work commitments?

5. How many days have you taken off work for your own illness or obligations? Or, to care for others?

6. What recurring patterns or behaviors do you see in your life? Which are working? Which are not?

7. What stresses have your experienced in your life? How have you handled these stresses? How can you handle them for ef-fectively?

8. What do you want more of in your life? What do you want less of in your life?

9. What do you most want to accomplish next year?

10. What goals do you want to achieve short-term and long-term financially, men-tally, physically, emotionally or spiritually?

These questions are meant to bring clar-ity to specific work and life areas; it is not intended you use them to beat yourself up. If you’re not happy with some of your answers, begin getting clear on actions you can take to raise your level of satisfaction.

Review, summarize and prioritize your an-swers to these questions and decide what you’d like to add, change, or eliminate from your life. Seek out help from a professional coach, rabbi, priest, therapist, friend, work colleague or trusted partner, if necessary. You can make changes when you become astutely aware of where those changes need to be made.

The first step to living the life you want is to honestly evaluate where you are so that you can consciously design your life to work for you!New Year’s

Resolutions:

bGet out of Debt

bExercise

“...one of the key secrets to create an easier life as a working parent is to clean up your 'messes' and then design a personal practice or system that doesn't permit them to recur.”

About The AuthorNatalie Gahrmann is an interna-tionally certified professional coach and leadership development expert who works with organizations to underscore the causes of stress and productivity issues and teach

their employees how to better self-manage their burgeon-ing workload – in all aspects of their lives. She delights in helping entrepreneurs, executives, and SuperBusySM Par-ents balance their work and personal life, achieve better results, and create more fulfillment and congruency in their life. She is the author of the award winning, Succeeding as a Super Busy Parent and Tools for Creating Success, Fulfillment and Balance in your Work, Family and Personal Life. Natalie has helped thousands of people through indi-vidual & group coaching, workshops & keynote presenta-tions, on-line advice, a monthly column in Moms Business Magazine, and her free e-newsletter. To learn more about how coaching can help you or to arrange an introductory coaching session, contact [email protected]. To subscribe to free bi-weekly e-newsletter, visit online at www.theprioritypro.com.

2011 by Natalie Gahrmann

Plan a Productive Year

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s the manager drove me to the property, I questioned

her about things like competition and office hours.

When I asked about weekend traffic, she glared at me and

said "Don't mention weekends to my boss. We don't work week-

ends and we're not going to." Here I was consulting with the

owner about a 25% vacancy factor, and they were closed on

the weekends! Why? They were closed on weekends at 100%

occupancy and didn't reposition when the market changed.

There's a great story in baseball about a player running out

in the field to catch a fly ball. Just then his cap blew off, he

leaned down to retrieve it and missed the ball.

Stop today and brainstorm, look at the way things are be-

ing done (or not being done) and take action to properly

position yourself in today's challenging market. Start

with the following ten areas:

1. Check the community policies for revision. For

example, if your policy is "no pets" consider choos-

ing a few buildings for residents with pets. Have

good written policies, pet leases with photos of the

animal and strong pet deposits. As our society con-

tinues to mature, many of us have furry, feathered

or finned companions and are willing to pay ex-

tra to have them share our home. While reviewing

policies ask yourself "could this policy be costing us

leases? If so, should we consider a change?"

2. Stop the bleeding. Focus on resident retention

by remembering that a bird in the hand is worth two

in the bush. Today's resident expects service, fair

treatment, good communication and to be rewarded

at renewal time. If you treat the resident like they're

stuck with you, they will be sure to prove you wrong.

3. Get off the "giveaway" track! We have con-

ditioned prospective renters to walk in or telephone and ask

"What's your special?" If your special isn't bigger and bet-

ter than the one across the street, you lose. And

if you make sure your special is the

biggest one in town, you still

lose because you probably

can't make the mortgage

payment.

marketing

Keep Your Eye on the Ball!By Anne Sadovsky

A


Anne Sadovsky, CSP, CAM, CAPS, RAM, has been in this indus-try since 1968. She is a member of the National Speakers Asso-ciation and has earned the pres-tigious designation of Certified Speaking Professional. Based in Dallas, Texas, she was named one of the top trainers in the in-dustry by Multi Housing News. Her success story has been fea-tured in Money Magazine, La-dies Home Journal and Texas Business. Anne Sadovsky is the owner of a Dallas based mar-keting, consulting and seminar

firm – where she and her associates provide training, keynotes and counsel to a variety of industries, businesses and associations. She is the former Vice President of Marketing and Education of Lincoln Property Company. Her expertise in multifamily housing makes her a sought after consultant and trainer. As a consultant, Anne has saved and made her clients millions of dollars. To con-tact Anne by phone: 866 905-9300 or e-mail: [email protected] or visit her website at www.annesadovsky.com.

About The Author

PM

marketing

4. Shop your people regularly. Relationship selling is the

strategy of the 90’s. Do you really know how your staff is

treating your customers? In a market where every lease

counts, shopping should be a standard practice, it should also

be a positive learning experience for your team.

5. Drive your property through a prospective renter’s eyes

during the day and again at night. Is it well lit, can you see

the signs, how’s the curb appeal? Do you have guest parking,

balloons, banners, flags, flowers and signs? If they can’t find

you, they can’t lease an apartment!

6. Fair Housing "ain't gonna go away!" Be absolutely posi-

tive that you and your staff aren't going to get you sued.

Know the laws, be sure personal prejudices aren't coming to

the office, and best advice, treat everyone exactly the same

way!

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BEAT THE RAINS

team Building


t the heart of every employee in-

centive program is the ability to

motivate and reward your proper-

ty management team for excellent

performance. In this article, I will

show you four easy steps to build

an incentive program that allows everyone

to win!

Setting Objectives

For any type of employee incentive pro-

gram, your property management team must

feel the goals are attainable and realistic. An

incentive program should also fit into your

company’s overall business strategy and be

easy to measure. Using targets such as rev-

enue growth, occupancy, resident retention

and NOI, are some of the ways to establish

incentive objectives. In addition, the ideal

incentive program will allow each person in

your company to feel they have an opportu-

nity to win.

Tip From The Coach: To build a powerful

incentive program, plan a brainstorming ses-

sion with a few of your key resident man-

agers and property supervisors so they can

share unique insight about ways to make the

program a giant success. Listen to their in-

put, as they will lead you to the gold!

Developing A Strategy

Be certain your objectives are simple and

well defined. Then, do everything possible to

ensure your company goals can be evaluated

fairly and objectively. For example, the occu-

pancy at a property or the number of leases

renewed each month can be easily mea-

sured. Once you have outlined the goals to

be measured, then build a specific schedule

of how frequently you are going to report

the progress of your incentive program. For

instance, if your incentive program is going

to run for three months, then plan on an-

nouncing the rankings every two weeks, to

keep top-of-mind awareness. Lastly, clearly

outline the rules of your incentive program

in writing and define the specific time period

to be measured.

Tip From The Coach: When building your

strategy, be certain to focus on win/win.

Also, consider what will happen to morale if

many participants within your property man-

agement company don’t---or can’t---achieve

their incentive objectives.

Establishing Awards

Start by establishing your budget for this

incentive program by defining the projected

number of awards to be given. Then, con-

sider the “people-profile” of your property

management team to develop appropriate

awards that will be memorable and the win-

ners will take pride in receiving. This is an-

other great topic to brainstorm with a few

of your key resident managers and property

supervisors. Given an open forum, they will

tell you exactly what is important to them

4 Steps To Building A Powerful Incentive Program

Do you want to build a successful incentive program for your property management company? Have you dreamt about finding ways to have more fun at work and still see big results?

A By Ernest F. Oriente

PM

team Building

ABOUT THE Author Ernest F. Oriente, a business coach since 1995

(24,560 hours), the author of SmartMatch Alli-

ances, and the founder of PowerHour, has a pas-

sion for coaching his clients on executive leader-

ship, hiring and motivating property management

SuperStars, traditional and Internet SEO/SEM

marketing, competitive sales strategies, and high

leverage alliances for property management teams and their leaders.

He provides private and group coaching for property management

companies around North America, investment banking services,

executive recruiting services, SEO/SEM web strategies and power-

ful tools for hiring property management SuperStars and building

dynamic teams. Since 1995, Ernest has written 172 articles for the

property management industry and created 250+ property man-

agement forms, business and marketing checklists, sales letters and

presentation tools. To subscribe to his free property management

newsletter go to www.powerhour.com. Contact Ernest by e-mail at

[email protected] or visit online at www.powerhour.com.

and to those they manage.

Tip From The Coach: Your team will be most inspired if they feel the incentive rewards are meaningful enough to justify their efforts. Some award ideas: a nice dinner with the President of your company, education/training classes paid for by the company, a paid day off with cash for shopping, a special plaque to reward top performers, special recognition at your next company meeting, or a trip to a vacation resort.

Evaluating The Results Bravo! Your incentive program is completed and now is the time

to evaluate the results and to justify the success of your program. Start by getting feedback from your property management team by surveying them and asking for their feedback. Ask them if the incen-tive program made a difference in their performance and ask for any suggestions they have to improve future programs. Then, evaluate if the program helped your property management company achieve its goals while consider any improvements you would make for the next incentive program.

Tip From The Coach: When evaluating the success of your incentive program, look for any side benefits you didn’t expect, such as a new spirit of enthusiasm, reduced turnover or increased teamwork.

CA Bills Becoming Law In 2011

SB 183 Carbon Monoxide Detectors

This section requires installation of carbon monoxide detec-

tors. The State Fire Marshall is required to certify and approve

carbon monoxide detectors and instructions. By July 1, 2011,

certified detectors must be installed in all single family dwell-

ings having a fossil fuel burning heater or appliance (such as a

gas stove or oven), fireplace or attached garage. Installation

in similar multi-family

dwellings will be re-

quired as of January

1, 2013. The number

of detectors installed

must be consistent

with new construction

guidelines. At least

one device must be

installed on each

floor of a dwelling.

The penalty for fail-

ure to comply is up to

$200 for each offense, after a 30 day notice to correct. The

owner of the dwelling unit must maintain the detector(s). The

owner may enter the dwelling unit to install, repair, test or main-

tain the detector(s). The tenant must notify the owner if he or she

becomes aware that a detector isn’t working. Upon notification,

the owner must repair the detector. Unlike smoke detectors, CO

detectors must be replaced every 7 years. Note that hearing-

impaired residents may need smoke detectors and CO detec-

tors that emit flashes of light in addition to sounds.

SB 782 Domestic Violence

Additional protections have been provided for residential

tenants who are victims of domestic violence. In last year’s ses-

sion, victims were given the right to terminate a lease without

penalty under certain conditions, upon 30 day’s notice. This new

law provides protection from eviction and the right to change

the locks.

Eviction: A landlord may not evict (or fail to renew a lease) sole-

ly on the basis of domestic violence against a tenant or a ten-

ant’s household member if the abuser is not a co-tenant unless:

The tenant lets the abuser visit the property or

The landlord reasonably believes that the abuser poses a

physical threat to others or their right to quiet possession of

the property.

Additionally, the tenant has been given a 3 day notice to

cure the violation.

Lock change: This portion of the law applies to leases entered

into on or after January 1, 2011. A domestic violence victim can request in writing that the landlord change the locks on the dwelling unit. If the land-lord fails to make the change within 24 hours, the tenant can change the locks even if the lease prohibits such change. The tenant must give the landlord notice that they have made the change within 24 hours and make arrangements to provide the landlord a key. The tenant is required to make the change in a workmanlike manner and use locks of similar or better quality than the original lock. If the abuser is a co-tenant, the victim must give the land-lord a copy of a court order that excludes the abuser from the dwelling unit. The landlord will not have liability for al-lowing the abusive tenant to be locked out, and the excluded tenant remains liable under the lease. If the abuser is not a tenant, the victim has the same rights to request and/or change locks but can do so only upon pre-sentation to the landlord of either a temporary restraining

order or a police report alleging the domestic violence.

Water Conservation

Water-conserving plumbing fixtures are required to be in-

stalled in all single-family homes by January 1, 2017, and in

multi-family properties by January 1, 2019.


Legislative UpdateBy J. Kathleen Belville, Esq. & Jamie Sternberg, Esq.

Courtesy of Kimball, Tirey & St. John

Additionally, when a

building permit is issued, the

builder must install water-

conserving plumbing fixtures

when a certificate of com-

pletion or approval of a fi-

nal building permit is sought

after January 1, 2014.

New Federal Requirements

Lead Regulations

As of April 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

requirements regarding lead paint training went into effect.

One must be certified to do repairs or maintenance on surfaces

that potentially contain lead-based paint. This applies to pre-

1978 properties when more than six square feet of interior

paint or twenty square feet of exterior paint are disturbed,

unless the premises have been certified to be lead-free. Spe-

cific work practices must be followed, and there are no longer

opt-out provisions regarding the occupants (for instance when

there are no children under 6 or pregnant persons present). In

addition to the pamphlet required at the beginning of the ten-

ancy, there is now a pamphlet called “Renovate Right,” which is

required to be distributed prior to qualifying repairs. The rule is

available at: www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.

“Red Flags” Identity Theft Rule

Prompted by the nearly 10 million Americans that have fallen

victim to identity theft, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transac-

tions Act of 2003 (FACTA) amended the Fair Credit Reporting

Act (FCRA) and required financial institutions and creditors to

develop and implement written identity theft programs aimed

to protect businesses and consumers from identity theft.

The FACTA establishes new rules referred to as “Red Flags”

that require financial institutions and creditors to develop poli-

cies and procedures for identifying, detecting and responding

to any practice or activity that may indicate potential identity

theft. The compliance date for the red flags rule was recently

extended to December 31, 2010. After the effective date,

legal updates

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financial institutions and creditors must have in place written programs to protect against identity theft. While it is not clear whether the rule applies to landlords, prudent industry profes-sionals are complying with the regulations in order to reduce the risk of harm to debtors and protect themselves from potential future liability.

Trends

Proposition 19

Although this proposition did not pass, many landlords have expressed concern about the possibility that marijuana may be legalized in California in the future. It does not appear that there would be any significant difference between restrictions on tobacco smoke or marijuana smoke if the general use of marijuana becomes legal. The use or growth of marijuana for medical purposes would not likely be affected by legalizing non-medical use. Currently, landlords must make a determina-tion as to whether such use or growth for medical purposes is a “reasonable” accommodation, given that it is still illegal under federal law.

Surety Bonds in Lieu of a Security Deposit

Insurance companies now offer Surety Bonds for use by pro-spective tenants who wish to avoid payment of a security de-posit to a landlord. It does not appear that landlords must ac-cept such bonds, but failure to accept should be justifiable or the refusal might be alleged to be an unfair business practice.

If accepted, the landlord would make a claim against the bond in the event the tenant incurred damages that would have been covered under the state’s security deposit law, Civil Code §1950.5. If damages exceed the limit of the bond, the land-lord would retain the right to pursue the former tenant for the amount that was not covered by the bond.

Mandatory Recycling

Many cities have passed mandatory recycling legislation for multifamily properties. Trash diversion plans are well-intentioned but can have negative repercussions for landlords who either do not have room for recycling bins or cannot control use of them.

Mandatory Water Conservation

In response to mandatory water cuts, most water districts inSouthern California has implemented mandatory water conser-

vation measures. Many of the measures “penalize” heavy users by charging them considerably more for any water usage that exceeds the water allotment amount assigned to the proper-ty. This puts owners and managers of multi-family properties where the units are not separately metered or sub-metered in a Catch-22 position. Water usage is a subject of controversy be-cause of governmental resistance to support either Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBS), which apportions the water bill among non-metered tenants, or in-line meters, which would measure usage to each unit. It is clear that people will have a tendency to use less water if they are responsible for paying for excess usage. Note that the landlord’s sewer fees are directly related to the quantity of water that goes through the system as well.

Smoking in Rental Housing

Many cities (including Belmont, Burbank, Calabasas, Dublin, El Ca-jon, Glendale, Loma Linda, Novato, Pasadena, San Mateo and Temecula) have passed anti-smoking legislation, either allowing or requiring landlords to protect residents from secondhand smoke. New smoke free laws are being added rapidly. If your property is designated smoke-free, there are marketing opportunities available online through smoke-free housing registries.

About The Authors

Kathleen Belville was a licensed California real estate salesper-son prior to receiving her Juris Doctorate degree. She entered the practice of law as a generalist in real estate matters, becoming a specialist in the representation of landlords in 1989. She is the Managing Partner of the Fair Housing Training and Defense De-partment. She is also a rental property owner.

Jamie Sternberg has been the Managing Partner of Kimball, Tirey and St. John’s Business and Real Estate Group since 1999. She was formerly a Partner in Nostrand and Lange before joining Kimball, Tirey and St. John.

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP is a full service real estate law firm representing residential and commercial property owners & managers. This article is for general information purposes only.

Before acting, be sure to receive legal advice from our office. If you have questions, please contact KTS at (800) 338-6039 or www.kts-law.com.

PM


manager spotlight

Manager SpotlightKanya Smith

Community Manager of Park Summit Apartments

Photos by Stephen CoburnStory by Elaine Silberberg

Kanya began her career in prop-

erty management on March 2004.

However, before entering into property

management, Kanya worked as a

free-lance photographer for a pub-

lishing company. One day, while

talking to the manager of the

apartment community that

she lived at, Kanya found out

an assistant manager posi-

tion was available. The

manager was willing to

train Kanya, as she had

some management

skills and could start

immediately.

www.pmmag-socal.com 15


After weighting the pros and cons of changing her career direction, Kanya realized that the no-commute, “9 to 6” job was not a bad deal after all. So it was at this point on March 2004 that Kanya became the assistant manager of Summer Breeze Apartments

Today, Kanya is the Com-munity Manager of Park Sum-mit Apartments, in Anaheim. “My property is not very large, but it is cozy and friendly,” says Kanya, “and my team keeps it very clean.” This friendly envi-ronment is what keeps Kanya at Park Summit.

Kanya has a son, Liang, and her job allows the flexibility to be there for him when he needs her. She could have taken on more responsibilities at larger properties, but she has chosen to stay at Park Summit. “It takes time to build a stable team that cares and to have residents that appreciate you and where they live.”

Kanya is proud to talk about her property: “when I came to be the manager here, the curb appeal needed a lot work – the lawn was in very bad shape and the walkway was unattractive. Now there are flower pots decorating the common area and even a small water fountain in the central courtyard.”

Since Park Summit doesn’t have pool or other major amenities, Kanya and her staff uses the “friendly atmo-sphere” as their greatest sell-

ing point. During the summer months, they organize a resi-dent’s event called Meet your Neighbor. Kanya explains: “Meet your neighbor is always a great

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success, with over 70% participation of our residents. The property pays for BBQ and drinks and our resi-dents bring their side dishes. Since our demographics include people from several different nations, we get to taste food from everywhere in the world.”

After 6 years working in property management Kan-ya has realized that “the success of a great apartment community doesn’t happen from one day to the other; it takes working to build a team of staff members and residents that appreciate the property. When you get everyone focusing on the same goal, the success is in-evitable!”

Our property’s

greatest asset:

friendy atmosphere!

Kanya with 5 years old son Liang: “Because I live on-site, I have the flexibility to be available for Liang when he needs me.”

PM

If I Had 2 Hands I’d Clean It Up

MYSELF!Don’t Make ME

Look Bad!

Pet DNA:New Tool To Get Pet Owners To Clean Up Their Act.

t may be surprising to know that some of the fiercest battle lines in civic dialogue are being drawn around the matter of dog poop.

Words, and more unpleasant items, are being flung between neigh-bors in apartment communities. People are passionate about the subject and evidence of the need to clean-up behind our pets is piling up like so much of the waste Fido and his friends deposit on a daily basis.

“The problem of pet owners not picking up after their pets is tearing apart communities,” says BioPet Vet Lab CEO Tom Boyd. “It’s no won-der that Consumer Reports lists ‘dog poop’ as one of the nation’s top ten personal gripes. BioPet Vet Labs has come up with a solution to bring peace back to the neighborhood.”

BioPet Vet Lab, an industry leader in DNA-related pet services, knows a product with a name like PooPrints™ is going to generate a few giggles. And, that’s fine with them as long as it opens the doors to a conversation about a serious problem in communities across the globe. PooPrints™ is a dog DNA identification program built on a solid scientific foundation, providing communities with a means to enforce community regulations for pet waste clean-up.

“The Stuff Underfoot”Dog waste is more than an aesthetic issue. Yes, the stuff is underfoot

quite a bit. In the United States alone, the nation’s 73 million dogs gener-ate approximately 6.3 billion pounds of waste annually. Approximately 40%, or 2.5 billion pounds, is never picked up by owners. Indeed, dog feces is a bacterial breeding ground of diseases that are especially danger-

ous to children and others with weakened immune systems. Toxo-cara canis, a roundworm found in dog waste, is especially dangerous to children and can cause blind-ness. Meanwhile, Researchers are tracking how unclaimed dog waste is eventually being washed from green spaces to storm drains, arriving untreated at the closest waterway. In the past decade, E. coli bacteria from dog droppings have been identified as significant sources of pollution in rivers, parks, and regional watersheds. In light of this, apartment communities struggle with providing a wel-coming environment to pet owners and maintaining vigilance against the few irresponsible owners who turn shared community space into a biohazard site, endangering the health and safety of their neighbors.

Identifying Pooper-Scooper Violators Debbie Logan, a property manager at Twin Ponds Development in

Nashua, New Hampshire, has been on the front lines of the dog poop debates. “Even though we provide pet stations and dog playgrounds,” said Logan, “we quickly learned that a small percentage of our resi-dents were not cleaning up after their pets. As an extremely popular

I


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community with pet lovers, a small percentage of violators could quickly ruin it for the responsible residents. After much research we found the ideal solution with BioPet’s PooPrints™ program.”

PooPrints™ is a dog DNA identification program from BioPet Vet Labs built on a solid scientific foundation, providing communities with a means to enforce pooper scooper regulations in multifamily communi-ties.

Communities such as Twin Ponds are requiring pet owners to register their pets in the PooPrints DNA database. Offending waste left unpicked up is collected and analyzed. When a DNA match is discovered, the community has the evidence needed to warn or fine the pet owner.

Success has come early for the community at Twin Ponds. Within the

first four samples tested, two violators were quickly identified. According to Logan, “The program is just fantastic for us. It was easy

to implement and everybody wins. We are spending less time looking for violators and residents have a clean, healthy community.”

resident relattions

PM

About BioPet Vet Lab: BioPet Vet Lab is an animal DNA testing laboratory located in Knoxville, Tennessee. BioPet’s research and development group explores genetic science in order to offer new tests that can be used to improve the healthcare and quality of life for our beloved pets. For additional information about BioPet Vet Labs, visit their website at www.biopetvetlab.com.

So, When Do I Get My Money Back?

One of our greatest industry chal-

lenges between our on-site person-

nel and the resident is the question of

“Did you really clean the apartment

upon move out?” Often times, the resi-

dent actually makes the comment: “I

left it cleaner than when I moved in!”

Perception is reality in the eye of the be-

holder; and if you don’t have “proof” here

is where the problem originates. The as-

pect of “cleaning”, specifically, has many

different levels of interpretation from “I

took a toothbrush to the tracks of the win-

dowsills and had the carpet professionally

steam cleaned” to “Well, I got all my stuff

out and I ran the sweeper”.

Here is the problem in a nutshell:

The property fails to let the resident

know of the criteria for getting the securi-

ty deposit back, from the onset of move in;

No correspondence regarding this issue

comes up until after the resident moves out;

Management fails to process final pa-

perwork including security deposit dispo-

sition of monies until too late to get paper-

work or check to former resident within the

“21 day time period” as per California law;

Former resident calls several times

wanting to know “Where is my money?”

and on site personnel states “We’ll con-

tact our home office to see where it is.” or

worse “Your check is in the mail!”

Finally resident receives the letter

stating that charges have been taken out

of the security deposit;

There are disagreements in opinions

of “cleaning” or other damage charges;

Former resident calls back to the of-

fice to argue about the charges made and

demanding their money back because, “I

told you I cleaned the apartment before I

left!”

Arguing ensues between former resi-

dent and the management company until

“someone” gives in. Not the management

company because they will just put it on

your credit until you pay; and not the resi-

dent because they will take it to the Small

Claims or Tenants Council, or worse, the

local TV station! And so on, and so on, and

so on.

No wonder we have such difficulties

in this area! Before we start accusing the

residents of not doing their part, let’s look

at our part of the equation.

The first step in eliminating this “mis-

understanding” is to make sure your ex-

pectations are very clear from the begin-

ning. The very day you accept that security

deposit check or money order, give the

resident a copy of your “Security Deposit

Refund Criteria”. This criteria will help to

defuse all perception issues when it comes

to either getting their money back or “ow-

ing the property”, when they move out. It

should begin with the phrase:

“Release of the Security Deposit is sub-

ject to the following provisions”:

Full term of the lease has expired;

Written notice to vacate must have

been given and approved, at least 30 days

prior to move out;

All keys must be returned the day you

are vacating;

All personal items, debris, trash, etc.

must be removed;

Forwarding address must be left with

Management Office;

Damage to property beyond normal

wear and tear will result in charges;

All rental amounts, prorated rents

of additional days past the lease ending

dates, and any outstanding charges in-

curred while residing in the apartment,

must be paid for be paid for prior to move

out;

Apartment Condition forms must be

completed and signed upon “walk through

with Management”. Please schedule this

“joint inspection” in advance.

Security Deposit Disputes By Jackie Ramstedt

ARE YOU READING SOMEONE’S ELSE

COPY?PM MAGAZINE believes

that every property management

professional should receive industry publica-tions to help them im-

prove in their profession. Not a photocopied ver-sion, but a copy mailed

directly to them. Because You Are Worthy!

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Additionally, there should be explicit cleaning instructions that

cover just how thorough you want them to clean. There are many

cleaning tasks that are never addressed, such as:

All cabinets and drawers must be wiped clean and liner paper

removed;

Damp wipe or dust all miniblinds and ceiling fan blades;

Remove all decals, paper towel holders, nails, plant hangers,

etc. from walls and / or ceilings;

Stove top, oven, drip pans, racks, and vent hoods must be

thoroughly cleaned;

Bathtubs, sinks, commodes, shower doors, etc. must also be

thoroughly cleaned;

Distinction between cleaning charges for “Light Clean, Moder-

ate Clean, and Heavy Clean”, which would include “trash out.”

Finally, a list of “Schedule of Costs” should accompany the criteria.

We jokingly always referred to this part as “You break it, you buy it!”

It should include, but certainly not limited to these items, such as:

Costs for cleaning a specific item such as stove, oven, refrigera-

tor, or bathtub - $25.00 each;

Pet damage or special flea treatment or de-odorizing of carpet;

Replacement items such as light bulbs or drip pans;

Damages to sheet rock, doors, windows, light fixtures, tile,

countertops or any other major item. There is always a variable in

the amount of damage and therefore, the words “Actual Costs”,

could be listed instead of a dollar figure. Contact an outside vendor

and have them supply an estimate, in writing, for the cost of repair.

This helps in two ways: first, to have a “third party’s opinion”, so as

not to be accused of impartiality, and secondly, to document the

actual amount charged to the resident.

If for some reason the damage is quite severe, take photographs

of all “chargeable” items. “A picture is worth a thousand words”,

and if this goes to court, you don’t have to rely on just your word

for proof.

After the groundwork is laid by giving the resident the “policies”,

make sure to follow through with your part when the resident physi-

cally moves out. If the resident has met all the afore mentioned cri-

teria, the “ball is now in our court”, and the clock is ticking!

The legalities of not getting that security deposit check or a re-

cord of the disposition of the security deposit monies, to the resi-

dent within 21 days of move out, can result in a lawsuit where the

resident is entitled to receive the entire deposit back.

Documentation, good communication, and understanding of

these policies by all parties involved, are the keys. Remember your

reputation is on the line, and you don’t want to be known as the

“blood sucking landlord” who, no matter how much a resident

cleans, still keeps the Security Deposit. Fair, but firm, should be

the motto.

About the Author:Jackie Ramstedt is a nationally renowned Motivational Keynote Speaker, National Trainer, Consultant, and Performance Coach who has more than 25 years experience in the multi-housing industry. Her energetic and enthusiastic speaking style makes her seminars fun and exciting with a “down to earth” approach to education. Jackie’s “real world solutions for real world challenges”

focuses on empowering others to reach their full professional and personal potential through “balance” in their lives while remind-ing us of the important role continuing education plays in the success of our performances. You may contact Jackie by phone 800-925-5169 or by email [email protected]. Visit her website at www.jackieramstedt.com.

PM

inspiration

PM


Getting In ControlBy Eileen McDargh

n a world where “too much to do and too little time” is a common mantra, there’s a sense that everyone and everything has

more control over our day than we do. While we might be at the beck and call of clients, there are still areas where the culprit is none other than ourselves. Using the word “CON-TROL” as an acronym, let me suggest ways in which we can begin to gain some relief from self-induced pressure.

Can The Clutter

Do you walk into your office and instantly feel a sense that you could get buried in all that mess? Papers are piled on the desk, on the floor, and in tiered boxes. Note that if this is your natural style of organization, you’d feel pressure by having items out of sight! But if you’re like a great majority of people, clutter only adds to the time spent in finding what you need. Do you use everything that you have on display?

Can you find items when you need them? If you’ve answered “no,” proceed to the next rec-ommendation.

Out With Excess Paper

Examine what surrounds you. What can you throw out, give out, leave out? If you are months behind in journals and other publi-cations, scan the table of contents and keep only those items which you know you’ll need. Throw the rest away.

No, Not, Never, Not Now

Say it. Practice it. We frequently nod our heads “yes” like a wind-up toy because of guilt,

fear, or a sense that obligation. Ask yourself, why do you say “yes”. Perhaps even a “not now” would suffice. I am convinced that if we do not put limits on our time, it will vanish with our unknowing permission.

Talk Up

To curtail long conversations or meeting, learn these sentences. “I would like to be able to talk with you but I have another engagement. Can you please tell me your request (situation, concern, etc.) in 25 words or less?” First, you won’t be lying with your opening statement. You will always have another engagement – even if it’s with the report in your computer. Second, you have indicated a willingness to respond. You have merely put a concise cast to the conversation. It’s amazing how “25 words or less” can increase the speed and fluency of conversation. As a variation on this theme, you

can also curtail a drawn- out conversation with this question: “How would you like this con-versation to end?”

Read Only What Matters

And what matters concerns your business, your future, your soul.

Operate Early

This can mean everything from getting up early to doing things early. If you pack for a trip, don’t wait until the last minute. Prepare, in advance, your suitcase, your briefcase. The only things that need to be added are last min-ute items. Create artificial deadlines which are in advance of the true deadline. You’ll always

feel more in control.

Lighten Up

Perfect isn’t always perfect. Look for and rel-ish the unexpected. There is serendipity when we allow ourselves to surrender to events and times over which we have no control. The weather-hold which keeps my plane ground-ed allows me to complete a piece of writing I could not have finished. The shop which closes just as soon as I approach the door lets me walk down the street and find other stores which I had never noticed before.

Getting in control is ultimately about get-ting clear on our work habits, our priorities, and our values.

I

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eileen McDargh is a woman of many hats: author, radio commentator, orga-nizational development consultant, acclaimed international speaker, and retreat facilitator. Author of four books including Work for a Living & Still be Free to Live, and The Resilient Spirit, she’s a frequent contribu-tor to numerous business journals and produces a radio commentary, Celebrating the Human Spirit. Visit her web site www.eileenmcdargh.com.

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Property Manager Magazine February 2011

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Transcript of Property Manager Magazine February 2011