ABODE April 2018

cover apr18 for print.qxp_Layout 1 3/21/18 7:31 AM Page 1

THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE

www.haaonline.org

ABODE Not April 2018

Sex, Service Animals and Shotguns HAA General Counsel Howard Bookstaff takes a look at the top Fair Housing issues right now.

Fair Stay on top of the important issues for Fair Housing Month

Win-Win Solutions The Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division and HAA are working together for Fair Housing.

We See You at the ACES Luncheon, NAAPAC Wine Tasting and much more!

corelogic IFC.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:05 AM Page 1

sentriforce pg 1.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:06 AM Page 1

gemstar pg 2.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:07 AM Page 1

Table apr pg 3.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:07 AM Page 1

CONTENTS April 2018

ON THE COVER

FEATURES & PHOTOS

34

32 On the Scene – Photos from NAAPAC Wine Tasting.

Playing Fair – April is a special month the multifamily industry. This month is both Fair Housing Month and Residential Property Management Careers Month. Take a closer look at Fair Housing and RPM topics, starting on Page 34.

Cover Image © Prazis | Dreamstime.com

34 Be in the Know – Stay on top of Fair Housing by remaining active in your local association.

38 Win-Win Solutions – CRD and HAA are working together for Fair Housing.

42 Creating Talent – Learn the latest strategies and methods for talent development.

48 Do You Need A Mentor? – Whether you are brand new to the multifamily industry or perhaps looking for some guidance, a mentor might be just what you need.

50 Overlooked – Create a strong energy strategy to deliver the highest possible NOI.

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES 7 President’s Corner – Learn more abou the issues our industry faces for Fair Housing Month.

8 Patron of the Month – Meet and support CSC ServiceWorks.

9 Legislative Update – Le;arning to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on-site.

11 It’s The Law – Here’s a look at the top Fair Housing issues right now.

14 Resident Relations – Changes made to a lease confuse a resident.

19 Upcoming Education – Find out what education courses the Houston Apartment Foundation is offering in April and May.

52 In Hot Water – Efficient and redundant centralized water heating solutions in multifamily maintenance repair and operations

20 Calendar – HAA’s schedule of events for the next coming months.

60 On the Scene – Photos from the NEXT Professional Development Breakfast.

28 On the Road with HAA – See photos from the Pasadena Region Meeting and Woodlands Leasing 101.

62 On the Scene – Photos from the ACES Luncheon.

58 Meet Who’s NEXT – Here’s our monthly 40 questions for a NEXTer.

72 On Site with ABODE – Take a closer look at Grand Cypress.

66 Welcome Mat – Find out about the newest HAA members.

26 NAA Update – Your NOI Disaster Plan.

67 Go-Getters – Celebrating HAA’s membership recruiters!

68 The Ambassador ONE Society – Join the teams for 2018.

70 Portfolio Changes and In the News – Property updates and industry news clips from our members.

74 Index of Advertisers – See the supplier members who support this publication.

75 MarketLine – The latest area market numbers.

76 BackPage – News from around the community.

We welcome your comments. Email us at comm@haaonline.org.

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

3

Officers pg 4.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:30 AM Page 1

OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP STARLA TURNBO President-Elect

JOHN BORIACK Vice President at Large

MICHELLE PAWELEK President

DIANE GILBERT Vice President at Large

BARBY LAKE Vice President at Large CLAY HICKS Secretary/Treasurer

CHRISTY RODRIGUEZ Vice President at Large

HOWARD BOOKSTAFF General Counsel

JEFF HALL Executive VP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kyle Brown, Immediate Past President Josh Allen Mack Armstrong Cyrus Bahrami Jeff Blevins John Boriack Kyle Brown Joe Bryson Tina Cavaco Grant Crowell Scott Douglas Ian Douglas Gina Erwin John Fedorko Israel Garza Diane Gilbert Stephanie Graves Ira Gross Alison Hall Bryan Head Clay Hicks Deborah Holcombe Jacob Kunath Barby Lake Laura Lestus David Lindley Robert Lopes Sonia Lopez Kristin McLaughlin Carlos Neto Dean O’Kelley Michelle Pahl Velissa Parmer Jenifer Paneral Mark Park Michelle Pawelek Jackie Rhone Christy Rodriguez Kelly Scott Kurt Seidel Kim Small Debbie Sulzer Starla Turnbo Shelley Watson Quintina Willis Tracie Yoder

DIRECTORS EMERITUS Ken Bohan Gary Blumberg Kathy Clem Jack Dinerstein Darlene Guidry Jenard Gross David Hargrove Larry Hill Stacy Hunt Hap Hunnicutt David Jones Mike Koch Dick LaMarche Tim Myers P. David Onanian John Ridgway Eileen Subinsky Steve Sweet Kirk Tate Suan Tinsley H.J. Tollett Pat Tollett Vic Vacek Jr. Beth Van Winkle Jerry Winograd ADVISORY DIRECTORS Terri Clifton Brenda Crawford Tamara Foster Billy Griffin Mary Lawler Cesar Lima Karen Nelsen Lindsay Torres Laura Van Dyck Tony Whitaker GENERAL COUNSEL EMERITUS Joe Bax HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Claude Arnold Kenn Brown Tina Cavaco Kevin Fenn Diane Gilbert Anita Harrison Dwayne Henson

Mike Koch Merry Mount Monette Reynolds Sherry Stevenson Kirk Tate Suan Tinsley Sonny Unverzagt Del Walmsley Nancé Wells H.P. Paul Young Jeanne Marie Zublin Dicks PRODUCT SERVICE COUNCIL OFFICERS Grant Crowell, CAS, President The Urban Foresters Jacob Kunath, CAS, Vice President Century A/C Supply Laura Lestus, CAS, Secretary The Liberty Group David Lindley, CAS, Treasurer FSI Construction Inc. Israel Garza, CAS, Immediate Past President Maintenance Supply Headquarters MEMBERS Marivel Bownds, CAS, Valet Living Dixie Caldwell-Greer, CAS, The Liberty Group Peggy Charles, CASE, Sunny Rock International LLC Dylan Coleman, CAS Camp Construction Services Deborah DeRouen, CAS, Respage Derek DeVries, CAS, Camp Construction Services

Brian Febbo, CAS FSI Construction Dan James, CAS Redevelopment Services Debra Knight, CAS, Valet Living Stephanie Krop, CASE, Buyers Access Liz Levins, CAS, Rasa Floors Candis Mohr, CAS, AAA Plumbers Doug Oehl, CAS Power Express Joseph Rodriguez, CAS, The Urban Foresters Blaise Spitaleri, CAS, Rasa Floors Mat Tilley, CAS, WeDoTrash PATRON MEMBERS 1961 CSC ServiceWorks 1986 Craven Carpet 1994 AAA Plumbers Presto Maintenance Supply 1996 Houston Planned Energy Systems 1997 RentPath 1999 FSI Construction Inc. 2003 Cotton Commercial USA Inc. Dixie Carpet Installations 2009 Camp Construction Services 2013 Interior Logic Group Property Services

SPONSOR MEMBERS 1968 Century A/C Supply Hoover Slovacek LLP Reliant 1973 Brady Chapman Holland & Assoc.

CORT Furniture Rental 1974 Mueller Water Conditioning 1976 Great American Business Products 1977 Webb Pest Control 1978 Houston Metro Electrical Corp.

The Liberty Group 1981 AmRent Marvin F. Poer & Company 1983 Namco Mfg. Co. Inc. Sherwin Williams Company 1984 RENCON 1985 Gemstar Construction Development Inc. 1986 ApartmentData.com 1988 Wallace Garcia Wilson Architects Inc. 1992 Alexander-Rose Associates Saint Clair & Sons Inc. 1998 AAA Staffing Ltd. CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions 2000 Moveforfree.com Inc. Pura Flo Corporation 2001 Apartment Life Inc. 2002 Alphagraphics Houston Galleria American Fire Systems Direct Energy LP Southwest Painting Contractors Inc. 2003 Sign-Ups & Banners 2005 LSR Multifamily Swain & Baldwin Insurance & Risk Management United Protective Services 2006 Bell’s Laundries CAD Restoration Services DoodyCalls Lopez Carpet Care & Painting Masonry Solutions Inc. Roto-Rooter Services Co. TXU Energy Multifamily Services Valet Living 2008 ARE Business Solutions Flavor Finish Resurfacing HARCO Insurance Services Texas Turf Management 2009 Contractors Inc. Moen Inc. Redevelopment Services Storm Maintenance & Monitoring 2010 ALN Apartment Data Inc. BAC Products Belfor Property Restoration Certified Termite and Pest Control FTK Construction Services 2011 DNM Contracting Inc. Fantastic Floors Greenway Environmental Services Infinite Energy Inc. Parking Management Company/PMC Towing 2012 ABC Supply Co. Inc. Accent Sign & Awning Co. BGE/Brown & Gay Engineers Cantrell McCulloch Inc. EnviroSmart Multifamily Pest Solutions Floor and Decor Giordano Construction GoStaff Inc. Maldonado Nursery & Landscaping Inc. Nationwide Eviction Texas Concrete Professional Company 2013 ACTIV Answer by Audio Images

Arbor Contract Carpet ASAP Steamers Carpet Cleaning Capitol Wrecker LLC Comcast Gambit Construction Outdoor Elements Pool Works LLC StoveTop FireStop Tidal Renovations LLC 2014 Adventure Playground Systems Inc. Chadwell Supply Classic Same Day Blinds D & G Quality Roofing J National Jonah Systems LLC MX2 Commercial Paving Pathfinder Insurance Group Perma-Pier Foundation Repair of Texas Ram Jack Foundation Solutions Texas Apartment Pool Services The Katy Plumbing Co. WCA Waste Corporation Zillow Group 2015 Air Pro Systems America Outdoor Furniture American Painting & Renovations Inc. ASAP Personnel Inc. BSI Cameras Onsite CertaPro Painters Competitive Choice Inc. CSILED.com DeNyse Companies Division-9 Inc. Fix My Slab Foundation Repair Fulton Law Group PLLC Gateman Inc. Goes Heating Systems Greater Houston Pool Management Holder’s Pest Control Infinity Power Partners Kathy Andrews Interiors Lane Law Firm Notifii LLC Pace Mechanical Services Power Express The Allshouse Group LLC Torocon Services LLC Wilsonart 2016 Action Window Coverings Inc. Allied Fire Protection, LP Bath Fitter Cinch – Cabinet Refacing Kits Citi Fence & Concrete E-Systems Pest Management Inc. Ecolo Environmental Inc. Embark Services Fidus Construction Services Fun Abounds Furniture Options Green City Recycler Green City Security Green Days Lawn Care Guardian Chimney Sweep Halo Doors Inc. Hive JLL Johnstone Supply Kastle Systems KONE Leah McVeigh Design and Consulting Liquid Waste Solutions Manning Pool Service McCann Total Security Solutions Murrah & Killough PLLC Paul Davis Restoration North Houston Pet and Playground Products Quantum Fitness RAM Construction RoofTec Ross Fried Consulting Sparkle Wash Pressure Washing Sustain-Ability Solutions Texas Southwest Floors The Home Depot ValencePM WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems WellKept Whitmans Contracting and Roofing 2017 911 Security Cameras, Inc. ACT Security Group Action Gypsum Supply Advanced Property Services All About Doody Pet Soutions LLC All American Mailboxes of Houston Inc. Allegion American Fire Protection Group Anderson Restoration

Apartment Total Services APTexx Inc. Aquatic Training Institute ARK Appliances BioTechs Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaning South Houston Brooklet Energy Distribution Buddy's Roofing & Construction Co Byte Time Computing Cano Electric Inc. City Supply Co. Inc. Classic Towing Continental Adjusters Creative Surface Cypress Landscaping & Irrigation Inc. D&C Painting Designs by Holmes Disaster America Disaster Restore 365 Eagle Restore LLC Energy Ogre Ernie Smith and Sons Roofing LLC Fast Forward Services LLC Finishes Etc LLC Flooring4.Us Frost Insurance Agency Gage Multifamily Services General Recon LLC Genesis Panel Systems Gravely & Pearson LLP Griddy Energy H Town Movers and HVAC Services Henley & Henley PC Houston SEAL Patrol Division LLC Lithotech Printed Products/Forms Center Maven Auto Detailing McMahan's Flooring Inc. Media Nation Outdoor MPS Direct Norman Construction NorthMarq Capital On Site Towing LLC Pack-It Movers Paragon Roofing Inc. Paul Ryan Windows POPIC Quick Relief Restoration Re-Mark Technologies Group LLC RealState Investments Rent Accelerator Residential Waste Service Roof Top Innovations Rutherford Services Inc. SEAL Security Solutions Secure Insurance Securecomm Inc. Special Touch Landscaping State Sign - A Comet Signs Company Student Movers Inc. Swiff-Train Company Symmons Industries TD Waterproofing Inc. Texas Crime Prevention Agency Texas Engineered Roofing & General Contracting Texas Eviction LLC Top Notch Fitness & Wellness USA Patrol Division Vima Decor WBI General Contractor Willbanks & Associates 2018 A Homestead Specialist A Quick Restoration Inc. AirAide LLC Apartment Lines Archcon Belvoir Real Estate Group Benjamin Moore Galveston Bay Paint & Decorating CashFlow Pros LLC Centex Construction ClearView Landscape Management Core 24/7 Restoration Services EDR Construction Finish Factory Inc. Globus Management Group Good Guys of Texas Homeland Protective Services Justice Patrol Services Poolworx Rent Debt Automated Collections Strickland Law Firm PLLC Technogym TNCPA Wellman Exteriors Windstorm Restoration

Mast pg 5 with RCR.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:31 AM Page 1

ABODE APRIL 2018 I VOLUME 41, ISSUE 4 Executive Vice President and Publisher

JEFF HALL, CAE jhall@haaonline.org EDITORIAL AND DESIGN STAFF

Director of Publications and Design DEBORAH NIX dnix@haaonline.org Writer/Editor MORGAN TAYLOR mtaylor@haaonline.org ADVERTISING

Vice President of Membership and Marketing AMANDA SHERBONDY asherbondy@haaonline.org CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Vice President and General Manager SUSAN HINKLEY, CAE shinkley@haaonline.org Vice President of Professional Development EMILY HILTON, CPP ehilton@haaonline.org Vice President of Public Affairs ANDY TEAS, CAE ateas@haaonline.org Vice President of Finance NANCY LI LO, CPA nlo@haaonline.org Director of Information Technology ART EIDMAN aeidman@haaonline.org Director of Resident Relations MATILDE LUNA mluna@haaonline.org Director of Events and Meetings EMILY BANNWARTH, CMP ebannwarth@haaonline.org Director of Rental Credit Reporting TINA DEFIORE tdefiore@haaonline.org Education and Meetings Coordinator KAREN MITCHELL kmitchell@haaonline.org Strategic Growth Manager LAUREN TURNER, CMP lturner@haaonline.org Membership and Marketing Coordinator LAUREN WOLFSON lwolfson@haaonline.org Public Affairs Specialist ALPA PATEL apatel@haaonline.org Webmaster and IT Specialist WILL ALFARO walfaro@haaonline.org PRINTER

TGI PRINTED www.tgiprinted.com HOUSTON COMMITTEE Executive Program & Budget Nominating Ethics Investment Fair Housing By-Laws Past Presidents Council Strategic Outreach Legislative HAA Political Action Committee Multifamily Fire Safety Alliance Developers Century Club PAC Fundraising Media Relations Golf Leadership Development Product Service Council Community Outreach Resident Relations Appeals Resident Relations A Resident Relations B Membership Ambassador ONE Society 2018 Expo IROC Education Advisory Council Career/Community Development NEXT HAF Fundraiser Property Awards HAA Street Team

APARTMENT ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES CHAIR STAFF ADVISOR MICHELLE PAWELEK JEFF HALL STARLA TURNBO JEFF HALL KYLE BROWN JEFF HALL BETH VAN WINKLE JEFF HALL CLAY HICKS JEFF HALL KAREN NELSON JEFF HALL ALISON HALL JEFF HALL JENIFER PANERAL JEFF HALL CLAY HICKS LAUREN TURNER STARLA TURNBO ANDY TEAS STACY HUNT/JOHN RIDGWAY ANDY TEAS JOHN FEDORKO ANDY TEAS CYRUS BAHRAMI ANDY TEAS DAVID LINDLEY ALPA PATEL DAVID JONES ALPA PATEL DEBORAH HOLCOMBE ALPA PATEL KIM SMALL ALPA PATEL JACKIE RHONE SUSAN HINKLEY GRANT CROWELL SUSAN HINKLEY QUINTINA WILLIS SUSAN HINKLEY DARLENE GUIDRY MATILDE LUNA ELAINE LEEPER MATILDE LUNA KATHY MOTIS MATILDE LUNA TINA CAVACO AMANDA SHERBONDY DEBORAH DEROUEN/DEREK DEVRIES AMANDA SHERBONDY JACOB KUNATH AMANDA SHERBONDY STEPHANIE BRYSON EMILY HILTON STEPHANIE GRAVES/MONICA GRACIA EMILY HILTON KELLY SUESS EMILY HILTON LINDSAY TORRES/DAVID LINDLEY EMILY HILTON MICHELLE PAHL/DAN JAMES EMILY BANNWARTH RICHARD WALL/PENNY SPRANG TINA DEFIORE BRANDON THOMAS LAUREN WOLFSON

Rental Credit Reporting (RCR) was established in 1977 to solve screening problems the Houston Apartment Association founders felt plagued the local apartment industry. RCR has unsurpassed data on resident rental histories in the Houston region. The Houston Apartment Association and CoreLogic are partnered to expand RCR and include numerous searches in one bundled report with immediate and unlimited inquiry access.

To learn more and subscribe, call RCR at 713-595-0300, email rcr@haaonline.org or visit www.haaonline.org.

a service of

HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MISSION AND VISION HAA is the leading advocate, resource and community partner for quality rental housing providers in the Houston and surrounding area. HAA develops leadership in the multifamily industry by engaging broadly diverse membership, embracing effective technology and advocating for a geographically inclusive association.

Visit HAA Online at www.haaonline.org ABODE IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. Serving the multihousing industry in Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Waller and Wharton counties.

ABODE, APRIL 2018 VOLUME 41, ISSUE 4 ABODE (USPS 024-962) is published monthly by the Houston Multi Housing Corporation. Publishing, editorial and advertising offices are located at 4810 Westway Park Blvd., Houston, Texas 77041. Telephone 713-595-0300. The $50 annual ABODE subscription rate is included in all member dues and additional subscriptions are available. The annual subscription rate is $50 for members, $65 for non-members.

Advertising rates are available upon request. Contributed material does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Houston Apartment Association. Copyright © 2018 by HAA.

in partnership with

Periodicals Postage Paid at Houston, Texas.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ABODE, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., Houston, Texas 77041.

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

5

It’s not golf – it’s TOPGOLF! Give it a shot “fore” a cause

top golf pg 6.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:32 AM Page 1

Thanks to our sponsors: TopGolf “Top” Sponsor Gemstar Construction & Development Guardian Construction

Team Awards Sponsor Apartments.com Brant Electrical A/C & Heating TPI Construction & Painting

Hole-in-One Sponsor Cotton Commercial

Male and Female Award Brook Furniture Camp Construction Services

Welcome Sponsor American Technologies Inc. Lunch Sponsor Flooring Warehouse Maintenance Supply Headquarters Beverage Sponsor PPG Paints Chadwell Supply

It’s back for the PAC! Join us at Houston’s premiere golf entertainment complex for a fun-filled afternoon with the favorite twist to a traditional game, all while supporting the Houston Apartment Association Political Action Committee – your local PAC for the apartment industry.

Awards: Team Awards – 1st, 2nd, 3rd Best Male Best Female Least Improved Most Improved Most Accurate Hole in One

Thursday, April 19 TopGolf Houston - Katy 1030 Memorial Brook Blvd. Houston, TX 77084

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. *Please note this event is open to sponsors and players only, no spectators.

Least Improved Award Ideal Towing Most Improved Award Earthworks Inc. Most Accurate Award HD Supply

Payment must be made by personal credit card or personal check payable to HAAPAC. Payment must accompany registration. HAA is prohibited from accepting corporate contributions for PAC events.

Name __________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Phone (_________)________________________________________ MC____ Visa____ AmEx____ Discv_______ Credit Card #______________________________________________ CC Security Code____________ Expiration Date_______________ Name on Card_____________________________________________

FEES (include three hours of TopGolf, heavy appetizers, first drink and dessert) Please select: o Teams of up to six – High Top: $500 per team/Includes high top table and chairs; located in center of each floor. o Teams of up to six – Lounge: $600 per team/Includes cushioned lounged seating; located on sides of each floor.

Name__________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Name__________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Name__________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Name__________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Name__________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Name__________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Mail completed form and payment to: HAAPAC, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., Houston, Texas 77041. Credit card registrations may be emailed to topgolf@haaonline.org or faxed to 281-582-1508; payment must accompany registration.

pres pg 7.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:34 AM Page 1

President’s Corner

By MICHELLE PAWELEK, CPM, CAPS, 2018 HAA President

PLAYING FAIR

Learn more about the issues our industry faces for Fair Housing Month.

APRIL IS FAIR Housing Month, and this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. This federal law is one of many regulations that affect the way we do business each day in the multifamily industry. The Fair Housing Act protects residents against discrimination and ensures the rights of the disabled to request reasonable accommodations and modifications in order to live comfortably. In property management, our first priority is the comfort of our residents and the Fair Housing Act ensures that. However, Fair Housing comes with a great deal of compliance regulations and huge consequences for non-compliance. This everevolving regulation requires close attention and frequent training in order for management and apartment professionals to stay up-to-date on Fair Housing issues.

First up in this issue, HAA General Counsel Howard Bookstaff covers the most common Fair Housing complaints our industry is facing today in his monthly column on Page 11.

Next, the Civil Rights Division Director of the Texas Workforce Commission, Lowell Keig, has written a specialty piece on Fair Housing that you won’t want to miss on Page 38.

Then, more Fair Housing coverage continues on Page 34.

www.haaonline.org

Celebrate RPM Month April is also Residential Property Management (RPM) month. Have fun with RPM month by participating in NAA’s #RPMmoments Instagram and Facebook challenge.

Post a photo or a video in response to one of their weekly challenges for a chance to win an NAA online credential course (up to a $915 value), a Visto continuing education package (up to six credit hours) or a $100 Amazon gift card. Visit http://rpm.naahq.org/rpm-careersmonth for more information. You can also celebrate RPM month by encouraging friends and job-seekers to consider careers in residential property management.

Membership Growth I am so proud of the efforts made by HAA to grow their membership last year. As a large association, it can be a challenge to make a significant increase in membership. Despite that, TAA awarded HAA with the Membership Growth Award at their February board meeting. I believe this is a testament to our recruitment efforts made by our Go-Getters. If you missed the Go-Getters meeting in March, there will be another meeting Thursday, July 12 at Café Adobe in the Marq-E Center located at 7620 Katy Freeway.

I also want to congratulate HAA Vice President at Large John Boriak, Veritas Equity Management, for winning the TAA Community Star Award. This award honors Veritas’ participation during the HAA Food Drive. Thank you to the Veritas Teams for making a difference in our community. Our leaders are always being challenged to balance their careers, businesses and community involvement.

Elevate Your Business Elevate your career, your company, your association involvement and so much more this year at the annual HAA Education Conference and Expo. Join me on Thursday, May 17 at NRG Center, Hall C, and take advantage of the education and networking opportunities.

Registration for seminars opened Thursday, March 22. See Page 18 for details.

On Thursday, April 17, HAA is holding a free supplier education seminar just for our supplier partners. Raise your game and Elevate your company with HAA’s Product Service Council and join us HAA’s Product Service Council for roundtable discussions with industry executives. Suppliers may register online at www.haaonline.org and see Page 24 for more details.

April 2018

ABODE

7

Patron pg 8 csc 2017 version.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 1:47 PM Page 1

Houston Planned Energy Systems

These companies have generously supported the Houston Apartment Association with their patron membership. Please give them careful consideration, whenever possible, in your business.

HAA Member since 1978

Cotton Commercial USA Inc. HAA Member since 1982

Presto Maintenance Supply HAA Member since 1983

CSC ServiceWorks HAA Member since 1961

Craven Carpet HAA Member since 1986

Camp Construction Services

Interior Logic Group Property Services HAA Member since 1985

AAA Plumbers HAA Member since 1984

FSI Construction Inc. HAA Member since 1999

Dixie Carpet Installations HAA Member since 1987

RentPath HAA Member since 1979

HAA Member since 1994

April Patron of the Month

8

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

leg update pg 9.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:35 AM Page 1

Legislative Update

By STARLA TURNBO, HAA Legislative Chair, with ANDY TEAS, CAE, Vice President of Public Affairs

!

LA MIGRA!

Learning to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on-site.

IT CAN BE alarming to property managers and owners alike when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrive unannounced on-site in the early hours of the morning. It can be even more alarming for residents who may or may not be legal U.S. citizens. Agents often conduct their enforcement actions outside of regular business hours, and in this article, I will answer some questions that may come to mind.

HAA leaders and staff met last month with the leadership of Houston’s ICE office, which is under the jurisdiction of the federal Department of Homeland Security, to learn more about how the agency operates and what apartment professionals can expect when agents conduct an enforcement operation.

First, ICE does not raid properties just to check on your residents’ immigration status.

When agents visit a property, they are looking for specific individuals who are wanted for crimes that go far beyond their immigration status. These agents are part of our frontline defense against terrorism and trans-national criminal activity. Created in 2003, the agency has more than 20,000 law enforcement and support personnel working in the United States and around the world.

Its key focus today is human trafficking – both sex trafficking and labor trafficking.

Houston has an unfortunate reputation as a national hub for both, and most of this activity is controlled across international borders.

Typically, agents arrive on-site to conduct enforcement actions outside of regular business hours, usually early in the morning. Many of the suspects sought by agents are dangerous

criminals, and catching them First, ICE does not raid properties just to check off-guard is often helpful.

Generally, agents won’t stop by on your residents’ immigration status. When the leasing office first, even if agents visit a property, they are looking for specific it’s open, nor will they tell you individuals who are wanted for crimes that go far in advance. This is because beyond their immigration status. These agents are ICE doesn’t want to lose a suspart of our frontline defense against terrorism and pect to a tip from a member of trans-national criminal activity. Created in 2003, the your team or from another resident trying to be helpful agency has more than 20,000 law enforcement and or sympathetic. support personnel working in the United States and How can we help? First, coaround the world. operate with agents just as you would with any other law enforcement professionals. If you suspect transnational criminal activity, call the ICE plus $6.25 for sewer, for each 1,000 gallons tip line at 866-347-2423. They are not interthat flows through the meter. There’s a higher ested in tips about someone who may be in rate for water to an irrigation (sprinkler the country illegally, but they are very intersystem) meter, but you don’t pay a sewer ested in tips about human smuggling, sex charge since none of it comes back to the trafficking, terrorism, narcotics smuggling, sewer treatment plants. international money laundering and immiFor more information, visit www.houstongration document and benefit fraud. waterbills.houstontx.gov.

Houston Water and Sewer Rate Increase As a reminder: The City of Houston’s water and sewer rates increase automatically on April 1 of each year, based on the percentage increase of the seasonally adjusted Producers Price Index (PPI), not to exceed the sum of the percentage increase of Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Houston's population index.

A scheduled increase of 2.8 percent takes effect this month. The new rates will apply until April 2019.

For apartment properties, there’s a base charge for each water meter, depending on the meter size. You then pay $4.31 for water, Free for job hunters:

NAA Advocate We all owe a big thank you to all who travelled to Washington, D.C. last month to represent our industry at the NAA Advocate Conference. HAA members visited with most of the local congressional representatives and spoke on a variety of industry issues including the recent tax reform bill, accessibility lawsuit reform, reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program and affordable housing.

Look for more information and photos in your May ABODE.

• Find the right job to fit your skills and experience, TARGET or QUALIFIED • Post an anonymous resume so recruiters can find you.

LEADS www.haaonline.org jobline@haaonline.org 713-595-0300

www.haaonline.org

Inexpensive and specific for employers/recruiters: • Specific to the multifamily industry, narrowing your search.

• Pinpoints your audience with qualified, quality leads.

April 2018

ABODE

9

cotton ad pg 10.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:35 AM Page 1

law pg 11,12, 64.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:36 AM Page 1

It’s the Law

By HOWARD BOOKSTAFF, Hoover Slovacek LLP , HAA General Counsel

SEX, SERVICE ANIMALS AND SHOTGUNS

Welcome to Fair Housing month. Here is a look at the top Fair Housing issues right now.

APRIL IS NATIONAL Fair Housing month. However, the topics going into this month have focused the country’s attention on sex, animals and shotguns. The #MeToo and #Time’sUp movements have demonstrated the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment. Service animal issues have been in the news with Delta Airlines tightening its leash on comfort animals on flights. The #NeverAgain movement has shaken the status quo on a number of shooting related issues, including dealing with the warning signs of the mentally disturbed.

The country’s attention on these issues sheds light on similar issues in the apartment industry relating to Fair Housing. Sexual harassment has become a Fair Housing issue with HUD’s new rule regarding quid pro quo and hostile environment harassment. Service animals have continued to be a source of concern and problems for the apartment industry with respect to whether a request for a service animal is legitimate or the masking of an unauthorized pet.

Whenever a mass shooting occurs, everyone seems to want to go back in time to look at the myriad of warning signs of mental health issues of the shooters, which could easily be the types of issues that apartment owners and managers frequently deal with, such as a resident exhibiting unstable behavior that threatens the safety of others.

In honor of Fair Housing month, let’s take a look at some of the most common Fair Housing issues involving harassment, service animals and unstable behavior.

Harassment In the April 2017 issue of ABODE, I reported on a new HUD rule involving allegations of harassment on the basis of a protected class. The new rule specifies how HUD will evaluate complaints of quid pro quo and hostile environwww.haaonline.org

ment harassment under the Act. In the January 2018 issue of In honor of Fair Housing month, let’s take a look ABODE, I outlined several HUD at some of the most common Fair Housing issues settlements involving sexual hainvolving harassment, service animals and rassment cases. unstable behavior.

HUD’s quid pro quo harassment rule refers to an unwelcome request to engage in conduct related to rental of a dwelling because identification of the animal as a service aniof someone’s protected class. Hostile environmal. Nonetheless, a request for a service animent harassment refers to unwelcome conduct mal should be taken seriously as a request for that interferes with the rental of a dwelling rean accommodation. lated to a person’s protected class. This rule You can question the legitimacy of could have broad ranging effects in the apartservice animals. ment industry, especially in light of the national Pursuant to HUD’s Notice on Service and attention given to harassment-type claims.

Assistance Animals, (which can be found at The HUD rule invites complaints on several https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/SERlevels. A complaint could involve the relationVANIMALS_NTCFHEO2013-01.PDF, you are ship between management personnel and resiallowed to evaluate a request for a service andents. The rule could implicate Fair Housing imal using the general principles applicable issues when an unwanted joke or comment is to all reasonable accommodation requests. made and tied to a protected class. The rule After receiving a request, you should consider could also relate to an owner’s failure to take two questions: prompt action to correct and end a discrimina1) Does the person seeking to use and live tory housing practice by another resident. This with the animal have a disability (i.e., a physical could involve the failure to enforce rules when or mental impairment that substantially limits one resident’s inappropriate or offensive reone or more major life activities)? marks disturb another resident.

2) Does the person making the request have As the #MeToo and #Time’sUp movements a disability-related need for a service animal develop, you may very well also see an increase (i.e. the animal works, provide assistance, or in Fair Housing violations based on quid pro performs tasks or services that alleviates one or quo or hostile environment harassment. more symptoms of a person’s disability)?

If the answer to either of these questions is Service Animals “no,” the Act does not require an exception to a Service animals have become one of the no pets policy and the accommodation request most popular topics in apartment communican be denied. If you do not receive reliable, ties. Some days it seems like any resident with disability-related information that establishes an unauthorized animal is requesting an acthe person’s need for a service animal, you do commodation because the unauthorized pet not have to grant the request. While you should has transformed into a service animal. Credibe consistent in the circumstances under which bility issues surface when the animal was livyou evaluate the credibility of answers to these ing in the unit several months prior to the questions, if you have a reason why you don’t April 2018

ABODE

11

law pg 11,12, 64.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:36 AM Page 2

believe a particular answer is true or complete, you can continue to ask questions seeking information to determine the disability-related need for the animal.

Requests for service animals can be denied in certain circumstances.

A request can be denied if: 1) the request was not made by or on behalf of a person with a disability; 2) there is no disability-related need for the accommodation; 3) granting the request would impose an undue financial and administrative burden or would fundamentally alter the nature of the housing provider’s services; 4) the specific service animal in question poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation; or 5) the specific service animal in question would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation.

A determination that a service animal poses a direct threat of harm to others or would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others, must be based on an individualized as-

12

ABODE

April 2018

sessment that relies on objective evidence about the specific animal’s conduct.

If a resident requests having Fluffy the service pit bull at your property, the request cannot be denied simply because you don’t want pit bulls on your property. Remember, breed, size and weight limitations may not be applied to service animals. On the other hand, if this resident was previously evicted from another apartment community because Fluffy bit another dog, you would have evidence that the specific service animal in question (Fluffy) causedw a direct threat to the health and safety of others. In that situation, you would be able to deny the request.

What evidence is sufficient to show a disability and the need for the service animal?

You may not deny a reasonable accommodation request because you are uncertain whether or not the person seeking the accommodation has a disability or a disability-related need for a service animal. However, you may ask individuals who have disabilities that are not readily apparent or known to you to submit reliable documentation of a disability or the disabilityrelated need for a service animal.

For example, persons who are seeking a reasonable accommodation for a service animal

may provide documentation from a physician, psychiatrist, social worker or other mental health professional that the animal provides emotional support that alleviates one or more of the identified symptoms of a disability. Such documentation is sufficient if it establishes that an individual has a disability and that the animal in question will provide some type of disability-related assistance or emotional support. However, you may not ask an applicant or a resident to provide access to medical records or medical providers or provide detailed or extensive information of a person’s physical or mental impairments.

A case styled Houston v. DTN Operating Company, LLC decided in October 2017 by the United States District Court in the Eastern District of Texas gave some insight into what would constitute proof of a disability when a request for a service animal is made.

The resident, while requesting a service animal accommodation, provided the owner with a letter from a licensed marriage and family therapist stating that the resident had a mental disability and needed an emotional support animal. When the owner requested additional documentation regarding the resident’s / See Law, Page 64

www.haaonline.org

Afford Quality Electric pg 13.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:37 AM Page 1

Resident Relations from the RESIDENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE

LEASE EDITS Changes made to a lease confuse a resident.

A RESIDENT FILED a complaint

with HAA to receive his security deposit. The resident claimed he paid a security deposit in the amount of $1,599. Following Hurricane Harvey, management delivered a termination notice to its residents due to the extensive damage caused by the natural disaster. The resident stated he received $104.70 of his security deposit in the form of a check. The resident felt this amount was unfair and that he should have receieved the full $1,599.

Management responded to HAA and that response was forwarded to the resident. Enclosed were copies of the application, lease and ledger. The lease originally stated a deposit of $1,599, which included a month’s rent deposit under conditional approval. However,

14

ABODE

after further review, The HAA Resident Relations Committees provide management made the desicion to override the an impartial review of resident complaints using conditional approval. the documentation provided by both the resident After this decision was and management. made, the new security deposit represented $250 with an additional deposit of $50 for a security remote, which provided by management and initialed by the equaled a total of $300, as stated on the final resident as $300. lease and the lease provided by management.

Management claimed the resident was made If you are a manager with a resident aware of these changes before the lease was relations issue, call HAA at 713-595-0300 initialed and at move-out. for direct assistance. Renters can be referred to HAA The committee decided in favor of manageto speak to a trained consultant Wednesdays from ment. Charges were justified. The committee 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Thursdays and Fridays from 9 noted the security deposit on the signed lease a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

April 2018

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

www.haaonline.org

ameritex movers pg 15.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:40 AM Page 1

honor nomination pg 16.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:41 AM Page 1

Tt’s time to nominate your star people!

T

ach year, HAA selects the top industry professional in each of 14 categories from nominations made by management company executives, supervisors, coworkers, vendors and friends.

Any HAA member can nominate a deserving industry professional. The nomination process is a simple one – go to the online nomination forms on the HAA website at ww.haaonline.org/nominations and fill out the information requested. All of the nominees and winners will be recognized at the Honors Awards ceremony on June 28, with photos to be published in the ABODE magazine.

T

E

T T

T

The deadline for individual nominations is May 14.

See www.haaonline.org/ nominations for details.

For further questions, contact HAA at 713-595-0300.

T

Nominate online at www.haaonline.org/nominations For nomination forms and more information, including category breakdowns and award criteria, log on at www.haaonline.org/nominations.

century pg 17.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:42 AM Page 1

expo pg 18.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:44 AM Page 1

The Houston Apartment Association invites you to elevate your career

HAA 2018 Education Conference & Expo Thursday, May 17, 2018 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closing Party 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

NRG Center, Hall C Registration opens at 8 a.m.

Keynote Breakfast with New York Times best-selling author Jon Acuff 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Four Concurrent Education Breakout Sessions (Choice of 4 topics each round) Round One: 10:15 a.m to 11:30 a.m.

Round Two: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It’s BACK! Lunch & Lip Sync Battle 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Early Bird pricing available until May 7: $125; $165 after May 7 Special pricing for NAA Credential Holders (must be current): $95

Expo Show Hours 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Over 250 Exhibitors! $3,000 in Cash Prizes!

Closing Party! in NRG Stadium Club Level 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Attendance for the Expo only is FREE and only for owner/management company owners and personnel.

Non-exhibiting suppliers are not admitted.

Visit www.haaepxo.org for more information and register

Educ pg 19, 25.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:47 AM Page 1

Upcoming Education

APRIL Maintenance Mania Thursday, April 5 Houston Marriott Westchase 2900 Briarpark Drive Program fee: $55 per competitor; $45 per spectator See www.haaonline.org for full details.

APPLE: Core Session 1 – CapEx Strategies for Managers & Maintenance with Mary Gwyn Tuesday, April 10 8:30 a.m. to noon Program fee: $50 Sponsored by Redevelopment Services See Page 22 for details.

Redbook Seminar – Lake Jackson Tuesday, April 10 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $125 prior to April 10; $160 after April 10 Sponsored by Apartments.com and Nationwide Eviction See Page 29 for details.

CAM: Legal Wednesday, April 11 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $1,050; Tuition may be paid in full or divided into two payments of $525.

New CAM candidates must begin the program with the first course on Wednesday, March 7.

Sponsored by The Lane Law Firm Learn how to describe reasonable accommodations and modifications for persons with disabilities; explain compliance with laws that govern applicant screening;

SCHEDULE AND FEES

From the HAA EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

explain the purpose and impact of Fair Housing laws; explain how to remain in compliance with fair housing laws; identify a CAM’s responsibilities in providing safe living conditions; summarize the bid process requirements; and explain compliance with laws that govern employment practices.

CAS: Legal Wednesday, April 11 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $625; $125 per module A comprehensive guide to this ever-changing topic.

Discussions include Fair Housing laws and regulations including two case studies, familial status review, occupancy standards, disability provisions, Fair Housing marketing and advertising, as well as federally assisted housing and Section 8 regulations.

Redbook Seminar – The Woodlands Thursday, April 12 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program fee: $125 prior to April 12; $160 after April 12 Sponsored by ApartmentData.com and TPI Construction & Painting See Page 29 for details.

CAM: Financial Management Thursday, April 12 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Program fee: $1,050; Tuition may be paid in full or divided into two payments of $525.

Sponsored by Brook Furniture Rental Learn how to relate CAM

are subject to change without prior notification. Notice of cancellation is required two days in advance to receive a refund, less a $15 administrative fee. Seats are guaranteed on a first-come, first-served basis when payment and registration are received in advance of the program. Unless otherwise indicated, courses are held in either the Camden and Michael Stevens Interests Room or the Direct Energy and Liberty Personnel & Executive Search Room at the Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center, 4810 Westway Park Blvd. on the second floor of the HAA Office www.haaonline.org

responsibilities to the financial performance of a property: Analyze an income statement, develop and manage a stabilized budget, prevent and solve for bad debt and perform a property valuation.

CAS: Financial Management Thursday, April 12 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $625; $125 per module See above listing for details.

HAA NEXT: Bingo & Brews Thursday, April 12 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Eureka Heights Brewery 941 West 18th St., 77008 Sponsored by HD Supply See Page 59 for details.

Community Career Night Monday, April 16 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Program fee: $250 per exhibitor Exhibit at Community Career Night and help grow the talent pool of future multifamily professionals. All proceeds go towards education grants, which helps fund the pursuit of credentials for those in need of financial assistance.

Redbook Seminar – Baytown Tuesday, April 17 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program fee: $125 prior to April 17; $160 after April 17 Sponsored by Apartments.com and Texas Southest Floors See Page 29 for details.

Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Wednesday, April 18 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $65 prior to April 17; $75 after April 17

An in-depth introduction to the apartment industry for new leasing professionals as well as those individuals looking to learn more about the industry as a career. If you are not working for a member company of HAA download this registration form www.haaonline.org/images/pro grams/pdf/leasing101_2017.pdf.

Redbook Seminar – Pearland Thursday, April 19 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program fee: $125 prior to April 19; $160 after April 19 Sponsored by Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search and TPI Construction & Painting See Page 29 for details.

IROC Breakfast Friday, April 20 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Sponsored by Shaw Industries The Independent Rental Owners' Connection (IROC) offers customized education and networking programs just for you. This month's topic: TBA. APPLE: CORE Session 3 – Top 10 Fair Housing Fails with Katie Rigsby Tuesday, April 24 8:30 a.m. to noon Program fee: $50 Sponsored by Best Plumbing See Pages 22 and 37 for details.

MAY CAM: Human Resources Thursday, May 3 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Program fee: $1,050 per person; / See Education, Page 25

Building. Seating is limited. You must pre-register. For more information and to register, go online at www.haaonline.org.

Notice to Attendees: All pre-registered no-shows will be billed. For admittance into HAA/HAF events, payments will be required at the door if not received prior to the event. Start times listed above include a 30-minute registration period. Notice of cancellation is required two days prior to the event for a refund, less a $15 administrative fee.

April 2018

ABODE

19

calendar pg 20,21.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:49 AM Page 1

APRIL S M 1 2 8 9 15 16 22 23 29 30

Calendar HAA Education, Events and Meetings SCHEDULE

T W T F S 3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 27 28

MAY S M

T 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

W 2 9 16 23 30

T 3 10 17 24 31

F 4 11 18 25

S 5 12 19 26

APRIL 4

12

17

20

Ambassador ONE Society Crawfish Boil Wednesday, April 4 3:30 p.m.

Contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org for details.

Redbook Seminar – The Woodlands Thursday, April 12 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

See Page 29 or contact Lauren Turner at lturner@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by ApartmentData.com and TPI Construction & Painting

Redbook Seminar – Baytown Tuesday, April 17 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

See Page 29 or contact Lauren Turner at lturner@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by Apartments.com and Texas Southwest Floors

IROC Breakfast Friday, April 20 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Sponsored by Shaw Industries

CAM: Financial Management Thursday, April 12 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by Brook Furniture Rental

New Supplier Member Orientation Tuesday, April 17 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

HAA Offices All new supplier members welcome.

Contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org for details.

5 Maintenance Mania Thursday, April 5 Houston Marriott Westchase 2900 Briarpark Drive, 77042 See www.haaonline.org for full details.

10 APPLE: Core Session 1 – CapEx Strategies for Managers & Maintenance with Mary Gwyn Tuesday, April 10 8:30 a.m. to noon See Page 22 for details.

Sponsored by Redevelopment Services Redbook Seminar – Lake Jackson Tuesday, April 10 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

See Page 29 or contact Lauren Turner at lturner@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by Apartments.com and Nationwide Eviction

11 CAM: Legal Wednesday, April 11 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by The Lane Law Firm CAS: Legal Wednesday, April 11 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Resident Relations Committee A Wednesday, April 11 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

CAM: Financial Management Thursday, April 12 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HAA NEXT: Bingo & Brews Thursday, April 12 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Eureka Heights Brewery 941 West 18th St., 77008 See Page 59 for details.

Sponsored by HD Supply

16 Community Career Night Monday, April 16 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Product Service Council Supplier Education Program Tuesday, April 17 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

See Page 24 or contact Susan at shinkley@haaonline.org for details.

24 APPLE: CORE Session 3 – Top 10 Fair Housing Fails with Katie Rigsby Tuesday, April 24 8:30 a.m. to noon See Pages 22 fand 37 for details.

Sponsored by Best Plumbing

25-27 TAA Education Conference & Lone Star Expo Wednesday, April 25 through Friday, April 27 in San Antonio See www.taa.org for details.

18 Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Wednesday, April 18 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

19 Redbook Seminar – Pearland Thursday, April 19 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

See Page 29 or contact Lauren Turner at lturner@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search and TPI Construction & Painting TopGolf HAAPAC Fundraiser Thursday, April 19 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

1030 Memorial Brook Blvd., 77084 Come support our local HAAPAC while enjoying an afternoon at TopGolf. Contact Alpa at apatel@haaonline.org, see Page 6 or visit www.haaonline.org for details.

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, all events meet at our Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., second floor, in either the Direct Energy and Liberty Personnel & Executive Search or the Camden and Michael Stevens Interests Room. Meetings located at the HAA Offices, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., first floor, will be held in the Redi Carpet and Winograd Families/Judwin Properties Conference Room. See www.haaonline.org for an interactive calendar.

20

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

calendar pg 20,21.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:50 AM Page 2

Please note that dates and times are subject to change. Check the calendars at www.haaonline.org for the most up-to-date information.

MAY 2

9

22

30

Education Advisory Council Wednesday, May 2 10 a.m.

Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Wednesday, May 9 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

New Supplier Member Orientation Wednesday, May 2 3 p.m.

Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub 10001 Westheimer, 77042 All new supplier members welcome.

Contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org for details.

Clute Region Meeting Wednesday, May 9 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Formally known as Area Council Meetings, the HAA Outreach department is continuing to bring education and networking opportunities to outlying counties with a new title.

More information to come. Contact Lauren Turner at lturner@haaonline.org for details.

HAAPAC Luncheon Tuesday, May 22 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Contact Alpa at apatel@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by Secure Insurance

Conroe Region Meeting Wednesday, May 30 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Formally known as Area Council Meetings, the HAA Outreach department is continuing to bring education and networking opportunities to outlying counties with a new title.

More information to come. Contact Lauren Turner at lturner@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by ApartmentData.com

Ambassador ONE Society Meeting Wednesday, May 2 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Sherlock’s Baker St. Pub 10001 Westheimer, 77042 Contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org for details.

3 CAM: Human Resources Thursday, May 3 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Presto Maintenance Supply

4 It's the Law Luncheon Friday, May 4 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sponsored by Redevelopment Services

8 APPLE: Marketing Session 1 – Creating Your Brand Identity, to Stand Out from the Crowd with Marla Posey Tuesday, May 8 8:30 a.m. to noon See Pages 22 fand 23 for details Sponsored by Best Plumbing

Resident Relations Committee B Wednesday, May 9 2 p.m.

14 Honors Awards Individual Nominations Due Monday, May 14 Nominations due by 5 p.m.

See Page 16 for details

17 2018 HAA Education Conference & Expo Thursday, May 17 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

NRG Center Hall C Registration and payment is required for the education conference. Expo is free. Exhibition space is sold out. Non-exhibiting supplier partners are not permitted to attend. See Page 18 for details.

23 Certified Pool Operator Course – Spanish (2 days) Wednesday, May 23 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

24 Blue Star Class Thursday, May 24 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Contact Alpa at apatel@haaonline.org.

Sponsored by PPG Paints and The Lane Law Firm Leadership Lyceum – Session 4 Thursday, May 24 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In the final Leadership Lyceum session, career and professional development will be discussed. We will have TAA’s Glenda Holmes and NAA’s Jen Schuelter attending.

Contact Susan at shinkley@ haaonline.org for details.

28 Offices Closed The HAA offices will be closed on Monday, May 28 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

Board Meeting Thursday, May 17 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

NRG Center Board members are encouraged to attend the HAA Expo, located in Hall C, following the meeting.

Sponsored by CoreLogic

HAA 2018 Education Conference & Expo Thursday, May 17 See Page 18 and www.haaexpo.org for details.

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

21

apple pg 22.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:50 AM Page 1

Professional Development: APPLE Workshop Series

Grow your career with the right ideas, the best advice and go to the head of the class – APPLE features some of the best nationallyacclaimed speakers in the industry.

Individual sessions are priced at only $50 each, a real steal for quality education.

Annual Property Subscriptions are also available with unlimited attendance for all on-site property staff to all sessions at discounted prices: • Only $199 per year per property for properties with fewer than 200 units • Only $399 per year per property for properties with 200 to 350 units.

• Only $450 per year per property for properties with more than 350 units.

Take a bite out of great education opportunities and enroll for 2018 today. Contact the HAA Education Department at education@haaonline.org or see more information and register online at www.haaonline.org.

APPLE is sponsored by

22

ABODE

April 2018

Grab an APPLE! Don’t miss the next three sessions: leave with a thorough understanding of the APPLE: Leadership Fair Housing laws and their responsibility as Session I industry professionals.

April 10 New! CapEx: Capital Investment APPLE: Marketing Strategies Made Simple for Managers Session 1 & Maintenance with Mary Gwyn May 8 This sessions helps managers and mainteCreating Your Brand nance supervisors understand investment New! Identity, To Stand Out From The Crowd strategies and return on investment when with Marla Posey budgeting, planning and implementing capital and major property expenditure pro- Have you ever wondered why some brands have become the leaders in their vertical, grams. With insights into various owners’ where others just blend into the group? For objectives for real estate investment, atteninstance, how did Disney become the “hapdees will learn how those objectives impact piest place on earth,” Apple the “coolest tech decisions on capital expenditures. The company” or Nike associated as “the sports course includes discussions of long range performance brand” in the minds of public? planning, ROI vs. ROE, comparing in-house A large part of the reason is the result of their and contract work, developing scopes of deliberate and thoughtful choices about how work and tracking replacements. Attendees to design and market their brand. During this will leave this session with practical worksession we will pull back the curtain and ing knowledge that will benefit their ownexplore the components to creating a brand ers every day. identity as part of your overall brand that allows you to positively connect with your APPLE: Core - Session 3 customers on an emotional level that will April 24 create loyalty that rises above the tide and Top Ten Fair Housing Fails stands the test of time. with Katie Rigsby Learning Objectives: Fair Housing mistakes can be costly and • Explain what “Brand Identity” is and why many of the common complaints are avoidit is important to your overall branding able if personnel is knowledgeable and well message. • Review the components to trained. In this interactive session, attendees creating your Brand Identity: Messaging, will hear 10 of the most common Fair visual and emotional. • Explore the eleHousing “fails” and learn how to prevent disments and steps to creating your Brand crimination by handling questions, comIdentity. • Explain how to create your story plaints and resident issues with professionalism and according to Fair Housing guidelines. and implement your plan.

Ideal for those new to the industry or needing continuing education, participants will www.haaonline.org

apple marketing pg 23.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:51 AM Page 1

Creating Your Brand Identity, To From The Crowd

t u O d n a t S

Have you ever wondered why some brands have become the leaders in their vertical, where others just blend into the group? For instance, how did Disney become the “happiest place on earth,” Apple the “coolest tech company” or Nike associated as “the sports performance brand” in the minds of public? A large part of the reason is the result of their deliberate and thoughtful choices about how to design and market their brand. During this session we will pull back the curtain and explore the components to creating a brand identity as part of your overall brand that allows you to positively connect with your customers on an emotional level that will create loyalty that rises above the tide and stands the test of time.

Learning Objectives: • Explain what “Brand Identity” is and why it is important to your overall branding message • Review the components to creating your Brand Identity - Messaging - Visual - Emotional • Explore the elements and steps to creating your Brand Identity • Explain how to create your story and implement your plan

with Marla Posey

Marketing Session with Marla Posey Tuesday, May 8 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Registration 9 a.m. to Noon – Program HAF Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center 4810 Westway Park Blvd., off Clay Road and the Beltway Only $50!

A part of the APPLE Workshop Series Sponsored by

Register online today at www.haaonline.org or call 713-595-0300 for details. www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

23

elevate

supplier educ pg 24.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:52 AM Page 1

Hey Suppliers: Elevate your company by networking with the Houston Apartment Association and your Product Service Council Presented by the PSC twice a year, this program helps new supplier companies and new company representatives gain a better understanding of the opportunities available in the multifamily industry and HAA. Learn how to develop relationships with management personnel that result in business for your company.

Using your membership the right way can help your business grow.

Join us for roundtable discussions with the following industry executives and the HAA Product Service Council: Robert Lopes, NALP, CAM, CAPS, CAMT, Relik Realty Stacie Turner, Milestone Management Jackie Aguirre, CAM, Veritas Equity Management Bryan Head, CAM, DayRise Residential Melissa Friend, Greystar Keely Park, The Dinerstein Companies Sonia Lopez, Southhampton Management FREE for Suppliers. Register online at www.haaonline.org.

Topics include: Ambassador One Society Advocacy - Political Action Community Outreach Helpful tips for selling to multifamily professionals Management structure and duties Certified Apartment Supplier (CAS) credential HAA: Understanding the Association Events: Which ones to attend and why

Supplier Education Meeting Thursday, April 17 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Registration 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Program 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Q and A HAF Education Center, 4810 Westway Park Blvd.

(Located off Clay Road and Beltway 8)

Sponsored by the HAA Product Service Council

Educ pg 19, 25.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:48 AM Page 2

Education, continued from Page 19 Tuition can be paid in full or divided into two payments of $525. New CAM candidates must begin the program with the first course on Wednesday, March 7.

Sponsored by Presto Maintenance Supply In this course, you’ll learn how to identify the components of an effective marketing plan; use resources to effectively gather and calculate data needed in a marketing plan; develop a marketing plan; analyze a market including competitors; identify the internal market readiness of a property; perform an economic analysis of a property; analyze and draw conclusions from a market plan using the SWOT methodology; add value to a property through use of rental income, rates and/or adjustments; add value to a property through managing occupancy; select and write an effective recommendation; identify types of promotion; identify types of advertising media; develop a budget for a marketing plan; and measure the success of a marketing plan.

It's the Law Luncheon Friday, May 4 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Program fee: $25 Sponsored by Redevelopment Services Join HAA's Legal Counsel, Howard Bookstaff, for lunch and a legal discussion in a casual environment allowing for questions and answers.

APPLE: Marketing Session 1 – Creating Your Brand Identity, to Stand Out from the Crowd with Marla Posey Tuesday, May 8 8:30 a.m. to noon Program fee: $50

Sponsored by Best Plumbing Have you ever wondered why some brands have become the leaders in their vertical, where others just blend into the group?

For instance, how did Disney become the happiest place on earth? Apple the coolest tech company? And Nike associated as the sports performance brand in the minds of public? A large part of the reason is the result of their deliberate and thoughtful choices about how to design and market their brands. During this session, we will pull back the curtain and explore the components to creating a brand identity as part of your overall brand, which will allow you to positively connect with your customers on an emotional level and create loyalty that rises above the tide and stands the test of time. Learning objectives include: The definition of brand identity and why it is important to your overall branding message; reviewing the components in creating your brand identity; messaging visual and emotional; exploring the elements and steps to creating your brand identity; and explaining how to create your story and implement your plan.

See Pages 22 and 23 for more details.

Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Wednesday, May 9 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $65 prior to April 17; $75 An in-depth introduction to the apartment industry for new leasing professionals as well as those individuals looking to learn more about the industry as a career. This day and a half program covers topics including: greeting and qualifying the customer, executing the lease contract,

overcoming objections and closing techniques, an overview of Fair Housing and more. Students who complete the course will receive a certificate, as well as a listing of placement agencies and management companies that are members of HAA. If you are not working for a member company of HAA download this registration form www.haaonline.org/images/programs/pdf/l easing101_2017.pdf.

2018 HAA Education Conference & Expo Thursday, May 17 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

NRG Center Hall C Registration and payment is required for the education conference. Expo is free.

Exhibition space is sold out. Nonexhibiting supplier partners are not permitted to attend. See Page 18 for details.

Certified Pool Operator Course – Spanish (2 days) Wednesday, May 23 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Program fee: $299 This course is conducted in Spanish.

Successful completion of this two-day course will result in a five-year certification from the National Swimming Pool Foundation and ensures pool chemicals are being used properly and when appropriate. This course is recommended for anyone working with pools as well as property managers, so they are up-to-date regarding local codes and can reduce risk and liability. The course fee of $299 per person includes textbook, exam fees and meals for both days.

No credit card or HAA login?

No problem!

We do not accept registrations over the phone. However, if you do not have access to a credit card, just use our “Express Registration” page (no login required) at www.haaonline.org/expressregistration. This simple form generates an email to us with your registration request. This is a binding transaction, and all cancellation policies still apply.

NOTE: For your own individual HAA login ID and password, please email us at ebreg@haaonline.org.

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

25

naa update pg 26,27,55.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:53 AM Page 1

Industry Update from the NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION and the NATIONAL MULTIHOUSING COUNCIL

YOUR NOI DISASTER PLAN With potential threats to profitability on the horizon, managers turn to technology and take a closer look at client selection.

THIS IS THE first article in our NOI Disaster Plan series, which looks at how apartment operators are exploring alternative ways to improve their performance and profitability by leveraging technology, assessing their staffing and senior management experience and implementing more mobile-based platforms that can improve the efficiency of key functions, such as maintenance work-orders, marketing or human resources.

With potential threats to profitability on the horizon, managers turn to technology and take a closer look at client selection.

Rents have been rising nationally on a consistent basis since 2010. For rental housing fee-management companies, those increases have led to profits, because most management companies work off of a percentage of their collected income, whether it is 2, 3 or 4 percent.

When things are going well, management companies say that some owners attribute their profits to market conditions, and discount their management company’s performance.

However, when rents fall, owners do an about-face and place some of the blame on the management company, ignoring the cycle of market conditions. In response, owners consider changing management firms or renegotiating their contract terms.

With shrinking rent growth on the horizon in 2018 in many markets, some management firms have taken bold steps since the last recession that will prepare them for any future turbulence.

Rick Graf, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle, says, “From our perspective, our margins today continue to improve.

A lot of that has to do with rents increasing, because we typically get paid as a derivative of collected revenue.” “[During the Great Recession], we made some cost cutting measures like most people did,” Graf says. “We saw our revenue stream 26

ABODE

April 2018

cut by whatever rate the rent had dropped.”

At that time, Graf took on the risky strategy of investing in his operations, despite the downward trend. He began pumping resources into Pinnacle’s management platform by upgrading technology, marketing and its human resources group.

“By utilizing different banking software and integration software, we lowered our costs of providing a service, which obviously increases our margins and allows us to provide more services to our clients,” Graf says.

“For example, if technology allows you to lower your cost of client reporting and accounting by a dime per unit per month or a quarter per unit per month, for example, and then you put that over 165,000 or 170,000 units, it brings in a lot of money.”

Graf says this investment strategy was risky because it was made within a challenging economic environment.

“My approach was to double-down and invest for the future,” he says. “This has paid huge dividends today. Our company has seen a dramatic increase in institutional client bookings. Our position in the marketplace has grown very nicely.”

An example of adjusting for recent shrinking margins is Washington, D.C.-based developer Kettler. Bob Kettler’s recent overhaul of his organization shows how seriously apartment firms are dealing with margin compression in all segments of real estate.

Kettler’s business touches single-family and rental housing, office and retail. He has continued to see his margins pressured in all areas during the past half-decade. A declining labor pool, steadily rising land costs and the D.C. region’s costly development process cut into revenue, forcing him to make business-changing decisions.

“When margins [profits] could be 15 to 50 percent on real estate deals, you could run a big volume of business through your shop— for-sale housing land development, tax cred-

its, management and Class A apartments— and all would rise and fall with different market cycles,” Kettler says. “We could always scale up and scale down and move onsite staff members back and forth.”

But the changing economy, which required more technology investments in his portfolio and increased competition for land, labor and management contracts, had made it more difficult to justify each business unit. To get a fresh holistic analysis of his organization, Kettler turned to proven management leaders Greg Parseghian, former Chief Executive Officer of Freddie Mac; and Usha Chaudhary, former Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer with The Washington Post.

The two looked at “every molecule of the business,” helping Kettler realize that there was duplication of efforts within each business division’s back-office functions, such as human resources and accounting. In response, the company created one “shared services group” to be used by all of its business units. Kettler says this reduced headcount improved margins. – Les Shaver When To Walk Away from a Client This is the second article in our NOI Disaster Plan, our series exploring alternative ways to improve apartment operational performance with the end goal of maintaining profitability in all economic climates.

To get ahead some property managers must know when to walk away.

Flat rental markets can provide fertile ground for pricing wars between owners and management companies during the selection process.

“With flat rents, everybody is throwing out one company and bringing in another,” says Bob Kettler, Chief Executive Officer and owner of Kettler. “There is a lot of transition. Everyone is selling against each other.”

Management companies such as WinnResiwww.haaonline.org

naa update pg 26,27,55.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:53 AM Page 2

dential have used this time during the past year to take a harder look at its clients.

“We made a conscious decision to focus on tactical growth and to position the resources of the organization to best serve our clients.

Our priority is quality performance, not quantity of units,” Patrick M. Appleby, President of WinnResidential, says. “We evaluate new business opportunities based on whether we believe we can deliver sustained success for the client, as well as our own margin.”

If something does not fit, Appleby turns down the opportunity.

“The test is whether the operational and economic factors will produce mutually beneficial outcomes,” he says. “Using that formula, we have reduced the number of properties in our portfolio over the past year and aligned our key resources to best serve our clients and to pursue new strategic opportunities.”

Dennis Treadaway, President and CEO of FPI Management, says that last year, for the first time in his career, he fired clients who became “inefficient” for his company to manage. “[Some owners] become so active in the management process that it becomes management of the client and not the management of the property,” Treadaway says. “It is not effective for property management companies to operate in that environment. With remorse, I will move away from an account because it doesn’t fit our efficiencies.”

Other times, it just becomes impossible to keep a company as a client if you want to avoid liability. “Additionally, they can provide direction that is inconsistent with fair housing practices and employment practices, creating a risk adverse environment for the property manager,” Treadaway says.

Treadaway, who manages more than 100,000 units, is emphatic when he says finding a compatible client is not dependent on the size of their portfolio. Additionally, he relies on what he calls “organics,” or new business, to offset operating expense increases in areas, such as labor or overhead.

“As overhead goes up and rents soften, there is no room to increase margins if organics don’t come in like we think they would,” he says.

Still firing a client is far from commonplace.

One long-time manager says he has only dismissed two clients. “There were two reasons: not paying bills and verbal abuse of our employees,” he says. – Les Shaver www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

27

outreach pg 28,30.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:57 AM Page 1

On the Road with HAA

1

Pasadena Region Meeting Tuesday, February 13 at Preserve at Baywood Sponsored by 1 Perfect Surface Inc. The HAA Outreach Committee traveled to Pasadena to meet with the city’s new Director of Community Relations Rex Lindberg, as well as the new Economic Development Manager Rick Guerrero.

Lindberg and Guerrero gave updates on new city projects and services and answered questions from our group of area managers and owners. Bruce McClenny provided a market snapshot for Pasadena and surrounding markets and referenced the occupancy for Pasadena/Deer Park/La Porte is at 90.8 percent compared to 89.4 percent for Houston. Thank you to Dana Holder and the staff of Preserve at Baywood for hosting our meeting.

28

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

2018

redbook seminar pg 29.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:59 AM Page 1

All New Redbook Formatting for 2018

SEMINAR

Choose your day.

Choose your location.

April 10 in Lake Jackson Corporate Learning Center, 500 College Drive, Lake Jackson, 77566 Note: Located in the back next to the Bill & Julia May Children’s Center.

Please follow signs to the orange parking lot and park there.

April 12 in The Woodlands Hilton Garden Inn, The Woodlands, 9301 Six Pines Drive, The Woodlands, 77380

April 17 in Baytown SpringHill Suites by Marriott Houston/Baytown, 5169 East Freeway/Baytown, 77521

April 19 in Pearland Hilton Garden Inn – Houston/Pearland, 12101 Shadow Creek Parkway Pearland, 77584

Registration – 8:30 a.m.

Program – 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program Fee (includes lunch) – $125 prepay; $160 invoice Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager by participating in one of the REDBOOK seminars being offered around the state.

Seminars emphasize changes in management practices required by new laws passed during the last legislative session as well as updates on key regulatory issues that affect property management.

Each section will include an interactive exercise to help you learn how to apply the law to your job. Full of videos and interactive tools, the 2018 REDBOOK seminar will deliver the quality legal instruction you expect from TAA in a totally new way. Here’s your chance to hear from the experts and get answers to your questions.

Presented by Howard Bookstaff, HAA General Counsel

For more information and to register, see online at www.haaonline.org.

Sponsored by Apartments.com, ApartmentData.com, Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search, Nationwide Eviction and TPI Construction & Painting

At the 2018 Apartment & Rental Housing Legal Seminars, you will • Learn the major changes to TAA’s Rental Application, Lease and other major forms • Understand major operational issues • Get comfortable with the newly re-organized REDBOOK Seminar topics include: • Changes to the TAA Rental Application • Changes to the TAA Lease • Changes to key addenda • Fair housing accommodations & modifications • Crime on property • Parking & towing • Ending the Lease • Handling deposits • Evictions, other remedies • Notices to vacate • Identity theft • Workplace safety • Mold • Disaster preparedness • Forward-looking topics • Reputation management • Payment methodologies • and much more

outreach pg 28,30.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:58 AM Page 2

On the Road with HAA

1

Woodlands Leasing 101 Wednesday, February 21 at Hilton Garden Inn Sponsored by 1 RentPath HAA has expanded on its outlying education efforts for 2018, and kicked off the year with the first outlying Leasing 101 program. More than 40 attendees received an introduction to leasing and the apartment industry taught by Q10 Property Advisors Owner Stephanie Graves. Attendees finished the day with an overview of Fair Housing from HAA General Counsel Howard Bookstaff.

HAA IS REACHING OUT to better serve our members by bringing targeted networking and educational events to different parts of our 12-county service area. Contact Outreach Manager Lauren Turner at lturner@haaonline.org to sign up for these FREE, management-only events where you can learn about issues affecting your area and network with your fellow managers. Want to host an event? We are looking for member properties to host a Region Meeting. Contact lturner@haaonline.org.

30

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

fsi pg 31.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:00 AM Page 1

pac wine pg 32, 33.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:01 AM Page 1

On the Scene with the HAA PAC NAAPAC Wine Tasting Thursday, February 15 at the Vantage Med Center HAA held its National Apartment Association Political Action Committee Wine Tasting fundraiser at the new Vantage Med Center.

The event featured HAA Past Presidents serving their favorite wines with attendees voting for the Grand Champion, with Greystar’s Jackie Rhone taking the honor.

WE’RE ALL ABOUT BETTER GOVERNMENT Threats from government are coming at the apartment industry at a rapid pace. The HAAPAC, the political action committee of the Houston Apartment Association, needs your help to fight bad legislation. HAA members can participate in the PAC on several levels. 2018 registration forms are available. To join, renew or learn how to become involved with the PAC, see online at www.haaonline.org or contact apatel@haaonline.org.

32

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

pac wine pg 32, 33.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:01 AM Page 2

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

33

kathy rigsby pg 34,35,36.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:03 AM Page 1

Image © Francesco Alessi | Dreamstime.com

Fair Housing Month

34

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

kathy rigsby pg 34,35,36.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:03 AM Page 2

Stay on top of Fair Housing by remaining active in your local association.

By

KATIE RIGSBY, CAPS, CAM, NALP, Katie Rigsby Inspires

Be in the

Know S

ince 1968, Fair Housing has played a significant role in the operation and management practices of the housing industry. Established to guarantee protection from discrimination for protected classes in any form of housing, Fair Housing laws are intended to provide individuals with the right to choose where they live, while also having fair and equal availability to all services and amenities and ensuring fair and equal treatment to all individuals in similar situations.

Fair Housing is unique in the fact that complaints may be filed by any individual or company that has witnessed or experienced housing discrimination. Fair Housing complaints will often name not only the specific offender, but the individual property manager, in addition to the corporate entity or owner associated with the complainant’s housing. There is no fee to file a complaint and should the accused be found guilty, potential damages include: civil penalties, attorney’s fees and punitive damages just to name a few. Therefore, the best way to keep yourself and your company out of trouble is to educate your management and team members on how to avoid discrimination.

www.haaonline.org

Housing Discrimination is Still a Problem Although we have come a long way as a society, housing discrimination is still a problem throughout the United States. So much so that the federal government employs individuals to not only investigate complaints of discrimination and conduct compliance reviews, but to also test industry professionals to ensure we adhere to the laws. Every year, the National Fair Housing Alliance compiles data from both private, nonprofit Fair Housing organizations and government agencies across the country.

These government agencies include the state and local Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). This set of organizations and government agencies together comprise the national system for addressing housing discrimination.

In 2016, there were 8,342 housing discrimination investigations completed as a result of complaints by HUD and FHAP agencies alone, with $25,247,453.00 awarded in monetary relief (Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, 2017).

Complaints often allege more than one basis of discrimination and each basis is counted as a complaint. The majority of

complaints filed under the Fair Housing Act in fiscal year 2016 were on the basis of disability with 4,908 complaints. Race was the next most common basis, making up 2,154 complaints in fiscal year 2016. You’ll get a closer look at some of the recent complaints and investigations that have resulted in big payouts in my upcoming Fair Housing session hosted by HAA. Fair Housing Laws are Ever-Changing As society evolves so do our laws and Fair Housing is no different. Changes to Fair Housing laws are nothing new. When Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1968 it only protected race, color, national origin and religion. It wasn’t until the ‘70s that sex was added and then familial status and persons with disabilities were included in 1988, resulting in the seven federally protected classes we practice with today.

Each year, HUD, the National Fair Housing Alliance, special interest groups, lawmakers and even the National Apartment Association work to better define Fair Housing laws. At times they are on different sides of the isle but ultimately all parties must work together.

Things change rapidly, so it is important to remain active in your local association, take a vested interest in legislative issues and read up on recent news. In the last 24 months, April 2018

ABODE

35

kathy rigsby pg 34,35,36.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:03 AM Page 3

some of the most significant changes relate to disparate impact, criminal background checks and quid pro quo. All of which will be covered in my upcoming session.

Be in the know! Subscribe to various electronic publications from HAA and NAA such as, ABODE Magazine at http://issuu.com/ haa_abode and Apartment Advocate and UNITS Magazine at http://www.naahq.org/news-publications. Sign up for one of HUD’s mailing lists such as, HUD Multifamily Housing News, at https://www.hud.gov/subscribe/mailinglist.

Staying abreast of industry changes is key to being a true professional.

Don’t Be Scared, Be Prepared Knowing that we could be named in a complaint or personally be held liable for not only our own actions (or inactions) but for those of our subordinates as well, can be a little scary. As industry professionals we have an obligation to our residents, as well as to our owners, to be well informed and at the forefront of industry changes. Fair Housing is not a one and done kind of training, it is something that we should take a vested interest in. By staying informed and attending regular Fair Housing training, you will be equipped with the necessary tools to properly handle the situation and reduce liability when an issue does arise (and it will).

Fair Housing mistakes can be costly and many of the common complaints are avoidable if personnel is knowledgeable and well trained. Please join me on Tuesday, April 24th for APPLE: CoreSession 3, “Top 10 Fair Housing Fails”. This is NOT your ordinary Fair Housing training! In this interactive session, attendees will hear 10 of the most common Fair Housing “fails” and learn how to prevent discrimination by handling questions, complaints, and resident issues with professionalism and according to Fair Housing guidelines.

Ideal for those new to the industry or experienced professionals needing continuing education, participants will leave with a thorough understanding of the Fair Housing laws and their responsibility as industry professionals.

Katie Rigsby, CAPS, CAM, NALP, is a keynote speaker, facilitator and inspiration specialist. She has more than 16 years of experience in the multifamily industry and has successfully managed multiple properties, capital investments, employees, crisis and finances with professionalism and confidence. Check Rigsby out at the APPLE: Core – Session 3 “Top Ten Fair Housing Fails” on Tuesday, April 24 and APPLE: Core – Session 6 “Sales isn’t For Sissies” on Thursday, Oct. 11.

36

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

apple fair housing pg 37.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:04 AM Page 1

10 Fair Housing Fails

Top

with Katie Rigby Fair Housing mistakes can be costly and many of the common complaints are avoidable if personnel is knowledgeable and well trained. In this interactive session, attendees will hear 10 of the most common Fair Housing “fails” and learn how to prevent discrimination by handling questions, complaints and resident issues with professionalism and according to Fair Housing guidelines. Ideal for those new to the industry or needing continuing education, participants will leave with a thorough understanding of the Fair Housing laws and their responsibility as industry professionals.

Fair Housing Session with Katie Rigby Tuesday, April 24 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Registration 9 a.m. to Noon – Program HAF Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center 4810 Westway Park Blvd., off Clay Road and the Beltway Only $50!

A part of the APPLE Workshop Series Sponsored by

Register online today at www.haaonline.org or call 713-595-0300 for details. www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

37

tx workforce pg 38,39,40.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:05 AM Page 1

Fair Housing Month

Image © Sunsetman | Dreamstime.com

Win-Win Solutions

38

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

tx workforce pg 38,39,40.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:06 AM Page 2

CRD and HAA are working together for Fair Housing.

By

LOWELL A. KEIG, Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division Director MICHELLE GOODWINE, Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division Fair Housing Manager

and

B

radley (fictitious name) is an individual with a mobility disability who uses a wheelchair. He has been living at Lumber Apartments (fictitious name) since 2008. When Bradley first moved there, he was assured that the apartment community voluntarily would build a ramp as a modification, so that he could get out of his apartment home easily. But, the apartment community did not come through, so Bradley took matters into his own hands and built a wooden ramp to exit his apartment home; and he worked out a route to the parking lot.

However, the apartment community made changes to the parking lot, which resulted in Bradley having problems accessing the parking lot when cars were parked in his usual pathway. He asked the property manager if something could be done about the cars blocking his pathway. The property manager told Bradley that nothing could be done. Bradley was forced to file a housing complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for failure to make a reasonable accommodation. HUD transferred the complaint to its state counterpart, the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division (CRD).

The good news is that within two months of Bradley’s complaint being assigned to CRD, all parties found a win-win solution. The apartment community agreed to build a ramp and reserve a parking space in front of Bradley’s apartment home. In addition, the community agreed to have its staff take Fair Housing training.

Finding win-win solutions with housing providers, housing consumers and Fair Housing organizations happens often with CRD. In fact, in each of the last three years, at least 24 percent of Fair Housing cases in Houston closed with a conciliation agreement involving TWC as a party (see chart below). (All CRD case closure data and statistics cited in this article were generated by HUD’s database and are currently unofficial.)

Percentage of CRD Cases Closing as Settlements in Houston

Basis Disability Race National Origin Familial Status Religion Retaliation Sex Color

2015 43% 47% 15% 7% 2% 3% 12% 1%

2016 80% 13% 6% 2% 1% 1% 1% 0%

2017 57% 32% 6% 7% 5% 8% 1% 1%

# of Testing Cases Closed in Houston

Areas for Focus Disability was the most common basis, followed by race, for Houston housing discrimination complaints in 2016 and 2017. In 2015, race was the most common basis and disability was a close second. (See the table middle right.)

(NOTE: Since some complaints filed involve multiple bases, the percentages were calculated based on the total cases closed in Houston, and the percentages will total more than 100 percent.)

Because disability continues to be the most common basis, multifamily housing providers will want to ensure that their training and compliance efforts cover issues affecting residents with disabilities.

Testing, Testing In 2015 and 2017, about 100 housing discrimination complaints closed in Houston. In 2016, however, the number jumped to 177.

What was the reason for the jump? Testing cases. During that year,

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

39

tx workforce pg 38,39,40.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:06 AM Page 3

112 of the Houston closures involved testing cases with disability as the basis. Since 2016, the number of testing cases has significantly declined. Typically, the Greater Houston Fair Housing Center, a Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) supported by HUD, will test housing providers to determine if individuals from a specific protected class are being discriminated against or treated more favorably than another protected class. In 2016, two non-FHIP organizations called housing providers to determine if they were in violation of the Fair Housing Act for reasonable accommodations involving emotional support animals (ESAs). The testers posed as applicants with disabilities who owned ESAs. A tester would mention having a breed of dog commonly listed on an apartment community’s restricted breed list. These testing calls would be recorded. Because the two non-FHIP organizations that utilized this approach were not able to demonstrate organizational standing on a consistent basis, the number of Houston testing cases significantly decreased in 2017.

Hurricane Harvey – No Significant Impact to CRD In late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 Hurricane, swept through Texas.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, about 7 percent of the Houston area’s 2.4 million housing units were impacted by Harvey. CRD was watching for any impact Hurricane Harvey could have on discrimination complaint filings. Interestingly, the impact has been negligible. Of the cases received this fiscal year, only two specifically mention Hurricane Harvey in the allegations and those two cases were not in Houston.

Furthermore, the number of complaints filed in Houston has remained fairly consistent.

Both cases allege that the complainant’s units experienced damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. Of the inquiries (not yet formal complaints) that have been dismissed this fiscal year by CRD, only one mentions Hurricane Harvey. The inquiry was dismissed by CRD because the allegations indicated the issue was a resident-owner issue, and did not involve discrimination.

Spreading the Word About Fair Housing Online, On the Streets As part of CRD’s “Let’s Work Together for Fair Housing” Fair Housing campaign, from late November through the end of 2017 CRD expanded its social media campaign on

40

ABODE

April 2018

Facebook. Public service announcements (PSAs) targeted people in the following geographic areas: Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Gulf Coast, Midland-Odessa, Alamo and the Valley.

According to the statistics, these PSAs reached over 457,000 people.

CRD also placed PSAs on the interior and exterior of buses, billboards and bus shelters in Austin, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Houston and in McAllen. Pictured at left is the Houston billboard.

These PSAs were funded by a generous grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.

Convenient and Cost-Free Fair Housing Training More than two years ago, thanks in part to a HUD grant, CRD began providing convenient and cost-free Fair Housing and reasonable accommodation webinars on a monthly basis to housing providers throughout Texas.

Also, for the third year in a row, CRD is partnering with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to provide two free webinars in celebration of Fair Housing Month in April. Here are details on the 2018 webinar series: • Fair Housing Overview (Tuesday, April 10, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., CST) Learn the basics about fair housing in Texas including protected classes, discriminatory practices, exemptions, and fair housing testing. Participants will have a chance to apply their knowledge in a review of case scenarios.

Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/12 31859131382451970 • Reasonable Accommodations and Accessibility (Tuesday, April 17, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., CST) Learn the basics about the reasonable accommodation process. What is a reasonable accommodation? How should a property respond? This presentation will also include information on service and assistance animals.

Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/31 11164196786582274 For further information please contact Suzanne Hemphill at Suzanne.Hemphill@ tdhca.state.tx.us.

Reaching Out to Houston CRD Director Lowell A. Keig traveled to

Houston twice last year to give presentations to housing industry businesses. He covered current topics such as service and assistance animals; design and construction issues; HUD’s updated rule on harassment, retaliation, interference and coercion; and accommodations or modifications for parking, ramps and curb cuts.

Reaching out to community and professional organizations helps CRD strive toward its vision of “creat[ing] an environment in which people of the State of Texas may pursue and enjoy the benefits of employment and housing that are free from discrimination.” CRD management team members are always available to share their technical assistance on Fair Housing/civil rights issues with community and professional organizations. If your community group, professional association or other non-profit would like CRD to present a Fair Housing workshop or seminar, please do not hesitate to contact us at crd training@twc.state.tx.us or by telephone at 888-452-4778. We always look forward to working together for Fair Housing.

Lowell Keig has served as the director of the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division since May of 2013. Prior to joining the division, Keig practiced law in employment, housing and other areas as an attorney in private law firms, as the general counsel of a behavioral health care system, as a division chief and deputy chief at the Office of the Attorney General and as a prosecutor. Keig received a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Trinity University.

Michelle Goodwine is the Fair Housing manager within the Texas Workforce Commission’s Civil Rights Division. As the contract compliance officer for the New York State Housing Finance Agency (HFA), she was responsible for ensuring equal employment and business opportunities on multifamily and medical care facilities construction projects financed by the agency. Goodwine has a Master of Public Administration degree from The University at Albany and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Howard University.

www.haaonline.org

gambit construction pg41.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:07 AM Page 1

mindy mccorkle pg 42,43,44.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:07 AM Page 1

Image © Leowolfert | Dreamstime.com

RPM Month

42

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

mindy mccorkle pg 42,43,44.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:08 AM Page 2

Learn the latest strategies and methods for talent development.

By

MINDY MCCORKLE, CAM, CAPS, Enhancement Talent Development

Creating Talent R

ecently, I’ve spent time working with client organizations whose talent development strategies are, well, let’s say tired. Their strategies aren’t really strategies; they are check-the-box training programs. These kinds of programs worked well a few years ago, but in today’s business world, it’s imperative that organizational leaders develop true talent development strategies.

Talent development can be defined as guiding employees to both reach their full potential and feel self-fulfilled while contributing to the company’s success and growth.

The key to continued success lies not only in the ability to attract and retain talented employees but also in understanding, managing and developing their talents in the best possible way. It can be hard to shift away from traditional training programs, I know. But if we are approaching training the same way we did a few years ago, we’re likely missing out on some of the real talent our teams could bring to the table. Here are six tips to help your organization in creating talent development strategies that really work.

1. Know your culture.

Really get to the bottom of your company culture and use it to find the right candidates.

Most companies have a mission and vision statement and core values in place, but a company’s culture can be difficult to define.

Unlike a mission statement, culture can change as the organization evolves and grows.

We have to watch out for the 80/20 trap

www.haaonline.org

here. In property management, property associates tend to believe they know their resident profile when many times what they think they know about their residents is a representation of the residents who they interact with, about 20 percent of the whole resident profile.

In the hospitality world, hotel operators know specifics about their needier guests (the 20 percent), but likely know very little about those guests who check in, require very little during their stay and check out quietly (the 80 percent).

A company’s culture can be similar to that idea sometimes. Top executives may think they understand the culture, but it’s the perception of the masses that counts. How do associates feel about the company? What do your employees believe the culture is? What would they say about the culture? Those are the critical questions. Once we become familiar with our culture as it is lived and believed by our associates, we have to tie that to the interviewing process.

If our culture does not come through loud and clear during the interviewing process, it can lead to hiring candidates that don’t fit our organization. This creates unhappy employees and higher turnover because we are likely hiring the wrong people over and over again.

How can we avoid this? Ask questions that speak to your company’s culture during the interview process.

You’ve heard of Zappos.com, right? There is a lot of hub-bub about their culture and how they maintain it. They’ve done a fantastic job of

honing a well-oiled culture of exceptional customer service, embracing change, adventure and creativity. How does Zappos.com make sure they hire people who fit that culture? Their interviews consist of questions like: • What type of company culture fits best with how you like to work?

• What is your theme song?

• If you could be a super hero, who would you be and why?

• What is something weird that makes you happy?

• What is your favorite curse word?

These questions allow executives and managers alike to learn more about the candidate as an individual than their work experience and technical skills. Zappos.com knows their culture and uses it to find the right people.

2. Stop thinking of your employees as assets or human capital.

Yes, an asset can be a useful or valuable thing, person or quality. However, we typically depreciate our assets. Capital is wealth in the form of money or other assets owned by a person or organization, but we don’t own our employees. Stop thinking of your employees as assets or human capital and think of them as people; living, breathing, thinking individual people with individual strengths, skills, desires and needs. It may sound like I’m splitting hairs here but it’s a mindset issue. The name we give to something shapes our feelings, so think of your employees as people, not assets or human capital.

April 2018

ABODE

43

mindy mccorkle pg 42,43,44.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:08 AM Page 3

3. Tap into available talent by allowing employees to do what they love at work.

The main component of developing talent is to be fully aware of what talent is there to develop. What talent do we have to work with?

Are there skills or talents that we aren’t utilizing?

Finding untapped talent is not only good for the organization, but it helps build loyalty with associates while inspiring them to go beyond your expectations and their own. Too often, we only evaluate associates based on the duties and tasks on specific to the job description. Doing that restricts us from tapping talent.

Think broader when looking at your associate’s performance. Ask your team members questions that will help you get to know them, such as their passions, what they do for fun and etc. You may discover there are people on your team who can add value in ways that may be outside of their current job description.

If one of your accounting associates loves to plan parties and entertain in her personal life, let her plan for your next company event. If your service engineer loves woodworking, let him build the bookcases you need for the conference room. You can set ground rules regarding their job responsibilities while being flexible. If we don’t know what our team members love to do, shame on us. Ask them. People love what they love – let them love it – let them do it.

For instance, I once worked with a client who was paying a third-party supplier a ton of money on marketing flyers. We discovered a young man who was working as a sales associate at one of the client’s locations who was really good at creating wonderful flyers and marketing collateral, and he had a real passion for it. They were able to adjust his schedule, provide him with some tools and/or software and let him create marketing collateral for the company.

This guy was thrilled with the opportunity, the company saved money by tapping into his talent and other associates were more passionate about marketing initiatives because it was now being created by one of them.

ponent, or “tribal learning,” into their training programs. A traditional LMS would have to become more flexible in how it allows managers to assign course requirements in order for training to be easily adapted to an individual’s needs and so that the social aspect can be included.

Many LMS providers have already started implementing this feature.

Here is the concept: John logs into the company’s LMS and sees that his coworker Randall took an advanced business writing course. Randall posted it was a great course and that he aced it.

John reaches out to Randall to ask for advice on how he can improve because he didn’t perform well on that course. Also, business-writing is an area John knows he needs to work on, so he asks for Randall’s help. And BAM! You’ve got enhanced learning in conjunction with increased associate interaction – that is a win-win! And that it why tribal learning is so important.

Today’s talent wants to know what others are learning, they want to hear their peers’ feedback and they want to be able to publish or post about their learning experiences within their organization and within the company’s LMS, which can help associates incentivize and challenge each other.

Think about this: If you want to learn how to do something new, such as making fresh pasta for instance, you go online, right? You look on Pinterest, Facebook or perhaps you just Google it, which will more than likely direct you to YouTube. There, you not only find a video, but you can also read comments from others who watched the video and you have the option to share the video on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. That’s the learning concept we will see being embraced in companies in the near future. Sure, there may be some standard training that everyone needs, maybe even annually, to protect the company, such as Fair Housing.

Tailored training and tribal learning takes courage, a bit more time and likely even some investment dollars. However, the results are far more productive and that is the future of internal training programs in successful companies.

4. Tailored training. Tribal learning.

Many companies have a Learning Management System (LMS) or a list of annual, required training courses (maybe for each position or each department). Consider relinquishing the traditional long list of required training in lieu of focusing on the needs of your individual associates.

Innovative companies are moving away from mandatory training for everyone concept. Those companies are also incorporating a social com-

5. Invest in the talent you have.

Define a dollar amount for training for each associate. This dollar amount can include the cost of internal required training programs, but should also allow for position specific training such as certification classes, Continuing Education Credit required for existing credentials and certifications, refreshers and etc.

In mid-size organizations in the southeast, this amount is typically between $500 and $1,000 per employee annually.

44

ABODE

April 2018

Several of the companies on Glassdoor’s list of Employee’s Choice Award Winners are companies who have begun to include discretionary dollars in their training budgets. Several companies on the list that normally budgeted $1,000/employee each year for training, added an additional $300 to $500 per associate for discretionary training. This amount is for the employee to use for any training they choose; it doesn’t have to be relevant to their current position or even their career path.

In fact, in some cases it doesn’t have to be business related training. In one organization, an administrative employee used it to learn how to make stained glass. An engineer used it to take a PowerPoint class. Another associate took a first aid and CPR class with his discretionary training money.

Why would the company spend money on things like this that won’t benefit the company directly? Because they are focused on developing talent, not just developing the organization.

They also understand the value of keeping employees happy, creating loyalty and giving back in ways other than traditional bonuses and incentives. Develop more than just the talent you need. Develop talent – period.

6. Create opportunities and challenges.

If you have associates who are proven ready for a new or additional challenge, create one for them. Just because there isn’t an open position to promote someone to doesn’t mean we can’t help them feel like they have an opportunity to grow.

Find a project, create a committee or let them champion a company initiative. Create opportunities. Create challenges. If you don’t, they may find the challenge they are looking for somewhere else.

The best part is you don’t have to scrap your traditional check-the-box training program right away. You can start incorporating some of these tips into your existing plan and gradually work towards a true talent development strategy.

Mindy McCorkle has spent decades directing operations for several property management companies. She started Enhancement Talent Development, a training and coaching company, in 2013 where she presents learning experiences of all kinds. Don’t miss out on McCorkle’s APPLE: Leadership – Session 2 “Before You Promote” on Tuesday, July 24 and APPLE: Leadership Session 3 “The Spin Cycle – Managing Employee Turnover” on Wednesday, October 24.

www.haaonline.org

brandt pg 45.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:08 AM Page 1

shannon greystar pg 46,47,48.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:12 AM Page 1

Image © Chatchai5172 | Dreamstime.com

RPM Month

46

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

shannon greystar pg 46,47,48.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:12 AM Page 2

How leaders respond and manage themselves and their teams through conflict determines their success and that of their team.

By

SHANNON LITTLEJOHN-SMITH, Greystar

Keep Calm & Lead On G

rowing up I remember hearing that death and taxes are the two things in life that are guaranteed.

I believe we can add change to this list. As I work with and observe business leaders, it’s hard to ignore the speed of business accelerating at an alarming pace. With this faster pace comes the pressure of implementing immediate change. And with more change comes increasing opportunities for conflict and misunderstanding.

Conflict in the workplace is a guarantee. It’s not a matter of if conflict will happen, it’s a matter of when. How leaders respond and manage themselves and their teams through this conflict determines their success and that of their team. Does the team safely navigate through it and discover ways to learn, grow and improve? Do they drift into petty divisions thereby decreasing their trust, engagement, productivity, motivation and loyalty?

How You Respond Matters Leaders who get drawn into the drama, chose sides, play politics and allow their emotions to guide them tend to make the conflict unproductive and potentially destructive.

Leaders who pause, remain calm, keep the conflict in perspective and treat it as a necessary step towards improvement, generally build stronger and more productive teams.

Effective and influential leaders focus on sifting through emotions to get to the facts.

www.haaonline.org

Their goal is to create dialogue, learn through the challenges and grow from them. They focus on serving their team, acting in selfless ways to create a team that is bigger than the leader alone. Effective and influential leaders have both confidence and a servant’s mindset that allows them to “keep you calm and lead on,” especially in the middle of a conflict situation. They realize that all challenges are temporary and that the situation will get better if they keep themselves under control and focus on moving forward rather than looking back.

By contrast, leaders who rely on the accumulation and use of power, tend to create short-term success and long-term inconvenience. Their team is more a group of individuals who happen to be in the same place at the same time. Individuals who are primarily focused on self-preservation and surviving another day rather than contributing effort towards future success. The short-sighted, personal, win-the-battle-today mindset drives destructive conflict and unhealthy behaviors that reduce organizational effectiveness and productivity.

Questions to Consider How leaders respond to the inevitable conflicts teams face often determines how the team responds to conflict. Here are some questions for you to consider as you work to develop your conflict resolution skills and build your team:

• What can I and other leaders in my organization do to create and foster an environment that moves conflict from being destructive to constructive?

• How can I encourage healthy dialogue between people that addresses issues based on facts and leads to better collaboration and cooperation rather than division and dissension?

• How am I and my leadership team demonstrating openness, willingness to listen and a desire for honest feedback?

Learn to view conflict as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than as a frustration or setback. Learn to talk more about where you’re going and how you will move forward than about what went wrong and who is to blame. Keep your focus on solving business problems that affect people rather than fixing people that affect the business.

Even though conflict in the workplace is a guarantee, focusing on applying these simple practices consistently will help you stay calm and keep perspective, even in the middle of a conflict.

Shannon Littlejohn-Smith is a Certified Human Behavior Consultant MBTI and DISC and is a senior director talent development leader for Greystar. ABODE will continue to feature leadership topics from Littlejohn-Smith every other month.

April 2018

ABODE

47

mentors pg 48.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:14 AM Page 1

RPM Month Whether you are brand new to the multifamily industry or perhaps looking for some guidance, a mentor might be just what you need.

Do You Need A Mentor?

W

hen people think of mentoring, they often think of an older executive counseling a young upstart. The senior leader advises the junior employee on his career, how to navigate the world of work, and what he needs to do to get ahead. But mentoring has changed a lot in the last few decades. Just as the notion of a 50-year linear career with a single company or in one industry is outdated, so is the idea that career advice must come from a wise old sage. The traditional mentor-mentee relationship is not necessarily a thing of the past, but it's no longer the standard. Now, there are many ways to get the information and guidance you need.

Below are four myths: knowing the truth about them can help you figure out whom to turn to and how.

Myth #1: You have to find one perfect mentor It's actually quite rare these days that people get through their career with only one mentor. In fact, many people have several

advisors they turn to. In all likelihood, you'd benefit from having more than one mentor.

Actually a handful of people who you can go to for advice and who you trust to have your best interests in mind is a great way to approach this. This network can be as large or small as you want, and it may even include your spouse or partner. Sometimes it can be helpful to get a variety of perspectives on an issue you are facing.

Myth #2: Mentoring is a formal long-term relationship Because the world moves fast and people change jobs and careers more often, a longterm advising relationship may be unrealistic and unnecessary. Mentoring can be a one-hour mentoring session. We don't have to escalate it to a six-month or year-long event. Instead of focusing on the long term, think of mentoring as something you access when you need it. It may not be big agenda items that you're grappling with. You don't need to wait until you have some big thing in your career. In today's world, mentoring is more like Twitter and less like having a psychotherapy session.

Of course, the advice and guidance may be richer and more relevant if it comes from someone who knows you well and understands your goals. You still need to build relationships so that when you require advice, you have the connections in place. However, there may be times when you look to people who don't know you as well or at all to get one-off counsel from an outsider's perspective.

When people think of mentoring, they often think of an older executive counseling a young upstart. The senior leader advises the junior employee on his career, how to navigate the world of work, and what he needs to do to get ahead. But mentoring has changed a lot in the last few decades. Just as the notion of a 50-year linear career with a single company or in one industry is outdated, so is the idea that career advice must come from a wise old sage. The traditional mentor-mentee relationship is not necessarily a thing of the past, but it's no longer the standard. Now, there are many ways to get the information and guidance you need. / See Mentors, Page 65

See Page 18 for details.

48

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

guardian construct pg 49.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:15 AM Page 1

Image © Digitalstormcinema | Dreamstime.com

doug power express pg 50,51.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:17 AM Page 1

50

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

doug power express pg 50,51.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:17 AM Page 2

Create a strong energy strategy to deliver the highest possible NOI. By

DOUG OEHL, CAS, Power Express

Overlooked I

t’s no secret that mismanaged multifamily electricity taxes negatively impact rental rates up to a staggering 1 percent.

Oftentimes, the complexity of electricity doesn't seem worth the incremental time or money that must be spent to fully understand the potential impact of a prospect property or one under new management. It’s important to implement a strong, long-term strategy in making sure power costs from the Retail Electricity Provider (REP) are optimized.

In our experience, taxes are often overlooked when existing properties change owner(s) or management, or when a property is juggling branding initiatives, contract audits and demanding residents. Getting the property's power transferred to a palatable market rate is the initial step after all the steps above are complete.

The Texas Comptroller website states, "Residential use of natural gas and electricity is exempt from most local sales and use taxes. Counties, transit authorities (MTA/CTD) and most special purpose districts (SPDs) cannot tax the residential use of gas and electricity." The impacts on a percentage basis shouldn't ruin a business.

However, the increasingly competitive multifamily market is demanding the most discerning cost-cutting strategies to deliver a better value on a comp basis or to expedite portfolio growth. This can make a difference when it comes to property performance.

Texas is a special state, especially with the opportunity deregulation has brought to multifamily property owners who can now choose their power providers for their property. Along with this opportunity, there are even more creative ways to keep your property’s performance at an all-time high. Such ways are to implement marketing agreements with specific providers that can off-set power costs or even convert power to an ancillary profit cen-

www.haaonline.org

ter. A marketing agreement usually takes place with the retail electricity provider of the property’s common areas and pays a referral fee when leasing agents recommend new or existing residents to that REP. Before hiring someone to take care of a problem that may not exist, take a quick selfassessment of the property. Answering the questions below will give you a basic understanding of what type of activities constitute as taxable and what doesn’t.

• Of the current and historical bills, are there any line items that mention state sales tax?

• Do common area meters that serve property amenities designed specifically for residential use?

• Was there a recent management or owner change at the property?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above, there may be an opportunity for further action. Retail electricity providers who cater to multifamily properties typically have a staff member who can assist with applying for sales and use tax exemption and file for refunds. If the current energy provider sends a litany of paperwork with best wishes, there are fee-based engineering services that can aid in completing this task. After the property’s taxable status has been determined, look back at taxes previously paid for current exemptions. The Texas comptroller allows refund requests to be submitted for state sales tax on electricity and other exempt goods and services up to four years prior. Lastly, as portfolios expand, don’t forget to add electricity tax due diligence to the list of things to scan before buying a property. Deductions from sale prices or tax equity could be in play if there are refunds and exemptions not being utilized for an exempt property.

Over the past three years, new renewable power generation projects have nearly doubled those of traditional natural gas projects.

This has partly been a result of the U.S. government’s willingness to offer tax credits and the inexpensive nature of producing power from inexpensive sources like wind and solar. Very rarely will an investor or property owner be willing to invest capital into a slow payback project such as solar. There are many financing options that allow for longterm power purchase agreements (PPAs) and will finance the project 100 percent. A multifamily investor can take advantage of these incentives by converting a rooftop into a solar farm by installing panels. Not only is there an opportunity to lower power costs through buying power directly from the rooftop generator, but up to 30 percent tax savings are offered in some programs. Visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s website at energy.gov to find out more about specific property applications.

To recap, when looking at a property to own/manage call your REP or shop around to ensure the best rate possible. Look at the tax status of current bills as well and determine if there is any risk or refund potential. Develop a solar or renewable project to take advantage of tax incentives, which will also be a good deed for the environment. Creating a strong energy strategy through contracting competitive market rates, optimizing tax exemptions and refunds, and utilizing low-cost renewable power is crucial to delivering this highest possible NOI. Although the cost/benefit of generating such a strategy sometimes seem immaterial and slow, that’s rarely the case.

Doug Oehl, CAS, is director of sales for Power Express. Contact Oehl at doehl@power-express.com and visit www.powerexpress.com.

April 2018

ABODE

51

Image © David Kelly | Dreamstime.com

john rinnai pg 52,53,54.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:18 AM Page 1

52

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

john rinnai pg 52,53,54.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:18 AM Page 2

Efficient and redundant centralized water heating solutions in multifamily maintenance, repair and operations.

By

JOHN SARZOSA, Rinnai America Corporation

In Hot

Water H

ot water distribution in multifamily properties can be categorized into two different classifications: A centralized system or individual water heaters in each apartment home. Most apartment communities use a centralized hot water system because they yield the highest in savings, in terms of lower energy consumption and acquisition costs.

In this article, we will focus on replacement solutions specific to this application.

In the Houston market, the average central water heating system in the multifamily space is an aging boiler (7 years or older), typically 800k to 1.2MM BTU with a 119-gallon storage tank that share some if not all of the following characteristics: • Inefficient load tracking • Lack system redundancy • Equipment that takes up a large footprint • Excessive heat and standby loss due to plumbing system • Expensive maintenance costs due to degraded or failed components • Uncontrolled circulation pump • Annual ASME boiler inspections ($150) Let’s look at each of these characteristics in more detail. We will also take a look at potential solutions using an on-demand water heating system for each.

www.haaonline.org

Load Tracking Boiler systems that constantly heat and reheat stored water regardless of demand consume more energy than on-demand systems such as tankless water heaters, which heats the domestic water supply only when needed. Superior load tracking can be gained with a tankless system that heats only enough water to meet the demand at any point in time. This load tracking is achieved by a turndown ratio that on some leading tankless systems can deliver a 13:1 ratio of the total BTU capacity. For example, with an 800k BTU boiler system, a boiler can typically turndown 3:1 (or 266k BTU) versus a tankless system of the same size, with four tankless units utilizing a turndown of 13:1 can supply a minimum output of 15,200 BTU. This can yield significant savings in energy consumption and extend the life and performance of the overall system.

A properly sized tankless system can sufficiently supply all the domestic hot water needs for a multifamily property, but some property owners may want to offset the number of tankless systems required at peak demand by utilizing storage. During peak demand in the morning, (say between 6 and 8 a.m., when residents are showering before going to work), the storage unit(s) can act as a buffer as the tankless units recover the

storage tanks during this once a day occurrence. This can also allow the property owner to use an existing storage tank that was in place with the old boiler system, continuing its usefulness while keeping it out of the landfill.

Redundancy When a boiler must be serviced or repaired without a redundant system in place, residents may have to endure cold water in their apartment home for a period time, which may adversely affect lease renewal rates and the ability to attract new residents to the community. To create redundancy, an additional boiler or tank heater system may be needed, which greatly increases acquisition costs and creates 50 percent redundancy when a boiler is taken offline. With a tankless solution, say four units supplying 796 BTU, if one unit needs scheduled maintenance the other three would be available, ensuring that adequate hot water is available. This also allows the owners to invest in equipment that is sized to heat the water needs of the property rather than purchasing duplicate systems to create redundancy at their expense.

Equipment Footprint Compared to individual gas fueled boilers that are combined with a storage tank, a April 2018

ABODE

53

john rinnai pg 52,53,54.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:19 AM Page 3

wall-hanging, tankless rack system can take up about 60 to 80 percent less cubic space in your mechanical room. Rack systems are preassembled with a sturdy frame and manifolds for quick connections to water gas and electric. They can be freestanding or wall mounted and easily fit through a standard door frame.

This space saving design can allow for better circulation of air in a tight space as well as an easier initial installation and service of equipment by maintenance staff.

Standby Loss The longer the distance that a hot water pipe must run between a boiler and the fixture, the more likely the water will arrive to the fixture at a reduced temperature, especially if the pipes are not insulated. Because insulating existing pipes can be a difficult, if not an impossible task to accomplish, the boiler may be pushing out water at a temperature setting way above the optimal set point to counter the heat stand-by loss occurring in the lines. This common situation can result in increased greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs and equipment wear and tear as the system is consuming energy to heat water 24 hours a day, seven days a week – even when there is little or no demand for hot water. A tankless system offers the option of modularity, which can greatly reduce your circulation loops, especially in properties that have multiple wings or buildings. By placing a bank of tankless units to service in each wing or building, this can greatly reduce energy consumption and the

54

ABODE

April 2018

size and workload of circulation pumps to move heated water through the system.

Maintenance Costs The cost to maintain an aging boiler system can be excessive as fouled burner tips, buildup in storage tanks and failing pumps can lead to costly replacement and potentially long lead times for parts. If routine maintenance leading to costly part replacement is recurring theme, it may be time to upgrade your system and save thousands in annual operations and maintenance costs.

Pumps Circulation pumps that run continuously or at inflated temperature set-points can hide symptoms of not delivering hot water in an acceptable supply, time and/or temperature.

Unfortunately, oftentimes when a tankless system is installed as a replacement in these types of conditions, it can expose issues that have been masked overtime by an inefficient system running at excessive temperatures with pumps that are not running on a timer or may be insufficiently sized. The best way of resolving any potential issues prior to replacing your boiler system with a tankless system, is to supply the manufacturer with the specs on your current system along with your current fixture counts. By taking both pre-existing conditions and demand considerations into account, they can size the system in a manner that will allow for maximum energy efficiency and performance with equipment running as intended. As

opposed to masking problems that are inherent with an aging system that cannot keep pace with hot water demand.

ASME Inspections Boiler systems are required to undergo yearly inspections. This can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars at some locations.

Because tankless systems are made of individual units that output a maximum of 199k BTU, no boiler inspection is required.

Existing plumbing systems in multifamily can be complex and expensive to operate. The good news is there are solutions available that can not only mitigate some of the negative characteristics of boiler or tank-style systems but also eliminate them altogether. Consider looking at new technologies such as tankless water heaters that come ready to install on pre-assembled racks as they can save both time and money in acquisition, operation and maintenance over the life of your building.

John Sarzosa is the south-central area sales manager for Rinnai America corporation. Sarzosa has been in the plumbing industry for over fifteen years and can be contacted at Jsarzosa@rinnai.us. For 45 years, Rinnai has offered quality and reliability through in-house design, engineering and manufacturing, and ensures your satisfaction with in-house support. You can visit Rinnai at www.rinnai.us.

www.haaonline.org

naa update pg 26,27,55.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:56 AM Page 3

Get Involved Volunteer HAA The Houston Apartment Association’s committees and clubs are some of the most productive tools we have to ensure that we remain the nation’s largest and most effective apartment association. Members of the association dedicate their time to lead and serve on the various clubs and committees.

Some general responsibilities of committee and club members include a commitment to attend all meetings and help develop marketing strategies (i.e. telemarketing, developing handouts, fliers, articles).

To serve on any of these committees and clubs, please contact the HAA office at 713-595-0300, online at www.haaonline.org or email the departments listed below.

Education education@haaonline.org Education Advisory Council HAF Fundraiser Committee* Career and Community Development Committee Government Affairs govaffairs@haaonline.org HAA Political Action Committee* Century Club* Media Relations Committee Fair Housing Committee Strategic Outreach Committee Membership members@haaonline.org Ambassador ONE Society Go-Getter Membership Recruitment Club Expo Exhibitor Committee* Street Team* Community Outreach shinkley@haaonline.org Community Outreach Committee Product Service Council* Resident Relations resrel@haaonline.org Resident Relations Committee *Note: These committees have specific requirements for membership. Contact HAA for details.

www.haaonline.org

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

55

all stars ad pg 56.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:19 AM Page 1

Join the Houston Apartment Association to raise funds for the Houston Chapter of the American Red Cross. The event returns to the Houston Sportsplex, 12631 South Main (just south of Post Oak).

Recruit and register your team today. Each team consists of three men and three women with an option of one male and one female alternate. Each team will compete in five field events, and team members must work for HAA member companies. The top three teams, based on the field events, will be awarded medals after the final competition.

Friday, May 11 9 a.m. – Registration 10 a.m. to noon – Competition Noon to 1 p.m. – Lunch 1 p.m to 2 p.m. – Tug-O-War

Thanks to our 2018 All Star Sponsors: Apartments.com Corn Hole Games – all 6 team members will have six chances to throw the bag in the hole BG Staffing Giant Pong – all 6 team members will throw 5 large plastic balls into large trash can size containers HD Supply Football Toss – each team member will throw 5 footballs to each other from various spots Arbor Carpet Care Buddy Walk – all 6 team members will walk in unison 10 yards forwards and 10 yards backwards on a pair of wooden tracks with strap handles The Liberty Group Soccer Ball Blitz – all 6 team members will kick 5 soccer balls into a goal Hire Priority Basketball Shoot-Out – each team member will shoot 5 basketball shots from various spots AAA Plumbers Tug of War – a competition between suppliers and property management players.

Apple Termite and Pest Control Lunch Sponsor Rasa Floors Wristband Sponsor Camp Construction Services Medals Sponsor CORT Furniture Rental Equipment Sponsor

Team of Six: $400 (includes lunch) $20 Spectator fee (includes lunch) Advance registration and payment are required. The deadline is Tuesday, May 8.

Register online at www.haaonline.org/sportschallenge. For more information, contact Susan at shinkley@haaonline.org.

56

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

school food pg 57.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:20 AM Page 1

Learn How You Can Have FREE Summer Meals for Youth Delivered to your Community Daily!

The Texas Hunger Initiative (THI) can help you determine if free summer meals are a good fit for your community. In partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture, THI is working to feed more children and teens throughout the summer months by connecting sites where youth are with community sponsors.

Utilizing USDA funds, community sponsors provide meals, at no cost, to local sites. Sites can be found at schools, community centers, parks, libraries and in apartment communities.

There is no direct cost to the apartment community. Basic requirements to participate include a short training, having a safe space for the youth to eat and having an adult (staff or volunteer) responsible for accepting the meals and tracking the number of meals served.

THI is available to answer your questions and help you connect with the appropriate sponsor. If you have concerns about site limitations for this program, please let us know, as we may be able to work around your limitation or concern.

For more information, contact the Texas Hunger Initiative’s Houston team: Megan Hoag, Regional Director Texas Hunger Initiative, Baylor University Megan_Hoag@baylor.edu 832-369-9334

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

57

next profile pg 58.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:21 AM Page 1

Meet Who’s NEXT

40 Questions T

o promote HAA NEXT, ABODE will ask a different NEXT Steering Committee member a set of 40 questions to learn more about who they are.

This month, we interviewed HAA NEXT Chair Lindsay Torres, CAM, Bell Partners.

What’s the best thing about being in Houston? The food.

What’s the worst thing about being in Houston? Traffic and construction.

What country in the world would you love to visit? The Maldives.

What industry mogul would you like to have a cocktail with? Toni Blake.

What is your favorite TV show of all time?

Malcolm in the Middle.

What have you learned as a property manager? There is no such thing as a stable property.

What is the first thing you did this morning?

Hit the snooze button. 15 more minutes, please!

What made you want to get into the apartment industry? Radio didn’t work out, and my mom had an open position and poof, 17 years later I can’t get away!

How would you describe yourself in three words? Confident, honest and funny.

What is your dream property to work at?

One with an unlimited resident event budget.

What is your favorite holiday to celebrate?

Thanksgiving.

What is your favorite thing to eat? Sushi.

Name one thing you can’t live without?

Music.

What is one thing you like to have with you on-site? Pictures of my family.

What is one cause that is dear to your heart? Any programs that help people with special needs.

What is the funniest reason for late payment (or no payment) of rent that you’ve heard? They needed to pay their electric bill because that was more important than getting evicted.

What is your least favorite thing to eat?

Green beans.

What was your first job? Holiday gift wrapper at Palais Royal.

Who do you look up to in the industry?

Eileen Subinsky, Jackie Rhone, Suan Tinsley and my mom Esther Torres.

What is your favorite lunch spot?

Whataburger.

What is your favorite slang? Yo. As in “What’s Up, Yo?” or “That’s not cool, Yo!” What is your favorite hobby? Karaoke.

What is your spirit animal? Panda.

What is the biggest surprise you’ve ever had? My 35th surprise birthday party.

What was the most shocking thing you’ve ever seen walking into a unit?

A dead resident.

What was the most surprising thing you’ve seen on-site? A resident who was bathing in the community hot tub to save money on his water bill.

Do you have a secret talent? I can draw pretty well.

What’s the priciest thing you’ve spent your money on? My car.

What is something most people don’t know about you? I’m actually very passive and do not do well with confrontation.

Can you play a musical instrument? Yes! Drums, steel drums and ukulele.

What advice would you give to your teenage self? Quit planning and just go with it.

What is your favorite book? Anything by James Patterson.

How can young professionals in the industry get involved with NEXT? Just show up and don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Come find me and I will totally take you under my wing.

What is your favorite color? Green.

Who is the hardest working person you know in the industry? My mom, Esther Torres.

Who in the industry has pushed you the hardest? Brenda Crawford. She always kept it real.

How do you make your coffee? I don’t.

What industry mogul would you want to have coffee with? Bill Nye, the apartment guy.

58

ABODE

April 2018

What era would live in? Totally the ‘80s.

If you got stranded on an island what would be the one thing you couldn’t survive without? Someone else to talk to.

Want to know more about how you can be NEXT? See www.haaonline.org/next for details. www.haaonline.org

next bingo pg 59.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:22 AM Page 1

Bingo !

& Brews at Eureka Heights Brewery

Thursday, April 12 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

941 West 18th Street in the He ights $20 Entrance Fee

Bring your lucky charms and come join your fellow HAA young professionals for a brew and bingo at one of Houston's hottest local breweries ‌ and yes, there will be food and prizes!

See www.haaonline.org for details and to register.

Sponsored by HD Supply

next breakfast pg 60.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:23 AM Page 1

On the Scene with the HAA NEXT

1

NEXT: Professional Development Breakfast Sponsored by 1 Ferguson Facility Supply Friday, February 23 at HAF Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center The NEXT group enjoyed a special presentation and workshop on employee engagement and leadership presented by Burl Haigwood of Evolve Performance Group.

MEET THE NEXT GENERATION OF HAA LEADERSHIP. This niche group within HAA is dedicated to the networking and professional development needs of HAA’s young professionals. Network with your peers and grow your career together among the next generation of HAA leadership! To Learn how to become involved with NEXT, see online at www.haaonline.org/next.

60

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

buyers guide ad pg 61.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:23 AM Page 1

ACES pg 62,63.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:24 AM Page 1

On the Scene with ACES ACES Luncheon Sponsored by 1 The Liberty Group and Friday, March 9 at Fratelli’s Ristorante

2

2

The Urban Foresters

The Apartment Community Executives & Supervisors luncheon for March featured presentation on “Market Trends Impacting The Way We Do Business” with Michele Wierzgac, MSEd.

1

IN PURSUIT OF AN EVER-INCREASING LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM, the Apartment Community Executives & Supervisors group was created to offer executive-level members a way to network and exchange information and knowledge. It offers them an opportunity for educational programs and presentations, along with greater knowledge of the political and legislative needs of the industry. ACES is intended for those on the property management side of HAA membership in an executive or leadership role. For more on ACES, see online at www.haaonline.org or contact Emily Hilton at ehilton@haaonline.org.

62

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

ACES pg 62,63.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:24 AM Page 2

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

63

law pg 11,12, 64.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 8:37 AM Page 3

Law, continued from Page 12 disability and need for the animal, the resident submitted a second letter from the same therapist stating that the resident was under the therapist’s care and vaguely (in the court’s opinion) explained that the resident needed a therapy dog to help her cope with her mental health condition. The resident also provided the owner with documentation that the resident had registered the animal as an emotional support dog with the United States Animal Registry.

In analyzing the case, the court considered some other opinions regarding the sufficiency of evidence to support the need for a service animal. The court considered a case out of another state. In this case the court held that proof was insufficient to prove a complainant’s mental disability even though the complainant provided that she received care from a behavioral health organization, had an appointment with a doctor and was on medication.

Another case (in the Eastern District of Texas) considered by the court held that the complainant failed to establish she was disabled under the Act when she alleged she had mental, emotional and psychological disorders that posed great obstacles in her life and affect her moods and ability to comprehend. In a third case (also in the Eastern District of Texas), the court held that the complainant failed to create an issue of fact because the complaint did not state what the disability was or how the owner failed to accommodate it.

Based upon the information submitted by the resident in the Houston case, the court concluded that there were no medical facts to support her claim that she was disabled. Although the doctor stated the resident met the definition of disability under the Act due to her mental illness, the court stated the diagnosis failed to set forth any facts regarding if or how any of the resident’s conditions “substantially limits” a major life activity.

Even though the Houston court and other courts have held persons requesting a service animal to some degree of proof with respect to whether the person is disabled under the Act and whether the person has a disabilityrelated need for the service animal, every case should be considered on its own merit.

The cautious approach would be to ask for further information if the information received is not credible, rather than denying the request outright. It would also be helpful if your response was in writing to create a proper record of what your response was.

This will avoid a “he said – she said” argument if a Fair Housing complaint is filed.

Unstable Behavior The warning signs everybody seems to be focused on after a mass shooting occurs are similar to what we see almost every day in the apartment industry. Threatening conduct, drug and/or gang activity, use of profanity or yelling offensive comments could all be signs of aggressive activity to come.

If you want to take action against a resident exhibiting unstable conduct, you may face Fair Housing accusations. If a problem resident claims to have a mental disability, which is causing the unstable conduct, the resident may request an accommodation that you refrain from taking action so that the resident can get the proper help.

Is it discriminatory to take action against a problem resident who may have a mental disability?

The Act does not allow for exclusion of individuals based upon fear, speculation or stereotype about a particular disability or persons with a disability in general. A determination that an individual poses a direct threat must rely on an individualized assessment that is based on reliable objective evidence (e.g. current conduct or a recent history of overt acts). The assessment must consider: 1) the nature, duration and severity of risk of injury; 2) the probability that injury will actually occur; and 3) whether there are any reasonable accommodations that will eliminate the direct threat.

In evaluating a recent history of overt acts, HUD statues that you are required to take into account whether the individual has received intervening treatment or medication that has eliminated the direct threat. In such a situation, you may request the individual document how the circumstances have changed so that he or she no longer poses a direct threat. You may also obtain satisfactory assurances that the individual will not pose a direct threat during the tenancy. HUD states that you must have reliable, objective evidence that a person with a disability poses a direct threat before excluding him or her from housing on that basis.

In a joint statement of HUD and the Department of Justice regarding reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act, (which can be found at https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2010/12/14/joint_state-

ment_ra.pdf), HUD offers the following example of how it would evaluate this issue under the Act: James X, a resident at the Shady Oaks Apartment community is arrested for threatening his neighbor while brandishing a baseball bat.

Shady Oaks manager investigates the incident and learns that James X threatened the other resident with physical violence and had to be physically restrained by other neighbors to keep him from acting on his threat. In light of the conduct, the manager provides James X a notice to vacate.

James X’s attorney contacts the manager and explains that James X has a psychiatric disability that causes him to be physically violent when he stops taking his prescribed medication. The attorney suggests that James X will not pose a direct threat to others if proper safeguards are taken and requests the manager grant James X an exception to the “no threats” policy as a reasonable accommodation based on James X’s disability.

HUD concludes the example by stating the manager need only grant the reasonable accommodation if James X’s attorney can provide satisfactory assurance that James X will receive appropriate counseling and periodic medication monitoring so that he will no longer pose a direct threat during his residency.

HUD’s example presents a predicament for any owner or manager. If a potentially dangerous resident says he or she will take medication and go to counseling, should you refrain from evicting the resident even though he or she threatened others? One might wonder how any assurances could be good enough!

In certain situations, HUD’s interpretation of the Act may be at odds with liability concerns. If you proceed with an eviction against residents like James X, you run the risk of having a Fair Housing complaint filed. On the other hand, if you don’t take action and James X hurts somebody, you may be on the wrong end of a personal injury suit filed by the victim. The victim would claim you knew about James X’s propensity to be aggressive and did nothing.

Each situation must be handled on its own merits after balancing concerns about Fair Housing and security.

Sex, service animals and shotguns have given us a lot to think about in the last few months. As the nation grapples with these serious issues, you can bet that the publicity given to these issues will also have an impact on Fair Housing complaints in the apartment industry.

Want more “it’s the Law”? See current and previous issues of ABODE online at http://issuu.com/haa_abode.

64

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

mentors pg 48.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:14 AM Page 2

Mentors, continued from Page 48 Myth #3: Mentoring is for junior people Many people assume that they only need a mentor when they are first starting out in their careers. We used to think it was people at early stages of their career who needed mentoring, those just out of MBA programs.

Now we understand that people at every stage benefit from this kind of assistance.

Consider a more junior person who advises a senior person on things like new technology.

The reality is there are lots of points in a corporate career when you need a mentor.

Though you shouldn't wait for them to come up, transitions are a particularly good time to seek out a mentor. Whether you are making a career change, taking on a new role, or contemplating leaving a job, advice from someone who has done it before can be helpful.

You may need a mentor when the environment around you is changing rapidly and you haven't had a chance to keep up with the changes.

Myth #4: Mentoring is something more experienced people do out of the goodness of their hearts

www.haaonline.org

It can be an honor to ask someone to be a mentor. But the respect isn't the only reason people agree to help. Mentoring should be useful to both parties involved. Before seeking out a mentor, think about what you have to offer him. Can you provide a unique perspective on the organization or his role? Do you bring valuable outside information that might help him be successful in his job?

Whatever it is, be sure that you are clear what's in it for him. This does not have to be a direct barter. Even the promise of future help, if and when it's needed, can be enough to convince a mentor to give up his time and energy.

So, do you need mentoring?

Now that you have a better understanding of what mentoring can be - do you need it? The place to start is with self-assessment and to find out the challenges in front of you right now and why. Then ask yourself, do you have the relational resources to handle those challenges? If the answer is no, it may be time to seek out a mentor or several. Remember that mentoring can take many shapes and forms—the key is to find the right kind of advice from the right person at the right time.

Principles to Remember Do: • Build a cadre of people you can turn to for advice when you need it.

• Nurture relationships with people whose perspectives you respect.

• Think of mentoring as both a long-term and short-term arrangement.

Don't: • Assume that because you are successful or experienced in your field that you don't need a mentor.

• Rely on one person to help guide you in your career.

• Expect to receive mentoring without providing anything in return.

Are you a supplier member who needs a mentor? Visit www.haaonline.org/mentors for how you can connect with a member of the Houston Apartment Association’s Product Service Council.

April 2018

ABODE

65

Welcome Mat OWNERS

1995 Properties LLC Tim Girgenti 13907 Springmint Drive Cypress, TX 77429 713-299-9264 Referred by Curtis Haines, CAM

Ann Nguyen Ann Nguyen 17314 Misty Cross Drive Houston, TX 77084 713-530-2799

Bradford Thompson Brad Thompson 2534 Lakeside Lndg Seabrook, TX 77586 832-276-7426

Bridge Real Estate Group Jeffrey Burnell 7284 W Palmetto Park Road #201t Boca Raton, FL 33433 561-826-3917 Woodway Square Apartments

CPH Property Holdings Priscilla Hill 6102 Garner Lake Lane Missouri City, TX 77459 832-428-7812 CPH Property Holdings Properties

HomeQuest Properties LLC Eduardo Aguilo 25907 Spring Lakes Haven Court Spring, TX 77373 832-788-5679 HomeQuest Single Family Property

Kayken Investments LLC Thuy Mai 5823 Carolina Cove Drive Richmond, TX 77469 832-687-3023 Marwood Estates LLC Patrick Martin 5850 San Felipe St. Houston, TX 77057 713-204-6621 Maurice & Charlotte James Maurice James 3411 Sainte Mere Eglise Lane Spring, TX 77388 281-841-1915 Maurice & Charlene James Properties

66

ABODE

Introducing HAA’s NEW MEMBERS MLDC Management LLC Lori Lindley 5800 Morton Road Katy, TX 77493 832-473-6648 Referred by David Lindley, CAS

The Axcell Group LLC Alan Yu 2726 Bissonnet St. #240-532 Houston, TX 77005 832-621-9024 Willows on Harwin Apartments

Oodles Over LLC Carol Brueggen 111 Cove Creek Lane Houston, TX 77042 361-652-2572 Court Yard Apartments

Triscope Corporation Linus L. Li 6114 Gessner Road Houston, TX 77041 713-476-1602 Triscope Apartments I Highland Village Apartments Triscope Apartments II

Rambeck Properties Ltd Harold P. Dunn 6202 Pickens St. Houston, TX 77007 281-384-3612 Rambeck Properties Ltd Real Full Net LLC Kurt Koenig P.O. Box 247 Cypress, TX 77410 713-204-0782 Savannah Park Apartments Referred by John Ridgway, CPM Richard S. Rogers Richard S. Rogers 7007 Trimstone Drive Pasadena, TX 77505 936-648-4918 Rocky Top Property Management Matt Wolfram P.O. Box 1453 Cypress, TX 77410 832-844-0719 Rocky Top Property Management Properties SK Marine Ashok Nigam 6915 Misty Leaf Lane 281-948-9230 Smith Properties Jeff Smith 18119 Fernbluff Drive Spring, TX 77379 832-423-2664 SNT BB LLC Nick Tarte 1307 Gray Hills Court Sugar Land, TX 77479 713-446-7792 Tampico Village LLC John H. Wright Jr. PO Box 540267 Houston, TX 77254 713-817-5027 Tampico Village Apartments

Walker Holder Residential Sonya Manthe 16051 Addison Road Addison, TX 75001 972-239-2277 Loggins Court Apartments Wicklow Investments Mary Crisp 11 Baylark Place Spring, TX 77382 936-689-3202

SUPPLIERS

A Quick Restoration Inc Carlee Garnett 100 E. Nasa Pkwy #207 Webster, TX 77598 281-908-2219 Construction MgmtConsultants, Demolition Services, Drywall Contractors, Roofing Contractors

AdvantaClean Rhonda Fowles 1619 Lakeville Drive #A Humble, TX 77339 832-649-9990 Air Duct Cleaning, Mold Remediation, Dryer Vent Cleaning, Fire/Water Damage Restoration, Gutters & Downspouts

Archcon Heidie Stowe 1335 W Gray St. Houston, TX 77019 713-533-1900 Construction MgmtConsultants, General Contractors AT&T AJ Mada 2260 E Imperial Hwy El Segundo, CA 90245 818-703-8775 Telecommunications Services, Telephone Companies

April 2018

CashFlow Pros LLC Vance Schumacher 401 Congress Ave. #1540 Austin, TX 78701 512-253-8509 Financial Services

LMI Capital Brandon Brown 520 Post Oak Blvd #720 Houston, TX 77027 713-239-0500 Financing, Mortgages

Disa Global Solutions Inc Amy Abdallah 10900 Corporate Centre Drive #250 Houston, TX 77041 281-673-2456 Criminal Record Search, Employee Screening

M & B Painting & Remodeling Brenda L. MartinezDelinares 9889 Cypresswood Drive #4208 Houston, TX 77070 832-798-5276 Painting Contractors, Remodeling & RepairBuilding Contractors

Globus Management Group Alicia Lee 3751 Cavalier Drive Garland, TX 75042 972-494-1600 A/C Contractors, Blinds, Building Contractors, Building Maintenance, Carpenters, Concrete Contractors, Drywall Contractors, Fences, Granite, Handyman Services, Heating Contractors, Masonry Contractor, Mold Remediation, Painting Contractors, Roofing Contractors, Siding Contractors, TurnkeyComplete, WindowReplacement & Repair Just Movers Delano Palmer 24122 Adobe Ridge Lane Katy, TX 77493 713-665-2323 Movers, Moving Supplies

Justice Patrol Services LLC Kaiwan Muhammed 3845 Cypress Creek Pkwy #256 Houston, TX 77068 832-983-7292 Courtesy Patrol, Security Guard/Patrol Service Laundry Genie Mike Goss 13702 Broken Bridge Drive Houston, TX 77085 713-819-6416 Laundry Service Liberty Fire Protection Inc John McDowell P.O. Box 2547 Alvin, TX 77512 281-824-0025 Fire Alarm Systems, Fire Protection Equipment & Supply, Sprinklers Automatic - Fire Referred by Angelya Parker

Metric Industries LLC Jonathan Lugo 2211 Rayford Rd Ste. 111 #33 Spring, TX 77386 832-602-7003 Janitorial Services, Painting Contractors Referred by Lakisha Parks, CAM, CAPS Multifamily Ancillary Group Tito Estrada 4 Executive Circle #250 Irvine, CA 92614 949-405-6616 Telecommunications Services, Utility Management Sandler Training Angela Gray 4645 Southwest Fwy Houston, TX 77027 830-660-8249 Management Consultants, Personnel Testing & Training Referred by Mat Tilley Strickland Law Firm PLLC Duncan Strickland 20333 State Hwy 249 #200 Houston, TX 77070 713-588-0388 Attorneys, Eviction Service, Legal Services Referred by Diana Monn Technogym Judy Havelka 4239 Holland Ave. #B Dallas, TX 75219 214-906-9434 Exercise Equipment Wholesale/Retail, Fitness Equipment Venice Flooring and Remodeling Chad Touqan 7070 W 43rd St. Houston, TX 77092 346-310-0863 Floor Laying, Refinishing & Resurfacing www.haaonline.org

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was

I wasn’t expecting it at all. surprised that they nomina said, laughing. “ I’ve been w business for 15 years. I neve anything. For me, if I get m or get it right, I’m satisfied w don’t need recognition. As l resident and my manageme owner are happy, I’m happy good experience, though, fe way. I didn’t know that som watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was

Go-gets pg 67.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:25 AM Page 1

The Go-Getters HAA’s MEMBERSHIP RECRUITERS

CELEBRATING GO-GETTERS! Recruit all year round and become part of the Go-Getter Club.

g n i t a r b e l Ce etters!

G o G Join our Quarterly Meetings!

Be the top recruiter for each quarter and win one of four fabulous prizes!

1st Quarter: Echo Show 2nd Quarter: Samsung Smart TV 3rd Quarter: iRobot Roomba 690 Vacuum 4th Quarter: $500 Holiday Cash Plus, for each new member you recruit, you’ll earn a chance to win gift cards ranging from $25 to $250!

JOIN A TEAM and build relationships with like-minded members.

Get involved with Go-Getters and make lasting industry connections.

Visit www.haaonline.org/gogetterscorner to get all the information you need.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Members who have recruited more than 100 companies Claude Arnold Monette Reynolds Kenn Brown Sherry Stevenson Tina Cavaco Kirk Tate Kevin Fenn Suan Tinsley Diane Gilbert Sonny Unverzagt Anita Harrison Del Walmsley Dwayne Henson Nancé Wells Mike Koch H.P. Paul Young Merry Mount Jeanne Marie Zublin Dicks

Mark your calendars!

Recruit all year long!

Go-Getter meetings are quarterly.

Invite new and potential members: July 12 September 27 December 5 Visit www.haaonline.org/gogetters for details

THE GO-GETTERS ARE THE BACKBONE of the Houston Apartment Association. By recruiting new members, the Go-Getter Club helps both new management and supplier companies and the association grow for the future.

To join the club and get going on recruitment, see online at www.haaonline.org or contact Amanda and Lauren in the Membership Department at members@haaonline.org.

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

67

ambassadors pg 68,69.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:26 AM Page 1

The Ambassador ONE Society HAA’s WELCOMING COMMITTEE

HERE TO HELP

The Ambassadors continue their good works with member outreach and community support.

1. The Ambassador “ONE of the Month” is April Shane, Presto-X. 1

Ambassador ONE Society members with at least 10 points, ranked by points earned: April Shane Vince Mallace Marivel Bownds Angel Lopez Angie Lavrack Debra Knight Arely Pena Marcy Holmes Zamara Nitcholas

Presto-X Valet Living Metropolitan Staffing Solutions The Liberty Group Valet Living The Liberty Group Designs by Holmes Interior Design Greenlogic Lighting & Electric

25 23 19 18 16 16 14 10 10

Ambassadors earn points by sharing leads, making introductions and visiting communities to promote HAA events and news.

THE AMBASSADOR ONE SOCIETY is an organized network exchange that helps supplier partners build their business contacts within HAA. It’s the perfect way for new suppliers to get started with the association. Group members share leads, make introductions and support HAA and its members. For details, attend an orientation and one of the meetings listed here, or contact Amanda in the Membership Department at 713-595-0316, or email asherbondy@haaonline.org.

68

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

ambassadors pg 68,69.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:26 AM Page 2

2

3

4

2. First Place Team “Cash ME Onsite” with 43 points 3. Second Place “Ambassador Strong” with 41 points 4. Third Place Team “The Cool Kids Corner” with 40 points

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

69

prop news pg 70,71.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:28 AM Page 1

Portfolio Changes The following owner/management companies have added the listed properties to their portfolios: • Avesta: Generation Grove Apartments, 257 units at 14807 Woodland Hills Drive in Humble.

• The Axcell Group LLC: Willows on Harwin Apartments, 64 units at 7637 Harwin Drive.

• Bluestone Properties: The Estates at Hollister Apartments, 324 units at 7740 W. Little York Road.

• Bridge Real Estate Group: Woodway Square Apartments, 507 units at 1200 Winrock Blvd.

• Capstone Real Estate Services Inc.: North Park Apartments, 192 units at 90 Northpoint Drive.

• Centra Partners LLC: Bridgewater Apartments, 206 units at 1100 Graham Drive in Tomball.

• CKR Property Management LLC: The Inverness Gardens Apartments, 32 units at 1300 E. James in Baytown and The Inverness Baytown Apartments, 66 units at 907 N. Pruett St. in Baytown.

• The Conerly Group: Sunshine Apartments, 21 units at 4520 Hemlock Drive in Baytown.

• Dalcor Management LLC: Vista on Gessner Apartments, 810 units at 6425 S. Gessner Road.

• Gatesco: Emerald Pointe Apartments, 360 units at 920 Houston Ave. in Pasadena.

• Good Harbor Management LLC: Matthew Ridge Apartments, 240 units at 14551 Beechnut St. and Parkside Point Apartments, 260 units at 3360 Alice St.

70

ABODE

April 2018

• Greystar: The James, 344 units at 2303 Mid Lane.

• Harbor Group Management Company: Parkwood at Cypress Station, 484 units at 505 Cypress Station Drive.

• JPL Real Estate Solutions: Rock Rose Apartments, 9 units at 7902 Rock Rose St. • Knightvest Management: The Haven, 732 units at 15902 Highway 3 in Webster.

• Jeff R Massey: 1612 West Main Apartments, 11 units at 1612 W. Main St. • MORGAN: Pearl 21 Eleven Apartments, 215 units at 2119 Westheimer Road.

• Mosiac Residential Inc.: Cobble Creek Apartments, 168 units at 920 Lawrence St. in Tomball.

• Oakleaf Management Co.: Windsor Cypress Apartments, 208 units at 12035 Huffmeister Road in Cypress.

• Roscoe Properties: The Broadmoor Apartments, 235 units at 10215 Beechnut St. • SAC PAWL Ltd.: The Park at Walker’s Landing Apartments, 64 units at 811 Cloyd Drive #400 in Magnolia.

• Walker Holder Residential Inc.: Loggins Court Apartments, 50 units at 710 Loggins Court in West Columnbia.

Want to see current and previous issues of ABODE online?

Go to http://issuu.com/haa_abode.

www.haaonline.org

prop news pg 70,71.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:28 AM Page 2

In the News Pavecon welcomes Liz Berglund, CAS, as its new project manager in Houston.

Berglund

Amber Hyde, CAM, has joined CWS Apartment Homes.

Flooring Warehouse is excited to announce Tracey LeachMoore as its new flooring specialist - account manager.

Hyde

Moore

CKR Property Management CEO Caroline Kane was announced as a silver winner in the prestigious One Planet Award program in the Female Maverick of the Year category.

Woodbranch Investments’ Market Square Tower announced CVS Pharmacy as the first retailer to open on Feb. 18.

Kane

Harper’s Retreat in Conroe, Texas, owned and managed by Allied Orion Group, has been recognized among the Elite 1% properties in the nation for online reputation for the year 2017. The Elite 1% ORA™ Power Ranking is an annual ranking developed by J Turner Research based on an extensive, monthly online reputation study of more than 71,000 properties nationwide across all review sites.

Have something to report from your company or for yourself? Email us your news at comm@haaonline.org.

www.haaonline.org

April 2018

ABODE

71

On Site with ABODE

By HAA Staff

COZY CYPRESS Make yourself comfortable at Grand Cypress.

Property: Grand Cypress Owner/Management: MAA Location: 14144 Mueschke Road in Cypress, just miles from US 290.

Units: 312 Built: 2009 Web: www.maac.com/texas/houston/grand-cypress Interesting features: Located 20 miles northwest of Houston, Grand Cypress offers its residents the best of both worlds with the rural feel of Cypress and easy access to the city. Upon entering the leasing office, a cozy and woodsy ambiance welcomes you. Immediately, you feel like you are home. Residents of Grand Cypress often commute into Houston for work, mostly to the medical center, while others own local businesses. Many families in the area will use Grand Cypress as a transition home while their homes are being built or renovated. One, two and three-bedroom floorplans are available.

Community amenities include: a community club room, a cardio and weight fitness center, a business center, a pool with a splash pad, a poolside cabana-area with a grill and a hibachi grill for outdoor entertaining and an outdoor living area with a fireplace. The pool you see pictured above is currently undergoing renovations. Most of the residents at Grand Cypress include families who are constantly on the go. Knowing this, Grand Cypress partnered with Marco’s Pizza to offer residents an option for a quick and easy dinner when things go awry or when their little one has a cheese hankering.

72

ABODE

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

April 2018

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my resident and my management and the owner are happy, I’m happy. It was a good experience, though, feeling that way. I didn’t know that someone was watching!”

www.haaonline.org

I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was surprised that they nominated me!” he said, laughing. “ I’ve been with this business for 15 years. I never expect anything. For me, if I get my job done or get it right, I’m satisfied with that. I don’t need recognition. As long as my

abode ad pg 73.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:31 AM Page 1

Let ABODE help you grow your business! ABODE magazine is the multifamily industry’s source for what’s happening in the Houston-area apartment market. Every month, our members-only publication highlights industry news and trends, plus photos of YOU, our members, from HAA events! ABODE is your source for industry-specific legal and legislative news as well. Share your promotions and new hires in our “In The News” column, or the latest development in your area of expertise by writing an article. And get your name out there by advertising. Look for ABODE in the mail the first week of each month, or read online at issuu.com/haa_abode. Contact the Communications Department at comm@haaonline.org for details and contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org to advertise. ABODE is your HAA!

Does this make my business look

BIG?

ad index apr pg 74.qxp_Ad Index pg 74 3/16/18 9:31 AM Page 1

Index of Advertisers By CATEGORY

A/C Supplies

Locks & Locksmiths

HAA Products & Services

Century A/C Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 281-530-2859 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.centuryac.com

CKI Wholesale Lock Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 713-462-0704 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ckilock.com

Rental Credit Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 713-595-0300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.haaonline.org/rcr

Maintenance Supplies

Carpet Installation Dixie Carpet Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 281-261-6334 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.dixiecarpet.com

Johnstone Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 713-803-6231 . . . . . . . . . .www.johnstonesupply.com

HAA reserves the right to reject any advertising if its content is inappropriate or inconsistent with HAA’s standards for publication or HAA’s business interests, in HAA’s sole opinion.

Movers

Countertops Impact Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 800-951-9462 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.impactfloors.com

Ameritex Movers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 713-484-MOVE . . . . . . . . . .www.stressfreemove.com

Paving Contractors

Electric Contractors Affordable Quality Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 713-695-5992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.acuityelectric.com Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services . . . .45 281-693-3383 . . . . . . . . . . .www.brandtelectrical.com

Pavement Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 281-758-8434 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.nopothole.com

Plumbing Contractors AAA Plumbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 713-462-4753 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.aaaplumbers.com

General Contractors Camp Construction Services . . . . . . . .Back Cover 713-413-2267 . . . . . . . .www.campconstruction.com

Resident Screening Service

Cotton Commercial USA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 877-511-2962 . . . . . . . . . . .www.cottoncompanies.com

CoreLogic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover 888-297-8821 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.corelogic.com

FSI Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 832-767-1115 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.fsiconstruction.com

Resurfacing

Gambit Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 832-987-4242 . . . . .www.gambitconstruction.com

Perfect Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 713-952-0202 . . . . . . . .www.perfectsurfaceinc.com

Gemstar Construction & Development . . . . . . .2 281-821-1195 . . . . . .www.gemstarconstruction.com Guardian Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 832-672-4196 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.guardianconst.com RENCON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover 713-666-3636 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.rencon.com

Screens Ameristar Screen and Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 713-683-6767 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ameristarglass.com

Security Control Equipment/Systems Glass – Plate, Window, Etc. Ameristar Screen and Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 713-683-6767 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ameristarglass.com

SentriForce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 888-671-2202 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sentriforce.com

Swimming Pool Service Insurance Harco Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 713-681-2500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.harco-ins.com

Poolsure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 800-858-POOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.poolsure.com

Trash Hauling Landscape Contractors Outdoor Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 713-955-0990 . . . . . .www.outdoorelementstx.com

Waste Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 713-354-5230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.thinkgreen.com

Laundry Equipment & Supplies Scott Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 713-686-7268 . . . . . . . . .www.scott-equipment.com

www.haaonline.org/rcr

Want to see current and previous issues of ABODE online? Go to http://issuu.com/haa_abode.

Or view this issue on your computer, iPad or smartphone at http://issuu.com/haa_abode/docs/abode_apr2018.

74

ABODE

April 2018

www.haaonline.org

Marketline pg 75.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:32 AM Page 1

MarketLine By BRUCE MCCLENNY, President, ApartmentData.com

HOUSTON

•

Snapshot

•

89.5% $1,017/mo.

115.3¢/sq.ft./mo.

882 sq.ft.

Past 12 Months: 5.1% rental rate growth 16,730 units absorbed

98.0 –

– 90.0

– 89.0

96.0 –

– 88.0

•

Recently Opened (12 months): 56 communities 14,423 units

• • • • • • • • • •

•

94.0 –

Under Construction: 37 communities 9,851 units

Occupancy (%)

Operating Supply: 2,733 communities 641,294 units

Rental Rate (¢/sq.ft./mo.)

Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

• • • • • •

• • • • •

Jan 18

Feb 18

Dec 17

Nov 17

Oct 17

Sep 17

Aug 17

Jul 17

Jun 17

May 17

Apr 17

Mar 17

Jan 17

Feb 17

Dec 16

Nov 16

Oct 16

Sep 16

Aug 16

Jul 16

May 16

Jun 16

Proposed Construction: 60 communities 17,135 units

Apr 16

Mar 16

– 87.0

History of Effective Rental Rate & Occupancy for All Units

Hottest Submarkets Over the Past Three Months

Concessions

Annualized % of Market Rank Submarket Absorbed 1 Downtown 20.5% 2 1-10 East/Woodforest/Channelview 7.7% 3 Conroe North/Montgomery 3.0% 4 Bear Creek/Copperfield/Fairfield 5.2% 5 Northeast Houston/Crosby 3.8%

Rental Rate Growth % 4.0% 1.4% 2.1% 1.1% 1.3%

Total Units Class w/Concessions All 224,010 A 67,105 B 73,437 C 70,450 D 13,018

% of Total Units 35% 45% 31% 34% 26%

Average Special -2.7% -4.8% -1.4% -1.6% -1.7%

Citywide Effect -7.0% -9.7% -4.5% -4.9% -6.8%

One Month Free = -8.33%

THE FIRST TABLE ABOVE GIVES A SNAPSHOT of the current market conditions. The graph displays the overall occupancy and effective rental rates over the past 24 months. These statistics are derived from a continuous survey of all apartment communities in the Houston region. The effective rental rates are the calculated net of concessions and utility adjustments. The second table lists the five hottest submarkets in the Greater Houston area. There are a total of 42 submarkets, and the ranking is based on the best combination of rental rate growth and absorption over the past three months. The third table distributes and analyzes concessions (specials) by classification. Concessions generally are represented by three types of specials: move-in, months free or floor plans. The effect of these specials is captured and prorated over a lease term to arrive at a percentage reduction in market or street rents.

TEXAS

Dallas/Ft. Worth

San Antonio

Austin

Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

91.2% $1,074/mo.

123.2¢/sq.ft./mo.

872 sq.ft.

89.3% $913/mo.

107.5¢/sq.ft./mo.

849 sq.ft.

90.0% $1,176/mo.

134.7¢/sq.ft./mo.

873 sq.ft.

Past 12 Months: 3.1% rental rate growth 15,827 units absorbed

Past 12 Months: 0.9% rental rate growth 3,930 units absorbed

Past 12 Months: -0.2% rental rate growth 7,418 units absorbed

Operating Supply: 2,988 communities 696,326 units

Operating Supply: 874 communities 184,314 units

Operating Supply: 940 communities 217,970 units

www.haaonline.org

ApartmentData.com has been providing apartment data and marketing products since 1986.

ApartmentData.com provides real-time access for property specific information, market surveys and historic submarket data for more than 2.7 million apartment units in Texas, Georgia, Arizona and Tennessee. For more information, contact Bruce McClenny at 800-595-8730. © 2018 ApartmentData.com April 2018

ABODE

75

Backpage pg 76 apr.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:32 AM Page 1

Back Page

with News from around the COMMUNITY

Learn How You Can Have FREE Summer Meals for Youth Delivered to your Community Daily!

The Texas Hunger Initiative (THI) can help you determine if free summer meals are a good fit for your community. In partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture, THI is working to feed more children and teens throughout the summer months by connecting sites where youth are with community sponsors.

Utilizing USDA funds, community sponsors provide meals, at no cost, to local sites. Sites can be found at schools, community centers, parks, libraries and in apartment communities.

For more information, contact the Texas Hunger Initiative’s Houston team: Megan Hoag, Regional Director Texas Hunger Initiative, Baylor University Megan_Hoag@baylor.edu 832-369-9334

There is no direct cost to the apartment community. Basic requirements to participate include a short training, having a safe space for the youth to eat and having an adult (staff or volunteer) responsible for accepting the meals and tracking the number of meals served. THI is available to answer your questions and help you connect with the appropriate sponsor. If you have concerns about site limitations for this program, please let us know, as we may be able to work around your limitation or concern.

ONLINE STATISTICS for the Houston Apartment Association Website and Social Media www.haaonline.org Total visits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13,379 Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7,768 Most visited pages: 1. Jobline Board 2. Rental Credit Reporting 3. Rental Owner Complaint Form

76

ABODE

April 2018

HAA Jobline Apply button cicks . . . . . . . . .4,604 Job postings for the month . . . .91 Resume postings . . . . . . . . . . . . .311 Job seeker signups . . . . . . . . . . .412

Twitter @HAAOnline www.twitter.com Followers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,471

Facebook http://tinyurl.com/2ae7gnq

Houston Apartment Association Group members . . . . . . . . . . . .2,176

Linkedin http://tinyurl.com/2667ppr Houston Apartment Association Group followers . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,869

www.haaonline.org

rencon inside back cover.qxp_Layout 1 3/16/18 9:32 AM Page 1

camp ad Back Cover.qxp_Layout 1 3/21/18 7:31 AM Page 1

Houston Apartment Association 4810 Westway Park Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77041

Return Service Requested