ABODE April 2019

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THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE

www.haaonline.org

ABODE Play Fair!

April 2018

e ! r i H en Gre

#RPMm oments More Sex and Service Animals Welcome to Fair Housing Month.

We See You at the ACES Luncheon, the HAA Volleyball Tournament and much more!

RPM Month

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CONTENTS April 2019

ON THE COVER

FEATURES & PHOTOS

38

30 On the Scene – Photos from TAA’s Day at the Capitol.

RPM and Fair Housing Month – April is a special month for 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 38. Don’t miss photos from the Volleyball Tournament, TAA’s Day at the Capitol and much more.

Cover image © Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com

32 On the Scene – Photos from the PSC Supplier Education Program.

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

36 On the Scene – Photos from the ACES Luncheon.

38 Hiring Green – For RPM Month, learn how transferable skills can make a big impact.

42 New and No Experience – Training tips for onboarding an employee who doesn’t have prior multifamily experience.

50 Fair Housing and Assistance Animals – Here are answers to a few common questions about assistance animals.

54 Unintentional Discrimination – Disparate impact is a top concern for property managers today.

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES 7 President’s Corner – It’s Residential Property Management Careers Month.

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

9 Legislative Update – Sit down with the City of Houston’s fair housing coordinator.

11 It’s The Law – Sex and service animals, welcome to Fair Housing month.

14 Resident Relations – A resident dispute is settled by the committee.

19 Upcoming Education – Find out what education courses the Houston Apartment Foundation is offering in April and May. 20 Calendar – HAA’s schedule of events for the coming months.

26 NAA Update – The apartment industry calls on Capitol Hill.

28 On the Road with HAA – Find out about the latest region meetings.

60 On the Scene – Photos from the HAA Volleyball Tournament.

46 RCR Update – Adverse action notices that work for you.

72 On Site with ABODE – Take a closer look at one of HAA’s member communities.

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

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

68 The Ambassador ONE Society – Come join and network with the teams.

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 Back Page – News from around the community.

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

www.haaonline.org

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OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP CLAY HICKS President-Elect

TINA CAVACO Vice President at Large

STARLA TURNBO President

IAN DOUGLAS Vice President at Large

STEPHANIE GRAVES Vice President at Large JOHN BORIACK Secretary/Treasurer

CHRISTY RODRIGUEZ Vice President at Large

HOWARD BOOKSTAFF General Counsel

JEFF HALL Executive VP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michelle Pawelek Immediate Past President Swapnil Agarwal Mack Armstrong Jeff Blevins Jill Bounds Kyle Brown Joseph Bryson Terri Clifton Michelle Croasmun Grant Crowell Derek DeVries Scott Douglas John Fedorko Gina Erwin Israel Garza Diane Gilbert Ira Gross Alison Hall Bryan Head Melissa Herrera Deborah Holcombe Jacob Kunath Barby Lake Laura Lestus David Lindley Robert Lopes Sonia Lopez Kristin McLaughlin Carlos Neto Dean O’Kelley Michelle Pahl Jenifer Paneral Mark Park Velissa Parmer Jackie Rhone Kelly Scott Kurt Seidel Roman Stephens Debbie Sulzer Dana Tucker Shelley Watson Quintina Willis Tracie Yoder

DIRECTORS EMERITUS Josh Allen Gary Blumberg Ken Bohan Kathy Clem Jack Dinerstein Jenard Gross Darlene Guidry David Hargrove Larry Hill Stacy Hunt Hap Hunnicutt David Jones Mike Koch Dick LaMarche Tim Myers P David Onanian John Ridgway Kim Small Eileen Subinsky Steve Sweet Kirk Tate Suan Tinsley H J Tollett Jr. Pat Tollett Vic Vacek Jr. Beth Van Winkle Jerry Winograd ADVISORY DIRECTORS Tamara Foster Billy Griffin, CAS Monica Gracia Debbie Kelm Cesar Lima Mary Lawler Patrick Magnuson Betsy Marshall Bruce McClenny Nikki Sekunda Penny Sprang 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 Jacob Kunath, CAS, President Century A/C Supply Laura Lestus, CAS, Vice President The Liberty Group David Lindley, CAS, Secretary FSI Construction Derek DeVries, CAS, Treasurer Camp Construction Services Grant Crowell, CAS, Immediate Past President The Urban Foresters MEMBERS Marivel Bownds, CAS, Valet Living Dixie Caldwell-Greer, CAS, The Liberty Group Shaun Callaway, CAS, Earthworks Peggy Charles, CASE, Fidus Construction Services Dylan Coleman, CAS Fidus Construction Sean Cunningham, CAS, Flooring Warehouse Deborah DeRouen, CAS, Zumper

Dan James, CAS Redevelopment Services Debra Knight, CAS, Valet Living Stephanie Krop, CASE, Poolsure Liz Levins, CAS, Rasa Floors Candis Mohr, CAS, AAA Plumbers Tracey Moore, CAS, Flooring Warehouse Doug Oehl, CAS. Flooring Warehouse 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 2018 Apartments.com

SPONSOR MEMBERS 1968 Century A/C Supply Hoover Slovacek LLP Reliant 1973 Brady Chapman Holland & Assoc CORT Furniture 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 W Partnership 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 American Fire Systems Direct Energy LP Southwest Painting Contractors Inc 2003 Sign-Ups & Banners 2005 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 LLC 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 Fantastic Floors Infinite Energy Inc Parking Management Company/PMC Towing 2012 ABC Supply Co Inc Accent Sign & Awning Co BGE/Brown & Gay Engineers Inc Cantrell McCulloch Inc EnviroSmart Multifamily Pest Solutions Giordano Construction Inc Go-Staff, Inc Maldonado Nursery & Landscaping Inc Nationwide Eviction Texas Concrete Professional Company 2013 ACTIV Answer by Audio Images Arbor Contract Carpet Inc ASAP Steamers Carpet Cleaning Comcast Gambit Construction Outdoor Elements Pool Works LLC Tidal Renovations LLC 2014 Adventure Playground Systems Inc Chadwell Supply Classic Same Day Blinds J National Jonah Digital Agency MX2 Commercial Paving

Pathfinder Insurance Group Ram Jack Foundation Solutions Texas Apartment Pool Services WCA Waste Corporation Zillow Group 2015 Air Pro Systems America Outdoor Furniture ASAP Personnel Inc BSI Cameras Onsite Competitive Choice Inc DeNyse Companies Division-9 Inc Fix My Slab Foundation Repair Gateman Inc Greater Houston Pool Management Holder's Pest Solutions Infinity Power Partners Kathy Andrews Interiors Notifii LLC Pace Mechanical Services LLC The Allshouse Group LLC The Lane Law Firm Wilsonart 2016 Action Window Coverings 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 Green City Security LLC Guardian Chimney Sweep Halo Doors Inc JLL Johnstone Supply KONE Leah McVeigh Design and Consulting Liquid Waste Solutions McCann Total Security Solutions Paul Davis Restoration North Houston RAM Construction Sparkle Wash Pressure Washing Texas Southwest Floors Inc The Home Depot WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems WellKept Whitmans Contracting and Roofing 2017 ACT Security Group All About Doody Pet Solutions LLC All American Mailboxes of Houston Inc Allegion American Fire Protection Group Apartment Total Services APTexx Inc BioTechs Crime & Trauma Scene Cleaning South Houston Buddy's Roofing & Construction Co Cano Electric Inc City Supply Co Inc Continental Adjusters Inc Creative Surface Cypress Landscaping & Irrigation, Inc D&C Painting Designs by Holmes Disaster Restore 365 Fast Forward Services LLC Frost Insurance Agency Gage Multifamily Services General Recon, LLC Lithotech Printed Products/Forms Center McMahan's Flooring Inc MPS Direct Norman Construction NorthMarq Capital On Site Towing LLC Pack-It Movers Paul Ryan Windows Rent Accelerator SEAL Security Solutions LLC Secure Insurance Swiff-Train Company Texas Engineered Roofing & General Contracting USA Patrol Division Vima Decor Willbanks & Associates Inc 2018 12 Stones Roofing A Homestead Specialist LLC AAdvantage Laundry Systems AirAide LLC Allura Apartment Lines Apex Lighting LLC Archcon Arizona Tile Assa Abloy Astros Carpet & Painting Inc

Bank Financial BBO Professional Carpet Cleaning Bee Man Dan Benefits 4 Rent Brannan Designs LLC Architecture & Interior Design C&D Towing LLC Capital Sign Associates CashFlow Pros LLC Centex Construction CenturyLink CG Sorelle Group LLC ClearView Landscape Management Construction ECO Services Durastone Corporation Featherston Sign Partners Finish Factory Inc Globus Management Group Good Guys of Texas Green Garbology Greenseen Guardian Gutters H&H Fire and Security H&R Operator Services Inc Higginbotham HMS LLC Jet Wrecker Service Justice Patrol Services LLC K-Simon Construction Kastle Systems Ledge Lounger Lockmer Collins Roofing LLC DBA Roof Repair Squad Lone Star General Matrix Construction Services Merricks Company MirrorMate Frames Mosquito Scott Pest Control NGC Renovation O'Conor, Mason & Bone PC OnDemand Cabinet Solutions Penco Access Control PERQ LLC Phoenix Roofing & Construction Inc Platinum Enterprises LLC Power Design Inc Preventive Pest Control Quatro Tax LLC Red Dog Dumpsters Red Nova Energy Rent Debt Automated Collections RG Miller Engineers Royalty Landscape Saifee Signs & Graphics Signal 88 Security Smart Shield Security Spray and Play Strickland Law Firm PLLC Surface Designers Remodeling Inc Swadley Roof Systems LLC Tanza Granite Inc TDECU Insurance Agency Texas Premier Builders/Designs Texas Steam - Laars Heating Systems Tropical Roofing Products Turn2 Solutions LLC USI Southwest Vistex Graphics LLC Westlake Home & Commercial Services Wholewood Cabinets Wildlife Removal Experts Windstorm Restoration Wonder Wall Wraps Inc WS National Construction Services LLC 2019 Absolute Construction LLC Advance LED Solution Anchor Roofing Inc Aton 4 Electronic Beekman Company LLC Beyond Contractors LLC Builders Direct Depot Classic Touch Painting CLS Technology Inc Consolidated Communications DNM Contracting Inc Enforce Security Services Epic Air Conditioning Green Faubourg Lawn & Landscaping LLC Harding & Carbone Inc IGD Plumbing LLC LP Building Solutions: Louisiana-Pacific Corporation LSR Multifamily NSJ Painting & Flooring Odor-DeFence/BugDeFence PHR A/C & Heating Pool Knights Prime Texas Metal Roofs Prime Texas Surveys LLC Rainey Richardson Interiors, Target Restoration Services Texas Management Group Three Amigos Texas LLC Total Renovation Services Window World Woodlands Water Restoration

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APRIL 2019 I VOLUME 42, 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, CAE asherbondy@haaonline.org CONTRIBUTING STAFF Vice President and General Manager SUSAN HINKLEY, CAE shinkley@haaonline.org Vice President of Professional Development EMILY HILTON, CPP, CAE 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 LAUREN WOLFSON, CMP lwolfson@haaonline.org Director of Rental Credit Reporting TINA DEFIORE tdefiore@haaonline.org Director of Outreach LAUREN TURNER, CMP lturner@haaonline.org Public Affairs Specialist ALPA PATEL apatel@haaonline.org Education and Meetings Coordinator KAREN MITCHELL kmitchell@haaonline.org Membership and Marketing Manager KAYLON NEWCOMB knewcomb@haaonline.org Membership Engagement Assist. MONSERRAT BUFFINGTON mbuffington@haaonline.org Webmaster and IT Specialist WILL ALFARO walfaro@haaonline.org PRINTER TGI PRINTED www.tgiprinted.com

HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES COMMITTEE CHAIR STAFF ADVISOR Executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .STARLA TURNBO . . . . . . . . . . .JEFF HALL Program & Budget . . . . . . . . . . . .CLAY HICKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JEFF HALL Nominating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MICHELLE PAWELEK . . . . . . .JEFF HALL Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BETH VAN WINKLE . . . . . . . . .JEFF HALL Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JOHN BORIACK . . . . . . . . . . . . .JEFF HALL Fair Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MICHELLE PAWELEK . . . . . . .JEFF HALL By-Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .KYLE BROWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JEFF HALL Past Presidents Council . . . . . . .ALISON HALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JEFF HALL Strategic Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . .JOHN BORIACK . . . . . . . . . . . . .LAUREN TURNER Legislative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CLAY HICKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ANDY TEAS HAA Political Action Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .STACY HUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ANDY TEAS Multifamily Fire Safety Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JOHN FEDORKO . . . . . . . . . . . .ANDY TEAS Developers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TODD TRIGGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ANDY TEAS Century Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DEREK DEVRIES . . . . . . . . . . . .ALPA PATEL PAC Fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DAVID JONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ALPA PATEL Media Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NORMA ALVEAR . . . . . . . . . . . .ALPA PATEL Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .KIM SMALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ALPA PATEL Leadership Development . . . . .JACKIE RHONE . . . . . . . . . . . . .SUSAN HINKLEY Product Service Council . . . . . . .JACOB KUNATH . . . . . . . . . . . .SUSAN HINKLEY Community Outreach . . . . . . . .TRACIE YODER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SUSAN HINKLEY Resident Relations Appeals . . .DARLENE GUIDRY . . . . . . . . . .MATILDE LUNA Resident Relations A . . . . . . . . . .ELAINE LEEPER . . . . . . . . . . . . .MATILDE LUNA Resident Relations B . . . . . . . . . .KATHY MOTIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MATILDE LUNA Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CRYSTAL JACKSON . . . . . . . .AMANDA SHERBONDY Ambassador ONE Society . . . .MARIVEL BOWNDS/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RYAN WEIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .AMANDA SHERBONDY 2019 Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LAURA LESTUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .AMANDA SHERBONDY Education Advisory Council . . .STEPHANIE GRAVES . . . . . . .EMILY HILTON Career/Community Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .KELLY SUESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .EMILY HILTON NEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PATRICK MAGNUSON/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NIKKI SEKUNDA . . . . . . . . . . . .EMILY HILTON ACES Task Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DIANE GILBERT . . . . . . . . . . . . .EMILY HILTON HAF Fundraiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MICHELLE PAHL/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DAN JAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LAUREN WOLFSON HAA Street Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BRANDON THOMAS . . . . . . . .LAUREN WOLFSON Property Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RICHARD WALL/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PENNY SPRANG . . . . . . . . . . . .TINA DEFIORE IT Task Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JOE BRYSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ART EIDMAN 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. 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.

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

in partnership with

ABODE, APRIL 2019 VOLUME 42 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. Periodicals Postage Paid at Houston, Texas.

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

www.haaonline.org

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

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Thanks to our sponsors: TopGolf “Top” Sponsor Contractors Inc. Gemstar Construction Development Inc. Hole-in-One Sponsor AAA Plumbers Welcome Sponsor ApartmentData.com Lunch Sponsor Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services Fidus Construction Services Beverage Sponsor Core Landscape Group HD 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 Last Place Best Dressed Male Best Dressed Female Sport your best golf attire this year for a chance to win best dressed!

Team Awards Sponsor CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions Gemstar Construction Development Inc. Rasa Floors Best Male and Female Award Craven Carpet Mohawk Industries Last Place Award Crestmark Construction Services Best Dressed Male and Female Award Crestmark Construction Services

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: $550 per team/Includes high top table and chairs; located in center of each floor. o Teams of up to six – Lounge: $650 per team/Includes cushioned lounged seating; located on sides of each floor.

Name__________________________________________________ Company________________________________________________ Name__________________________________________________

Thursday, April 18 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.

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.

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Letter from the President

By STARLA TURNBO, 2019 HAA President

EVERY APRIL WE CELEBRATE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CAREERS MONTH. The initiative, crafted by NAA in 2010, was created not only to celebrate our industry but more importantly to promote careers in our industry. RPM Careers Month encourages onsite managers and corporate recruiters to evaluate talent more effectively by tapping into transferable skills from other industries, careers and experiences, not just looking for previous apartment industry experience. The apartment industry in Houston has a need for talent in 2019. At HAA’s State of the Industry Breakfast in January, Bruce McClenny of ApartmentData.com reported 13,000 units will be added throughout 2019.

What do we always say about this business? It’s all about the people. When we are asked what we love the most about this industry, most of the time the answer is, the people – the people we work with, the people we work for and our residents. Who takes care of our residents, our assets and our communities? People, the people we hire. People are the most important part of our business, and human capital is our biggest asset. So, how can we make sure we are hiring the right people? Focus less on experience and more on a candidate’s transferable skills, aptitude to learn and attitude.

Transferable skills could be customer service, communication skills, organization and budget management, time management, critical thinking, creativity, marketing or ethics. If a person has the aptitude to learn and a good attitude, you I encourage you all to share your love of this can teach that person just about anything. industry by posting to social media using the Create a company culture that focuses on hashtag #RPMmoments. peer-to-peer training, which could also be a great way to assess leadership skills for future promotions.

NAA has an RPM Careers Month challenge, which I will get into shortly, but my challenge for our HAA members this year is to hire at least one employee outside the industry. For large management companies, take it even further by hiring one employee per property who doesn’t have prior experience.

Now, for NAA’s challenge, I encourage you all to share your love of this industry by posting to social media using the hashtag #RPMmoments.

Follow RPM Careers on Instagram to learn about the different social media challenges throughout the month and be sure to post your entries using #RPMmoments. At the end of April, NAA will announce the winners of this year’s amazing prizes.

In honor of RPM Month, HAA’s Vice President of Education Emily Hilton and ABODE’s Morgan Taylor co-wrote an article starting on Page 39 that may change your mind about hiring someone who may not have prior property management, leasing or even maintenance training. HAA members weigh in and share their experience. Tips on how to onboard a new employee without prior multifamily experience can be found in an article written by an HAA Avenues speaker on Page 42.

April is also Fair Housing Month, so the magazine is filled with fair housing content. HAA’s Rental Credit Reporting Director Tina DeFiore is back with CoreLogic to educate our members on credit reporting. This time, starting on Page 46, the team is teaching our members a lesson in adverse action notifications.

If you need a refresher on assistance animals, the article on Page 51 goes back to the basics on assistance animals and fair housing law. Disparate impact has become a topic of discussion. The article on Page 54 discusses how property management professionals can fall into a disparate impact situation.

www.haaonline.org

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

Houston Planned Energy Systems

Apartments.com

HAA Member since 1978

HAA Member since 1997

Cotton Commercial USA Inc.

Interior Logic Group Property Services

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 HAA Member since 1994

April Patron of the Month

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April 2019

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

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Legislative Update

By CLAY HICKS, HAA Legislative Chair, with ANDY TEAS, CAE, Vice President of Public Affairs

FAIR HOUSING IN HOUSTON Sit down with the City of Houston’s fair housing coordinator.

FAIR HOUSING IS a federal law, but the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department has always tried to lend a hand. While Houston does not municipally enforce the Fair Housing Act, the city helps solve problems for renters, many of which have nothing to do with housing discrimination.

Since last summer, the City of Houston’s Fair Housing Coordinator is Yolanda GuessJeffries. HAA Vice President Andy Teas and ABODE magazine sat down with Jeffries last month to talk about the state of fair housing in Houston, and the best ways to deal with apartment resident issues.

ABODE: Tell me about your background. How did your career take you to becoming Houston’s fair housing coordinator?

Yolanda Guess-Jeffries: I’ve worked for the City of Houston since 2004, starting in the mayor’s office under Deputy Assistant John Walsh. Shortly after I started, we had tens of thousands of people coming to Houston following Hurricane Katrina who we helped house at various locations throughout the city. I accepted this position last summer because I have a passion for helping people. It’s a feeling that starts at home – my mother was a special education teacher and my grandfather was a Methodist minister. They gave me the foundation I needed to make a difference in someone else’s life.

What sort of calls do you get, and how are you typically able to help?

During the last fiscal year, we answered 1,174 individual callers through the Fair Housing Office Hotline. The most common issues were general landlord/tenant issues (including fair housing) and repair issues – especially mold and mildew since Hurricane Harvey. There are always financial issues like rent, deposits and fees. I usually speak to the resident to help them understand their rights www.haaonline.org

and responsibilities as a tenant. Sometimes, I speak to the owner or manager to discuss the tenant’s issues and help them understand their duties as a landlord. With one recent call from a tenant who felt unsafe, I was able to convince the homeowner to add extra lighting and to install bars on the resident’s windows. Both the owner and resident were happy with this compromise. You know, helping people helps me – I just love that. By the end of the day, I just feel so rejuvenated! I have a wonderful team, too. We do all we can to help clients.

Do you work with the Greater Houston Fair Housing Center?

I call them daily!

Of the calls that are truly fair housing calls (discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status or disability), what are the most common problems?

Race and disabilities are big issues – they’re neck and neck. Recently, some callers are residents looking for apartments who are being denied for insufficient reasons – like being denied for insufficient income when they actually earn enough. Sometimes, after a pre-approved prospective resident sends their documentation, they’re no longer preapproved. We also get a lot of calls about reasonable accommodations for disabilities.

How do you think Fair Housing laws could work better?

The law would work better if the public and housing providers were more educated about fair housing laws. Just recently in the news, an employee of a senior living facility was fired for sending out a letter asking residents not to speak Spanish in the lobby. This could have been avoided with better employee training. HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) only re-

ceives about 80 complaints a year in Houston, which seems low in a city of more than 2.1 million people. The law would also work better if HUD could process complaints more quickly.

What can HAA and the City of Houston do to better educate the public about fair housing?

For Fair Housing Month, the Housing and Community Development Department (HCDD) will host its first Fair Housing Social Media Challenge. On April 17, we want to challenge each of our community partners to post and share five to 10 videos, pictures, memes and comments that discuss housing discrimination, share facts about fair housing and show how their organization supports fair housing. We invite HAA and its member companies to participate! (Note: Watch HAA’s @HAAonline twitter feed for more information.) We also look for opportunities to partner with other organizations to educate the public about fair housing. We would love to team up with HAA to do more fair housing training!

What’s ahead for Fair Housing in Houston?

HCDD is preparing a new Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (an assessment cities are required to complete to receive HUD funding). We’ll spend most of this year gathering data about fair housing barriers and engaging with the community to get their input, which we’ll use to identify impediments to fair housing choice and ways to combine our resources to overcome the historic patterns of segregation in Houston. We want to continue to educate the public about fair housing and create partnerships with local businesses, organizations and housing providers to promote fair housing and affordable housing development.

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It’s the Law

By HOWARD BOOKSTAFF, Hoover Slovacek LLP , HAA General Counsel

MORE SEX AND SERVICE ANIMALS Welcome to Fair Housing Month!

IN APRIL OF each year, we pay extra attention to the fair housing rights and responsibilities of residents and housing providers in the apartment industry. We take this opportunity to refamiliarize ourselves with the nuts and bolts associated with compliance of fair housing laws, rules and regulations.

Last April, I reported in an article entitled “Sex, Service Animals and Shotguns” on HUD’s new rules on quid pro quo and hostile environmental harassment discrimination, HUD’s Notice on Service and Assistance Animals and a recent Texas federal case, which supported an owner’s request for more information on assistance animals and taking action against problem residents who exhibit unstable behavior.

Recent settlements illustrate issues regarding sex and service animals. The following settlements (three with respect to assistance animals and one with respect to sex discrimination) give you some idea of the types of cases that HUD has focused on over the past year and how parties have resolved the disputes.

Service Animal Settlements U.S. v. Biafora’s Incorporated et al.

(West Virginia, Oct. 26, 2018) What happened? After receiving two complaints regarding the owner’s properties, the Northern West Virginia Center for Independent Living conducted testing to determine whether the owner was discriminating on the basis of disability by denying requests for service animals. The testing indicated that the owner was distributing documents that could deter residents and prospective residents from seeking an accommodation to live with an assistance animal.

On one occasion, a resident with a disability submitted a request to have an assistance www.haaonline.org

dog in her apartment. The owner denied the request, reRecent settlements illustrate issues regarding sex quired the resident to remove and service animals. The following settlements her assistance animal and de(three with respect to assistance animals and one manded that the resident pay an with respect to sex discrimination) give you some additional security deposit beidea of the types of cases that HUD has focused cause she had an unauthorized on over the past year and how parties have reanimal in her apartment. After the resident’s parents comsolved the disputes plained to the property manager, the owner reversed its decision and allowed the resident to keep her or disability-related need for the animal is assistance animal. not known or obvious, the housing provider On the same day the owner allowed the resiis entitled to ask for reliable disability-related dent to have her assistance animal, the resiinformation showing that the resident has a dent filed a discrimination complaint alleging disability under the Fair Housing Act and that the owner had discriminated against her that the resident has a disability-related need on the basis of disability by refusing to grant for the animal. her request for an assistance animal.

It is interesting to note the potential differAnother disabled resident at a sister propences in how different courts interpret the erty submitted a request for a reasonable aclaw. In the case reported in last April’s article, commodation for her assistance dog. The Houston v. DTN Operating Company LLC (deowner denied this request and required the cided in October 2017 by the United State Disresident to remove her dog and demanded trict Court in the Eastern District of Texas), the that she pay an additional deposit because court ruled in the owner’s favor after the reshe had an unauthorized animal. This resiquest for the assistance animal was denied. In dent also filed a discrimination complaint. the Houston case, the resident provided the After an investigation, HUD issued a owner with a letter from a licensed marriage charge of discrimination. The owner elected and family therapist stating that the resident to have the charge determined by a federal had a mental disability and needed an emodistrict court. tional support animal. When the owner requested additional documentation, the Settlement. The owner agreed to pay $6,000 resident submitted a second letter from the each to the two individual complainants, same therapist stating that the resident was adopt a new policy on reasonable accommounder the therapist’s care and vaguely (in the dations and assistance animals, conduct fair court’s opinion) explained that the resident housing training, and report to HUD on future needed a therapy dog to help her cope with requests for reasonable accommodations reher mental health condition. The resident also lating to assistance animals. provided the owner with documentation that the resident had registered the animal as an What can we learn? When a resident reemotional support dog with the United States quests an assistance animal, if the disability Animal Registry.

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When a resident requests an assistance animal, if the disability or disability-related need for the animal is not known or obvious, the housing provider is entitled to ask for reliable disability-related information showing that the resident has a disability under the Fair Housing Act and that the resident has a disability-related need for the animal.

Based upon the information submitted by the resident, the court concluded there were no medical facts to support the resident’s claim that she was disabled. Although the doctor stated the resident met the definition of disability under the Fair Housing Act, 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.

Although the settlement report in this West Virginia case does not identify what information the residents provided in support of their request for an assistance animal, the Texas case provides some support to an owner who wants to challenge the information provided

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by the resident (if it does not provide enough facts regarding if or how a resident’s conditions would substantially limit a major life activity).

U.S. v. Irvin (Oklahoma, Aug. 8, 2018) What happened? The owner operated and managed a mobile home park of approximately 20 lots. The owner maintained a policy that permitted residents to keep “one small dog per family.” The resident made a request for a reasonable accommodation asking that she be allowed to live with her assistance animal, a blue heeler Labrador retriever mixbreed dog. This request was made after the owner told the resident that her assistance animal was in violation of its pet policy due to the animal’s size.

The owner was given information regarding the resident’s disability and disability-related need for the accommodation, including a letter from the resident’s treating psychiatrist that the resident was a person with a disability.

The resident filed a complaint with HUD. After the owner received notice of the filed

complaint, the owner issued a notice of eviction and demanded the resident vacate her unit. The resident then claimed she was being retaliated against because of the fair housing complaint. The owner also refused to rescind the demand for possession even though the resident removed her animal.

Settlement. The settlement agreement required the owner to pay $50,000 in damages, participate in fair housing training and implement a reasonable accommodations policy.

What can we learn? Breed, size, weight and number limitations do not apply to assistance animals. A policy that restricts residents to one small animal cannot apply to a properly qualified assistance animal. Additionally, when a fair housing complaint has been made, proper precautions should be taken when issuing a subsequent notice to vacate or taking other action against the resident. Although a fair housing complaint does not prevent an owner from exercising its eviction remedy, a retaliation claim should be anticipated.

/ See Law, Page 48

www.haaonline.org

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Resident Relations from the RESIDENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE

IT WASN’T ME

A resident claims carpet damages were caused by previous resident.

A RESIDENT FILED a complaint

with HAA to receive a full refund on his security deposit.

This resident claimed management used his security deposit to remedy damages made by the resident prior to him. The carpet that was replaced, according to the resident, was damaged by the previous resident who owned a dog.

Management responded to HAA and that response was forwarded to the resident. According to management, the resident, who was also a former employee, owned a pet cat who lived with him in the apartment home.

Two days after move-out, management entered the apartment to discover the smell of

The HAA Resident Relations Committees provide cat urine and determined an impartial review of resident complaints using the carpet needed to be replaced. In addition, the the documentation provided by both the resident resident did not note any and management. damages in his move-in condition form upon move in.

After reviewing the case, the committee deManagement charged the resident with the cided in favor of management. The committee carpet replacement and final utilities. Manageconcluded the invoice for the carpet replacement did not charge the resident for additional ment and the blank inventory and condition cleaning charges and fixture replacements that form signed by the resident supported manwere performed in the unit. Enclosed were agement’s decision. Charges were justified. copies of the lease, pet application, inventory The resident owes the property $270.30. and condition form, animal addendum, notice If you are a manager with a resident to vacate, final account balance and invoices. relations issue, call HAA at 713-595-0300 Pictures were also provided. for direct assistance.

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!”

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www.haaonline.org

I wasn’t expe surprised that said, laughing business for 15 anything. For or get it right, don’t need rec resident and m owner are hap good experien way. I didn’t k watching!”

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Nominate your star people!

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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 13, with photos to be published in the ABODE magazine.

T

E

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The deadline for individual nominations is May 13.

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See www.haaonline.org/ nominations for details.

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

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.

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Main

ST

Avenues: Main Street– 2 April 16 Top 10 Fair Housing Blunders to Avoid with Leah Brewer Sure, we all think we understand Fair Housing laws and consistent implementation, right? Join this interactive refresher to focus on the hot spots and avoid the top mistakes industry professionals make. Prepare for some lively discussion and challenge your own knowledge.

Marketing

PL

Avenues: Marketing Place – 1 May 29 WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL? Managing the Concession Obsession with Mary Gwyn Is this one of the first questions the prospect asks? WHAT’S YOUR ANSWER? Consumers are conditioned to look for “deals” in every aspect of life. They go online and get discounted airline tickets, vacation rentals, hotel deals – you name it. From grocery store coupons to the BOGO “buy one get one,” the consumer rule. This course teaches participants the cost of concessions and how to lease without them. Instead of falling into the trap of giving free rent, make sure your team has all the techniques you need to maximize your revenue. After all, free rent is anything but cheap.

Follow a road that fits you career journey with Avenues. The Avenues series of seminars feature some of the best nationally-acclaimed speakers in the industry with learning sessions for every level of multifamily professional. There are five Avenues to choose from, Main Street, Maintenance Boulevard, Leadership Lane, Marketing Place and Supplier Circle. Follow just one path or pick and choose from all of the 15 great sessions.

Leadership

Don’t miss the next three sessions:

LN

Avenues: Leadership Lane - 1 April 30 Next Level Leadership with Dr. Debbie Phillips Ready to take your career to the next level or assist your team in growing beyond their current position?

This workshop takes a deep dive into strategies that fuel individual and team goals. Topics include: • Coaching • Team Building • Employee Engagement • Talent Development • Communication

Need just one Indiv

idu s per perso al sessions are pri eminar? n, a real s c teal for q ed at only $50 uality edu cation!

Sponsored by Annual Property Subscriptions are 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.

If you need a single workshop, individual sessions are priced at only $50 per person, a real steal for quality education.

Enroll today. Contact the HAA Education Department at education@haaonline.org or register online at www.haaonline.org.

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Upcoming Education

APRIL CAM: Legal Wednesday, April 3 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Program fee: $1,150 per person; tuition may be paid in full or divided into two payments of $575.

Sponsored by Texas Southwest Floors In this course, the speaker will describe reasonable accommodations and modifications for persons with disabilities, explain compliance with laws that govern applicant screening, 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 with adherence to residence rights, summarize the bid process requirements and explain compliance with laws that govern employment practices.

CAS: Legal Wednesday, April 3 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $695 full course; $125 per individual module See course description above.

CAM: Risk Management Thursday, April 4 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Program fee: $1,150 per person; tuition may be paid in full or divided into two payments of $575.

Sponsored by SentriForce Relate risk management to a CAM’s role; propose a solution to an issue of fraud, theft, embezzlement, etc. to minimize financial risk; identify necessary

SCHEDULE AND FEES

From the HAA EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

preventative maintenance to minimize risk to physical plant; create a resident education/ orientation message to minimize risk to residents; and much more.

course on Tuesday, March 5.

Sponsored by WellKept Learn how to identify the components of an effective marketing plan.

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

Program fee: $695 full course; $125 per individual module See course description above.

EDUCATION OUTREACH: PASADENA Avenues: Pasadena – “The Art of Hiring” with Leah Brewer Thursday, April 17 8:30 a.m. to noon Location: TBA Program fee: $50 if prepaid; $75 at the door Sponsored by Brook Furniture and The Liberty Group Recruiting and retaining top superhero talent within organizations is becoming a strategic focus in order to compete and win in today's competitive areas. Create a dream team of action employees who serve each other as they serve your company. You will discover tools and ideas to find employees that are our everyday heroes (and sheroes). Motivate and retain those above-andbeyond workers whose actions increase the value of your assets and organization. Visit www.haaonline.org/educationout reach for more information.

Please contact the HAA Outreach department at outreach@haaonline.org if you have any questions.

IROC Breakfast Friday, April 5 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Program fee: $25 per nonmember Sponsored by SentriForce The Independent Rental Owners Connection (IROC) features customized education and networking programs just for you.

Whether you're a brand-new apartment community owner or have been a part of the industry for many years, we encourage you to network within your fellow independent owners.

Avenues: Mainstreet – 2 “Top 10 Fair Housing Blunders to Avoid” with Leah Brewer Tuesday, April 16 8:30 a.m. to noon Program fee: $50 per session Sponsored by Best Plumbing Join this interactive refresher to focus on the hot spots and avoid the top mistakes industry professionals make. See Page 18 for details.

CAM: Human Resources Thursday, April 17 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Program fee: $1,150 per person; tuition may be paid in full or divided into two payments of $575. New CAM candidates must begin the program with the first

are subject to change without prior notification. Notice of cancellation is required two days in advance to receive a refund, less a $25 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

Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Tuesday, April 23 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Program fee: $65 prior to April 23; $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 one-day 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 the registration form at http://www.haaonline.org/images /programs/pdf/leasing101_2018.p df.

EDUCATION OUTREACH: PEARLAND Legal Seminar: Pearland Wednesday, April 24 8:30 a.m. to noon Program fee: $125 if prepaid; $160 if invoiced Sponsored by Brook Furniture Join HAA Legal Counsel, Howard Bookstaff, and your fellow HAA members for our annual Legal Seminar. The Legal Seminar will fulfill the NAA CEC requirement of Fair Housing training required of all CAM, CAPS, NALP and CAMT designates, and it’s worth six CEC credits. Topics include: preparing your policies: what new and experienced managers want and need to know; security issues: minimizing risks with effective procedures; Fluffy the pit bull: Fair Housing accommodations and modifications; disparate impact: what is it and how does it affect us; evictions: how long will it take to get rid of this resident; and a legislative update on national, state and local levels.

See Page 24 for details. / See Education, Page 58

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.

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APRIL S M 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29

Calendar HAA Education, Events and Meetings SCHEDULE

T 2 9 16 23 30

W 3 10 17 24

T 4 11 18 25

F 5 12 19 26

S 6 13 20 27

MAY S M

T

W 1 5 6 7 8 12 13 14 15 19 20 21 22 26 27 28 29

T 2 9 16 23 30

F 3 10 17 24 31

S 4 11 18 25

APRIL 3

10-12

18

25

CAM: Legal Wednesday, April 3 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Texas Southwest Floors

TAA Education Conference & Lonestar Expo Wednesday, April 10 thru Friday, April 12 in Houston. Visit www.taa.org/conference for more information.

HAAPAC Spring Fundraiser – TopGolf Thursday, April 18 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

TopGolf – Katy 1030 Memorial Brook Blvd., 77084 It's not golf, it's TOPGOLF! Join us for a fun-filled afternoon with a fan favorite twist to a traditional game, all while supporting your HAAPAC. See Page 6 for sponsors and more information.

Top sponsors are Contractors Inc. and Gemstar Construction Services.

HAAPAC Luncheon Thursday, April 25 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Program fee: $30 per HAAPAC member; $40 per non-HAAPAC member Contact Alpa at apatel@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by ApartmentData.com

CAS: Legal Wednesday, April 3 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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

Ragin Cajun 4302 Richmond Ave. Houston, TX 77027 Tickets: $20 per person Contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org for details.

4 CAM: Risk Management Thursday, April 4 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by SentriForce CAS: Risk Management Thursday, April 4 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

5 IROC Breakfast Friday, April 5 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Sponsored by SentriForce

10 Resident Relations Committee A Wednesday, April 10 2 p.m.

16 Avenues: Mainstreet – 2 “Top 10 Fair Housing Blunders to Avoid” with Leah Brewer Tuesday, April 16 8:30 a.m. to noon See Page 18 for details.

Sponsored by Best Plumbing

19 Offices Closed Friday, April 19 The HAA Offices will be closed on Friday, April 19 for Good Friday.

17

23

CAM: Human Resources Thursday, April 17 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hampton Inn & Suites Pasadena 4741 E. Sam Houston Parkway S. Pasadena, TX 77505 Sponsored by WellKept

Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Tuesday, April 23 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pasadena Education Outreach – Human Resources “The Art of Hiring” with Leah Brewer April 17 8:30 a.m. to noon Sponsored by Brook Furniture and The Liberty Group

24 Legal Seminar: Pearland Wednesday, April 24 8:30 a.m. to noon Hilton Garden Inn HoustonPearland, 12101 Shadow Creek Parkway, Pearland, TX 77584 See Page 24 for details.

Sponsored by Brook Furniture

Onsite-Goes-Offsite: Katy Thursday, April 25 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Location: TBA Due to limited seating, this meeting is open to on-site personnel only.

Calling all Katy and surroundingarea on-site personnel. Please join us for a little networking and fun! Come meet your fellow industry peers.

Your first drink is on us! Please contact the HAA Outreach department at outreach@haaonline.org if you have any questions.

Sponsored by The Urban Foresters HAA NEXT: Mix N Mingle Thursday, April 25 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Sponsored by Crestmark Construction Services

30 Avenues: Leadership Lane – 1 “Next Level Leadership” with Dr. Debbie Phillips Tuesday, April 30 8:30 a.m. to noon See Page 18 for details.

Sponsored by The Liberty Group

Mark your calendars!

For the quarterly Go-Getter meetings hosted at Cadillac Bar & Grill, 1802 Shepherd Drive, 77007 June 19 September 25 December 4 Register online today! www.haaonline.org/gogetters

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.

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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 1

10

21

30

New Supplier Member Orientation Wednesday, May 1 3 p.m.

Craft Republic 11470 Westheimer Road, 77077 All new supplier members welcome.

Contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org for details.

All Stars Sports Challenge Friday, May 10 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Houston Sportsplex 12631 South Main Street, 77035 All event proceeds benefit Crime Stoppers of Houston. Each team must consist of three men and three women with an option of one male and one female alternate. Each team will compete in six events, and the top three teams will be awarded medals after the competition. You may contact Susan at 713-595-0313 or at shinkley@haaonline.org for more information.

Please see Page 76 for a list of sponsors.

Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Tuesday, May 21 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Lake Jackson Education Outreach – Marketing “Marketing to Small Towns and Suburbs” with Mary Gwyn Thursday, May 30 8:30 a.m. to noon Lake Jackson Civic Center 333 Hwy. 332 E Lake Jakckson, TX 77566 Sponsored by Brook Furniture

Ambassador ONE Society Meeting Wednesday, May 1 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Craft Republic 11470 Westheimer Road, 77077 Contact Amanda at asherbondy@haaonline.org for details.

2

14

Education Advisory Council Meeting Thursday, May 2 10 a.m.

HAAPAC Luncheon Tuesday, May 14 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Program fee: $30 per HAAPAC member; $40 per non-HAAPAC member Contact Alpa at apatel@haaonline.org for details.

Sponsored by ICONstrux Design + Build

3 It’s the Law Luncheon Friday, May 3 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sponsored by FSI Construction

6

15

HAA NEXT Committee Meeting Monday, May 6 6 p.m.

HAA Honors Awards Individual Nominations Deadline Wednesday, May 15 Nominations are due by 5 p.m.

See Page 16 for more information.

8 Resident Relations Committee B Wednesday, May 8 2 p.m.

Expo Committee Meeting Wednesday, May 8 3:30 p.m.

Open to committee members only.

9 Blue Star Class Thursday, May 9 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by SentriForce and The Lane Law Firm

16 2019 HAA Education Conference & Expo Thursday, May 16 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

NRG Center Hall C 1 NRG Park, 77054 Registration and payment are required for the education conference. Expo is free. Exhibition space is sold out. Non-exhibiting supplier partners are not permitted to attend.

See Page 22-23 for sponsors and more information.

Board Meeting Thursday, May 16 11: 30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

NRG Center 1 NRG Park, 77054 Following the meeting, board members are encouraged to attend the HAA Expo, located in Hall C. Sponsored by CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions

www.haaonline.org

22 Legal Seminar: The Woodlands May 22 8:30 a.m. to noon Hilton Gardens Inn The Woodlands 9301 Six Pines Dr., 77380 See Page 24 for details.

Sponsored by Brook Furniture and The Liberty Group

23 Certified Pool Operator Course – in Spanish (Two days) Wednesday, May 22 and Thursday, May 23 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

30-31, 1 IROP (Three days) Thursday, May 30; Friday, May 31; and Saturday, June 1 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sponsored by Gemstar Construction Development and Presto Maintenance Supply

Onsite-Goes-Offsite: Baytown Thursday, May 23 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Location: TBA Due to limited seating, this meeting is open to on-site personnel only.

"Networking means the act of exchanging information with people who can help you professionally, " author Michele Jennae said. Calling all Katy and surrounding-area onsite personnel. Please join us for a little networking and fun! Come meet your fellow industry peers. Your first drink is on us! Please contact the HAA Outreach department at outreach@haaonline.org if you have any questions.

Sponsored by HD Supply

27 HAA Offices Closed Monday, May 27 The HAA Offices will be closed for Memorial Day.

29 Avenues: Marketing – Session 1 “What is Your Special? Managing the Concession Obsession” with Mary Gwyn Wednesday, May 29 8:30 a.m. to noon See Page 18 for details.

Sponsored by ALN Apartment Data Inc.

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Expo nce and re fe n o C Join s, ura Lestu Chairs La , and rty Group Property The Libe ves, Q10 ra G ie n r Stepha our caree , and let y ily rs o m is a v if d A mult t s e b e th t radiate a at e country th in expo ter.

NRG Cen

HAA 2019 Education Conference & Expo Thursday, May 16 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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

education conference &

Keynote Breakfast with Judson Laipply, inspirational comedian and Evolution of Dance creator! 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.

Conference Luncheon and RAVE! with DJs, dancing and more!

1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Early Bird pricing available May 6: $125 $165 after May 6 Special pricing for NAA Credential holders (must be current): $95

Visit www.haaexpo.org for more information and to register

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

Over 250 Exhibitors!

$3,000 in Cash Prizes!

Expo only is FREE for all management personnel. No registration required.

Non-exhibiting suppliers are not admitted.

NRG Parking: $15 CASH ONLY

rad iate !

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Keynote Breakfast with Judson Laipply

Thanks to our

SPONSORS

inspirational comedian and Evolution of Dance creator!

8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Registration opens at 8 a.m.

Judson Laipply promises to do two things: make you laugh and make you think.

And for the last seven years, his passion for both has entertained and educated audiences all over the world. Judson is an award-winning speaker and performer who utilizes a phenomenon labeled “Inspirational Comedy” to blend the realities of life with side-splitting humor.

The Breakout Sessions Choose among these four industry-related concurrent sessions each hour: Round one: 10:15 a.m to 11:30 a.m. Round two: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Productivity Powerhouse: 7 Hacks To Accomplishing More, In Less Time with Marla Posey Factoring in all we’re expected to accomplish in this fast-paced, competitive and consumption-based society, it’s no wonder that at times we may feel completely overwhelmed and defeated. Consequently, this diminishes our efficiency and effectiveness, leading to further feelings of overwhelm. Between texts, emails, phone calls, social media updates, meetings, volunteer work, planning, errands, appointments, dinner, and a term I coined “lifeing,” it can be exhausting. How are we supposed to get it all done?

The Invisible Resident: When Fraud Impacts Your Business with Maitri Johnson For most property managers, fraud is an invisible resident which goes unrealized until it is too late. In a recent study conducted by Forrester Consulting, 95 percent of property management companies acknowledged struggles with identifying, mitigating or preventing fraud. Fraudulent activity has become a growing issue in the rental industry, especially with the increase of online applications versus in-person. As such, property managers are increasingly faced with new challenges in verifying identities and detecting potentially fraudulent applicants.

Managing Your Digital Curb Appeal with Jen Piccotti You respond to resident reviews with grace, your social media presence has flair, so your online reputation is solid, right? Maybe not. The evolution of our industry and our increasing reliance on smartphones brings a new set of measures for your reputation. In addition to creating relevant and useful social media content and managing reviews generated by residents, you also need to be aware of – and engaged with – reviews generated by your employees and the degree to which your organization supports the community-at-large. As the scope of “reputation” gets broader it may be time for a reputation evaluation. In this session, learn three key steps to take to ensure your digital curb appeal is best in class.

Customer Service in the Age of Disruption with Donna Hickey Today, more now than ever, customer service skills must be sharp. Just as much as you, the attendee of this session wants great customer service when they spend their money. So does the resident, prospect and co-worker from you. We have all attended customer service sessions before, so why is this one any different? It’s different because for the first time ever, we have five different generations in the work place, five different generations living at our communities and five different generations as prospects. This is a highly-interactive session that draws on real life experiences and shows, through hands on learning, the differences and the outcomes both positive and negative of poor and GREAT customer service.

Lanyards Guardian Construction Grand Entrance Sponsor Ameritex Movers Radiate Showcase Sponsor Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services Contractors Inc. Keynote Breakfast Contractors Inc. McMahan's Flooring Texas Southwest Floors Education Conference Luncheon Craven Carpet Break-Out Sessions Ameritex Movers Fidus Construction Services FSI Construction Secure Insurance Bar Sponsors Flooring Warehouse McMahan’s Flooring Expo Mobile Device Charging Station Ferguson Facility Supply Green Mountain Energy Expo Aisle Sign Sponsors Action Buggies Brook Furniture Century A/C Supply CORT Furniture Guardian Construction Maintenance Supply Headquarters McMahan’s Flooring Wonder Wall Wraps Hand Sanitizer Stations Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services Rasa Floors

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Outlying Legal Seminars NEW for 2019!

HAA will be offering FOUR outlying legal seminars taught by HAA General Counsel, Howard Bookstaff.

Key Topics include: • Fair housing update: the good, the bad and the ridiculous!

• Everything you wanted to know about assistance animals but were afraid to ask!

• Evictions: the trials and tribulations.

• Legislative update.

• I want to stay out of trouble, but I don’t know how – A policies and procedures primer.

Choose your date and your location.

All seminars will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon with registration starting at 8 a.m.

Cost: $65 prepaid/$80 at the door Seminar Dates and Locations: Pearland April 24 Hilton Garden Inn Pearland, 12101 Shadow Creek Parkway Pearland, Texas 77584

Presented by Howard Bookstaff, HAA General Counsel For more information and to register, see online at www.haaonline.org/2019legalseminar

Sponsored by Brook Furniture and The Liberty Group

Woodlands May 22 Hilton Garden Inn Woodlands, 9301 Six Pines Drive The Woodlands, Texas 77380 Baytown June 11 Location TBA Katy October 9 Location TBA

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

KNOCK, KNOCK It’s the apartment industry calling on Capitol Hill.

MORE THAN 700 members of the National Apartment Association converged on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. during the second week of March to participate in the largest Advocate conference to-date (until next year).

NAA members and staff visited the offices of all 535 members of Congress with our industry’s message regarding our role in working closely with policymakers to create an environment where safe, affordable housing is available to all.

NAA’s membership gathered on Monday to network, to renew connections and to get prepared for their day on the Hill. Newcomers benefited from the Congressional Management Foundation’s yearly insight on best practices and for making the most of their time in Congressional offices. This year, the presentation was augmented by live polling that helped synthesize those practices by showing responses and statistics of the audience in real time.

At the Issues Briefing, NAA Legislative Committee Chairman Brian Chase brought to the stage NAA’s foremost experts on federal legislative issues, SVP, Government Affairs Greg Brown, and NAA’s two new Directors of Federal Legislative Affairs, J. Maurice Jackson and Jason Lynn, who join NAA with over 20 years of combined experience on Capitol Hill.

They walked through three policy priorities for Advocate 2019, including federal infrastructure’s role in reducing barriers to apartment construction, shoring up and protecting the National Flood Insurance Program and making smart, common-sense reforms to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program to help incentivize more private sector participation in the program.

Together, we laid a new cornerstone in our mission to advocate on behalf of the industry, and the expansion of that mission to include lobbying our federal lawmakers on issues important to our members.

“I was very pleased to be able to meet with Elizabeth Connolly, Economic Policy Advisor to Senator Gary Peters, to discuss our concerns 26

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with the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, our pressing infrastructure needs, and the continued failure of Congress to enact a long-term reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program,” said Advocate attendee Phillip Neuman, a member of the Detroit Metropolitan Apartment Association.

“These issues are very important to the multifamily housing industry, and it was good to be able to provide information to [Connolly] about each of these matters. She asked some good questions and I think we helped set the table for further discussion once specific pieces of legislation are introduced. I am always impressed with the knowledge of both our elected representatives and their staff and this year was no exception.”

This process did not start last week, however, and it certainly won’t end there. We are counting on our members and affiliate network to continue that work to bring our perspective and expertise to lawmakers, be it on Capitol Hill, or back home in their districts.

“Advocate 2019 allowed us to tell our story," said Patrick McCloud, of the Virginia Apartment Management Association, "Our meeting with Senator Tim Kaine gave us the opportunity to discuss not only the industry’s federal priorities, but issues closer to home that are affecting us as his constituents, like source-of-income legislation at the state level. That opportunity, to speak directly to those making the decisions that affect our daily lives is truly valuable. Our stories matter, and telling them prevents policymakers from making uninformed decisions.”

Have you participated in our key contacts survey? Do you still have feedback that we need from your Capitol Hill meetings? Those are two of the most potent tools that we use to help us better communicate with lawmakers, and we really cannot do it without you. Please make sure that you’ve helped us by participating in those two activities.

The road to Advocate 2020 has begun!

Senseless in Seattle As General Counsel and chief legal mind at NAA, John McDermott confronts a backward and dangerous policy shift. By way of an Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court) brief, he explains that not only does this policy do no good, but it threatens great harm to the property owners and the residents of the Emerald City.

The policy at issue is the ironically named “Fair Chance Housing Act” (FCHA), an ordinance passed by Seattle’s City Council. In brief, it forbids property owners from checking into rental residents’ criminal history when looking at their lease applications. The ordinance now sits on the docket at the Federal Court of the Western District of Washington.

“It’s your classic ‘ready, fire, aim’ approach by public officials,” says McDermott.

Seattle officials maintain that the law addresses historical ills, such as the over-policing of certain minorities and the city’s homelessness crisis. While the former may be a panacea for municipal guilt, any illusion that this ordinance affects the latter is just that.

“The advancements that the judicial and legislative systems are making regarding criminal justice reform are very encouraging,” says McDermott, “but this legislation was passed in haste, and then thought-through after the fact.

“In the context of liability law alone, the state of Washington holds property owners liable for the safety of their residents. That goes as far as the amount of street lighting, or the state of untrimmed shrubbery. What is a judge meant to think when a resident brings suit based on criminal activity around their home, putting them in clear danger, when the owner of the property was forbidden from even inquiring about the criminal history of the applicant who is now putting that resident in danger?”

It takes very little imagination to imagine the legal mess in which property owners could find themselves. Responsible for safety but forbidden from taking meaningful action to prevent crime in their communities, owners are simply www.haaonline.org

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left at the mercy of criminals AND the courts.

McDermott continues that the law doesn’t materially address the problem of putting deserving applicants into apartments despite the circumstances of a criminal past, because it focuses on background screening and ignores another basic screening factor.

“We can’t make sweeping generalizations about all of the people this ordinance affects,” he says. “I want to make that clear. But in many cases, the same person who may get denied based on criminal history also suffers from bad credit. A property owner can and would screen for this, and, understandably, reject such an application on those grounds. This law forbids the criminal screening but leaves that criterion unchanged. So, it does no functional good, however good the intentions behind it were originally. Understanding that core tenet is absolutely key to this case. In addition to doing significant harm to the safety of the people who live in apartments, by forbidding owners to make informed decisions, this ordinance does not even partially accomplish its very honorable intent.”

Conventional wisdom holds that the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior.

By hamstringing property owners’ ability to make informed choices about their businesses, and for the good of their residents, the Seattle City Council is materially making apartment communities less safe, while simultaneously spinning their wheels regarding the ordinance’s intent.

While property owners must always balance risk with their bottom lines, removing the ability to screen for one of their most primary responsibilities – the safety of residents – does a tremendous amount of harm while doing no measurable good. That is one reason why even public housing authorities (PHA’s), ostensibly entrusted with providing housing for those most in need in our communities, not only can but are required by federal law to screen any and all applicants’ criminal histories.

It is fair to wonder whether Seattle’s City Council had really considered the totality of the issues that face their city, or whether they were looking for a quick PR boost. If so, their current circumstances must be puzzling to them. It does, however, provide a clear example for why public officials may want to eschew ‘ready, fire, aim’ approach to governance.

Do you have questions regarding this lawsuit?

Do you face a similar situation in your locality?

NAA is standing by as a resource for you on this subject and many more. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our dedicated policy staff with any questions or matters with which we can be of assistance at www.naahq.org. www.haaonline.org

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On the Road with HAA

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Pasadena Region Meeting Tuesday, February 12 at Hawthorne at Crenshaw Sponsored by 1 The Liberty Group HAA held its first region meeting of 2019 in the Pasadena area. Area managers heard city updates from Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner and had the opportunity to ask questions on important issues.

Thank you to Hawthorne at Crenshaw for hosting the meeting.

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 Director of Outreach 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.

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Pearland Region Meeting Tuesday, February 26 at the Townhomes at Lake Park Sponsored by 1 Hoffer Furniture Rental & Sales

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HAA’s first Pearland Region Meeting of the year featured Matt Buchanan from the Pearland Economic Development Corporation. Buchanan updated local managers on what’s currently happening in the Pearland area with jobs, businesses and more. Thank you to Townhomes at Lake Park for providing the space for us to host our region meeting.

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On the Scene with the HAAPAC Texas Apartment Association’s Day at the Capitol Thursday, February 13 in Austin More than 120 Houston Apartment Association members represented Houston for the TAA Day at the Capitol, visiting 40 legislators’ offices to champion advocacy efforts that better impact the multifamily industry. The main bill that was championed was HB 1519 – Late Fees. The legislation supports: • Clarifing existing state law for late fees.

• Providing certainty by creating a safe harbor that allows an apartment owner to charge a tenant a late fee not to exceed $150 or 10 percent of the tenant’s monthly rent, whichever is greater.

• Leaving in place current law that requires late fees to be reasonable and provides penalties against owners who violate the law.

• Creating a clear, easy to understand standard for tenants and landlords, which is lacking in current law.

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On the Scene with the HAA PRODUCT SERVICE COUNCIL Supplier Education Program Thursday, February 7 at the HAF Education Center The Product Service Council sponsored Supplier Education Program was presented by Beth Rohani, Ameritex Movers, and Kimberly Scott, Reliant Brand Ambassador. The duo gave HAA supplier members tips on how to have a successful expo.

If you are a new supplier to HAA, visit the Product Service Council Page at www.haaonline.org/psc for more information.

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On the Scene with the HAA NEXT

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NEXT Professional Development Breakfast Sponsored by 1 Guardian Construction Friday, February 8 at HAF Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center The HAA NEXT group enjoyed a special legislative preview presented by the Texas Apartment Association’s Government Affairs staff.

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.

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On the Scene with ACES

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ACES Luncheon Sponsored by 1 Camp Construction Services and 2 Earthworks Inc. Friday, February 22 at Artisans The Apartment Community Executives & Supervisors February luncheon featured an executive panel with Ian Douglas, Allied Orion; Jenifer Paneral, DayRise Residential; Jackie Rhone, Greystar; and Jerry Winograd, Judwin Properties.

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, contact Emily Hilton at ehilton@haaonline.org.

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RPM Month

s t n e m o m M P R #

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Looking for Transferable Skills,Training and More

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This time, going green has a different meaning.

How transferable skills can make a big impact.

By

EMILY HILTON and MORGAN TAYLOR, HAA Staff

Hiring Green A

t the Apartment Community Executives and Supervisors (ACES) luncheon in February, attendees were given the opportunity to ask HAA-member apartment leaders questions. One property manager asked the panel how they felt about hiring professionals who may not have any prior property management, leasing or even maintenance skills.

The Houston Apartment Industry and the HAA Careers Committee, as well as the Texas Apartment Association Education Foundation and the National Apartment Association Education Institute, strive year-round to promote the apartment industry as a viable career path with room to grow to thousands of adults seeking new opportunities. The challenge, however, is to convince the overworked property manager that, despite a lack of industry experience, the learning curve can be short and the impact tremendous. People do change careers and recent college graduates most likely will not have any prior work experience, however, hiring professionals in the multifamily industry tend to prioritize the candidate who already has property management experience.

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Experience Not Required The preponderance of jobs posted by employers seeking talent on the HAA Job Board for list “experience required” within the first paragraph of the job description or even within the job title. How many of those jobs remain unfilled for far too long due to the resistance of the hiring manager to consider someone new and fresh?

From retail to restaurant and hospitality, customer service representatives and more, transferrable skills are abundant in these careers and industries if we take a chance and choose to “go green,” we may find that our recruiting challenges as an industry are less daunting than they appear.

“If you have someone who has basic sales skills, it is really easy to train them to bring them up to speed on how to sell an apartment. They don’t have to have apartment experience, they have to be good at their people skills,” HAA Past President and President of Judwin Properties Jerry Winograd said. “You want good interpersonal skills and you want people who get along with other people. That is our (industry’s) main criteria and then we can teach them

the technical part of the business. That’s what I like about this business in hiring. We don’t have to have a regiment degree of some sort."

Training Is Available Did you know that last year in Houston, more than 100 job seekers attended the HAA Leasing 101 course with the hope of landing that ever-elusive first industry position? Our partnership with Goodwill Industries has produced dozens of highly trained entry level porters and maintenance technicians who are eager to show off their new skills acquired through weeks of rigorous study.

“There are a lot of training opportunities within the industry, between what we can teach them onsite and the HAA education courses, we can get them up to speed rather quickly. As long as the person has the initiative and wants to advance, we can move them up – that’s the beauty of our industry and that allows us to go outside the industry to hire,” Winograd said.

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From retail to restaurant and hospitality, customer service representatives and more, transferrable skills are abundant in these careers and industries if we take a chance and choose to “go green,” we may find that our recruiting challenges as an industry are less daunting than they appear.

of software training and an onsite internship.

The University of Houston, within their Graduate Real Estate Program, features a multifamily course taught by HAA Past Presidents Winograd and David Hargrove. Our industry is fortunate to have a plethora of education and training avenues for employees.

Recruiting Outside the Industry Every year, the residential property management (RPM) industry creates roughly 11,000 new jobs. And every year, new, quality talent remains a top challenge for apartment communities and management companies. Many job candidates fail to properly package their skills on their resumes to show what they can offer is transferable to a career in apartment leasing, maintenance or management. Judwin Properties and Gables Residential have already learned which industries are best to recruit from.

“We’ve seen much success in the past year specifically with hiring those with general sales experience for the leasing professional role. A few recent successful associates came to us from industries such as those in outside sales roles for newspapers and fitness companies as well as some from the restaurant industry,” Penny Sprang, CAS, a regional manager for Gables Residential said.

Judwin Properties has had a similar experi-

ence with recent college graduates, former waiters and past Starbucks employees.

“We’ve hired some college grads who have been wonderful, and they have been on some sort of fast track, but we’ve hired people who have come out of the sales role – I know we’ve hired people from Starbucks that are just really great with customer service – we’ve hired waiters, too. As long as the person has the initiative and wants to advance, we can move them up,” Winograd said.

Internships Pay Off Judwin Properties has partnered with Community in Schools, a national program that empowers students to succeed, since 2016 when they hired 18 interns to work onsite during the summer months. Interns are high school students in either their junior or senior year and freshmen college students, too. In their second year, Judwin hired 14 interns to work onsite. Community in Schools handles all the screening for companies. Once the student is screened, they are sent to the company for an interview.

“We could have hired all 21 students, but we went with 18. It was a really good program and all the kids were really great,” Winograd said.

Internships allow young students to gain a little experience in the apartment industry, but

most job descriptions mention at least one to three years of experience. Our hope, through this article and the many efforts made by HAA, TAA and NAA, is that hiring managers will be more open to hiring that former customer service representative, recent college graduate or mechanically savvy job candidate.

Join the National Apartment Association for an RPM Careers Month challenge, Share your love for the multifamily industry by posting to social media using the hashtag #RPMmoments. Follow RPM Careers on Instagram to learn about the different social media challenges throughout the month, be sure to post your entries using #RPMmoments. At the end of April, NAA will announce the winners of this year’s amazing prizes. Visit www.naahq.com for more information.

HAA also challenges our members to hire at least one employee outside the industry this year. For large management companies, take it even further by hiring one employee per property who doesn’t have prior experience. Hire green and promote our great industry in the process!

Search online for Property and Address listings. Go to:

www.haaonline.org/directory Searchable by zip, street address and more!

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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?

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RPM Month

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Training tips for onboarding an employee who doesn’t have prior multifamily experience.

By

LORI SNIDER, RedPeak

New and

No Experience Y

ou’ve hired an individual who has the perfect combination of a great attitude that compliments your company culture and strong transferable skills, but they know nothing about leasing or property management. Should you hire them? Absolutely.

Hiring someone who is green, and helping them become a superstar, doesn’t need to be horribly daunting or even time-consuming.

When onboarding an individual with little or no experience in property management, a little extra love and care up-front can enormously impact overall performance and employee retention efforts.

First Impression The level of insecurity or lack of confidence on the part of the new hire is likely to be higher than someone with experience. After all, those with industry experience know the lingo and have some idea of what goes on in a leasing or corporate office. Not your newbie. They have no idea what to expect and little idea of what they are going to be doing every day.

What they do know is they like your company and probably like you, so make sure the first day is personalized, impactful and supportive. Work to manage your duties to spend the maximum amount of time with

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your new team member. For example, having them arrive at 10:30 a.m. will allow for your immediate demands to be met and it could free up time for learning and introductions. Make sure you send a detailed email, or better yet, call your new hire the day before and let them know where they should park, what the plans are for lunch and who will greet them when they arrive. Be sure to outline what to wear, as this is probably a source of worry for them.

Bottle that Enthusiasm Your inexperienced new employee will likely be full of enthusiasm for your company and their new job role. Reinforce this and check in often. That fire could dim quickly if your new team member feels unsupported or realizes fellow team members don’t think similarly.

Enjoy that enthusiasm and use it as a gentle reminder to the team what a great company you work for. Help them look through the “newbie lens” and be on the lookout for old timer attitudes.

To help your new team member feel in the know, be sure to reinforce all that is special about your organization and the things you hold sacred. Every family has traditions, large and small, that they value, and the same is true of most companies and com-

munities. Sharing those traditions and why they are special to you will only reinforce the new hire’s decision to join your team.

Meet Ups and a Mentor No experience means your new hire likely has not developed a network of fellow property management friends and acquaintances. Immersion and inclusion are crucial to engagement, so make sure to provide your new team member opportunities for networking and friendship. Provide lunch with the team, personal invites to company events, (even better, take them with you so they don’t have to go alone) and introductions to key players in the organization. It can be helpful to assign your new team member a buddy – someone in the same position who your newbie can rely on to work through challenges and provide friendly support.

Slow Down and Back Up That Train Your new team member will not understand the lingo and will likely spend a good deal of time trying to piece together acronyms the team casually throws around.

Make sure to be clear and concise in your training and be prepared to repeat the process up to seven times. Whereas learning simple facts in an area one is familiar with April 2019

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Hiring someone who is green, and helping them become a superstar, doesn’t need to be horribly daunting or even time-consuming. When onboarding an individual with little or no experience … a little extra love and care up-front can enormously impact overall performance and employee retention efforts. only need be learned once with experience, a new team member may need you to repeat what it is, how we use it and why we use it numerous times in different ways, such as quizzes, rhymes and etc., to ensure retention.

Likewise, it is easy to assume your team member knows more than they do. To send them off to “shop their comps” might seem like a great on-the-job training experience, (and an opportunity for you to get some “real” work done), but will not have the desired impact if the new team member doesn’t know what to look for, why to look for it and how it can impact their performance. Likewise, the intent of allowing new employees to spend the day shadowing a fellow team member can similarly derail a learning experience if they are not offered the opportunity to practice as much as they observe. Shadowing does not necessarily mean learning and can simply

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result in following someone around all day. A strict outline for learning outcomes will allow for interactivity in learning and a far more impactful experience.

program and take the time to customize to specific needs. Plus, they won’t develop bad habits, which can be the hardest behavioral learning challenge of all.

Help Them Practice and Offer Quick Feedback Most importantly, be present with your new hire. And, as your new hire starts to get their feet wet, provide encouragement, gentle guidance and support. The key with learning is to offer immediate feedback, to praise desired behavior, curb undesirable behavior and build confidence through growing competence.

When your new hire immediately hears the behavior they displayed was on track, or not, they will quickly understand what is acceptable, what is not and why.

Your unexperienced team member will thrive if you step back from your formatted learning

Lori Snider is a leading multifamily marketing, learning and experience expert, currently serving as Head of Learning and Team Experience for RedPeak.

She is an acclaimed industry expert on sales and service trends. Snider is a recognized and frequent national conference presenter for organizations such as NAA, MFE, etc. whose presentations are lively, relevant and full of laughter. Snider may be reached at 303-517-2006 or at lsnider@redpeak.com.

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Need Meeting Space?

The Houston Apartment Foundation Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center is here for you.

The Direct Energy LP and Liberty Personnel & Executive Search Computer Lab seats 24 and is fully equipped with computers.

The Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center is located on the second floor of the HAA/HAF facility, 4810 Westway Park Blvd. in the Westway Park Development at Clay Road and Sam Houston Parkway, a premier location with easy access for members and their employees.

Available features for each room include: • Podiums • Ceiling-mounted LCD projectors • Automated projection screens • DVD/VCR with direct projection • Fully functional sound systems • Hand-held microphones or lavalier microphones • Wireless internet access • Kitchen facilities And much more…

Keep the education center in mind when your company is in need of a facility for your next meeting or employee training. The center is available for rental to members and is the perfect venue for budget meetings, planning sessions and more. For more information, contact Marie Garza at 713-595-0306, e-mail mgarza@haaonline.org or visit us online at www.haaonline.org.

The Michael Stevens Interests and Camden Room can be divided into two training rooms, each seating 60 to 72 classroom-style, 102 to 112 theatre-style or 80 in rounds. The entire space will seat 120 classroom style or 200 theater style. Other table arrangements are also available. Call for more information.

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RCR Update

By TINA DEFIORE, Director of Rental Credit Reporting, with RANDALL C. PATTON, CoreLogic

ADVERSE ACTION NOTICES THAT WORK FOR YOU Learn the unknowns on adverse action and how to enhance the process.

AFTER ITS PASSING in 1970 and two amendments later, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) has become a guiding piece of legislation for businesses and consumers.1 The FCRA regulates the collection of credit information and the access to credit reports, and was passed to ensure fairness, accuracy and privacy of the personal information contained in credit reporting agency files.1 In essence, this act governs all activities pertaining to the reporting of credit information for consumers. The reach of FCRA is wide and also covers certain noncredit, consumer-initiated transactions and applications, including consumer applications for insurance, employment, rental homes and government licenses or benefits. The rules of the FCRA run deep and can therefore be challenging to navigate – particularly in the area of adverse action notifications. So, let’s take a deeper dive into the rental element of FCRA to learn how to put adverse action notifications to work for you.

The FCRA: A Closer Look The FCRA designated the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to oversee and enforce the provisions of the act across two key areas, which include the protection of credit reporting information and standards for how credit information is recorded.2 There is also another federal law, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), as implemented by Regulation B, that factors in here.

ECOA serves a different purpose than FCRA, and adverse action notices under the ECOA and Regulation B are designed to help consumers and businesses by providing transparency to the credit and underwriting process and protection against potential credit discrimination by requiring creditors

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to explain the reasons adverse action was taken.3

When we apply FCRA to the multifamily industry, it’s widely known that rental property owners and managers are required (by the FCRA) to provide timely adverse action notifications. These notifications communicate to applicants whether they have been denied or conditionally accepted for residence based on the contents of a consumer report (formally known as adverse action). However, it is not as commonly known that someone with conditional acceptance should also receive an adverse action notification. This is significant, and also likely a bit shocking to some, but there are screening companies and solutions that help you better navigate, and even automate, this process.

The Unknowns About Adverse Action Notifications When we apply FCRA to the multifamily industry, it’s widely known that rental property owners and managers are required (by the FCRA) to provide timely adverse action notifications.

These notifications communicate to applicants whether they have been denied or conditionally accepted for residence based on the contents of a consumer report (formally known as adverse action). However, it is not as commonly known that someone with conditional acceptance should also receive an adverse action notification. This is significant, and also likely a bit shocking to some, but there are screening companies and solutions that help you better navigate, and even automate, this process.

It's no secret that providing adverse action notifications manually can be cumbersome and time-consuming, potentially delaying the distribution of a letter and affecting compliance mandates. In addition, it’s often difficult to prove that the letter was delivered to the applicant when using a manual process.

These particular scenarios, when a screening company offers automated delivery of adverse action letters, can be a big benefit, especially in the area of efficiency. For property management companies specifically, automated adverse action letters can offer these robust benefits:

Automated letter transmittals: Allows letters to be sent by email or mail in case of email failure or where a consumer does not consent or does not have email.

Secure virtual room for applicants: Provides safe viewing and printing of letters.

Management/Status: Displays a pop-up screen in an application to view letter status.

Detailed Letter Tracking: Comprehensive letter tracking shows letter delivery and confirmation that the letter (by email delivery) was opened by the applicant.

Managed Portfolio Settings Changes: Enables the product, selection of properties and when and what type of letter to send.

Comprehensive Reporting: Shows the letter status for each property and applicant. Reports are also available in Spanish. www.haaonline.org

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a service of

Sources: 1. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/545a_ fair-credit-reporting-act-0918.pdf 2. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/ fair-credit-reporting-act-fcra.asp 3. https://consumercomplianceout look.org/2013/second-quarter/adverseaction-notice-requirements-under-ecoafcra/ CoreLogic is a quarterly, featured columnist for ABODE in 2019. CoreLogic has been a valued partner for HAA’s Rental Credit Reporting for 13 years. Randall C. Patton is a senior professional in sales at CoreLogic with over 15 years of credit experience in the multifamily industry, including applicant screening, online leasing, renter’s insurance and more.

Patton supports the partnership between CoreLogic and HAA by helping to expand the RCR presence for Houston-area apartment owners and management companies. He holds a CAS designation, has been a licensed insurance agent for 13 years and is regarded as an industry expert on applicant fraud and identity theft.

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in partnership with

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 the following searches in one bundled report with immediate and unlimited inquiry access.

National Landlord-Tenant Data – Searches more than 34 million landlord-tenant court records including filings, judgments and liens. Local resident rental history including evictions, amount owed at move-out, broken lease information, NSF checks, deposit disposition.

Texas Criminal Data – Instant delivery of available felony and misdemeanor records from Texas statewide and 18+ supplemental counties including Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend.

Terrorist Check – Automated search tool that identifies known or suspected terrorists and fugitives from various data sources, including the FBI, other federal agencies as well as state and local law enforcement agencies.

Sex Offender Search – Instantly informs your staff if a prospective or current resident is a registered sex offender.

Move-in/Move-out Entry – Submit your property’s rental history data online through RCR's familiar and easy-to-use tools.

Eviction Entry – Protect yourself and other properties by registering your evictions with RCR. Inquiry History – Know where else your applicant is applying.

Quick and Easy – Information is entered into an easy-to-use Web application and a decision is delivered instantly.

Cost Effective – Automated decisions save your staff time.

Immediate Access – Inquiries concerning prospective residents can be made online, 24/7.

Monthly Activity Report – No need to guess if you’re getting what you are paying for – each owner/ management company can access a monthly report showing their properties system use.

Subscribe Today – For approximately 32 cents per unit per month, RCR can help make sure you know just who your prospective residents are. * For properties 49 units or less, you have unlimited inquiries for $10 per month.

Image © Kiosea39 | Dreamstime.com

Big Benefits for Multifamily Implementing a comprehensive, automated adverse action letter process for your property management company can improve operational efficiencies and compliance, which is not only a win for property managers but it is extremely beneficial to renters, too. The depth, breadth and complexity of the FCRA can sometimes be difficult to navigate, especially as it pertains to the multifamily industry, but there are areas that can be successfully streamlined with the right tools in place.

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

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Law, continued from Page 12 U.S. v. Tilsen et al.

(Minnesota April 6, 2018) What happened? The owner denied the resident’s request to have a dog as an assistance animal despite the recommendation of the resident’s mental health provider. Instead, the owner suggested that the resident obtain a cat.

The owner also applied a size requirement to the resident’s emotional support dog. The owner also filed an eviction action against the resident for having an unauthorized pet after the fair housing complaint was filed.

Based upon the information gathered during the investigation, HUD determined reasonable cause existed to believe that illegal discriminatory housing practices occurred.

The owner was charged with discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. Settlement. The settlement agreement required the owner to pay $15,000 to the resident, adopt a new reasonable

accommodation policy, conduct fair housing training and report on future denials of requests for assistance animals.

What can we learn? When a request for an accommodation is made, you have the option of either granting the request, denying the request or asking for more information. If you grant the request, the issue is done. If you deny the request, you should prepare for the possibility that a fair housing complaint will be filed. If you are inclined to deny the request or have some questions regarding whether the resident has a disability under the Fair Housing Act or a disability-related need for the assistance animal, rather than denying the request, you may want to request more information.

As indicated above with respect to the Houston case, there is support for an owner wanting more facts relating to if and how a condition substantially limits one or more major life activities. Of course, if you take action against a resident for having an unau-

thorized pet after a request is made for an assistance animal, be prepared for a retaliation claim in any subsequent eviction or fair housing complaint.

Sex Settlement U.S. v. Webb and Webb (Missouri, March 19, 2018) What happened? The U.S. alleged that Mr. Webb violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against tenants and prospective tenants on the basis of sex in the rental of dwellings he owned and managed in and around St. Louis, Missouri. Specially, from at least 1994 through at least 2014, Mr. Webb was alleged to subject multiple female tenants and prospective tenants to unwelcome sexual harassment and retaliation, including but not limited the following: a.making unwelcome sexual comments and advances to female tenants and prospective tenants; b.groping, touching, or attempting to touch

Want to read more It’s the Law? Current and previous issues of ABODE are online, visit http://issuu.com/haa_abode.

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female tenants on their breasts and bodies without their consent; c. offering to grant tangible housing benefits – such as reducing rent, overlooking or excusing late or unpaid rent, and for stalling or terminating eviction proceedings – in exchange for sex or sexual favors; and d. taking adverse housing actions, or threatening to take such actions, against female tenants or prospective tenants who objected to, or refused, or would not continue to grant sexual favors.

Settlement: Under the settlement, the Webbs were required to pay a total of $600,000 in monetary damages to 15 former and prospective tenants who were subjected to sexual harassment, as well as a $25,000 civil penalty to the U.S. The settlement also bars the Webbs from continuing to serve as property managers.

What can we learn? Discrimination based on sex is prohibited. Additionally, this conduct violates HUD rules regarding quid pro quo and hostile environment harassment. HUD’s quid pro quo harassment rule refers to an unwelcome request or demand to engage in conduct related to rental of a dwelling because of someone’s protected class. Hostile environment harassment refers to unwelcome conduct that interferes with the rental of a dwelling related to a person’s protected class.

These HUD rules have possible broad ranging effects in the apartment industry. One of the unique aspects of our industry is that, oftentimes, management and maintenance personnel live amongst the residents. This could present difficulties in maintaining a proper and appropriate landlord/tenant relationship.

Social or romantic relationships between maintenance and management personnel and residents can lead to problems. While relationships are going well, others could claim some preferential treatment. When relationships go bad, spurned residents could cause problems. To avoid problems or the appearance of impropriety, it is beneficial to adopt nonfraternization policies.

Fair housing remains an issue that affects so many things in the operations and management of an apartment property. Sex and service animals are some of the most common issues that affect the apartment industry. It is imperative that you know your rights and responsibilities with respect to these issues and adopt policies geared towards compliance with applicable rules. www.haaonline.org

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Fair Housing Month

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Here are answers to a few common questions about assistance animals.

By

WESLEY ALESHIRE, Property Management Learning & Development Resources

Fair Housing and Assistance Animals I

f I had a dollar for every time I heard the heated tone of a property management professional about assistance animals at one of my seminars, I’d be a hundredaire. Okay, I’m not that famous yet, but this is still a pretty important topic, so let’s clear the air with answers to a few common questions about assistance animals.

What is the difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal, and why do people always get it mixed up?

A service animal is an animal that works, provides assistance or performs tasks to help alleviate one or more of the effects of a person’s disability. An emotional support animal, also known as an ESA, provides a very private function for someone with mental and/or emotional disabilities, and does not need to be trained to perform a service. As for any perceived confusion, I believe it derives from conflicting guidance and requirements found in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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Some people may argue that they only need to meet the narrow guidance of the ADA, however, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sees things differently. According to HUD, a person with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal, including an emotional support animal, under both the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Most importantly, in situations where the ADA and Fair Housing Act both apply, fair housing law supersedes the ADA, and the law states housing providers must meet their obligations in accordance with the reasonable accommodation guidance of the Fair Housing Act. Basically, you would need to comply with both and assume the broader level of protection when assessing what to do.

So, the next time you find a legal document that talks about service animals under the ADA, remember that in the property management industry we must also apply the guidelines of the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Is it true that I can’t charge a pet fee for assistance animals?

If someone has an assistance animal that causes damage, it is acceptable to charge the resident for that damage. It is not acceptable to charge pet fees, pet deposits or pet rents for any type of assistance animal.

What qualifies someone for an assistance animal?

Once a request has been made for an assistance animal, you must consider two things: 1. Does the person seeking to live with an assistance animal have a physical or mental disability that limits one or more of the persons major life activities?

2. Does the animal help the resident overcome the symptoms, effects or limitations that exist due to the persons disability?

If the answer is “no” to either of these questions, the FHA and section 504 do not require an accommodation, therefore; it is within HUD guidelines to deny this request.

If the answer is “yes” to both of these questions you are required under both FHA and section 504 to accommodate the request as April 2019

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Some people may argue that they only need to meet the narrow guidance of the ADA, however, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sees things differently. According to HUD, a person with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal, including an emotional support animal, under both the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

long as the request is reasonable. Just in case you were thinking the word “reasonable” was a bit of a gray area, I’ll clarify.

The requested accommodation is “reasonable” as long as it does not cause an undue financial or administrative burden and the specific assistive animal does not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others or the property.

Can a vicious breed of dog be an assistive animal?

Restricting breeds that have been categorized as vicious is common practice throughout the property management industry. This usually includes dogs such as a Pit Pull, Rottweiler or a German Shepherd. In accordance with HUD guidelines, being categorized as a “vicious breed” is not reason enough to decline the request, the animal would need to have a history of vicious behavior or show signs of aggression to be restricted.

Some may argue that insurance premiums would increase if vicious breeds were allowed to live on the property, causing an undue financial burden on the housing provider. In these cases, contact your insurance provider

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and let them know that it is an assistive animal, if they insist on increasing your premium anyway, they could be in violation of the FHA. In you find yourself in this position, contact your local HUD office for guidance.

What about standard pet policies?

It’s perfectly acceptable to have a “No Pets” policy, restrict pets to certain buildings, or limit the number of pets per apartment, but none of these limitations can be applied to assistive animals. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean all pet policies are thrown out, it means the policies should be evaluated on a case by case bases to determine if it would be reasonable to enforce.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could just go through all existing pet policies one by one and get answers to every question right now?

Unfortunately, the vast number of pet policies and individual circumstances makes that impossible. So, we’ll close on the overarching objective instead.

Allowing an assistive animal is considered a reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities to help them overcome limitations or the effects of their disability. If one of your

policies hinders that, modify it. Make sure your approach to dealing with assistive animals is in compliance with fair housing guidelines and maintain consistency.

On one final note, if you want to make sure your company stays compliant, be sure to check out the next fair housing seminar at your local apartment association and make sure every employee who communicates with customers, or impacts someone’s housing rights is regularly trained on the fair housing act.

Wesley Aleshire started his property management career over 20 years ago in Houston. Aleshire is a professional speaker and content developer specializing in fair housing, customer service and leadership development.

If you would like to learn more about Aleshire, you can visit one of his two websites www.WesleyAleshire.com and www.PMLDR.com.

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Fair Housing Month

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Disparate impact is a top concern for property managers today.

By

JACKIE RAMSTEDT, CAM, CAPS, CAS, Ramstedt Enterprises

Unintentional Discrimination D

ealing with fair housing can be a nightmare for our industry.

Whether changes in having to take breeds like pit bulls to accepting people with criminal records, running fair communities is an ever-increasing obstacle.

Nationally, concerns have been resurfacing on specific areas such as linguistic profiling, disparate impact, leasing or renewal concessions and challenges to occupancy limits, which are sometimes confusing at best.

Position perspectives coupled with increased job responsibilities make a uniform approach of providing quality housing and customer service a difficult challenge for one-size-fits-all training.

This is Texas We have been educating our companies and communities on fair housing issues since TAA’s retired general counsel Larry Neiman was in law school and the TAA REDBOOK was in paperback. I’m NOT your attorney, so please don’t call me about legal advice. Although, I have been in the apartment business for over 30 years.

I am confident Texas leads the country in making sure our people know the legalities

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of the fair housing laws, however, when I teach these fair housing legalities to our onsite personnel during conferences, company seminars or credential classes, I still meet many who are not sure about general fair housing liabilities or how it relates to their areas of responsibilities and their jobs. So, who is to blame? All of us. When it comes to fair housing lawsuits, everyone involved would be accountable, in some fashion, whether directly, as the one who did the act, or indirectly, as the immediate supervisor or company trainer.

We have all heard the phrase perception is reality, but never has it been truer than in today’s litigious society. How a resident feels about their interactions between themselves and their community could have a devastating effect on your management company and/or community’s reputation.

Valuable customer service and developing a sincere personal relationship play such a key role at all levels of the resident’s experience. From that initial contact on social media, the positive greeting as they walk into the office, to the service received from maintenance teams, residents are making conscience decisions about whether they are

being treating them with kindness, dignity, respect, and most importantly, both fairness and equality.

Obviously, there are many opinions, but happy faces and cheerful personalities are only the beginning of the tenured journey with residents. It’s the long-distance run, not the sprint that sets the tone.

Disparate Impact and Disparate Treatment Since most everything could be perceived differently to our residents, start at the beginning of their tenure to analyze each step of their journey to ensure your company and community are making decisions about policies or procedures that are, in fact, in fair housing compliance. One of the hottest and at times most misunderstood topics of fair housing training is the explanation of what exactly the term disparate impact entails and how it affects our day-today operations.

According to numerous law resources, including www.HUD.gov, there are two types of disparate definitions. “Disparate impact” is often referred to as unintentional discrimination, while “disparate treatment” refers to April 2019

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I am confident Texas leads the country in making sure our people know the legalities of the fair housing laws, however, when I teach these fair housing to our on-site personnel during conferences, company seminars or credential classes, I still meet many who are not sure about general fair housing liabilities or how it relates to their areas of responsibilities and their jobs.

outright discriminatory practices. The terms “adverse impact” and “adverse treatment” are sometimes used as alternatives.

• Remember, disparate impact is unintentional, meaning it occurs when seemingly neutral policies, practices, rules or other systems result in a disproportionate impact on a protected group. An example of disparate impact could be rejecting an applicant based on their criminal background, as it could unintentionally eliminate certain minority applicants disproportionately.

• An example of disparate treatment would be charging a resident a higher security deposit because of their nationality.

Both create discriminatory effects on protected classes, whether obvious or not.

Remember, it may not be your intention, but the perception of the person involved or, in some cases, a witness of the action who could file the fair housing complaint.

hot buttons for discrimination that we face every day in our industry.

Here are six areas to consider and review with your team:

Day-to-Day Hot Buttons There are so many areas that are potential

3. Qualifying Criteria Residential qualifying criteria is a big one to

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1. Social Media Be careful what language you are using on social media. Advertising active lifestyles as a preference for your resident profile might suggest discrimination against residents with physical disabilities. Make sure to incorporate other activities such as lounging by the pool with a good book and soaking up the sun.

2. Lead Generation Response Timing as a response to an online inquiry seems simple enough, but if there isn’t a specific process, including who is responsible for responding and the time frame, for leads, it may be perceived that the lead is being treated differently.

watch out for. It is not the criteria per say, but keeping the criteria uniform to all applicants is the key.

4. LRO Programs Lease Rent Optimization (LRO) programs are intended to maximize rental amounts based of market conditions, supply and demand availability of current vacant apartments in your area and length of lease terms.

Explaining how this process works can be an area of miscommunication. I strongly suggest getting accurate education and training from your LRO provider.

5. Service Requests Often, people choose to rent because apartments don’t require the maintenance load that homes do, whether it be the big landscaping items or little service requests. Therefore, teaching your employees first in time, first in line is a great start to taking care of maintenance requests, unless of course if it is an emergency. Your company policy service

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requests and after hours emergencies should be discussed with new residents and throughout their tenure. Expectations for response times today are between same day and 48 hours for regular requests.

6. Retention or Renewal Programs People want to feel special as a loyal resident, so, understandably, your residents want to feel like you really care about them.

Shampooing their carpet and touch-up painting their apartment home was the norm for over 25 years. Today, your residents are looking for customized rewards for appreciation of their tenure. Choose rewards with a wide appeal range that matches all of your residents could boost your relationships with your residents and appealing to everyone would .

Final Thought Frequent discussions about fair housing issues and continued education on the law are the best ways to remain fair. We want our residents to give us a thumbs up of approval not only for being the best at taking care of them, but at being the best in treating everyone with fairness, too.

Jackie Ramstedt, CAM, CAPS, CAS is a nationally renowned motivational keynote speaker, national trainer, consultant and performance coach who has 34 years of experience in the multifamily industry. She has spoken to thousands of industry professionals for the National Apartment Association, Texas Apartment Association, Multifamily Pro Annual Brainstorming Events, the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), National Affordable Housing, numerous state and local associations and various management and investment companies throughout the United States and Canada.

Ramstedt is a veteran instructor of all NAA designation courses, and she was awarded Faculty Member of the Year from the Austin Apartment Association, where she has served on the board of directors and the education committee chair. Ramstedt can be reached at jackie@jackieramstedt.com. You can also visit her website at www.jackieramstedt.com.

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Education, continued from Page 19 HAA NEXT: Mix N Mingle Thursday, April 25 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: TBA Sponsored by Crestmark Construction Services Meet the NEXT Generation of HAA leadership. This niche group within HAA is dedicated to the networking and professional development needs of HAA members 40 and younger.

Network with your peers at this FREE and festive event and grow your career together among the next generation of HAA leadership. Learn how to get plugged into the powerful HAA network, discover professional development and career enhancement, participate in speed networking activities with young HAA members from across Houston just like you.

Includes one complimentary drink ticket, door prizes and more.

Avenues: Leadership – Session 1 “Next Level Leadership” with Dr. Debbie Phillips Tuesday, April 30 8:30 a.m. to noon Program fee: $50 per session Sponsored by The Liberty Group Ready to take your career to the next level or assist your team in growing? This workshop takes a deep dive into strategies that fuel individual and team goals. See Page 18 for details.

MAY It’s the Law Luncheon Friday, May 3 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Program fee: $35 Sponsored by FSI Construction Join HAA's Legal Counsel Howard Bookstaff for lunch and a legal discussion in a casual environment allowing for questions and answers.

Blue Star Class Thursday, May 9 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Sponsored by SentriForce and The Lane Law Firm The Blue Star Certification Program is a joint effort by the Houston Police Department and the Houston Apartment Association. Created for rental properties of all sizes, the program's goal is to help law enforcement officials and the multifamily housing industry work together to effectively reduce criminal activity in rental properties. Register online at www.houstontx.gov/police/multi _family. Please direct questions to officer Donna Clark at donna.clark@houstonpolice.org.

2019 HAA Education Conference & Expo Thursday, May 16 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Program fee: $95 per credential holder; $125 prior to event; $165 onsite NRG Center Hall C 1 NRG Park, 77054 Registration and payment are required for the education conference. Expo is free.

Exhibition space is sold out. Nonexhibiting supplier partners are not permitted to attend. See Page 22 for more information.

Leasing 101 (Day and a half) Tuesday, May 21 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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 one-day 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 the registration form at http://www.haaonline.org/ images/programs/pdf/leasing101_ 2018.pdf.

EDUCATION OUTREACH: The Woodlands Legal Seminar: The Woodlands Wednesday, May 22 8:30 a.m. to noon Hilton Gardens Inn The Woodlands 9301 Six Pines Dr., 77380 Program fee: $65 if prepaid; $80 onsite Sponsored by Brook Furniture and The Liberty Group Join HAA Legal Counsel Howard Bookstaff and your fellow HAA members for our Outlying Legal Seminar. The Legal Seminar will fulfill the NAA CEC requirement of fair housing training required of all CAM, CAPS, NALP and CAMT credential holders and is worth three CEC credits. See Page 24 for details.

Sponsored by Brook Furniture and The Liberty Group Certified Pool Operator Course – in Spanish (Two days) Wednesday, May 22 and Thursday, May 23 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Program fee: $299 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.

We will dispel the myths in pool care and tremendously reduce chemical expenses and extend the life of your pool. This is recommended for anyone working with pools, as well as property managers, in order to be up-to-date regarding local codes and to reduce risk and liability.

The course fee of $299 per person includes textbook, exam fees and meals for both days.

Avenues: Marketing – Session 1 “What is Your Special?

Managing the Concession Obsession” with Mary Gwyn Wednesday, May 29 8:30 a.m. to noon Sponsored by ALN Apartment Data Inc. Consumers are conditioned to look for deals in every aspect of life. They go online and get discounted airline tickets,

vacation rentals, hotel deals – you name it. This course teaches participants the cost of concessions and how to lease without them. See Page 18 for more details.

EDUCATION OUTREACH: Lake Jackson Lake Jackson Education Outreach – Marketing “Marketing to Small Towns and Suburbs” with Mary Gwyn Thursday, May 30 8:30 a.m. to noon Lake Jackson Civic Center 333 TX-332, 77566 Sponsored by Brook Furniture What does marketing apartments in a small town or suburban location have in common with big city marketing? Nothing and everything! Walk away with unique themes that will serve as a catalyst for your own marketing programs. Join us for a fast-paced and highly interactive session that will equip you with the ideas and energy to market your community for best results.

IROP (Three days) Thursday, May 30; Friday, May 31; and Saturday, June 1 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sponsored by Gemstar Construction Development and Presto Maintenance Supply A three-day course authored by NAA specially designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for new independent owner and/or manager of rental properties of about 200 units or less. Topics covered include: Employees, Preparing the Property, Rent, Marketing, Handling Objections Applications, Screening, Rental Agreements & Lease Forms, Move-In, End of Lease Term, When Resident Problems Arise, Evictions, Resident Retention, Maintaining Property Value, Maintenance, Code of Enforcement, Financial Management, Taxes, Protecting the Investment, Section 8 Programs. Please note: Notice of cancellation is required two days prior to the event for a refund, less any administrative fees. www.haaonline.org

directory prop online pg 59.qxp_Directory Cover cover 11 3/18/19 1:14 PM Page 1

Management Companies Suppliers Products & Services

2019

HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION

DIRECTORY & BUYER’S GUIDE

Search online for Property and Address listings. Go to:

www.haaonline.org/directory Searchable by zip, street address and more!

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On the Scene Photos by MARK HIEBERT, Hiebert Photography

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HAA Volleyball Tournament Friday, March 8 at Houston Sportsplex HAA members hit the courts at a new location to serve, spike and slam with HAA! 1. First Place Team: La Salle Landscaping, champions for the fourth year running 2. Court Sponsor: Contractors Inc. 3. Court Sponsor: Maintenance Supply Headquarters 4. Lunch Sponsor: Best Plumbing 5. Snack Sponsor: CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions 6. Second Place Team: Property Guardians 7. Tied for Third Place Teams: Rockstar Capital and Tarantino Properties. For more photos, visit www.haaonline.org.

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On the Scene Photos by MARK HIEBERT, Hiebert Photography HAA Volleyball Tournament

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On the Scene Photos by MARK HIEBERT, Hiebert Photography HAA Volleyball Tournament

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The Go-Getters HAA’s MEMBERSHIP RECRUITERS

CELEBRATING MEMBERSHIP Recruit for HAA and become part of the Go-Getter Club.

Join our Quarterly Meetings!

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

1st Quarter: 2-nights at the Hotel San Luis 2nd Quarter: Portal Package from Facebook 3rd Quarter: Ring Doorbell 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/gogetters 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: June 19 September 25 December 4 at Cadillac Bar & Grill 1802 Shepherd Drive, 77007

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 Kaylon in the Membership Department at members@haaonline.org.

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Welcome Mat OWNERS Blue Magma Residential Jana Simmons 5650 Breckenridge Park Drive #302 Tampa, FL 33610 813-620-0800 The Park at Sutton Hill

Introducing HAA’s NEW MEMBERS

SG Property Management LLC Katie Sprott 9730 Windfern Road Houston, TX 77064 877-559-2225 Esperanza at Wilson Road Esperanza at Birnam Wood

Brownstone Residential LLC Christy Miner P.O. Box 1465 Colleyville, TX 76034 713-432-7727 x117 Pearland Senior Village

Shine Investments Inc. Timothy Chen c/o Chelsea Towne Apartments 8800 Westplace Drive Houston, TX 77071-2234 713-995-0048 Chelsea Towne Apartments

CFH Investment Partners Veronica Gonzalez 3101 Bee Caves Road #325 Austin, TX 78746 512-969-6991 Enclave at Mary’s Creek Apartments

Topaz Asset Management Wendy Rae Walker 209 S. Shade Shores #300-170 Lake Dallas, TX 75065 214-705-3750 Parc at 505

DMG Houston Management LLC Kaycee Johnson 100 Wall St. #2203 New York, NY 10005 646-930-0205 Auden Houston

VGM Property Management Laura Meadows 715 E. Main #100 Tomball, TX 77375 346-808-7070 Bayou Bend Apartments Bayou Willows Apartments Cedar Cove Apartments Empire Village Apartments Golden Manor Apartments Green Manor Apartments Katy Manor Apartments Shady Oaks Apartments Willowchase Apartments Pine Meadows Apartments Brookhollow Manor Apartments 3013 Place Apartments Bayshore Manor Apartments Park Place Apartments Pecan Village Palacios Senior

Harwin Management Group Inc. Alex Lu 10300 Westpark Drive Houston, TX 77042 626-236-0911 Mar Del Sol Apartments Hashem Holdings Mo Hashem 13201 NW Freeway #777 Houston, TX 77040 571-235-0021 Headway Property Management Syed Shamim 1554 Gessner Road Houston, TX 77080 713-468-6606 Spring Pine Apartments La Plaza Apartments Lodgeur Incorporated Sebastien Long 1301 Fannin St. #2440 Houston, TX 77002 346-291-0756 Magnificat Houses Inc. Janice Arredondo P.O. Box 8486 Houston, TX 77288 713-529-4231 Lourdes Apartments Rosary Apartments Dona Marie Holy Family Apartments Duschesne Apartments Sherman Apartments

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SUPPLIERS A New View Ashley Salinas 18482 Kuykendahl Road #133 Spring, TX 77379 832-995-1400 General Contractors, Janitorial Services, Painting Contractors, Resurfacing Referred by Crystal Cauthron, CAM Absolute Construction LLC Tim Basiardanes 2920 Twin City Highway Nederland, TX 77627 713-256-5999 Fences, Roofing Contractors Advance LED Solution Nadeem Rajani 7333 Harwin Drive #100 Houston, TX 77036 281-888-4221 Light Bulbs & Tubes, Lighting

- Outdoor, Lighting Consultants, Lighting Fixtures & Supplies Bio-One Houston North Thomas Polcyn 16720 Stuebner Airline Road #149 Spring, TX 77379 346-831-7405 Cleaning Specialists - BioHazardous Material, Cleaning Specialists - Trauma Referred by Aaron Potier

Elite Fence & Gates Inc. George Samartzis P.O. Box 25051 Houston, TX 77265-5051 713-609-9014 Fences, Gates & GateOperating Devices Enforce Security Services Ali Rizvi 9894 Bissonnet St. #914 Houston, TX 77036 832-709-0333 Referred by Aaron Potier

Champions Insurance Group Ball Lee 10200 Richmond Ave. #251 Houston, TX 77042 713-260-8899 Insurance, Insurance Consultants

Green Faubourg Lawn & Landscaping LLC Carmen Alicea 12146 Beechnut St. Houston, TX 77072 281-451-2829 Landscape Contractors, Landscape Designers

CLS Technology Inc. Robert Wimberley 5206 E. 3rd St. Katy, TX 77493 281-347-7973 Fire Alarm Systems, Security Systems Consultant

Helix Media 360 David Little 912 W. 25th St. #6 Houston, TX 77008 844-464-3549 Photographers, Video Production - Streaming Video Referred by Carina Bryars

Desert One LLC Denver Prater 10617 Fuqua St. Houston, TX 77061 281-854-5433 Disaster Recovery/Relief, Fire/Water Damage Restoration Referred by Chelsea Quinteros, CAS Dickson Furniture Manufactures LLC Kris Benson 7015 Grand Blvd.

Houston, TX 77054 346-204-4300 Furniture Renting & Leasing, Furniture Sales DNM Contracting Inc. Megan Pazos 2401 Fountain View Drive #315 Houston, TX 77057 832-226-4604 General Contractors, Remodeling & RepairBuilding Contractors, Foundation Contractors, Concrete Contractors, Fences, Roofing Contractors, A/C Contractors, Balcony Repair, Carports, Electric Contractors, Make-Ready Elite Construction Group George Samartzis P.O. Box 25051 Houston, TX 77265 713-609-9014 General Contractors, Drywall Contractors

Houston Pizza Venture dba Papa John’s Houston Jenny Pisio 13131 Champions Drive #110 Houston, TX 77069 281-580-6088 Caterers, Restaurants IGD Plumbing LLC Spencer McClain 17907 Kuykendahl Road #300 Spring, TX 77379 832-701-8666 Plumbing Contractors, Water Heaters & Boilers Referred by John Dang, CAM, CAPS Karndean Designflooring Diane Smith 20202 Kempsford Court Katy, TX 77450 832-683-7885 Floor Materials, Vinyl Flooring Referred by Crystal Jackson, CAM, CAPS Lonestar Electric Supply George Polk 4200 N. Sam Houston Parkway Houston, TX 77086 832-855-3400 Lighting Consultants, Lighting Fixtures & Supplies Referred by Claude Arnold LP Building Solutions: Louisiana-Pacific Corporation Evan DeGeorgio

15220 Constellation Circle W. Willis, TX 77318 936-520-3902 Building Materials, Siding Materials Referred by Ben Miller Modern Message Inc. Darcey Forbes 750 N. St. Paul St. #1230 Dallas, TX 75201-3284 214-238-4200 Communications Services, Marketing Products Referred by Aaron Potier Next Door Painting Blake Feinman 5638 Jason St. Houston, TX 77096 281-250-8773 Painting Contractors, Roofing Contractors, Siding Contractors Referred by Aaron Potier NSJ Painting & Flooring Sandy Jasso 7710 Cherry Park Dr. #T352 Houston, TX 77095 713-540-0771 Painting Contractors, Carpet Installation Odor-DeFence/BugDeFence Harold Jordan 5829 W. Sam Houston Parkway N. #407 Houston, TX 77041 713-894-0444 Odor Control, Pest Control Services OnePoint Wendy McMillan 3380 Trickum Road, Bldg #300-100 Woodstock, GA 30188 678-391-3999 Submetering - Water, Utility Management Performance Power Washing Clint Crouch 6823 Durango Drive Magnolia, TX 77354 281-520-1052 Cleaning Systems - Pressure, Painting Contractors, Parking Area Maintenance & Marking PHR A/C & Heating Erick Portillo 3606 Morning View Drive Houston, TX 77080 713-960-3354 A/C Contractors, A/C Supplies & Parts, A/C Systems Cleaning Referred by John Boriack, CAM, IROP

/ See Welcome Mat, Page 73 www.haaonline.org

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The Ambassador ONE Society HAA’s WELCOMING COMMITTEE

HELPING THOSE WHO HELP OTHERS Ambassadors collect stuffed toys for first responders.

Join us for our monthly meetings at Craft Republic 11470 Westheimer Road, Houston 77077 Mark your calendars and join us! Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month: May 1, June 5, July 3, August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6 1. “ONE of the Month” Janell Richter, JMI Contractors, with 113 points.

Ambassador ONE Society members with at least 10 points, ranked by points earned: Janell Richter Liz Levins Raedean Mitchem Tracey Leach-Moore Tito Estrada Marcy Holmes Megan Stone Dylan Coleman Will McGinnis Jennifer Ramos Angel Lopez Arely Pena Juana Estrada Kyle Turney Kelsey Eggleston Andrew Vasquez Blaise Spitaleri Blake Subinsky Shaun Callaway Chelsea Urbanczyk Crystal Varela Danny Passmore Dave Byrnes Jarred Henrietta Linda Ledesma Stephen Webster Steven McGuff

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JMI Contractors 235 points Rasa Floors 91 points ApartmentData.com 78 points Flooring Warehouse 31 points Multifamily Ancillary Group 30 points Designs by Holmes 30 points The Liberty Group 25 points Fidus Construction 22 points Infinity Power Partners 22 points Outdoor Elements 20 points Metropolitan Staffing Solutions 15 points The Liberty Group 14 points Century A/C Supply 13 points Impact Floors 13 points Valet Living 12 points WellKept 11 points Rasa Floors 11 points HD Supply 11 points Earthworks Inc. 11 points CORT Furniture 10 points RentPath 10 points Sherwin-Williams 10 points Advanced Concrete Designs 10 points Impact Floors 10 points Hire Priority 10 points RentPath 10 points Impact Floors 10 points

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 on how to join and for meeting dates, visit www.haaonline.org/ambassadors or contact Amanda in the Membership Department at 713-595-0316, or email asherbondy@haaonline.org.

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2. First Place Team “The Bomb Squad” with 313 points 3. Second Place Team “Stay Classy” with 213 points 4. Third Place Team “Green Machine” with 89 points www.haaonline.org

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Portfolio Changes The following owner/management companies have added the listed properties to their portfolios: • Adara Communities: Stone Mist, 192 units at 10901 Mist Lane.

• Alliance Residential Company: Broadstone Barker Cypress, 364 units at 2926 Barker Cypress Road.

• Allied Orion Group: Ashford Apartments, 312 units at 1200 N. Dairy Ashford Road and Green Pines, 224 units at 6060 Greens Road.

• Better World Properties LLC – Sumar: Verandas at Northshore, 409 units at 666 Maxey Road; The Flats on James Place, 308 units at 2500 E. James Ave. in Baytown; and Gardenview, 309 units at 2730 Lafferty Road in Pasadena.

• BlackHawk Ventures: Park at Woodmoor/Broadway Hampton Court, 220 units at 8787 Shenandoah Park Drive in Shenandoah.

• Blue Magma Residential: The Park at Sutton Hill, 587 units at 11911 Martin Luther King Blvd.

• Centra Partners LLC: Redstone Vista Apartments, 274 units at 22715 Imperial Valley Drive.

• DMG Houston Management LLC: Auden Houston, 180 units at 5500 Sampson St. • Fogelman Management: Artesian on Westheimer, 330 13099 Westheimer Road.

• Headway Property Management: Spring Pine Apartments, 136 units at 1554 N. Gessner Road and La Plaza Apartments, 138 units at 1350 Witte Road.

• IB3 Management Group: Huntington at Stonefield, 264 units at 13100 Stonefield Drive.

• Indus Management Group LLC: Cedar Gate Apartments, 52 units at 1325 Cedar Post Lane.

• JLB Residential: 1879 at the Grid, 385 units at 11107 El Camino Real.

• Keener Management LLC: Terrace Villas, 150 units at 17700 El Camino Real.

• Lamppost Capital Management: The Reserve at Bellfort, 140 units at 7987 Bellfort St. • MORGAN: Pearl Marketplace at Midtown, 264 units at 3120 Smith St. • ParaWest Management: Bella Capri, 46 units at 6030 Winsome Lane and Montebello Gardens, 109 units at 6041 Winsome Lane.

• Pinnacle: Sands Point Apartments, 495 units at 8300 Sandspoint Drive; Phoenician Apartments, 264 units at 2345 Bering Drive; San Montego, 314 units at 1600 Eldridge Parkway; Montecito, 299 units at 2300 McCue Road; and Maroneal, 309 units at 2222 Maroneal St. • Qrh Prop One LLC: Pine Hollow Apartments, 144 units at 4020 Sikes Road in Orange.

• Roscoe Properties: Bayou on the Bend Apartments, 242 units at 5201 Memorial Drive; The Wilcox, 312 units at 2400 South Loop W.; and The Morgan, 312 units at 2401 Westridge St. • SOLAZ Estates LLC: North Republic Apartments, 11 units at 1020 N. Main St. in Baytown.

• TriArc Living LLC: Smart Living, 112 units at 7020 Stuebner Airline Road.

• Venterra Realty: Preserve at Baywood Apartments, 528 units at 8300 Red Bluff Road in Pasadena.

• VGM Property Management: Palacios Senior, 28 units at 1803 Gray St. in Palacios; Willowchase Apartments, 57 units at 1845 5th St. in Hempstead; Shady Oaks Apartments, 40 units at 506 Ellen Powell Drive in Prairie View; Pine Meadow Apartments, 60 units at 20598 Pine Island Road #14 in Hempstead; Park Place Apartments, 40 units at 20 S. Mechanic St. in Bellville; Katy Manor Apartments, 48 units at 5360 E. 5th St. in Katy; Green Manor Apartments, 40 units at 2000 4th St. in Hempstead; Golden Manor Apartments, 40 units at 800 Avenue H in Bay City; Cedar Cove Apartments, 54 units at 1400 Eagle Lake Drive in Sealy; Brookhollow Manor Apartments, 48 units at 3444 N. Depot St. in Brookshire; Bayshore Manor Apartments, 56 units at 138 Sandpiper Drive in Palacios; Bayou Bend Apartments, 56 units at 3025 Waller St. in Waller; Pecan Village, 82 units at 310 University in Wharton; Empire Village Apartments, 240 units at 1100 Burke Road in Pasadena; and Bayou Willows Apartments, 212 units at 4102 Young St. in Pasadena.

• Wood Residential Services: Alta Baytown, 336 units at 1600 Santavy St. in Baytown.

• ZRY Management LLC: Citadel, 293 units at 2220 Pinegate and Alexan Exchange, 352 units at 21603 Spring Plaza Drive in Spring.

Have something to report from your company or for yourself?

Email us your news at comm@haaonline.org.

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In the News Flooring Warehouse welcomes Doug Oehl, CAS as a director of business development for Houston. Welcome back to the industry, Doug!

Oehl

Deborah Holcombe joins Capstone Management as a regional manager.

Holcombe

Jennifer Ramos, CAM, CAPS, CAS is now with ZRS Management.

More than 25 women working on MORGAN's new Pearl Marketplace at Midtown mixed-use mid-rise Ramos gather in the eighth-floor sky lounge overlooking Houston's downtown skyline to mark the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Week March 3 through 9. Pearl Marketplace at Midtown, located at 3120 Smith St., features 264 residential units above a 40,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market on the ground floor.

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

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On Site with ABODE

Photos provided by MORGAN, HAA STAFF

1300 NORTH POST OAK Distinct, upscale and elegant.

Property: 1300 North Post Oak Owner/Management: Sueba/Southhampton Location: 1300 North Post Oak Blvd.

Units: 247 Built: 2016 Web: www. 1300northpostoak.com Interesting features: Located just north of the Galleria area, this apartment community sits on the cusp of the Inner Loop. Many residents of this community are those who once lived in Houston-area suburbs, such as Tomball, who wanted to live a little closer to Houston but not quite as close as Westheimer. With unrivaled amenities and chic character, 1300 North Post Oak appeals to residents who desire upscale Inner Loop living without the cost or traffic.

The staff at 1300 North Post Oak knows how to cater to its residents, many who are young professionals, with lively resident events all year long. Held once a month, resident events are always in line with the seasons, holidays and Houston events. In March, 1300 North Post Oak held a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo event with fried food, country music and fun games included.

Residents can choose from 13 different one- and two-bedroom floorplans ranging from 560 square feet to 1,200 square feet. Impressive amenities include an ultra-luxe leisure and lap pool, a 15-seat spa, an executive conference room, athletic center with interactive spin/cardio, CrossFit inspired equipment and more.

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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. surprised that they nominat 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 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

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Welcome Mat, continued from Page 67 Prime Texas Metal Roofs LLC Alberto Salaniz II 2417 N. Freeway Houston, TX 77009 832-993-7507 Gutters & Downspouts, Roofing Contractors Referred by Shera Lehman Prime Texas Surveys LLC Jose Trevino 2417 N. Freeway Houston, TX 77009 713-864-2400 Surveyors - Land Referred by Shera Lehman Property Guardians Aaron Chavez 3611 Somerton Drive La Porte, TX 77571 832-368-8887 Remodeling & Repair-Building Contractors Referred by Veronica Costello Rock Roofing and Construction LLC Mark Manbeck 4101 Rice Drier Road #2G Pearland, TX 77581 832-288-4633 Roofing Contractors Referred by Claude Arnold Santana’s Remodeling Rafael Santana 1558 Telephone Road Houston, TX 77023 713-380-6096 Remodeling & Repair-Building Contractors, General Contractors Referred by Natalie Spratt, NALP, CAM, IROP Sustainability Solutions Jenni Steele 1200 Lakeside Parkway #425 Flower Mound, TX 75028 940-435-8202 Plumbing Fixtures/Parts/Supply, Water Conservation Texas Management Group LLC Scott McAuley 21175 Tomball Parkway #361 Houston, TX 77070 832-677-7993 Information Technology, Internet Service Provider The Package Center Souheil M. Sassi 13100 Wortham Center Drive #300 Houston, TX 77065 281-271-4111 Advertising-Specialties, Package Management Three Amigos Texas LLC Baldemar Bravo P.O. Box 441025 Houston, TX 77244-1025 281-988-6683 Air Duct Cleaning, Bathtub & Sink - Repairing & Refinishing, Carpet Cleaning, General Contractors, Maid Services, Painting Contractors, Plumbing Contractors, Remodeling & RepairBuilding Contractors, Resurfacing, Welding

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Index of Advertisers By CATEGORY A/C Supplies

Insurance

Security Control Equipment/Systems

Century A/C Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 281-530-2859 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.centuryac.com

Harco Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 713-681-2500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.harco-ins.com

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

Answering Service

Landscape Contractors

Swimming Pool Service

Apartment Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 800-583-7769 . . . . . . . . . .www.apartmentlines.com

Outdoor Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 713-955-0990 . . . . . .www.outdoorelementstx.com

Poolsure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 800-858-POOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.poolsure.com

Texscape Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 281-846-3779 . . . . . . . . . .www.texscapeservices.com

Careers Landmark Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 713-855-3814 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.LMhomes.net

Laundry Equipment & Supplies Scott Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 713-686-7268 . . . . . . . . .www.scott-equipment.com

Carpet Installation Dixie Carpet Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 281-261-6334 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.dixiecarpet.com

Locks & Locksmiths

Trash Hauling Waste Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 713-354-5230 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.thinkgreen.com

HAA Products & Services Rental Credit Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 67 713-595-0300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.haaonline.org/rcr

CKI Wholesale Lock Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 713-462-0704 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ckilock.com

Collection Agencies Alexander-Rose Associates Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 713-644-4441 . . . . . . . . . . .www.alexanderrose-inc.com

Maintenance Supplies Johnstone Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 713-803-6231 . . . . . . . . . .www.johnstonesupply.com

Electric Contractors Affordable Quality Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 713-695-5992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.acuityelectric.com Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services . . . .25 281-693-3383 . . . . . . . . . . .www.brandtelectrical.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 Ameritex Movers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 713-484-MOVE . . . . . . . . . .www.stressfreemove.com

Paving Contractors

Energy Providers Ambit Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 713-489-9365 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.bizenergysaver.com

Pavement Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 281-758-8434 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.nopothole.com

Foundation Repair

Personnel Agency

Church Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 713-468-8400 . . .www.churchfoundationrepair.com

ASAP Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 972-432-6667 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.asapdo.com

General Contractors

Plumbing Contractors

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

AAA Plumbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 713-462-4753 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.aaaplumbers.com

Cotton Commercial USA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 877-511-2962 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.cottongds.com FSI Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 832-767-1115 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.fsiconstruction.com Gemstar Construction & Development . . . . . . .17 281-821-1195 . . . . . .www.gemstarconstruction.com Guardian Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 832-672-4196 . . . . . . . . . . . .www.guardianconst.com MultiFamily Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 713-266-9100 RENCON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover 713-666-3636 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.rencon.com

Glass – Plate, Window, Etc. Ameristar Screen and Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 713-683-6767 . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ameristarglass.com

Resident Screening Service CoreLogic Rental Property Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover 888-297-8821 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.corelogic.com

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

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

www.haaonline.org/rcr

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

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Marketline pg 75.qxp_Layout 1 3/18/19 1:20 PM Page 1

MarketLine By BRUCE MCCLENNY, President, ApartmentData.com

HOUSTON

115.0 –

Snapshot 89.7% $1,024/mo. $1.16/sq.ft./mo.

882 sq.ft.

Past 12 Months: -0.1% rental rate growth 8,966 units absorbed

• • • • •

– 90.0

– 89.0 100.0 – – 88.0

•

Recently Opened (12 months): 41 communities 9,184 units

110.0 – •

•

Under Construction: 61 communities 18,203 units

– 87.0 Feb 19

Jan 19

Nov 18

Dec 18

Oct 18

Sep 18

Aug 18

Jul 18

Jun 18

May 18

Apr 18

Feb 18

Mar 18

Jan 18

History of Effective Rental Rate & Occupancy for All Units

Hottest Submarkets Over the Past Three Months

Concessions

Annualized Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Dec 17

Nov 17

Oct 17

Sep 17

Aug 17

Jul 17

Jun 17

May 17

Apr 17

Mar 17

90.0 –

Proposed Construction: 93 communities 26,662 units

Occupancy (%)

Operating Supply: 2,768 communities 649,273 units

Rental Rate (¢/sq.ft./mo.)

Occupancy: Price: Rental Rate: Size:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Submarket Hwy 288 South/Pearland Baytown Northline Montrose/Museum/Midtown I-69 North

% of Market Absorbed 6.2% 7.0% 4.4% 3.3% 7.1%

Rental Rate Growth % 1.7% 1.5% 1.7% 1.8% 0.7%

Total Units Class w/Concessions All 290,362 A 76,684 B 109,407 C 94,427 D 9,844

% of Total Units 45% 52% 43% 46% 23%

Average Special -3.3% -5.0% -2.5% -2.5% -1.2%

Citywide Effect -7.0% -9.1% -5.8% -5.5% -5.0%

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:

91.1% $1,115/mo. $1.28/sq.ft./mo.

874 sq.ft.

89.8% $953/mo. $1.12/sq.ft./mo.

851 sq.ft.

91.5% $1,239/mo. $1.42¢/sq.ft./mo.

874 sq.ft.

Past 12 Months: 2.7% rental rate growth 21,603 units absorbed

Past 12 Months: 3.2% rental rate growth 6,687 units absorbed

Past 12 Months: 4.9% rental rate growth 11,562 units absorbed

Operating Supply: 3,069 communities 721,374 units

Operating Supply: 905 communities 191,655 units

Operating Supply: 977 communities 227,315 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 3.5 million apartment units in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina and Tennessee.

For more information, contact Bruce McClenny at 800-595-8730. © 2019 ApartmentData.com April 2019

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Back Page

with News from around the COMMUNITY

Join the Houston Apartment Association to raise funds for Crimestoppers. 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 six field events, and team players must work for HAA member companies. The top three teams, based on scores for the field events, will be awarded medals after the final competition.

Friday, May 10 9 a.m. – Registration 10 a.m. – Tug of War/Kickoff 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Competition 1 p.m. – Lunch 1:30 p.m. – Medal Presentations Team of Six: $400 (includes lunch) $20 Spectator fee (includes lunch) Advance registration and payment are required. The deadline is Tuesday, May 7.

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

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April 2019

Thanks to our 2019 All Stars Sponsors: Apartments.com Corn Hole Games – all six team members will have six chances to throw the bag in the hole.

BG Staffing Giant Pong – all six team members will throw five large plastic balls into large trash can size containers.

HD Supply Football Toss – all six team members will throw five footballs at a stationary target.

Arbor Carpet Care Buddy Walk – all six 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 six team members will kick five soccer balls into a goal.

Hire Priority Basketball Shoot-Out – all six team members will shoot five 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

www.haaonline.org

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Houston Apartment Association 4810 Westway Park Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77041

Return Service Requested