Apartment News - June 2015

The official publication of the Arizona Multihousing Association

NEWS

Magic in the air AMA’s Reverse Trade Show is huge success

New Heights Annual Tributes Gala recognizes industry best

NEWS & HAPPENINGS HSL Properties buys downtown gem

JUNE/JULY 2015

BEST PRACTICES Q&A with Nancy Nicolosi

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Three AMA priority bills signed into law

480.963.3416

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WELCOME LETTERS

AMA success at Capitol The close of the recent legislative session gives us opportunities to review the success of our political action committee, AMAPAC and our Legal Initiative Mobilization Fund (LIMF).

NEW LEGISLATION: Solid Waste Services, 2015.

Successfully enacted legislation to allow multi-family operators to select a private enterprise solid waste or recycling service provider in all Arizona cities and towns by July 1, 2016.

Energy Benchmarking, 2015. Successfully enacted legislation to prohibit municipalities from adopting ordinances that require property owners to report their energy usage to a governmental body.

Mandatory Recycling, 2015.

Successfully enacted legislation to prohibit cities and towns from adopting mandatory recycling programs.

Inclusionary Zoning, 2015.

Successfully enacted legislation to prohibit municipalities from adopting inclusionary zoning of ordinances and/or in-lieu of fees.

Pool Gates, 2014. Successfully enacted legislation to grandfather all existing pool area gate locking mechanisms.

Real Estate Advisory Board, 2014. Successfully enacted legislation to require the Arizona Department of Real Estate

Advisory Board to include a multi-family property manager as a member on the Board.

Maricopa County Property Tax Valuations, 2014. Successfully negotiated with Maricopa County to reach a more equitable property tax assessment ratio for new construction in the County.

Gilbert Development Impact Fees, 2014. Successfully amended the town of Gilbert’s development impact fee ordinance to modify the water and sewer impact fee methodology, resulting in a $5,000 per unit savings.

Energy Conservation Codes, 2014.

Successfully amended new energy conservation codes in Phoenix, Glendale, Surprise, Flagstaff, Chandler, Gilbert and Avondale to provide more flexibility for apartment builders.

These successes are due to industry-wide support through personal and corporate donations.

Contributions this year included corporations, developers, owners, associate members, managing members, site teams, association staff, and residents.

We are so encouraged to see the rise of the new multifamily communities, rents and occupancy across our state.

Your continued support of the funds that provide our industry a voice will support this encouraging push into the future.

— Christine E. Shipley, AMA Board Chair, Dunlap & Magee

Celebrating the Tributes’ Teams and Judges

I

t can be easy to get caught up in work and the everyday tasks of running our businesses. At the AMA, January through March always put me in another mindset about our busy lives. I have the privilege of seeing hundreds of multifamily managers, housekeepers, maintenance team members and more come through our doors for their Tribute Awards interview. These team members represent the best of your best employees. There’s pride, honor and a little bit of nervousness as they wait to meet their panels for interviews. Being nominated for this industry award is an honor and it’s a pleasure to get to meet some of these talented folks in our office.

I’m awed by the talents and commitment of our Tribute judges. More than 80 industry leaders and professionals sit for weeks meeting your employees and talking to them about how they are impacting the communities they serve. Hours of inspiring conversations, I know, and these judges take time from their busy calendars to serve our Association and the industry. Those judges who take to the freeways to tour new, renovated and affordable communities deserve special thanks. Lending their industry expertise, they help the panel recognize greatness in the development of these new and older communities and award our top honors to those companies in this issue. I want to extend my personal thanks to each of the judges who volunteered! Your time and dedication to this extraordinary process is greatly appreciated!

We are looking forward to another wonderful night for Tributes, an evening that celebrates the best of our industry and inspires us all to take that additional step toward excellence.

— Tom Simplot, AMA President

ENJOY ALL OF THE BENEFITS OF AMA MEMBERSHIP - CALL AMY AT 602-296-6209 TO JOIN TODAY. Interested in serving on the AMA Board of Directors?

Nominations are now open! The Leadership Development Committee meets annually to nominate members for the AMA Board.

There are three-year seats for Regular members and one-year seats for Associate members. Please send your letter of interest no later than Friday, September 11, 2015 to Leadership Development Committee, c/o Tom Simplot, President/CEO, tsimplot@azama.org. www.azama.org

Apartment News > June/July 2014

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Amy Davidson MDU Manager, Arizona Amy.Davidson@Cox.com 623-328-3805

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Apartment News > June/July 2015 > www.azama.org 16

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DEPARTMENTS

COVER STORY:

Happily ever after!

Annual Tributes Gala honors the best in the multihousing industry

16 FEATURE: A magical event

AMA’s Reverse Trade Show is huge success

6 News &

Happenings 8 Legislative Update 10 Legally Speaking 18 Best Practices 19 On the Scene 20 Focus on Tucson 21 Events & Education 22 Thank You Patron Members

AMA Main Office 818 N. 1st St., Phoenix, AZ 85004; 602-296-6200; Fax:602-296-6178 AMA Tucson Office 660 S. Country Club Road, Tucson, AZ 85716; 520-323-0643; Fax: 520-323-3399

AMA STAFF Tom Simplot President & CEO tsimplot@azama.org James Tunnell Vice President jtunnell@azama.org 602-296-6212 Erika Kowalski Director of Operations ekowalski@azama.org 602-296-6210 Michelle Rill Manager of Major Events mrill@azama.org 602-296-6205 Robert Schmitz Manager of Community Outreach & Education rschmitz@azama.org 602-296-6204

AMA TUCSON STAFF Desi Brinkman Operations & Membership Coordinator dbrinkman@azama.org 602-296-6203 Stephanie Garcia Community Outreach & Education Coordinator sgarcia@azama.org 602-296-6208

Amy Hindenlang Membership Administrator ahindenlang@azama.org 602-296-6209 Kyle Simplot Accounting Assistant kyles@azama.org 602-296-6207 Todd Bradford Membership Benefit Services Consultant tbradford@azama.org 602-377-2553

Sharon Hosfeld AZ Smoke-Free Community Coordinator/Government Affairs Analyst Cassidy Campana shosfeld@azama.org Apartment News Editor 602-296-6214 & Communications Consultant ccampana@azama.org 602-770-6014

Cathy Wagner Tucson Member Consultant tucsoninfo@azama.org 520-323-0643

Effective July 1, 2015 Lauren Romero Tucson Area Association Executive lromero@azama.org 520-323-0643

ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING www.housingaz.com ARIZONA LANDLORD TENANT ACT http://bit.ly/1oYUoTA

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If you would like additional copies of Apartment News delivered to your office, email Amy at ahindenlang @azama.org with the names and address you want added.

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AMA NEWS & HAPPENINGS Alliance Ranks No. 1 on NMHC Top 50

For the second year in a row, Phoenix-based Alliance Residential ranked first on the 2015 National Multifamily Housing Council Top 50 largest apartment developers list.

They also ranked in the top 10 largest managers in the country, moving up to No. 7 in the nation.

Currently, Alliance has more than 11,000 units under construction and 7,500 new starts across the country.

Ashton Pointe receives national attention The P.B. Bell Companies has earned national recognition for resident satisfaction at its Ashton Pointe luxury apartment community in Avondale. It is the second year in a row that Ashton Pointe has received top marks for customer service among a ranking of more than 2,000 properties across the U.S from J Turner Research, a Houston, Texasbased multifamily research company. Ashton Pointe was recognized as one of the top 35 communities in the country for its score on the Turner Apartment Loyalty index (TALi), which measures a resident’s overall satisfaction during their stay in a community. The TALi Award reflects a community’s ability to meet and exceed customer service expectations. The P.B. Bell Companies manages more than 9,000 apartment homes, and has developed nearly 5,000 apartment units in 27 communities.

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Apartment News > June/July 2015

HSL Properties acquires 44 Monroe apartments in downtown Phoenix HSL Properties Inc., the largest apartment owner in Southern Arizona, has added a new gem to its Phoenix portfolio with the acquisition of 44 Monroe, a 198-unit luxury apartment community in the heart of downtown Phoenix. 44 Monroe is Arizona’s tallest luxury residential tower boasting dramatic views of the Valley. The company paid $50.65 million for the 34-story tower. In addition to the apartment homes, the tower has an 8-level parking garage and ground level retail space.

AMA announces new Tucson Association Executive The AMA is pleased to announce the appointment of Lauren Romero as the new Tucson Area Association Executive. Romero, a longtime Tucson resident, brings a wealth of experience in the apartment industry to this new position. Cathy Wagner, a principal with GMI, the longtime contractor for the AMA Tucson operations, is helping Lauren transition into the position over the next few weeks.

The AMA is grateful to Cathy Wagner and the GMI team’s years of service to the Association and its members.

“We were very pleased to partner with Holualoa Companies on the acquisition of 44 Monroe. We were able to capitalize on an incredible opportunity to acquire this iconic building at a fraction of its replacement value. The tower will continue to operate as a luxury rental building that is serving the growing demand for high-end housing solutions in the dynamic downtown Phoenix market,” said Omar Mireles, Executive Vice President of HSL Properties.

Driving success!

The 2015 Membership Drive, which wrapped up on April 24th, set record breaking numbers bringing in a total of 48 new members, accounting for 7,932 units. Membership Committee Co-chairs, Michelle Howland of Blue Steel Security and Lisa Cote of Allison-Shelton, cheered on all ten teams to bring in the most units in recent AMA history!

The Top 3 winners included The MebbieNators, In It To Win It, and 50 Shades of Awesome.

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all who participated in making the 2015 “Step Up, Sign Up” drive a huge success!

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Sine Die - Arizona legislature adjourns Three AMA priority bills signed into law

BY COURTNEY LEVINUS & JAKE HINMAN

S

ine Die! After a historically short Legislative Session, the 52nd Legislature, 1st Regular Session adjourned sine die or “without a day [for future action or meeting]” at 3:37 AM on April 3, 2015. The legislature adjourned after 81 days in session, which turns out to be the shortest session in nearly a halfcentury. The 81-day session is well below the typical 100-day session and nearly half the length the of the uncomfortably-long 151-day session back in 2013.

The 2015 Session will likely be remembered not only for its brevity, but also for being absent of the major, and oft embarrassing, headlines witnessed in past sessions.

AMA success

Courtney LeVinus is a principal with Capitol Consulting and Jake Hinman leads city and county relations for the firm. They can be reached at 602-712-1121.

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It is with great pleasure the advoacay team reports that the AMA was successful in passing two important pieces of legislation this year — SB1079 (solid waste collection; multifamily housing) and SB1072 (local planning; residential housing; prohibitions). The AMA also joined a business coalition to pass a last-minute priority bill, SB1241 (auxiliary containers; regulatory prohibition; reporting).

The AMA’s first bill, SB1079 (solid waste collection; multifamily housing), will allow apartment operators to select a private solid waste or recycling service provider in all of Arizona’s cities and towns. The bill has a delayed implementation date of July 1, 2016 to allow cities and towns time to adjust their internal operations. Once the bill goes into effect, AMA members will be able to opt-out of city trash services and select the most competitive service provider. Currently, cities including: Peoria, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale, Sierra Vista, Flagstaff, and others—require apartment owners to employ municipal solid waste services.

The AMA’s second bill, SB1072 (local planning; residential housing; prohibitions), clarifies that towns and counties are prohibited from adopting

Apartment News > June/July 2015

what are known as “inclusionary zoning” ordinances. Such ordinances require developers to set aside a certain percentage of their units for affordable housing or pay an in-lieu fee. Since Arizona cities and towns are already prohibited from adopting “rent control” ordinances, SB1072 will strengthen existing statutes and clearly prohibit inclusionary zoning ordinances. This legislation was deemed critical for the industry after one Valley city considered an inclusionary zoning ordinance earlier this year.

And finally, the AMA joined a business coalition to pass SB1241 (auxiliary containers; regulatory prohibition; reporting). The new law will do two things: first, it will prohibit cities, towns and counties from adopting mandatory “energy benchmarking” and energy auditing ordinances.

Such ordinances have been approved around the country and require building owners to report their energy usage to a governmental agency and to the public.

Secondly the new law will prohibit cities, towns, and counties from adopting mandatory recycling regulations for businesses, including multi-family properties. www.azama.org

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

A year to remember

All three pieces of the aforementioned legislation are known as “preemptive” measures as they prescribe statewide standards and prohibit local jurisdictions from adopting irregular and/or piecemeal regulations. All three bills also provide a level playing field for business owners who invest and operate in the 91 cities and towns across the state.

Leveling the playing field All three pieces of the aforementioned legislation are known as “preemptive” measures as they prescribe statewide standards and prohibit local jurisdictions from adopting irregular and/ or piecemeal regulations. All three bills also provide a level playing field for business owners who invest and operate in the 91 cities and towns across the state.

Unfortunately, we were unable to get the AMA’s third proactive bill, HB2254 (municipal tax exemption; residential lease) across the finish line this year. The bill, introduced by Representative Darin Mitchell (R-Litchfield Park), would have eliminated residential renter’s tax over the course of five years. The bill passed with bipartisan support in the House Ways and Means committee, but ultimately failed to receive a final vote in the full House of Representatives. As expected, HB2254 received unprecedented opposition from Arizona’s cities and towns and lost some GOP support due to its $87 million hit to municipal budgets. While the bill did not reach the finish line this year, we are confident that we did, at the very least, start a conversation about Arizona’s most regressive tax. www.azama.org

The 2015 Session will be remembered not only for its warp-speed pace, but also for its general theme of deregulation and cutting state spending. In fact, as soon as he took office, Governor Ducey quickly announced a moratorium on new agency regulation and a commitment to trim government. The legislature followed suit, passing bills to assist ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft and reducing regulatory tape for microbreweries.

Other achievements noted by the Governor include: passing a structurally balanced budget for the first time since 2007; eliminating a hidden tax increase by indexing the income tax; eliminating the Department of Weights and Measures; adding a small business person to the Regulatory Review Council; and instituting a state government hiring freeze.

While the session wasn’t marred by any one piece of contentious legislation like we’ve seen in years past, that doesn’t mean we escaped the session without some amount of controversy.

This year, most of the controversy centered around the state budget—more specifically— the budget casualties. In order to fix the structural deficit in the FY2016 State Budget, the legislature was forced to make difficult cuts.

The state’s three universities felt the brunt of those cuts, losing nearly $99 million in state funds. Community colleges in Pima, Maricopa and Pinal counties were also hit, losing their entire $16 million state appropriation. The budget also includes sweeps of nearly $220 million in unspent agency funds. The Arizona Commerce Authority took the brunt of the fund sweeps losing $100 million from a pair of program funds.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact the team with any questions you may have on this year’s session or any of the AMA’s government affairs programs.

The 52nd Legislature, 1st Regular Session officially commenced on Jan. 12, 2015, for a rare 81-day legislative session.

Total bills introduced:

1,163

LEGISLATURE PASSED:

344 bills

GOVERNOR SIGNED:

324 bills; vetoed 20

Apartment News > June/July 2015

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LEGALLY SPEAKING

HUD AND LGBT DISCRIMINATION News from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

By Judy Drickey-Prohow, Esq., The Law Offices of Scott M. Clark, P.C.

W

ith the recent focus on gay rights and gay marriage in all daily news media, and in an effort to increase awareness of LGBT issues by housing providers, HUD has now reissued the HUD Equal Access Rule prohibiting actual or perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status.

Originally issued in February 2012, the final rule prohibits all HUD programs and all housing subject to a mortgage that is insured by the Federal Housing Administration from denying housing or otherwise discriminating on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status.

Rules and programs While neither the 2012 rules nor the recent notice amends the federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”), the fact that they cover not only HUD programs, but also all properties with FHA-insured mortgages, means that they are intended to

have a significant impact on the availability of rental housing for persons who have previously been denied housing or have been otherwise discriminated against because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status.

The rules do four things: They require that all entities assisted by HUD or insured by the FHA make housing available without regard to actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.

They clarify that the definition of “family” and “household,” which identifies who is eligible for HUD’s core programs, includes persons regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status.

They prohibit HUD-assisted and HUDinsured entities from inquiring about an applicant’s or occupant’s sexual orientation or gender identify for the purpose of determining eligibility or otherwise making housing available; and

They prohibit FHA-approved lenders from basing eligibility determinations for FHA-insured loans on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

In adopting these rules, HUD imported the definition of “gender identity” that currently exists in the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act. That definition defines the term to include actual or perceived genderrelated characteristics of all persons, including transgender persons. Similarly, “sexual orientation” is broadly defined to mean actual or perceived “homosexuality, heterosexuality or bisexuality.”

While Congress has so far declined to amend the FHA to include a prohibition of discrimination because of sexual orientation and/or gender identity, HUD’s Notice reiterates its position that the FHA’s prohibition of sex discrimination includes discrimination based on nonconformance with sexual stereotypes.

The views expressed here are generalized advice or information. Fact-specific questions should always be referred to legal counsel. Statements and opinions expressed in these legal columns are solely those of the author or authors. This advice does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Arizona Multihousing Association.

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Apartment News > June/July 2015

www.azama.org

Q &A As a result of this interpretation, many claims of sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination are now being covered under the FHA prohibition against sex discrimination.

In addition to possible FHA remedies for violations that can fall under the sex discrimination coverage of the FHA, a violation of these new requirements can have serious implications for all covered properties. Every HUD program, including its mortgage programs, has established mechanisms for addressing violations of program requirements, including these requirements.

Persons who believe that they are being discriminated against

by HUD-insured housing providers or by HUD-assisted programs may complain directly to the agency that administers these programs and those entities may impose sanctions and penalties for violation of program requirements, including the withholding of HUD assistance.

Practice tips In light of these regulations, properties are encouraged to review both their fair housing policies and their fair housing training to ensure that all staff is fully aware of the new requirements.

Staff needs to understand that discrimination on any of these new bases will result in the same consequences as other forms of discrimination under the FHA. Owners and managers should consult legal counsel if they need to amend their policies or obtain training to cover these new areas.

Judy Drickey-Prohow is an attorney with the Law Offices of Scott M. Clark, P.C. She can be reached at 520-241-1847.

Your questions answered

Can I get witnesses?

Notices, documents and the courts

By Andy M. Hull, Esq.,Hull, Holliday and Holliday, PLC. henever a landlord has to go to court against a resident, one factor crucial in winning is to have the correct documentation. Cases can be won or lost depending upon your notices, letters, repair invoices, photographs and other written evidence. This article will provide a general overview of written evidence as it relates to landlord and tenant issues.

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Giving a renter notice A notice to your renter of a violation of your lease, or community policies or the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is the first step before taking any potential court action. If the notice is based upon complaints from other residents, properly document these alleged violations. Have the person who is complaining provide you with all the details in writing. This way, if the resident later decided not to cooperate or testify, you still have documented your basis for giving notice. Also, document your file by noting the date, time and substance of the complaints.

If you are receiving letters from a resident, make sure you answer the letters.

Keeping a paper trail can be very crucial if your situation ever reaches the court.

Be specific in your notice to your residents. For example, a noncompliance letter notice under A.R.S. § 33-1368(a) requires that the landlord “specify the acts and omissions constituting the breach.”

Don’t say, “excessive noise from the apartment.” Specify, “On June 10, 2014 at 1 a.m., your stereo was so loud your neighbors couldn’t sleep.” Don’t say, “Violation of paragraph 10 of your lease.” Spell out

LEGALLY SPEAKING the offense. You must provide sufficient details so the resident has enough information to know what he or she is being accused of.

Make sure you give the right kind of notice that the situation calls for. For example, you would not want to give a renter an immediate eviction notice for alleged drug trafficking if you do not have proof but only a suspicion based upon complaints of excessive traffic. In this case, you would use a noncompliance notice for “excessive traffic in and out of your apartment at all hours of the day and night staying for short periods of time and disturbing the peace and quiet of other residents.”

Prompt, personal delivery of notices to someone in the apartment old enough to understand what they are receiving, certified mail, or registered mail are the only legal means of service under state law.

Getting a witness If you have to go to court, make sure you have eyewitnesses with personal knowledge of the accusations.

Letters from residents or even affidavits are not admissible because they are hearsay and you cannot ask questions of a piece of paper. The normal exception is business records, and the judge determines how much weight, if any, to give to the documents.

If a witness will not voluntarily come to court, you can have the court issue a subpoena, which requires the person to appear and testify. A subpoena is a valid reason for a witness to be excused from work.

The landlord also needs to properly document any damages to the apartment caused by the resident. The move-in/ move-out checklist identifies the apartment condition at the start and end of tenancy. If damages are found, photograph them and have them viewed by people who saw the apartment at move-in so they can compare the condition at move-out.

Andy M. Hull is the principal of Hull, Holliday and Holliday, PLC. He can be reached at 602.230.0088.

More than 1,400 enjoyed the AMA Tributes gala celebration

Happily

ever after W

PHOTOS BY JOHN HARRIS

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alking the trade show floor, attendees enjoyed a fairy tale wonderland with princes, Cinderellas and knights at every turn. This year’s theme of “Happily Ever After” also reflected the mood of the annual Tributes Gala.

More than 1,400 attendees celebrated on the patio before the gala, reconnecting with colleagues, owners and old friends. It’s the night that Arizona’s industry leaders wait for each year, bringing their teams together for a special night out to honor the work that takes place at the community level by caring, talented professionals.

Apartment News > June/July 2015

www.azama.org

www.azama.org

Apartment News > June/July 2015

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2015 Tribute Award Winners INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Industry Partner of the Year: Tina Greco, Burns Pest Elimination Industry Partner of the Year Tucson: Stacy Weaver, MacGray/Coinmach Volunteer of the Year: Lesa LaRocca, Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC Volunteer of the Year Tucson: Lisa Rosenfeld, HSL Asset Management, LLC Housekeeper of the Year: Martha Hernandez, Fairfield Residential Company, LLC Leasing Consultant of the Year: Nancy Florez, Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC Maintenance Technician of the Year: Raul Gomezllanos, Alliance Residential Company, LLC Maintenance Supervisor of the Year 1-199 Units: Seth Pyle, Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC

Maintenance Supervisor of the Year 200+ Units: David Gateere, Camden Property Trust Apartment Manager of the Year 1-199 Units: Tonya Batson, P.B. Bell Companies Apartment Manager of the Year 200+ Units: Lori Keough, Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC Assistant Manager of the Year: Gina Moore, P.B. Bell Companies Regional Maintenance Supervisor of the Year: Jim Hansen, Alliance Residential Company, LLC Regional Property Supervisor of the Year: Matt Rogers, Mark-Taylor Residential Apartment Manager of the Year Outside the Valley: Kerri Martin, AllisonShelton Real Estate Services Maintenance Supervisor of the Year Outside the Valley: Ron Kenney, Scotia Group Management, LLC

COMMUNITY AWARDS

Best Team & Community of the Year Built Prior to 1996: Scottsdale Gateway, Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC Best Team & Community of the Year Built Between 1996-2006: San Riva at the Foothills, Alliance Residential Company, LLC Best Team & Community of the Year Built Between 2007-2014: San Hacienda, Mark-Taylor Residential Best Team & Community of the Year Outside the Valley: Terraces at Glassford Hill, MEB Management Services Developer’s Award for Best Community Built 2013-2014: CityScape Residences, Alliance Residential Company, LLC Renovated Community of the Year: Ironwood Village Apartments, Dunlap & Magee Property Management, Inc. Affordable Community of the Year: Escobedo at Verde Vista, Dunlap & Magee Property Management, Inc.

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One magical event Huge turnout for Reverse Trade Show

A

room full of princes, pigs, princesses, and guards entertained more than 200 attendees during the AMA’s annual Reverse Trade Show in Phoenix. Enjoying the Once Upon A Time theme, 18 management companies took this opportunity to present their best fairy tale teams to associate members.

Each year, this event grows in popularity due to the unique format where associate members can meet with leadership of

1 3 BOOTH WINNERS 1. Best Use of Theme: MEB Management 2. Overall Booth: Picerne Real Estate Group 3. Honorable Mention: Dunlap & Magee Property Management

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management companies during set meetings to learn more about properties and opportunities for partnership.

Management companies send their corporate leaders who have an opportunity to hear about innovations, new products and new companies first hand. The value of the networking throughout the day benefits both regular and associate members.

Special thanks to Reverse Trade Show Chairman Mark Schilling of MEB Management for all of his work and his leadership of the dedicated volunteers who made this one of the AMA’s most memorable events.

BEST PRACTICES

Q &A

A conversation with Nancy Nicolosi

N

ancy Nicolosi spent her career in the property management business, starting with positions with Tucson-based SPM Inc. where she ultimately served as President. In 2005, Nicolosi and Kim Fitch purchased SPM and renamed the company Nicolosi & Fitch, Inc. (NFI). In February, Nicolosi sold her shares of NFI to Fitch. She served on the AMA Board of Directors for 23 years, was a Board Officer for seven, and Chairman of the Board twice.

Q: What advice would you give people coming up in the multifamily industry?

If you are planning to move into management, learn how to be a leader, not just a manager. One of the traits of a good leader is the ability to deal effectively with a wide variety of people, from employees, to peers, to owners of properties and other associates. When it comes to leading your team, a good leader is a visionary who helps others accomplish more than they otherwise would.

Q: What opportunities are there for our members to make an impact on the multifamily industry?

Get involved with AMA government

18

Apartment News > June/July 2015

apartment home. In either case, they need to be reassured that they made the right decision. There is no substitute for providing excellent customer service, following up, being friendly, being available, asking them for a referral when all is said and done.

Q: You’ve been very active with the AMA through the years, what were the benefits for your business and for you personally? affairs committees. Through grass roots efforts, and connections made through the AMA, I was able to get involved with outside agencies and help make a difference for the apartment industry. I served on the Slumlord Task Force, was appointed by then-Gov. Napolitano to serve on the Task Force to End Homelessness, and Chaired the Tucson Housing Commission. When AMA leaders serve on these types of boards, we are able to broaden our reach and stay on the leading edge of housing issues.

Q: Working on the services side, how have you changed your approach to clients based on your experiences in apartment management?

I haven’t changed my approach at all.

My husband and I own a family moving company. People are as stressed out during the moving process as they are when they move into their new

The influence the AMA had over the success of my personal career was evident in almost every aspect. The leadership training and experience I received, gave me ideas on how to better manage and lead the companies I oversaw. At the time I was an Officer of the AMA, I also served as the RVP and on the Board of Directors of the NAA for 4 years. This was an exciting position and one which I could never have had, should I have not been asked to do it by the Executive Committee of the AMA. Today, Nicolosi is the co-owner of Nicolosi Moving & Storage, a family owned business she started with her husband more than 25 years ago. In her free time, she’s working with the National Weather Service as a Certified Storm Spotter and hopes to head to the Midwest and be a Tornado Spotter/ Chaser in the future. www.azama.org

ON THE SCENE RECENT AMA EVENTS

‘Watchers’ around water

May was National Water Safety Month and the AMA April dinner meeting hosted Rich Bauer to educate members about the importance of pool safety in apartment communities. Bauer, a member of the United Phoenix Firefighters Association, talked with the crowd about a newer program that focuses on responsible pool supervision of children. This program can apply to any pool, not just community pools.

Adults need to wear some sort of badge to identify them as the “Water Watcher” who is responsible for watching the children for a period of time. This Watcher would not be on their cell phone, not drinking, and avoiding other distractions. Other around the pool should continue to keep watch, but having a designated watcher reminds adults of their sole responsibility during that time. The program recommends rotating responsibility as the Watcher so everyone can enjoy pool time.

The AMA continues to be active in the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona in promoting pool safety. If your community would like an SRP pool signs for your property, managers can reach out to Rob Schmitz at the AMA at 602-296-6204.

Lyceum visits the Capitol AMA Lyceum candidates became legislative experts in May after spending the day learning how an Arizona bill becomes law and touring the Arizona Capitol, including the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives where members debate all measures. The day was capped-off with a mock legislative committee hearing. Representative Darin Mitchell stopped in and took on a familiar role as the chairman of the mock hearing while the rest of the candidates became legislators, lobbyists and industry experts.

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EVENTS & EDUCATION

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Many thanks to all who participated and also to our sponsors: Title Sponsor — Apartments. com; Beverage Cart Sponsors Apartment Guide, J.R. McDade, Sherwin-Williams Paint & Floor Covering; Photography Sponsor - Redi Carpet - Tucson; Transportation Sponsor - For Rent Media Solutions; Trophy Sponsors - Sunland Asphalt and Quarterpenny Management; Hole Sponsors - Law Offices of Scott M. Clark, PC, Cox

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