Apartment News - October 2015

The official publication of the Arizona Multihousing Association

NEWS

‘Building’ better Tributes AMA continues to review, add to recognition program

Department of Revenue transitions to meet January deadline Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner talks safety

NEWS & HAPPENINGS Gloria Munoz honored with Michelson Housing Hero Award

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

LEGALLY SPEAKING Clearing the air concerning smoke-free housing

BEST PRACTICES Q&A with Ike Tippetts, Rainforest Plumbing & Air

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WELCOME LETTERS

Board retreat shows off skills Each summer, the AMA Board of Directors takes two days away from the office to focus on the work of our association. It’s always a time for board members to reconnect, celebrate wins and look ahead to the upcoming year.

Tubac, Ariz., made for a perfect getaway and a nice opportunity to experience one of our state’s most unique communities.

The multihousing industry’s strength across Arizona has put some additional attention on where our new communities are being planned, and how these apartment homes will affect the surrounding neighborhoods.

Local leaders in some suburban communities continue to examine the impact of density on businesses and downtowns. Sharing our experience and expertise with these officials who are new to these issues can be important. Through our advocacy team, we have the opportunity to educate leaders and help to create more vibrant communities.

We also took the time to review some of our signature events and our new Tributes chair, Amy Smith, has plans to continue to improve this awards program.

Every year, our teams look forward to these industry awards and earning the recognition of their peers.

I’m looking forward to seeing this dedicated team’s results this year.

Thanks to all of those board members who lead major initiatives for us. Your work on behalf of the Association makes the multifamily industry in Arizona stronger. I’m also looking forward to reviewing the applications for board of directors’ seats later this month.

Board service is an honor and a pleasure and I appreciate the ongoing support of our extraordinary team!

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

Get the update on AMA Staff promotions, changes

T

he AMA has had very little staff turnover the past few years, so it is a Big Deal when one of our friends and co-workers leaves the AMA. We are sorry to see Rob Schmitz leave the AMA Family, but very happy for the progression of his career. For those of you who have worked with Rob the past seven years (he was the first person I hired at the AMA), you know that Rob is hard working, smart, and easy to get along with. As with all of our AMA Staff, we work as a team and pitch in where needed, as needed. Hopefully you have experienced that Team Spirit over the years.

Although we are sad to see Rob leave, his departure also presents us with an opportunity to make change.

For example, with the departure of Lucina Chavez two years ago, we reorganized internally and shifted duties.

With Rob’s departure, we are doing this once again.

I am happy to report that Michelle Rill has been promoted to Director of Events and Education. Reporting to Michelle will be Desi Brinkman, whose title becomes Marketing & Sponsorship Specialist, and our newest staff member Kristina Fleischer, whose title will be Events and Education Coordinator.

Stephanie Garcia is also being promoted, and will now be Manager of Community Outreach. The programs under Stephanie’s purview will be Project Safe, Five Star, Community Coalitions, Big Hearts and Raising a Reader.

All of your other favorite staff members will continue to be here to serve your membership needs, and we hope you will reach out to them with questions, comments and suggestions.

— Tom Simplot, AMA President

ENJOY ALL OF THE BENEFITS OF AMA MEMBERSHIP - CALL AMY AT 602-296-6209 TO JOIN TODAY. www.azmultihousing.org

Apartment News > October/November 2015

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Apartment News > October/November 2015 > www.azmultihousing.org 18

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Valleywide Service

ALL PHASES OF PEST CONTROL

• Monthly Pest Control Programs

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• Termite Specialists/ FREE Est. 14 Modernizing Tributes for the AMA Updating the nomination process for the AMA’s signature awards program

18 Q&A with Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner

DEPARTMENTS 6 News &

Happenings 8 Legislative Update 10 Legally Speaking 13 Best Practices 16 AMC Meeting 17 Insurance Notes 20 On the Scene 21 Focus on Tucson 22 Events & Education 23 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@azmultihousing.org James Tunnell Vice President jtunnell@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6212 Erika Kowalski Director of Operations ekowalski@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6210 Michelle Rill Director of Events & Education mrill@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6205 Sharon Hosfeld AZ Smoke-Free Community Coordinator/Government Affairs Analyst shosfeld@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6214 Desi Brinkman Marketing & Sponsorship Specialist dbrinkman@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6203

AMA TUCSON STAFF Stephanie Garcia Community Outreach Manager sgarcia@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6208 Amy Hindenlang Membership Administrator ahindenlang@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6209 Kyle Simplot Accounting Assistant kyles@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6207 Kristina Fleischer Events & Education Coordinator kfleischer@azmultihousing.org 602-296-6204 Todd Bradford Membership Benefit Services Consultant tbradford@azmultihousing.org 602-377-2553 Cassidy Campana Apartment News Editor & Communications Consultant ccampana@azmultihousing.org 602-770-6014

Lauren Romero Tucson Area Association Executive lromero@azmultihousing.org 520-481-9646

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

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

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AMA NEWS & HAPPENINGS

Muñoz honored with Mickelson Housing Hero Award Gloria Muñoz, AMA Board Member and Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Maricopa County, was recently honored with the 2015 Gloria Muñoz Brian Mickelsen Housing Hero Award from the Arizona Department of Housing. The award, Outstanding Affordable Housing Initiative, recognized her work with the Coffelt Lamoreaux Apartment Homes. This $44 million public/private partnership is a pilot project of HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program.

This program allows public housing agencies to leverage public and private debt and equity in order to reinvest in its public housing stock. The program shifts units from the Public Housing program to the Section 8/Multifamily program, so that the providers may leverage the private capital markets to make the improvements.

Parlay begins at new 160-unit apartment community in Prescott New Willow Creek area community to be first new market-rate apartments built in more than five years Cole Johnson, President of Paul Johnson Drywall, Inc., announced that construction will begin on a new 160-unit garden style apartment community being built by the development company, Parlay LLC. Construction is expected to complete by late-October 2016.

“There has been a growing demand for quality apartments in Prescott in recent years, making it ideal timing for building this new community,” said

Johnson. “Thanks to the great work by my finance partners Paragon Mortgage and Alliance Bank, we were able to negotiate through the complex HUD financing process.”

Allison-Shelton Real Estate Services will be managing the property. Reservations are expected to begin by early summer 2016.

“Demand for new apartments is high in Prescott,” said Thomas Shelton, principal with Allison-Shelton Real Estate Partners. “This is the first market-rate community to be built in Prescott in at least five years and as a result we expect the waiting list to begin the first day we open reservations.”

AMA Welcomes New Events & Education Coordinator

Kristina Fleischer

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Kristina Fleischer recently joined the AMA to support the events team. The Association hosts a wide array of training programs and special member events year round and Kristina will be working in collaboration with members and the AMA team.

“I’m excited to get to know this industry and our members. Coming in to this position at this point, I have been able to jump in and

Apartment News > October/November 2015

get to work on our Fall events and become part of a great team,” said Fleischer.

Earlier in her career, Kristina worked in community outreach and development in the Tucson and Phoenix markets. Kristina grew up in Nogales and speaks fluent Spanish.

www.azmultihousing.org

480.963.3416

regionalaz.com

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Task force recommendations

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TRANSITIONS TO MEET JANUARY DEADLINE AMA members beware of changes to Arizona’s taxing system

By Courtney LeVinus & Jake Hinman Courtney LeVinus is a principal with Capitol Consulting and Jake Hinman leads legislative affairs for the firm.

They can be reached at 602-712-1121.

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W

ith a Jan 1, 2016, deadline looming, the Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) is working with industry stakeholders and taxpayers to ensure a smooth transition for Arizona’s new one-stop-shop for tax payments and licensure requirements for residential rental properties.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, all transaction privilege tax (TPT) licensing, reporting payment, collection and renewals will be handled exclusively by the Arizona Department of Revenue. This sweeping change will provide the taxpayer with a single point-of-contact for all tax payments, and will help simplify a taxing system that has historically required business owners and taxpayers to navigate convoluted tax codes across the state.

For the past several months, the AMA has been working with the Department to specifically address the transition as it relates to residential rental properties. While the transition has been anything but smooth, the AMA is optimistic that the most recent rules and procedures prescribed

by ADOR have addressed most of the AMA’s concerns and will provide some administrative relief for taxpayers.

Apartment News > October/November 2015

All of these changes come as the result of recommendations put forth by a Task Force created in 2012 by then-Governor Jan Brewer. The Task Force, comprised of business owners, industry leaders and tax professionals, eventually provided a list of recommendations aimed at overhauling and simplifying Arizona’s tax system. The Arizona legislature adopted most of the recommendations, including the proposal to consolidate all TPT licensure requirements and remittance to a single entity, that entity being the Arizona Department of Revenue.

Part of the transition included licensing all residential rental properties and property owners that were previously licensed in the fifteen “nonprogram” cities, or cities that, up to this point, have self-collected their tax revenues.

In an unsettling move, the Department set a course to require individual business licenses for each and every rental property regardless of whether or not those properties operated under a single property management company. This was an apparent concession to cities and towns who were concerned that without individual licenses, rental properties would fly under-the-radar and avoid remitting their appropriate taxes.

For property managers The Department was also set to require property managers, acting on behalf of their clients, to obtain Powers of Attorney (POA) and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) from all property owners and/ or entities. Besides the difficulty in obtaining specific identifying information from certain clients, including social security numbers, the new requirements went above and beyond what was ever required from the Department in the past.

Ultimately, to the satisfaction of the AMA and other stakeholders, the Department has recently come full circle on both issues.

In the Department’s latest guidance to property owners and managers, the Department will allow a property management company (PMC) to obtain a single license for all client properties. The Department will also forgo its requirements for a PMC to obtain POAs under certain circumstances and MOUs altogether.

In order to avoid the requirement of obtaining a POA from clients, the Department will allow a property management company to obtain a single www.azmultihousing.org

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE PMC license and list any and all properties under the single license. While this approach may eliminate the administrative burden of obtaining individual licenses and POAs from clients, the Department has cautioned that this approach could result in a tax liability for both the owner and the property management company.

Tax liability For a property management company to avoid the potential tax liability, a PMC will also have the option to individually license each owner and/ or property. While this option will avoid the tax liability, the Department will, in this case, require a POA if the property manager will act on behalf of the owner or communicate with the Department in regards to any individually licensed properties.

Owners who are individually licensed will also be required to provide certain indentifying information to the Department, including social security numbers.

Property managers of course have the third option of simply directing owners to self-license

and self-remit all taxes to the Department. This option avoids both the potential tax liability and the POA requirements.

The Department will also allow a hybrid approach of the aforementioned options. In other words, a property management company has the option to license some clients under the PMC’s license and then individually license other clients, so long as the Department is notified as to which properties fall under the PMC license and is provided with POAs for the individually licensed properties.

Making a seamless transition As the Department readies for the Jan. 1, deadline, they are requesting that property owners and managers submit certain rental property information by Oct. 30, 2015, to help ensure a seamless transition.

Such information includes a fillable Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, found on the Department’s website, that will be used to link a property management company and any property that will fall under its PMC license.

Questions?

Please let us know if you have any questions about this rather untidy transition. If you have questions regarding your forms, POA’s or other process issues you may also contact the Arizona Department of Revenue Licensing Department at 602-716-6152 or visit the Department’s website, www.azdor.gov/ TPTSimplification/ResidentialRental.

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Clearing the air concerning smoke-free housing What you need to know

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

S

everal years ago the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) began encouraging owners and operators of public and federally subsidized housing to go smoke free. The advantages were obvious: >> Maintenance and upkeep were lower because there would no longer be the need to remove smoke and other smokingrelated odors and evidence from vacated apartments >> Health benefits for residents would improve as they were no longer exposed to second hand smoke >> There was less chance of fire damage to the premises Balanced against these concerns property managers and owners feared a backlash from tenants who wanted to continue to smoke in their own apartments and the empty units that would (they believed) inevitably occur. Recent reports from HUD indicate that this expected backlash has been minimal in properties that have gone smoke free and that most residents are happy to have smoke free places to live.

As more and more owners and management companies now consider whether to convert to smoke free living, there are several factors to consider.

Is it legal in Arizona for apartments to go smoke-free?

Yes. In 1998 Arizona voters passed an initiative that prohibited the use of tobacco products in places of employment and enclosed public places including common areas of apartment buildings, multifamily housing facilities, nursing homes, restaurants, airports and other establishments. A.R.S. § 36-601.01.

While that statute does not prohibit smoking in private residences, including apartments and condominiums (except in enclosed common areas such as the office, fitness center and laundry rooms), it permits owners and managers to

create smoke-free buildings and/or smoke-free communities if they choose to do so.

If I decide to go smoke free can I just change the community policies and let the change go into effect with a thirtyday notice?

No. While A.R.S. § 33-1342 permits landlords to change some rules and policies after thirty days’ written notice during the term of the lease, any changes that are made must not constitute a substantial modification of the tenant’s rental agreement. Prohibiting a tenant from smoking in his/her own apartment or in unenclosed common areas would most likely constitute a substantial modification. Smoke free rules, therefore, may be applied only to new tenants and residents who are renewing their leases and not to tenants on existing leases.

What is the best practice for effecting the change from a smoking to a smoke-free community?

Several steps are recommended: Decide exactly what kind of restrictions you want to impose.

Do you want to ban only tobacco products? Should your ban include E-cigarettes, vapor cigarettes, medical marijuana, and/ or something else? Does it prohibit chewing tobacco or only inhaled substances?

Decide where smoking will be prohibited, e.g., in specified buildings, in all interior areas, everywhere on the property, and where (if anywhere) there will be a designated smoking area.

Make sure that you have a lease addendum or revised lease provisions that clearly spell out what kind of conduct is permitted

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 > October/November 2015

www.azmultihousing.org

and what is prohibited. If smoking is permitted in certain areas of the property, indicate what areas residents can use for smoking.

Be sure that your lease or lease addendum does not include any warranties that the unit always has been or always will be smoke free. You cannot ensure that nobody has ever smoked there unless it is new construction and you cannot guarantee that no one ever will smoke there, just as you can’t guarantee that there will never be noise or crime in your community.

Decide what enforcement efforts you will take if a violation is brought to your attention. Is a single violation a material breach or does it warrant a reminder notice? If you have to file an eviction action based on violation of a smoke free policy, what evidence will you be able to rely on if the resident denies that anyone has smoked in the apartment?

Provide advance notice to your residents that you plan to go smoke free and that anyone who renews after a fixed date will have to sign a new lease agreeing not to smoke in certain identified areas of the community.

Serve non-renewal notices on all tenants whose leases are expiring and/or who are currently month-to-month tenants who have not agreed to the smoke free provisions. Your existing lease may authorize you to raise the rent for month-to-month tenants and to charge month-to-month fees but it probably doesn’t allow you to prohibit them from engaging in otherwise lawful conduct that was authorized under their existing or former leases.

Advertise your community as smoke free through the Arizona Multihousing Association and the American Lung Association Smoke-Free Committee.

Interested in going smoke free?

Contact Sharon Hosfeld at shosfeld@azmultihousing.org.

How can I enforce the non-smoking rules?

Like any other lease provision, violation of smoke-free rules will constitute a material breach of the lease agreement. And like any other material breach, properties must prove the breach in order to remove a tenant who smokes in violation of the lease provision.

In an ideal situation, the property representative will find the tenant with a lighted cigarette in his/her hand in an area where smoking is prohibited, and will be able to testify based on personal observations.

In other scenarios properties may have to rely on indirect evidence such as the existence of ashtrays with residue in the apartment, tests showing smoke in the ventilation system that serves the unit and other, similar kinds of evidence.

If I go smoke free, does that mean that the entire community must be smoke free?

No. You are permitted to designate certain parts of the community, such as certain buildings, as smoke-free areas while allowing smoking in other area. You can prohibit smoking continued next page >

www.azmultihousing.org

Q &A

LEGALLY SPEAKING Your questions answered

Fair Housing Breaking lease due to medical disability Q: I am 69 years old and live on the 2nd floor of an apartment complex. I am 6 months into the current lease and will be moving when my lease is up. I now have medical issues that make it difficult to carry things up and down, and to just be on the 2nd floor. The question is, does this medical “disability” (just age related) allow me to get out of my current lease early and without penalty?

A: The Fair Housing laws define a person with a disability as a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

If a tenant qualifies as “disabled” under Federal law, they can ask a doctor to sign a document that states they are disabled and need to be released from their current lease unless the landlord can provide them with a unit on the first floor because of their disability. You will need to provide that letter to your landlord along with a Request for a Reasonable Accommodation to be let out of the lease early without penalty due to the mobility issue. The Fair Housing laws require a landlord to grant a request for a reasonable accommodation in this scenario. The parties will need to meet to discuss what can be done to meet this need.

Questions for landlord Q: My lease at an apartment complex ended in the first week in January this year. I properly vacated the unit and went in person and paid the prorated rent for that month. I was told I would receive a final bill for anything outstanding within two-three weeks. Now, more than six months later I have not received a final bill. Does the landlord and/or management company have a specific amount of time in which to send a final bill?

A: They have fourteen business days after the lease ends, keys are returned and a demand is made for the deposit. If the landlord fails to comply, the tenant can sue for the amount of the deposit withheld plus double that amount.

Andy M. Hull is the principal of Hull, Holliday and Holliday, PLC. He can be reached at 602-230-0088. Denise Holliday is a principal of Hull, Holliday and Holliday, PLC. She can be reached at 602-230-0088.

Apartment News > October/November 2015

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LEGALLY SPEAKING > continued from page 12

in all interior areas and still permit smoking on patios or in designated outdoor smoking areas. Similarly you may decide that you don’t want any smoking anywhere on the property and that is also permissible.

Are there fair-housing issues that can arise if I ban smoking?

Of course. While smoking (or addiction to nicotine or other substances) is not a protected characteristic there will be residents who have other disabilities and who also smoke, who may expect you to make reasonable accommodations for them. For example: You may have a mobility limited resident who wants to continue smoking but has agreed to smoke only in an exterior smoking area. That works well during the winter, but when the temperature is 110 degrees the resident cannot deal with the heat and wants to smoke in the privacy of his/her own apartment. A reasonable accommodation request follows.

You may have a resident with a psychiatric impairment such as extreme depression, anxiety, agitation or similar conditions who has always been a smoker and the clinical psychiatrist has recommended that the patient be permitted to continue to smoke to alleviate and/or avoid aggravating the underlying condition.

EXPERTS IN FOAM ROOFING SYSTEMS

In these situations the general rule of thumb is that it would not be a reasonable accommodation to expect a property to make exceptions to the non-smoking rule because doing so would impose an undue financial and administrative burden on the property. That would not end the discussion, however, and it may be that the only accommodation that you can provide in this situation is an agreement to allow the tenant to terminate the lease early, without lease-break fees, because the tenant cannot continue to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling if he/she is not permitted to smoke there.

Obviously a decision on whether or not to allow residents to smoke in your community is a personal decision based on business reasons. If you decide to go smoke free, the American Lung Association and the Arizona Multihousing Association have resources to help you get through the hurdles. Of course any such decision should be made only after reviewing your legal options and having an attorney review your lease, addendum, processes and procedures.

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

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BEST PRACTICES

A conversation with Ike Tippetts, Rainforest Plumbing & Air

By Dallin Tippetts, Field Leader, Rainforest Plumbing & Air

the conversation when it comes to critical decisions on their communities by giving them an accurate price for repairs each and every time, before any work begins. This eliminates the fear of surprises. In addition, all Rainforest Plumbing & Air employees are required to pass a rigorous background check through Crimshield. This helps us maintain a professional, trustworthy service team.

Q: Rainforest provides training opportunities to management companies and their maintenance teams. How does this training of on-site professionals support your business?

PHOTO: JOHN HARRIS

At Rainforest Plumbing & Air, we strongly believe in the value of a continuing education program, both for our own employees and for our multihousing friends. We call this program Rainforest University. We also believe that strong professional relationships are built when we put our heads together with on-site maintenance to solve problems. So the Rainforest University program allows us to talk about the issues that maintenance teams encounter in a non-stressful environment. We hope that as a result, the people we teach can feel empowered in their own roles while also feeling confident about working with us should the opportunity arise.

Q: You and your team have been active in the AMA for years.

How has this helped you to grow your business and your team members?

Ike Tippetts

space is specifically designed for the program, with audio-visual equipment, whiteboards, plenty of tables and seating - much like an actual college classroom. Our guests even get a free lunch prepared by a local bistro.

Q: Is Rainforest University a retention strategy or professional development?

Q: In a competitive industry like yours, what makes Rainforest stand out for a client?

Both! Our team has always favored developing long-lasting relationships with our multihousing customers over the quick, in-and-out approach of some competitors. Rainforest University encourages that philosophy by going above and beyond customer expectations. It’s not just a 4-hour class. Our

The service business is a crowded space and unfortunately some companies don’t treat clients with the respect we believe they deserve. We knew our greatest challenge would be in setting ourselves apart and maintaining a favorable reputation. Our Up-Front Guarantee keeps our customers in

www.azmultihousing.org

It’s no secret that membership in the AMA has been a vital part of Rainforest’s growth in the industry. Since the very beginning, we have strived to identify key decision-makers, get to know them and their portfolios and then offer customized solutions to the plumbing and HVAC problems they face. AMA events and sponsorships have been the springboard in establishing many of these relationships.

In his current role at Rainforest, Dallin Tippetts oversees the company’s team of account representatives and helps manage a growing fleet of service technicians in the field. Tippetts graduated from the AMA’s first ever Lyceum class and serves as the chairman for the Communications Committee. Tippetts can be reached at 480.615.7766.

Apartment News > October/November 2015

13

Modernizing Tributes for the AMA

Updating the nomination process for AMA’s signature awards program

T

BY AMY SMITH, BELLA INVESTMENT GROUP, CHAIR OF TRIBUTES 2016

he common areas of the AMA office turn into a waiting room filled with excitement every winter. Tributes judging panels meet with hundreds of nominees from around the state to learn about these industry leaders’ work and their impact on operations.

report this is the most exciting night of the year for companies and their teams.

What works?

All of this work, behind the scenes and on the part of the nominees, cannot be

The process culminates in a glittery gala each May where one winner in each of the 23 categories is named as a Tribute honoree for the year! Many members

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Apartment News > October/November 2015

2015 Highlights: > 400+ nominees from around Arizona > 23 Tribute award categories > 1000 + attendees for Tributes Gala

overlooked. There are written nominations, photos, interviews and finally the big event! Scores of volunteers, along with the AMA’s professional staff, work tirelessly to pull off an elegant evening for all attendees. The AMA has a long history of recognizing excellence in the industry and the event has grown to more than 1,000 attendees in the past few years. In fact, only available event space currently limits this year’s growth.

In an effort to reflect the changing marketplace in the multifamily industry, www.azmultihousing.org

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR GOLF CAR NEEDS the AMA has continued to review and add new Tribute categories where it made sense.

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Change for the better This year, the Tributes committee named a special task force to focus on improving the nomination and judging processes. The task force’s goal is two-pronged: 1) create and publish descriptions of all existing categories, and 2) develop sets of category-specific questions to enable judges to really see the best of all nominees. Every member company of the AMA has nuanced job descriptions. It is the hope of the Tributes Committee that better parameters and expectations in each category will help nominators to choose the right fit for their co-worker, thus leveling the playing field for nominees.

The judges try to identify those characteristics of the best of the best – leadership, problem solving, and integrity being some examples. It’s important that the interview questions help judges understand how these leaders are impacting their operations in both tangible and intangible ways.

Some other changes coming for this years’ process include the nominees given an opportunity to review their interview questions 15 minutes prior to their interview, companies submitting video presentations for property categories allowed to have one representative present that video to the judges, and the Volunteer and Industry Partner categories being evaluated based on a new more complete nomination form and judged by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.

Finally, better educating nominating companies about judge selection will further help in the transparency of the whole process. Each year, the AMA solicits judges from its membership. Volunteers are vetted for expertise and industry experience before being asked to dedicate their time to this rigorous process. This ensures the best caliber of judge for each applicable category.

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Call 520-Golf Car 465-3277 www.GolfCarsofArizona.com

About the Task Force Twenty-one industry leaders from all over Arizona, representing a cross section of companies and properties, have joined this task force. Over the coming three months, this volunteer group will review every step of this process and looks for improvements to make the Tributes program more enjoyable.

Watch for the Call for Nominations for the 2016 Tribute Awards due out Oct. 30, 2015.

With more than 26 years experience in the multi-family housing industry, Occupancy Solutions assists communities with proven cost-effective strategies to achieve increased occupancy, improve resident retention, minimize expenses and increase your community’s net operating income.

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Elaine M. Simpson, President

ConAm welcomes AMA with

By Adam Greco, Burns Pest Elimination, Chair of Associate Member Council

fiesta

T

he heat of the Arizona summer can call for an afternoon fiesta and ConAm Group created an enviable afternoon for the AMA Associate Member Council meeting in August. The spread of Mexican creations was complemented by two margarita machines and cool drinks for the members.

Julie Brelsford, Adam Greco Regional Vice President of ConAm, shared some of the company’s history with the 80 guests and looked ahead on their plans for continuous growth over the next couple of years in Arizona and across the nation.

Members learned more about doing business with ConAm from the Regional Maintenance Director Dennis Schilling.

ConAm works with Compliance Depot so contractors must be approved in this system and then they can begin the contact process based on the service

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Apartment News > October/November 2015

or goods the company will be supplying.

To engage the AMC guests, Brelsford hosted a series of quiz games and rewarded attendees with gift certificates.

Members certainly appreciated this generous gesture and they had the opportunity to meet with other key personnel including Shandra Mixey, Regional Portfolio Manager, and Mary Sanders, Community Manager at Covington Park. Kelly Richards, Account Executive at Criterion Brock, won the lunch raffle.

This 520-unit community, acquired

by ConAm in 2012, offers residents an impressive amenity package including a dog run, fitness center, sports courts

Margaritas and Mexican food featured at AMA Associate Member Council meeting and a three-acre community park. The resort style pools, large clubhouse and picnic areas create an oasis feel to the community located in the West Valley.

The annual Golf Lottery sold out in record time this year with members scooping up the hole sponsorships in less than 4 minutes. The 20th annual AMA/Cox Communications Par-Tee Golf Tournament will take place at the Starfire Golf course in October.

The AMC meeting concluded with the AMA President and CEO Tom Simplot providing an update on the Julie Hurst College Fund and the work of AMAPAC, the association’s advocacy political action community. With the legislative season beginning again in a few short months, and the recent city elections, the advocacy team at the AMA is looking forward to working on a number of key issues at the state and local levels.

Adam Greco is the commercial sales manager of Burns Pest Elimination. He can be reached at 602-971-4782 and adamg@ burnspestelimination.com. www.azmultihousing.org

INSURANCE NOTES

Safety Expo dates scheduled

C

opperPoint Mutual Insurance Company has set the dates for its annual Safety Works Expos, the day-long event of classes that brings together workplace safety professionals, vendors and workers.

The Safety Works Expos are designed for safety professionals, employers, workers and the people who are in charge of safety at their specific jobs. Conferences feature workplace safety information, safety products and services offered throughout the state, networking opportunities with other safety professionals and classes that focus on workplace safety issues for the specific region of the state.

Specific topics taught by respected safety leaders include everything from workplace accident investigations, defensive driving, fall protection, hazard communications and as well as workers’ compensation claims management and legal issues.

CopperPoint also schedules sessions that help

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human resources personnel to understand the managing of workers’ compensation insurance, as well as some basic business human resources principles.

The Safety Expos were introduced in 2003.

Each year nearly 500 people attend and learn from experts in their respective fields, including instructions from the Arizona Department of Occupational Safety & Health and some of CopperPoint’s own professional safety experts from its Loss Control Division.

CopperPoint believes the best return on workplace safety investment at any business is that workers are able to return home to their loved ones each day after work. Workplace-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities can have a devastating effect on families and a disastrous impact on the costs businesses must pay for workers’ compensation insurance.

The goals at each Safety Works Expo are to save lives, prevent workplace injuries and to build a culture of safety throughout Arizona.

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SAFETY EXPO

October 20 Desert Willow Conference Center, 4340 E. Cotton Center Blvd., Phoenix Registration will be available soon online at Copperpoint.com. To find out how your company can use CopperPoint, call Todd Bradford at 602377-2553, or e-mail him at tbradford@azama.org.

A conversation with Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner

Q &A

Q: How do you communicate your vision for the Fire Department and how do you ensure that the organization is aligned with your core values? As Fire Chief, I vow to support our firefighters and civilian staff in carrying out the department’s mission to provide rapid and professional service to our community on every emergency call.

I support our membership and keep them safe by providing them with the best training, equipment, and leadership.

My priority is to provide the highest level of fire and life safety protection to 1.5 million residents of the city of Phoenix.

In the beginning of 2015, my administration, in partnership with our United Phoenix Firefighters Local 493 worked together to create a three-year Strategic Plan. Together we crafted a comprehensive strategy to address the needs of our community and our department in the future. The Strategic Plan includes five key initiatives:

18

Critical Infrastructure As the sixth most populous city in the United States, Phoenix requires a significant emergency response infrastructure.

A large number of fire apparatus, fire stations, and firefighters are needed, as well as accompanying support services.

We have identified potential costs savings and opportunities for increased efficiency in order to maximize our available funding.

Succession Planning The Fire Department anticipates that a large number of knowledgeable and experienced employees will retire in the coming years. The Phoenix Fire Department must maintain a constant state of readiness. To do so requires staff who are able to perform the job duties necessary to keep the Fire Department operating at a high-level, while implementing operations efficiencies. We will continue to hire the most capable and qualified candidates as firefighters. In addition,

Apartment News > October/November 2015

we will use the experience and knowledge of our senior membership to develop our workforce.

Fire Prevention and Public Education The Fire Prevention Division works closely with design professionals, contractors, building owners, manages and event promoters to ensure compliance with the fire code and national safety standards. Fire Prevention and Public Education is the first step in the Fire Department’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of our residents, guest and neighboring communities.

Service Delivery The population density and expansive geographical boundaries of Phoenix present serious challenges for emergency response. Our minimum response time goal is to reach an emergency within 5 minutes of dispatch 90-percent of the time. A multi-faceted approach will be utilized to address the challenges www.azmultihousing.org

presented by dispatch and deployment in such a large service area.

Training The Phoenix Fire Department is responsible for a wide range of training in order to maintain and enhance our member’s knowledge and skills. Our members include Firefighters EMT’s/paramedics, hazardous materials response and technical rescue specialists, comPhoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner pany officers, command officers, fire investigators, inspectors, and public education specialists. This initiative Q: You’re the first woman to serve addresses the goals for successfully meetas the fire chief in Phoenix, and one ing training objectives while providing of the only women in the nation uninterrupted emergency service to our leading a fire department in a city community. of more than one million. Do you These key initiatives provide the Phoeencourage or mentor other women nix Fire Department with a path for the to consider a career in public future. Through unity, commitment, and service? innovation, we will continue to protect the I am a major supporter of any individual people and property of this great city. who shows interest in the fire service or

any type of public service. There is nothing more rewarding than helping people and making a difference in the community. My mother and maternal grandmother were both registered nurses and served as outstanding examples of what it means to have a career and family.

I grew up believing I could be anything and became a firefighter during an era when there were very few women in the fire service.

My career began with the help of a mentorship program that is still in place here in the Phoenix Fire Department. I was a Phoenix Fire Department cadet. This afforded me the opportunity to learn about the organization, firefighting, and what it means to be a professional. In the end the individual may not choose a career in firefighting but he or she learns about building resources, trust, integrity, discipline and motivation.

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ON THE SCENE RECENT AMA EVENTS Most Rocking Costumes: Best Team: Mark-Taylor Residential & United Asset Services Best Male: Terry Bridges, Valley Wide Security Best Female: Colleen Brown, BG Staffing

AMA rocked Mesa with Annual Bowl-A-Thon Highly skilled Experienced Putting the law on your side

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It

was a Rock of Ages in more ways than one. AMA members took the theme to a new level and raised a record breaking amount of money for Big Hearts. Moving the AMA’s annual Bowl-a-thon to Mesa Brunswick lanes turned out to be a great move; the venue was a hit with all attendees.

Special thanks to the sponsors and to the Big Hearts Committee.

FOCUS ON TUCSON IN A LAND NOT SO FAR AWAY Congratulations to the night’s winners: Deano Casteneda (Mission Sierra, Quarterpenny) and Dane Franderson (ATI).

Shooting the breeze Networking in Tucson has never been more fun or more competitive. Nearly 100 members gathered at Click’s Billiards for a night of shooting pool with the AMA. Special thanks to the event’s sponsors: Apartment Finder, ATI Restoration, AZ Partsmaster, Century Link, Coinmach/MacGray, Distinctive Carpet, For Rent, FSI Construction, Redi Carpet, Rentpath, Silverado Rooter & Plumbing, Sunland Asphalt and Tucson Appliance.

Special thanks to chairs Lisa Rosenfeld (HSL) and Sue Campbell (Redi Carpet) with Chris Edwards (Tucson Appliance).

Tucson’s dedicated AMA members and the Big Hearts Committee raised more than $3,000 at their Gaslight Fundraiser.

The Space Wars themed evening was highlighted by a spoof on Chris Edwards from Tucson Appliance “Saving the Princess is Our Priority!” Thanks to event sponsors including: Apartment Guide, Law Offices of Scott M. Clark, P.C., Apartments.com, Apartment Finder, Tucson Appliance, For Rent, Mohawk Industries, Redi Carpet, and Sunland Asphalt.

WE TURNED 59% OF OUR CLIENTS’ JUDGMENTS INTO MONEY WITHIN FIVE YEARS* *Past results no guarantee of future collections. All accounts are different.

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EVENTS & EDUCATION

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AZMULTIHOUSING.ORG

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES Committed to Excellent Customer Service

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ASK ABOUT OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SEMINARS ON • FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING TRAINING • THE LEASING ADVANTAGE

AJ Employment Services is exclusive to the property management industry allowing us to provide quality staffing which matches your specific needs. We invite you to utilize our services as your resource center and experience the AJ Employment Services difference.

• TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

8 NALP – National Apartment Leasing Professional 9 Perspectives & Projections Conference 22 NALP – National Apartment Leasing Professional 23 AMA/Cox Communications Phoenix Golf Tournament

5

15 Tucson Dinner Meeting at Tucson Marriot University Park 29 3rd Annual Tucson Fall Family Festival and Chili Cook off at Redi Carpet

NOVEMBER 12 Tucson Maintenance Mania at The Doubletree Reid Park 13 Big Hearts Closing Party at O’Malley’s on 4th

We are an insured, bonded and licensed

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ALP - National N Apartment Leasing Professional 17 Landlord Tenant Seminar 19 Phoenix Maintenance Mania

Oct. 29 Chili cook off

21 El Tour de Tucson, Ride with AMCF benefiting Our Family Services

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CORPORATE ANSWER

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

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• Courtesy Patrol/Security Patrol • Unarmed and Armed Guards • Crime Suppression Service • K-9 Patrol Service • Off-Duty Police Officers

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO BECOME A PATRON MEMBER OF AMA, PLEASE CONTACT JAMES TUNNELL 602-296-6212 OR JTUNNELL@AZMULTIHOUSING.ORG