Community Updates

By David M. Weber & M. Christine Weber We all know it is far easier to maintain a resident than find one who will fill a vacant space within a community. This is particularly true in 55+ communities. To be great at resident retention, managers need to believe strongly in the lifestyle that has…

Current Oregon law (adopted in 1989) already requires manufactured home park landlords/owners to notify park residents prior to a sale to another owner and to negotiate a possible sale to the residents. ORS 90.760, 90.800 to 90.840. Unfortunately, both landlord and tenant advocates recognize that…

By Jo Becker, Education/Outreach Specialist, Fair Housing Council Serving Oregon and SW WashingtonI recently read an article on screening by a representative of a NW property management firm. In it was included the company's screening requirements, as well as what was apparently their stock…

An owner of a mobile home park allows RVs to stay in spaces within his mobile home park. He has them sign an RV nonresident agreement which states that they are not residents and they sign a set of rules and regulations that are different from what the mobile home residents sign. Over the weekend…

By Jo Becker, Education/Outreach Specialist, Fair Housing Council Serving Oregon and SW WashingtonIn May 2013, Connecticut complainants were awarded over $76K (before attorneys' fees) by the courts in The U.S.A v. Hylton. This is a rental case but the ruling holds several important legal lessons…

By Troy Brost Owner SongBrook MHC, Eugene, Past President and Legislative Chair of Manufactured Housing Communities of Oregon The title of this Community Update should have caught your attention. It is not a gimmick, I have done it myself. Adam Cook's MHCO Community Update article, "Can You Afford…

By Adam Cook, President of Commonwealth Real Estate Services Part 1 of 2 For better than two decades, one of the most significant and unpredictable factors influencing the bottom line of multifamily housing properties has been rising utility costs. This doesn't cause quite as much heartburn for…

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By: Rachelle Menaker is a partner with Hart, King & Coldren's transactional practice group. I. INTRODUCTION: OVERVIEW OF CURRENT LENDING CLIMATE FOR MHP'S Everyone knows that interest rates in re- cent years - in the wake of the financial melt- down that occurred in the mid-2008 to mid-2009…

Form 1099 and Protecting Your Investment Article provided by Kathleen Landau, Accounting Manager for Commonwealth Real Estate Services since 2009. Kathleen brings over 20 years of accounting experience and knowledge to the Commonwealth team, and as a multi-site property owner herself, understands…