Continuing education for your employees is one of the most cost effective and morale boosting activities you can provide for them.  Additional training can also be your best defense if you are named in a lawsuit.  We cannot afford to not provide education for our managers.  

By Angel Rogers, ARM, CCRM – 

                and Presenter at the MHCO Conference.

I am quite certain that I am not the only one who thinks that our industry is changing and evolving at a rapid pace.  Most change is good and supports the basic premise of housing people in a decent environment. Other changes make us out to be the bad guys who sit in our offices gleefully counting our money while preparing eviction notices.   The politics and social media exposure have created confusion for both residents and owners.  How do we continue to provide habitable homes with amazing customer care?  How do we keep up with all the laws and trends? We need to start from within our own organizations. How? By attending the MHCO Annual Conference on October 28th and 29th for a full schedule of learning opportunities.

Continuing education for your employees is one of the most cost effective and morale boosting activities you can provide for them.  Additional training can also be your best defense if you are named in a lawsuit.  For example,  there are no specific sexual harassment training requirements for the state of Oregon.  However, we still recommend sexual harassment training for your Oregon employees. In the wake of the “Me Too ”movement,  numerous states now have mandated harassment training.   We have the added responsibility of complying with the Fair Housing Act.  Keep in mind that Fair Housing bans housing discrimination based on sex.  While the basic rules prevent you from giving preferential treatment to either men or women because of  their gender, the law has evolved to outlaw a broad range of discriminatory practices based on sex. Among them is sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination which can cost thousands – and in some cases millions- in settlements or court awards, penalties attorney’s fees, not to mention the lasting damage to the reputation of the community, ownership, and management. 

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability.  The FHA does not define “sex” but the law coves sex in two ways. The first is the most basic: male vs. female.  In general, it means that you could face a sex discrimination claim for showing a preference for  - or against- either me or women because of their sex. The other, less obvious is about behaviors regarding gender. For example, you could face a sex discrimination claim for rejecting applicants whose behavior doesn’t conform to traditional sex-based stereotypes about how they are supposed to act. And, the FHA’s ban on sex discrimination may apply to some claims for discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  

This topic is extremely important and relevant to housing professionals as this does not simply apply to employment relationships.  There is an increased national awareness of sexual harassment and there is a significant exposure in rental housing.  Housing providers have a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment.  MHCO is offering a 2-hour session at the Annual Conference on Tuesday the 29th.  We will cover the FHA and the Protected Class of Sex, Define Harassment, Understanding our Unique Customer Relationships, and The Five Major Rules to Follow.

As I stated before, we need to stay ahead of the curve by starting from within our own organizations. We cannot afford to not provide education for our managers.  For example, have you received a complaint from a resident that your manager is rude, demeaning, or uncaring?  Or, have you heard from your managers that the residents are difficult, rude, or demanding?  Or, what about your behavior? All these scenarios may be true, but let’s not forget that at the end of the day, we are expected to act professionally.  Conflict is a part of management.  Conflict is not a bad thing; in fact, it can be a truly positive tool in your professional toolkit if you let it. By taking hard conversations, feedback, and discomfort and transforming it with mediation and compassion you can grow in ways you never imagined. Most people don't like conflict and those who do like it are often overly combative. But what if you could face conflict without fear or aggression?   As leaders we cannot avoid conflict all together, it is a natural part of life and business. Join us on Tuesday the 29th for this informative session.  This session will go hand in hand with “Managing the Managers” on the 28th. 

Speaking of managing managers, how many of you are working with a multigenerational work force? Have you ever rolled your eyes while muttering the word “millennial”, or “boomer” under your breath? Are you perplexed why people of ages other than yours simply do not understand you? You are not alone! Understanding differences between the generations is fundamental in building a successful multigenerational workplace. Each generation has particular experiences that have molded their beliefs, expectations, and work style.  Since good business is based on understanding others, it may be time to be open and  embrace our differences. Join us on Monday for an hour of fast-paced and humorous examples of how we can all just get along!  

I will forever be an advocate for continuous education for our industry.  I  am proud to be a part of the MHCO Annual Conference as this gathering of industry professionals offers opportunities to further our knowledge, network, and make a positive impact in the communities we serve. See you on the 28th! 

HUD recently announced that it’s charging a couple who owns an apartment building in Georgia with violating fair housing law by refusing to rent to, imposing different rental terms and conditions on, and making discriminatory statements about families with children.

By Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Rent increases will be capped at 9.9% through 2020, the first full year Oregon’s new rent control law will be in effect, state economists announced Wednesday.

The Oregon Legislature this year passed Senate Bill 608, which imposed the nation’s first statewide rent control policy. The law caps rent increases at 7% plus the rate of inflation for the urban West. For 2019, that number came to 10.3%. 

Not all rentals are subject to the policy. The rent cap doesn’t apply to buildings that are less than 15 years old — an attempt to avoid a damper on housing construction — nor to government-subsidized rents. Landlords may raise rent without any cap if tenants leave of their own accord. 

Typical rents across Oregon are rising at a far slower rate than what’s allowed under the cap. 

But lawmakers who supported the policy said it would avert the biggest rent hikes that functioned as de facto evictions. Such increases, in which rents sometimes doubled or more, grabbed headlines in recent years, frequently after apartment buildings were sold to a new owner. 

The new law also requires most landlords to cite a cause, such as failure to pay rent or other lease violation, when evicting renters after the first year of tenancy.

Some “landlord-based” for-cause evictions are allowed, including the landlord moving in or a major renovation. In those cases, landlords are required to provide 90 days’ notice and pay one month’s rent to the tenant, though landlords with four or fewer units would be exempt from the payment.

-- Elliot Njus

Question:  I gave a 5% rent increase in June 2019.  Can I do another rent increase again in September 2019?  If I can, how much more can I give?  If I did not give any rent increases in 2019 can I still do those increases in 2020 plus what I what is allowed in 2020?  Are rent increases based on calendar year? 

By:   Erik Edwards, Director, Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital
             Erik.Edwards@wellsfargo.com
 

So much has transpired in recent weeks that it has been enough to give both lenders and borrowers whiplash. Back in June and July, the lending and financial markets were stable. The 10-year Treasury yield appeared to have bottomed out in the low 2.0% range (down significantly from the 3.24% high in November 2018) and interest rate loan spreads held steady, resulting in attractive and predictable all-in interest rates. Many borrowers decided it was a good time to refinance, and lending activity picked up steam. But from early August through mid-September, several unpredictable developments took place, a few of which will likely impact residential and commercial real estate lending for years to come.

Click the PDF above the title for the complete article. 

For More Information:  Tony Petosa, Nick Bertino, and Erik Edwards of Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital specialize in providing financing for MHCs through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, conduit, and balance sheet lending programs. For more information or for a copy of their ”Manufactured Home Community Financing Handbook,” please contact: Tony at (760) 438-2153 or tpetosa@wellsfargo.com; Nick at (760)438-2692 or nick.bertino@wellsfargo.com; Erik at (760) 918-2875 or erik.edwards@wellsfargo.com; or visitwww.wellsfargo.com/mhc.

Website: wellsfargo.com/mhc

Last in a series of articles on disaster preparedness  and how to safeguard your community, save lives and minimize damage.

When manufactured home community residents return to their homes after a disaster, they must be careful to go about it in a safe way.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends the following checklist:

BEFORE RETURNING TO YOUR HOME …

Walk around the house and look for obvious damage., loose electric lines, gas leaks and flooding.  If there is water around or in the home or if you have any doubts about whether it’s safe to enter, don’t go in.  Wait for a professional to inspect the house.

Use a battery-powered flashlight; don’t use lanterns, matches, candles, torches or other open flames that could ignite leaking gases.  For the same reason, don’t smoke.

Don’t turn on appliances, lights or other household equipment until you’re sure they are safe to use.

Watch out for animals, especially snakes.  Wear heavy boots and gloves if you are sorting through debris.

Check for gas leaks at the meter and at each piece of equipment.  If you hear a hissing sound or if you smell gas, leave the area immediately and call the gas company from another phone.  Don’t try to turn the gas back on yourself – have a trained technician from your gas company check your equipment and your pipes before the gas is turned back on.

Check the electric system.  If you see sparks or loose wire, or if you smell anything smoky, turn off the electricity at the main fuse or circuit box, even if the power is off in your neighborhood.  If there is water in the house, don’t touch anything electrical – leave the house and call for help.

Check appliances and heating systems.  If they are wet, turn off the power and unplug them.  Have a professional check them before you use them.

Check the water and sewer systems.  If pipes are leaking or cracked, turn off the main water supply valve.  Make sure that the water is safe before using any for drinking or cooking.

Clean up spills that could be dangerous, such as bleach or gasoline.

Be careful when opening cupboards – items may have shifted and could fall when the doors are opened.

Look for family valuables like jewelry and photos, and take steps to protect them from further damage.

Clean and disinfect everything that got wet.

Throw out any food that may be spoiled or damaged by water or loss of refrigeration.

Call your insurance agent.  Take pictures of the damage, and keep good records of your repair and cleaning expenses.

Question.  We have just begun managing a 55+ community. However, we are confused about the 80/20 rules and the possibility of losing our 55+ status. What is a safe margin for occupancy limits?  And if our community percentage is 85%, are we required to rent the 15% remainder to families with children?