My favorite new city!

December 13th, 2010

Chattanooga.

I love it there.  I wish every major downtown area would take lessons from Chattanooga and mimic it.  What a refreshing place to be.  I imagine that being a property manager there has the same problems as any other big city, but what a beautiful view to have while going through them! 

Whether you want to eat good barbeque, mexican, italian or plain ole American; whether you want to go to the Aquarium, the Discovery Center, the movie, or just a walk downtown…this is the place to do it.  The free trolley can’t be beat.  And just a hop, skip, and a jump to mountain scenery and getaways. 

I wonder whether the locals get tired of the tourists?  Maybe, but you’d never it know it by talking to them.

The people are friendly, the city is clean, and the views are beautiful.  Maybe I’ll have a chance to retire there…but in the meantime, I think I will make it a point to visit more often.

Happy Trails!

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Don’t let a review get you down!

December 10th, 2010

I talked with a manager today about a recent management review (MOR) at her community.  She is one of those few managers who really care about her community, give 100%, and actually gets it right most of the time.  Even though she is out in the middle of nowhere and has struggled with being isolated from other managers and the company in general, she follows policy and strives for perfection. 

Her reaction to the results of her management review really shouldn’t have surprised me.  There were two findings related directly to her files…those items that she actually has control over.  The rest were problems with policies, procedures, forms, etc.  In other words, part of her job that she can’t do anything about.  The “satisfactory” she received was, in her words, “devestating.”  Being told by anyone that the hard work you put into your community every day is “just ok” is hard to hear, but those words coming from the people that oversee said community is disheartening to say the least.

So, hats off to all of you managers out there who give 100% all of the time and never get told thank you.  Great job to those of you who stay late and get there early not to get ahead, but just to keep everything in order.  Kudos to everyone who does this job for more than a reward (good thing since there really are none).  We appreciate you.  Don’t let anyone tell you that you are “just ok” – what you do is hard and none of use would be here without you.

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Budgets…

December 8th, 2010

This is the time of year when we are working on and submitted 2011 budgets for approval.  If I have learned anything in my almost twenty years in property management it is to submit a budget that is as completely realistic as possible.  Meeting the goals as defined in your budget is something that should be considered a requirement for all of us.  It is very important that the budgets we submit accurately reflect the income and expenses that we can and will generate in the coming year.  It is never a good idea to submit a budget that “low-balls” expenses as you will likely be over and have to provide an explanation every single month.  Similarly,  it is just as frustrating to submit a budget that reflects high numbers so that you are significantly underbudget every month. 

The key is to be realistic, do your homework, be prepared for what you konw is going to happen, spend time reasonably considering what might happen and plan for it.  Do your best to portray things as they really are, not the way people want them to be or “need” them to be. 

By doing this, you are doing yourself and your owners a favor.  Attainable goals that are actually met are much more gratifying then never knowing where you stand one month to the next!

Enjoy your budgeting!

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Travel…

December 7th, 2010

If you are in property management, you have to know that travel is part of the job!  There are days that I love to travel, that it is so fun to meet new people and fly to different places.  And, then there are days like today.  Four different airports in five hours…cramped airline seats…long waits…driving in the dark in a town that you don’t know and eating dinner all alone.  Why do we do it?

I think that property management is just in your blood.  You either love it or hate it.  No one grows up and dreams of being a “property manager,” but once you’ve had a test of it, it is hard to leave.  No two days are the same.  And while it is exhausting and the travel can really wear me out, I have found that I enjoy seeing the faces of people that I can help.  I enjoy helping others…teaching and learning from them. 

So hang in there weary travelers…and when you get down and out, remember why you started this job in the first place – or remember why you are one of the ones that love it!

Happy trails!

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Student Household Members

December 4th, 2010

It is just so hard to believe that we are already in December.  It seems like every year time just moves faster and faster.  This is an important time of year for the obvious reasons, but it also gives everyone time to clean up our offices and get ready for the coming up year.  This is a great season for organizing and preparing.  Hopefully we all have a little time this month to take advantage of the upcoming year end.

While it may seem that I am just rambling on about nothing at all important, I do have one tidbit to pass on.  I had a question that came up last week that I thought would share with you.

 “I have a family who has a full-time student living at the dorms; does he count as a family member and does his income count.”

Yes.  College students have been defined by the handbook as members of the household so this student should be counted on the 50059.  Remember that only $480 of wage income from full-time students is counted on the 50059.  This is only if you have documentation of full-time student status and only for income from wages.  All benefit income (like child support and/or social security) still counts on the certification.

Hope that gives everyone to think about this Friday evening, because I’m sure you have nothing better to do than read a blog about affordable housing! 

Happy weekend.

Posted in File Review, Section 8 | No Comments »

CCR Registration and other musings…

December 2nd, 2010

I have had several days off and have not posted like I should!  I started wondering if anyone was even reading this so what was the point of posting everyday anyway?  After giving that some thought, I realized that I am writing as much for you all as I am for me, so it is ok if I take a few days off and it is probably just as OK if no one ever reads this information!

The lastest information that HUD has circulated is that all communities that are receiving HAP contract payments are required to be set up with a DUNS number and through CCR.  This is not particularly difficult, but it is time consuming – especially if you have a large number of communities!  I’m sure that this is just another way to streamline the payment process, but it sure seems like HUD has given us a lot of hoops to jump through lately.  If you aren’t sure how to complete this registration, you can certanily post here and I can help you through it.  It is not hard, but you’ll need to have some specific information close by to make registration a little easier.

 I have had some good questions come up lately as well, but I’ll save those for another day.  I’d hate to run out of things to say.  (For those of you who know me, you know that is highly unlikely!)

Toodles.

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Helpful File Review Hints

November 20th, 2010

I just finished up another file review for a community that is about to have an MOR and thought I would share some findings for the benefit of everyone.  This is a very basic list of some common findings from the files I looked at.

  • Don’t forget to look at your lease when preparing for an MOR – the most common errors are:  wrong lease dates, no signature, and incorrect recertification month in paragraph 15
  • Checking accounts use average 6 month balance and savings accounts use the current balance
  • All annual since June 2010 and all Interims since August 2010 MUST have EIV
  • All moves in should have an EIV Existing Tenant Search
  • Don’t forget that any addendum must have HUD approval or you can’t have it in the resident file
  • Make sure the application is thoroughly reviewed – more errors happen because something is not verified that was originally listed on the application

Having a successful MOR is a matter of reviewing your files on a regular basis.  You should not wait until you are notified of an MOR…before a file is put away every piece of paper in it should be reviewed to make sure you aren’t missing anything.

Take a few minutes every day to check a few files and before you know it you’ll be caught up.  It will save you heartache in the long run.

Good luck!

Posted in File Review, HUD Info, Section 8 | No Comments »

Bed Bugs…

November 18th, 2010

I found a great resource for everything related to bed bugs…everyone hates these little “suckers” but unfortunately they seem to be here to stay.

This website gives you good background and detailed information on how you get rid of bed bugs and ways to work with your residents.  If you aren’t a member of NAA…join today to get valuable information like this on a regular basis.

 Mind the itch…

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Frustrating REAC Experience

November 18th, 2010

There are very few things in the life of a property manager more frustrating than the day REAC comes to visit.  In theory, the idea of REAC is a noble one.  Ensure that all affordable landlords that are getting money from HUD are maintaining decent, safe, and sanitary housing.  The devil is in the details.  Each inspector has his or her own quirks and interpretation.  Each community has its own set of problems and each manager has his or her own approach.  From experience, the best way to be prepared for a REAC inspection is to be inspect units on a regular basis and keep up with a preventative maintenance plan.  DELAY DOESN’T WORK.  There’s just no way around it.

 However, I can tell you one thing that is even more frustrating than an actual REAC experience and that is a manager’s lack of response to the deficiencies.  These inspections have to be taken seriously and have to be mitigated as quickly as possible.  Even if you don’t agree.  Even if you think they are absolutely ridiculous.  There is no way around it.  And there is nothing worse for a supervisor than when community personnel just don’t get it.

Let me give you some recommendations on what NOT to do:

 DON’T tell me the work has been completed when in fact it has not.

DON’T rely on service technicians to tell YOU whether or not the work has been completed.

DON’T bandaid a job that clearly needs stitches…bite the bullet and just get the work done.

DON’T expect the residents to lie…they WILL tell me whether or not you have been there to make repairs.

Bottom line…affordable housing means REAC inspections.  They aren’t going anywhere.  Pay attention and get it write the first time rather than having to deal with a low score or even a failed score.   Go out there and inspect some units today!

Posted in HUD Info, REAC, Section 8 | No Comments »

SAHMA President Suffers Great Loss

November 17th, 2010

I don’t plan on using this blog as a personal platform, but I did want to express my sympathy in the loss of a friend.  Angie Waller is the President of SAHMA and a good friend.  Last weekend she lost her husband in a tragic car accident.  My heart goes out to her and her children as they deal with this loss.

It is always hard to lose a loved one, but this close to Thanksgiving and this unexpectedly makes it that much more difficult.  When I found out about Rick, it was like a slap on a cold winter morning…it stung.  While it was hard for me to hear, I recognize that it is not a loss that I will have to feel everyday or deal with every morning when I wake up.  We often feel losses intensenly for a day or two and then, as time marches on and we go about this business called life, we tend to forget.  Angie won’t ever be able to forget and her life will never be the same.

I encourage everyone this Thanksgiving season to be consciously mindful of what you have…what you could lose…and maybe even what you have lost and be oh so thankful for the air that you breathe every day.  It is a shame that we have to have a day set aside to remind us to be thankful, but life is made up of seconds and minutes that don’t stop ticking no matter how much we yell and scream at the clock. 

 Today, tonight, tomorrow…look around you slowly and take one of those minutes to just say thanks.

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