Home Blog Page 46

Green Retrofits for Cost Savings and Resiliency

By
By The Editors
-
Funds can be used to offset project costs to the extent that a holistic green retrofit requires little to no investment from the owner
IRA and BIL funds can be used to offset project costs to the extent that a holistic green retrofit requires little to no investment from the owner.

Ryan Kristoff

The landscape for green technology is changing. Awareness of highly efficient electric heat pumps has been growing, and heat pump systems have now outsold gas furnaces for two years in a row. We’re witnessing new innovations in solar and storage. And government agencies continue to roll out funds—for weatherization, beneficial electrification, energy storage, etc.—from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In addition to improving efficiency and cutting costs, these solutions can increase resilience and stability in the face of extreme temperatures and natural disasters.

IRA and BIL funds can be used to offset project costs to the extent that a holistic green retrofit requires little to no investment from the owner. Some of the new funding is already in circulation, but there is still an opportunity to influence the funds that have yet to be released because the administering agencies are still developing their plans and designing their programs. One consistent pain point for program administrators and service providers is coordinating various funding sources to effectively serve multifamily properties. While there is a great deal of potential and value in this activity, it has historically been hindered by barriers such as:

  • There are different requirements attached to various funding sources, which can be very burdensome for service providers attempting to coordinate funds while ensuring compliance.
  • Currently, there is insufficient collaboration within and between agencies, utility companies, etc. to improve the guidance that is available for leveraging multiple financial resources.
  • Financing institutions that can provide energy financing are too often overlooked partners in the design of projects and programs, even though their networks, existing project pipelines, and/or expertise can be crucial to project execution.

The multifamily community needs to push for increased collaboration, and for programs to leverage the expertise of multifamily specialists. For those that are unsure how to begin, ICAST has created a dedicated webpage that can serve as a starting point for advocacy efforts.

About the author:

Ryan Kristoff is the Vice President of Grant Programs at ICAST, a national nonprofit that designs holistic retrofit solutions for multifamily affordable housing (MFAH). He works with local government, utility, state, and federal partners to create and launch MFAH-focused clean energy programs.

Attracting Federal Investment to Multifamily Housing

Race Against Time: Seizing an Unprecedented Opportunity for Affordable Housing

Planning for Funding Opportunities Through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Accessing Solar for Multifamily Affordable Housing

Accessing Utah’s Home Energy Rebate Programs

SMI Property Management Merges with JPM Real Estate Services Willamette

By
By The Editors
-
The valley-based SMI Property Management firm has expanded services to the Greater Portland area, according to a release.

The valley-based SMI Property Management firm has expanded services to the Greater Portland area, according to a release.

Portland-based JPM Real Estate Services has joined Willamette Valley-based, SMI Property Management.

“The friendly merger means that SMI will expand its industry-leading services into the greater Portland area, while maintaining all staff and properties served by JPM.

“We are excited about this new opportunity to provide property owners with our wide-range of management services and to help renters find fair-priced, accessible housing in the greater Portland area,” said Gabe Johansen, President and CEO of SMI Property Management. “We have served Salem and the Willamette Valley for 48 years and are honored to bring our customer-centered services to the diverse communities in greater Portland metro.”

“SMI is poised to expand its first-class level of client care to Portland and the surrounding communities in the first quarter of 2024. The merger brings more than 2,100 units into SMI’s management portfolio. SMI will now manage more than 5,400 multifamily units from Corvallis and Albany through Salem and Keizer up to Portland, Tigard, Beaverton, Gladstone, Canby, and communities in between. SMI also manages approximately 50 commercial office and retail properties in the mid-Willamette Valley.

“One of the keys to success to this growth strategy is adding JPM’s 60 relationship-focused professionals to the SMI team,” said Johansen. “For 20 years, JPM consistently met the needs of their clients by providing accountable and personalized service. I respect their customer-centered approach and am thrilled to have them join SMI,” according to the release.

With the merger with JPM Real Estate Services and their 60 employees, SMI Property Management will now provide jobs and benefits to approximately 160 employees. These jobs are a mix of highly trained portfolio managers, apartment community managers, and skilled maintenance teams.

“Throughout SMI’s 48-year history, it has provided a full-range of management services to property owners – tenant placement, property inspections, regular property maintenance, 24-hour emergency services, rent collection, marketing of vacancies, and financial reporting. SMI collaborates with property owners to prioritize fair pricing, accessibility and equity for current renters and business owners.

“For renters, SMI Property Management works with people who are seeking housing to find a home that matches their location, size, and budget requirements. Upon request, SMI managers collaborate with large employers, government housing authorities, and community services to identify appropriate housing,” according to the release

Visit SMI Property Management to learn more about SMI’s tenant-based and owner-based services or to see a list of vacancies and resources for renters.

The valley-based SMI Property Management firm has expanded services to the Greater Portland area, according to a release.

Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter And Get Rental Property And Apartment News And Helpful, Useful Content Each Week.

* indicates required

Salt Lake City Rents Up Slightly In February

By
By The Editors
-
The median rent in Salt Lake City rose by 0.3% over the course of February 2024, according to the March report from Apartment List.

The median rent in Salt Lake City rose by 0.3% over the course of February, according to the March report from Apartment List.

Currently, the overall median rent in the city stands at $1,324, roughly the same as last month. Prices remain down 1.1% year-over-year.

Rent growth in 2024 pacing similar last year

Two months into the year, rents in the city have risen 0.3%. This is a similar rate of growth compared to what the city was experiencing at this point last year: from January to February 2023 rents had increased 0.5%.

The median rent in Salt Lake City rose by 0.3% over the course of February 2024, according to the March report from Apartment List.

Rents are 11.2% lower in city than the metro-wide median

Across the metro area, the median rent is $1,491 meaning that the median price in Salt Lake City proper ($1,324) is 11.2% lower than the price across the metro as a whole. Metro-wide annual rent growth stands at -2.4%, below the rate of rent growth within just the city.

The table below shows the latest rent stats for 8 cities in the metro area that are included in our database. Among them, Draper is currently the most expensive, with a median rent of $1,887. Salt Lake City is the metro’s most affordable city, with a median rent of $1,324. The metro’s fastest annual rent growth is occurring in West Valley City (0.6%) while the slowest is in Murray (-5.1%).

The median rent in Salt Lake City rose by 0.3% over the course of February 2024, according to the March report from Apartment List.

Salt Lake City Rents Up In January

Salt Lake City Rents Dip In December

Rent Prices Up In February After Six Months Of Declines

By
John Triplett
-
National rent prices finally moved up slightly in February after six months of declines, according to the March report from Apartment List.

National rent prices finally moved up slightly in February after six months of declines, according to the March report from Apartment List.

“This turnaround is in line with the rental market’s typical seasonal pattern, as we transition into the time of year when moving activity starts to gradually pick back up after bottoming out around the holidays,” the  Apartment List Research Team writes in the report.

Rent prices ticked up 0.2 percent in February and currently the nationwide median rent stands at $1,377.

Rent inflation is receding

The Apartment List report says the rental market slowdown in gradually showing up in inflation numbers and has been visible in their reports over the past few months.

While the apartment rental market has cooled and apartments are generally less expensive than a year ago, the national median rent is still more than $200 per month higher than it was just three years ago which has contributed to inflation numbers.

National rent prices finally moved up slightly in February after six months of declines, according to the March report from Apartment List.

The Wall Street Journal reports in an article that rent costs have been driving inflation numbers for months in official federal data. Prices in other areas may be responding to the Federal Reserve interest rate increases but rent costs are not.

“So, it’s been a bit of a mystery to economists why rent hasn’t followed suit. That’s especially because almost every data source, except the consumer price index kept by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that those costs actually are cooling significantly — or even falling — since growth peaked early last year,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Part of the problem with measuring rents and inflation the way the government tracks data is that a rental unit is only captured in the government surveys every six months, even if the rent changed during that period. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks rents for all tenants, not just those starting new leases — people staying put for a year or more might not see their costs change as rapidly.

But economists and others are not sure why the difference remains so pronounced month after month.

“We’re watching a big mountain of snow melt, and every 10 minutes, we look and there’s still a big pile of snow,” said Igor Popov, chief economist at Apartment List told the Washington Post. “We’re just watching it so carefully it doesn’t feel like we’re seeing much progress.”

National rent prices finally moved up slightly in February after six months of declines, according to the March report from Apartment List.

Vacancy continues rising

“On the supply side of the market, our national vacancy index continues trending up and stands today at 6.6 percent. And with this year expected to bring the most new apartment completions in decades, we expect that there will continue to be an abundance of vacant units on the market in the year ahead,” the report says.

National rent prices finally moved up slightly in February after six months of declines, according to the March report from Apartment List.

What Lies Ahead?

“Historical seasonal patterns suggest that rents will continue trending up for the coming months, but we expect future rent increases to be moderated by a robust construction pipeline delivering new units throughout the year.

“With consumer sentiment about broader macroeconomic conditions beginning to improve, it’s possible that rental demand will also rebound in the year ahead, but likely not to an extent that would outweigh the impact of all the coming supply,” the report says.

Read the full March report from Apartment List here.

Arizona Sues RealPage and Landlords For Price-Fixing

By
John Triplett
-
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a lawsuit against RealPage, Inc. and nine major residential apartment landlords operating in Arizona for price-fixing and conspiring to illegally raise rents for hundreds of thousands of Arizona renters in the Phoenix and Tucson metro area
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, above, sued RealPage and nine apartment landlords for price-fixing and conspiring to illegally raise rents.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a lawsuit against RealPage, Inc. and nine major residential apartment landlords operating in Arizona for price-fixing and conspiring to illegally raise rents for hundreds of thousands of Arizona renters in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, according to a release.

RealPage is a software company that offers what it calls “revenue management” to its clients, including those named as its co-defendants in this lawsuit.

“The conspiracy allegedly engaged in by RealPage and these landlords has harmed Arizonans and directly contributed to Arizona’s affordable-housing crisis,” Mayes said in the release.

“In the last two years, residential rents in Phoenix and Tucson have risen by at least 30% in large part because of this conspiracy that stifled fair competition and essentially established a rental monopoly in our state’s two largest metro areas,” Mayes said. “RealPage and its co-defendants must be held accountable for their role in the astronomical rent increases forced on Arizonans.”

RealPage used its revenue management algorithm to illegally set prices for all participants,” the Arizona Attorney General’s office told Azfamily.com. Specifically, the state alleges that the defendants “conspired to enrich themselves during a period when inflation was at historic highs and Arizona renters struggled to keep up with massive rent increases.”

Price-fixing training alleged

Mayes alleged RealPage provided training to the landlords and instructed them not to mention RealPage or pricing algorithms when explaining rent increases to tenants. Instead, she claims leasing companies were taught by RealPage to lie and to say that units were “individual” and “concessions” were built into the price. In reality, prices were set by RealPage in Phoenix and Tucson.

“RealPage and their co-conspirators concealed this illegal price-fixing scheme from potential renters,” Mayes said.

The attorney general also said RealPage used what they called “revenue management software,” where they compiled competitively sensitive data on unit pricing and occupancy provided by the nine defendant competitors.

“They were not competing at all. They were colluding with one another. Using this sensitive data,  RealPage directed the competitors which units to rent, when to rent them and at what price. This was not a fair market at work, this was a fixed market,” she said.

The attorney general’s lawsuit specifically alleges that:

  • The defendant landlords illegally colluded with RealPage to artificially raise rents and concealed their conspiracy from the public. By providing highly detailed, sensitive, non-public leasing data with RealPage, the defendant landlords departed from normal competitive behavior and engaged in a price-fixing conspiracy. RealPage then used its revenue management algorithm to illegally set prices for all participants.
  • RealPage’s conspiracy with the landlord co-defendants violates both the Arizona Uniform State Antitrust Act and the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act. Arizona’s antitrust law prohibits conspiracies in restraint of trade and attempts to establish monopolies to control or fix prices. The State’s consumer-fraud statute makes it unlawful for companies to engage in deceptive or unfair acts or practices or to conceal or suppress material facts in connection with a sale, in this case apartment leases.
  • The illegal practices of the defendants led to artificially inflated rental prices and caused Phoenix and Tucson-area residents to pay millions of dollars more in rent.  Defendants conspired to enrich themselves during a period when inflation was at historic highs and Arizona renters struggled to keep up with massive rent increases.

The landlords named in the lawsuit are: Apartment Management Consultants, L.L.C., Avenue5 Residential, L.L.C., BH Management Services, L.L.C., Camden Property Trust, Crow Holdings, L.P./Trammell Crow Residential, Greystar Management Services, L.P., HSL Properties, Inc., RPM Living, L.L.C., and Weidner Property Management, L.L.C.

One of the companies named in the lawsuit, Apartment Management Consultants, is denying these claims. They say of the 85 properties they own in Arizona, only one uses the software, according to Azfamily.com.

State officials say such pricing methods violate the Arizona Uniform State Antitrust Act and the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act. The law states that entities cannot establish monopolies to control or fix prices. In 2023, ProPublica revealed that the RealPage software used algorithms to maximize profits, which experts stated could violate antitrust laws.

After the ProPublica report the  Department of Justice filed a statement in support of tenants. “Algorithms are the new frontier,” federal prosecutors said in their filing. “And, given the amount of information an algorithm can access and digest, this new frontier poses an even greater anticompetitive threat than the last.”

RealPage has said it “strongly denies the allegations and will vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter And Get Rental Property And Apartment News And Helpful, Useful Information Each Week.

* indicates required

FCC Proposes Ban on Exclusive Broadband Deals in Apartments

By
John Triplett
-
The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to ban exclusive apartment broadband deals which force tenants to use only one provider
The FCC proposes a ban on exclusive broadband apartment deals to give consumers and opportunity to choose a broadband provider.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing a plan to ban exclusive broadband deals in apartments and eliminate arrangements imposed on tenants that force them to stick to a specific broadband service provider, according to a release.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said tenants in apartments, condos, public housing and other multi-tenant buildings are too often “forced to pay high prices with limited choices for internet or other services.”

The proposal would seek to eliminate “bulk-billing” arrangements imposed on tenants that impose a specific broadband service provider for their household.

Proposal To Ban Exclusive Apartment Broadband Deals

Specifically, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would propose banning bulk-billing arrangements by which tenants are required to pay for broadband, cable, and satellite service provided by a specific communications provider, even if they do not wish to take the service or would prefer to use another provider.

It proposes allowing tenants to opt out of bulk-billing arrangements.  The proposal would also increase competition for communications service in these buildings by making it more profitable for competitive providers to deploy service in buildings where it is currently too expensive to serve consumers because tenants are required to take a certain provider’s service.

The FCC would also seek comment on other practices that may limit consumer choice in multi-unit buildings.

“Everyone deserves to have a choice of broadband provider,” Rosenworcel said in the release. “That is why it is not right when your building or apartment complex chooses that service for you, saddling you with unwanted costs, and preventing you from signing up for the plan and provider you really want.  This proposal shuts down these practices.  It boosts competition and consumer choice and builds on our ongoing efforts to improve broadband transparency.”

Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter And Get Rental Property And Apartment News And Helpful, Useful Content Each Week.

* indicates required

Process Server, Police Officer Killed During Eviction Attempt

By
John Triplett
-
A court employee trying to serve an eviction notice and a police officer who tried to help him were shot and killed during an eviction over unpaid back taxes

A court employee trying to serve an eviction notice and a police officer who tried to help him were shot and killed during an eviction over unpaid back taxes in Independence, Mo., according to reports.

Three Independence police officers were met with gunfire while coming to the aid of court employee Drexel Mack, 42, the man who had been trying to serve the eviction notice.

Mack, or another civil process server also at the home, had called 911 saying Mack had been shot, Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman told reporters during a press conference. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.

“I’m very tragically sorry to report that we lost one of our own,” Dustman said, identifying the officer as Cody Allen, 35. The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said. A third officer also “took gunshot rounds” and had minor injuries, the police chief said.

“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” said Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire court family, and the Independence Police Department.”

The man inside the house who allegedly opened fire was identified by police as Larry D. Acree, the home’s former owner. Acree, 69, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, assault in the first degree for wounding a police officer and three additional counts of armed criminal action. The eviction order involved several instances of back taxes that were owed over several years and he no longer had a legal right to the property when the two officers were killed during eviction.

The new owner, records show, bought the property on Aug. 14, 2023, for $260,000 in a delinquent tax sale. The sale was confirmed on Nov. 20. On Feb. 22, records show the new owner paid the $18,543 in back taxes, according to the Kansas City Star.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker told the Kansas City Star that according to the probable cause affidavit explaining the charges, a “notice to vacate” was posted in a conspicuous place on the premises on Feb. 23. It said the notice was a result of a request for a “writ of possession” that was completed Feb. 9. “Basically, what led us here is a year-long eviction process,” Baker said. A court process ordering Acree to vacate the premises, she said, “had been ongoing for some time.”

Baker said that on the day of the shootings, “they took multiple steps to make sure that that property was secured and safe to go into. They knocked and announced their presence.” No one answered. That’s when the process servers began to remove locks, she said. The probable cause statement said that a property maintenance contractor drilled out the lock on the front door. “They were there for a time, having those locks cut and drilled out so that they could enter,” Baker said. “But as Drexel and others were entering … the front door of the residence, he was met with gunfire.”

Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter And Get Rental Property And Apartment News And Helpful, Useful Content Each Week.

* indicates required

Strong Delivery Of New Apartments Levels Off Rents

By
John Triplett
-
Multifamily rents leveled off nationally as the apartment supply pipeline has counteracted ongoing strong demand, Yardi Matrix says

Multifamily rents nationally have leveled off as a strong apartment supply delivery pipeline has counteracted ongoing strong demand, Yardi Matrix says in the January Multifamily Housing Report.

The national average asking rent was unchanged at $1,710 in January, with the year-over-year growth rate rising slightly to 0.5%.

The report says the topic of the supply of new apartments coming on line in 2024 dominated the National Multifamily Housing Council’s annual conference, held Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 in San Diego.

Highlights of the report:

  • Ongoing strong demand is keeping U.S. multifamily rents steady, even as supply growth exerts downward pressure.
  • The Northeast and Midwest continue to outperform in the short term. Demand is created by the strong economy and job growth, while large urban markets are benefiting from two years of high immigration inflows.
  • Single-family rental performance remains robust. U.S. average single-family rents rose $2 in January to $2,130, while year-over-year growth rose 20 basis points to 1.5%. Seven of the top 13 metros for rent growth are in the Midwest.

“Another year of weak growth is expected in 2024, largely due to the rapid increase in deliveries that stems from the sector’s strong performance, high liquidity, and favorable treatment in the 2017 tax bill. Yardi Matrix forecasts a record 540,000 units to be delivered in 2024 and another 460,000 units completed in 2025,” the report says.

Fewer new starts in 2024

Completions will peak in 2024, but starts are declining as debt capital grows more expensive.

“Per Matrix, multifamily starts peaked at 678,000 units in 2022.  Then, after waning in the second half of 2023, they finished the year at roughly 500,000 starts. Starts will continue to decline in 2024, especially in market-rate apartments,” the report says.

Lease renewals decline

Growth for rent renewals is continuing a downward trend.

Multifamily rents nationally have leveled off as the apartment supply pipeline has counteracted ongoing strong demand, Yardi Matrix says

“Renewal rents, the change for residents that are rolling over existing leases, fell to 5.1% nationally year-over-year in November, down 10 basis points from October,” the report says. “The national lease renewal rate averaged 66.6% in November. Lease renewal rates have settled into a range, having been between 65.2% and 67.0% for the last seven months.”

Read the full report here.

About Yardi Matrix

Yardi Matrix researches and reports on multifamily, office and self-storage properties across the United States, serving the needs of a variety of industry professionals. Yardi Matrix Multifamily provides accurate data on 18+ million units, covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population. Contact the company at (480) 663-1149.

Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter And Get Rental Property And Apartment News And Helpful, Useful Content Each Week.

* indicates required

Property Protection Starts With The Crime-Free Lease Addendum

By
By The Editors
-
Proper protection of your rental property starts with the crime-free addendum you should have in each lease.

Proper protection of your rental property starts with the crime-free addendum you should have in each lease.

By Denny Dobbins

It’s 1:00 am and the phone rings; you recognize the number as your old neighbor Rob, who now lives next door to your tenants since you turned your former home into a rental property.

He tells you that SWAT just kicked in the front door of your property and is dragging the tenant and about 20 other people out onto the front lawn in handcuffs. You ask out loud to no one in particular, “Could I have prevented this?”

Although tenants can and will do just about anything in your property, utilizing a Crime-Free Addendum in every lease can help deter this type of damaging behavior right from the start.

Why is it so vitally important for owners, landlords and property managers to use this well-established crime-free management tool to keep criminal activity away from your properties?

First, I will discuss what those tools are and then why they are so vitally important.

1.  The Crime-Free Tool

Owners, landlords and property managers need to use the basic crime free language in your rental criteria, in your lease and as a separate addendum.  Overkill?  Hardly!

This language immeasurably aids you in being highly successful in easily avoiding a plethora of costly pitfalls.  It is an essential and critical safeguard to deter criminal activity, thereby saving you money, time, and significant headaches.  The great thing is it is so simple to implement.

The following basic crime-free language should be presented to your prospective tenant as part of the rental criteria, prior to entering into a lease and at the earliest possible convenience in the relationship:

“Tenant shall ensure that Tenant, Tenant’s occupants, Tenant’s guests, and Tenant’s invitees shall not engage in, perpetrate, permit, encourage, intend to facilitate, or actually facilitate, any criminal activity of any kind, on, near or off of the premises.  If Tenant fails to ensure that no criminal activity occurs, whether or not Tenant knew of such criminal activity, any such criminal activity is a material violation of the lease subjecting the Tenant and occupants to immediate termination and eviction.  If there is a separate crime-free addendum, the full language of the crime-free addendum to the lease shall be controlling.”

2. Why is it so important for you to use the Crime-Free language?

A.  When you introduce the crime-free language to the prospective tenant early in the relationship, the prospect quickly learns that crime will not work at the property.

B. The language helps ensure immediate, appropriate, and comprehensive communication about expectations. The tenant understands early on that management is keenly aware of the issue and takes a proactive, educated approach to what they are doing.

C. Prospective tenants who are planning on being involved in criminal activity in your unit, or think crime may be an issue for them, will simply find another place to live, thereby saving you time, money, and heartache.

D. It is a proven and established deterrent to criminal activity that has effectively been working for 32 years.

E. If you ever have to go before a court because of criminal activity, the crime-free language is fatally damning to the tenant. It is clear and unambiguous that if the tenant, tenant’s occupant, guest, or invitee is involved in criminal activity in, on, near or off of the premises, the entire household can be evicted by a preponderance of evidence.  It provides zero wiggle room for a tenant when it comes to criminal activity and provides a quicker remedy in many jurisdictions.

F. You may also qualify for insurance discounts when you show you implement crime-free principles in your leasing. You need to ask your insurance company what discounts are available to you when you implement the use of the crime-free language.

Working in concert with Officer Tim Zehring of the Mesa, Ariz. police department, I wrote the original private sector crime-free language in 1992.  It has been used since, with documented results nationally and internationally by owners, landlords and property managers.

Please check with your attorney in your local jurisdiction as to whether you are legally permitted to use the crime-free language prior to a tenant qualifying for the lease based on other, non-crime-related criteria.  Using best practices like this, maybe next time the phone rings with a call from your old neighbor they’ll be telling you about your amazing new tenant.

About the author:

Denny Dobbins is legal counsel for Rent Perfect and a private investigator.  Subscribe to the weekly Rent Perfect Podcast to stay up to date on the latest industry news and for expert tips on how to manage your properties. 

No Guns In My Apartments: Can A Landlord Say That And Put It In A Lease?

 

Managing Conflicting Accommodation Needs In Fair Housing

By
By The Editors
-
Managing conflicting accommodation requests demands a balanced approach that respects the rights and needs of all residents.

Managing conflicting accommodation requests demands a balanced approach that respects the rights and needs of all residents.

By The Fair Housing Institute

Navigating the complexities of accommodation requests under the Fair Housing Act is essential for creating inclusive and equitable living spaces.

When these requests conflict, as in the case of competing accommodation needs among residents, the challenge intensifies for those overseeing housing policies and compliance.

This article offers insights and strategies for effectively managing such situations, ensuring that all decisions are made with a keen sense of fairness, legality, and sensitivity. By focusing on the intricacies of accommodation requests, we aim to provide a comprehensive guide to addressing these challenges, promoting an environment where every resident’s needs are met with understanding and respect.

Understanding and Addressing Competing Accommodation Requests

Accommodation requests are essential adjustments or exceptions to a property’s standard rules, policies, or services that enable residents with disabilities to fully enjoy their living environment.

These requests can range from allowing assistance animals to making structural modifications. However, complexities arise when the accommodation needs of one resident clash with those of another, leading to what are known as competing accommodation requests.

A classic example is one resident requiring an assistance animal for their disability, while another has severe allergies to animals. Handling these situations requires a nuanced approach that balances the needs of all parties involved, ensuring no individual’s rights are overshadowed by another’s.

Strategic Approach to Resolution

The process begins with an impartial evaluation of each request, emphasizing the importance of thorough documentation and verification from medical professionals.

This foundational step ensures that decisions are informed and equitable, providing a clear record of compliance with fair-housing laws. Open lines of communication are vital. By discussing needs directly with the involved parties, property managers can often identify straightforward solutions, such as the non-allergenic nature of a specific assistance animal. When direct resolutions are not feasible, creative problem-solving comes to the fore. Alternatives might include relocating a resident to a different unit or enhancing air filtration systems to accommodate both parties’ needs without undue hardship.

Throughout the process, it is crucial to navigate these challenges without inadvertently discriminating against any party. The aim is to find a resolution that acknowledges and accommodates the needs of all residents, thereby avoiding the potential for disputes or claims of discrimination.

Key Takeaways for Property Managers

Handling competing accommodation requests demands a balanced approach that respects the rights and needs of all residents.

Property managers must strive for solutions that not only address the specific issues at hand but also reinforce the broader principles of inclusivity and fairness in housing. At the heart of resolving these complex situations is a combination of empathy for the individuals involved and creativity in finding solutions that work for everyone. This approach not only resolves the immediate conflict but also builds a stronger, more inclusive community.

Ensuring that staff members are well-trained in handling such requests and maintaining meticulous records of the process can prove invaluable. This not only aids in finding resolutions but also provides a robust defense should any legal challenges arise. In conclusion, the ability to effectively manage competing accommodation requests is a crucial skill for property managers, underscoring their role in upholding the values of fairness and inclusivity mandated by the Fair Housing Act. By adopting a methodical, compassionate approach to these challenges, property managers can ensure that their properties remain welcoming environments for all residents, regardless of their individual needs.

About the author:
In 2005, The Fair Housing Institute was founded as a company with one goal: to provide educational and entertaining fair-housing compliance training at an affordable price at the click of a button.

1...454647...202Page 46 of 202
© 2026 rentalhousingjournal.com. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO