The multifamily industry will be tested in 2026 as demand is weakening due to reduced immigration and weak job growth, Yardi Matrix says in its 2026 Winter Outlook.
Meanwhile, resident retention and the slowing supply pipeline are positives for rent growth, the report says. Plus, investor and lender sentiment is favorable. Transaction activity is rebounding, but slowly.
The report predicts that multifamily performance will pick up in 2026 as the economy regains its footing and excess supply gets absorbed.
The economy remains a question mark around:
Employment growth
The health of consumers in the bottom half of income distribution
Interest rates.
“Job creation and consumer confidence must improve for multifamily demand to return to robust levels. A new Federal Reserve chair will push for lower interest rates to stimulate growth, with the effect of boosting multifamily capital markets,” Yardi Matrix writes in the report.
A slow start to the year but 1.2% rent growth forecast
“Although we expect apartment demand to pick up after a slow start to the year, advertised rent growth is likely to remain modest for the third straight year,” with a forecast of 1.2% national growth.
“We expect a continuation of the regional trend that has seen moderate growth in the low-supply markets in the Northeast and Midwest, while the Sun Belt and Mountain West have strong demand and supply growth,” the report says.
The new apartment supply question
The report says a sharp drop in new apartment startups and supply “will slow and alleviate some pressure on lease-ups in rapidly growing markets.”
Matrix is forecasting that 400,500 new apartment units will be delivered in 2026, “but not enough of a decline to push rents to robust levels.”
Some final thoughts
The economy faces competing pressures, but the data does not show signs of a combing recession.
“None of the job data points to a major downturn, but flagging job growth could lead to fewer households being formed (and less multifamily demand) as young adults stay with parents or roommates longer.
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.
The hidden cost of aging plumbing is something multifamily owners and operators need to know about before the next leak.
By Aaron Kirk Douglas
Director of Market Intelligence
HFO Investment Real Estate
Failing plumbing systems can quietly drain more money from multifamily operators than almost any other expense especially the hidden cost of aging plumbing.
Matt Doran, Senior Project Manager at Caliber Mechanical, says failing plumbing systems operational expense is a risk. Doran has been in the industry for 30 years says he has seen it all “from all sorts of piping… the changes, the technology changes, everything.”
If you’ve ever had recurring leaks, tenant complaints, or insurance headaches tied to water damage, his insight is essential. Repiping isn’t just a construction project––it’s a risk management strategy.
The Biggest Culprit: Age—But Not Always How You Expect
We tend to think building age is the singular predictor of plumbing failure. But as Doran explained, the story is more complicated. “Ninety percent of it is age and installation standards… You’ll see copper piping that just was not done very well… poor craftsmanship, fittings not cleaned, bad soldering.”
Even galvanized pipe, which many assume is doomed after 40–50 years, can outperform newer systems depending on quality and water chemistry. “Some galvanized piping has been in buildings 70–80 years and is still doing very well. Others only lasted 20.” It’s the ultimate multifamily truth: Two buildings from the same era can diverge wildly in performance.
When Owners Know It’s Time: The Cost Curve Doesn’t Lie
Asked what typically triggers a repipe, Doran said, “The biggest one is the cost of repairs… you’re having a plumber out every week, repairing the same things… that’s when it’s time.”
Add in ceiling openings, drywall patches, tenant disruption, insurance claims, and labor shortages, and it’s easy to see why owners begin to view repiping as a capital investment rather than a never-ending operating expense. Insurance companies sometimes force the decision as well: “New ownership will come in and the insurance company says: we want to see new piping.”
How Repipes Actually Happen: Stacks, Back-to-Backs, and Tenant Logistics
For owners who’ve never overseen a repipe, the process can feel mysterious. Doran described two primary patterns:
By stacks in multi-story buildings (vertical runs)
By back-to-back bathrooms (horizontal clusters)
In occupied units—always the toughest scenario—logistics multiply.
“Tenants expect water on at the end of the day. It’s doable—just a lot more planning, communication, and more plumbers.” In some cases, tenants move out temporarily. In others, crews work in tight phases to keep disruptions minimal. This is where Caliber’s experience becomes valuable: they’ve repiped everything from garden-style walk-ups to nine-story towers.
PEX vs. Copper: The Industry Has Shifted
If there’s one material defining repiping in 2025, it’s PEX. Doran noted: “It’s probably 80 to 90% PEX.” Not because copper is obsolete, but because PEX solves several labor and cost challenges:
Flexibility – PEX can snake through difficult spaces without full wall removal.
Speed – Reduces both construction timelines and tenant disruption.
Cost-efficiency – Lower material and labor costs compared to copper.
He summed it up with a field-level truth: “PEX lets you minimize how much you open the walls. With copper, you almost have to open the full stretch.” But there’s nuance. PEX fails quickly in a single, very specific scenario: hot-water recirculation lines. “Nine out of ten times, we’re going to do a copper return line… it holds up better long-term.”
Mixing PEX and Copper? Completely Normal
Owners sometimes worry about mixing materials. Doran said, “That’s not a problem. It depends on what you’re doing… we transition from copper mains to PEX in-unit all the time.” What matters more is ensuring no hidden fittings are buried in inaccessible places and verifying return-line temperatures.
Warranties: The Fine Print Owners Miss
PEX manufacturers often tout long warranties—50-year, even 100-year guarantees. But Doran warned owners not to take them at face value. “Some offer a 100-year warranty… but what does it cover? The material and labor, sure—but what about damages?” A burst pipe that floods five units isn’t solved by a free box of replacement fittings. Caliber’s process usually includes looping in insurance reps and product manufacturers to clarify what is—and isn’t—covered.
Where Repipes Get Messy: Unforeseen Conditions Behind the Walls
Every owner imagines clean, predictable wall openings. Reality is more… cinematic. Doran described common surprises:
Electrical lines hidden where they shouldn’t be
Asbestos insulation buried in walls
Ducting placed in odd locations
Drainage pipes with fixed slopes that limit reroute options
As-built drawings that don’t match real conditions
According to Doran, “There’s no shortage of unforeseen conditions… you open a wall and think, why in the world is that there?” This is where experience matters. PEX can bend around obstacles; copper cannot. A good contractor adapts quickly; a bad one increases costs through improvisation.
Pre-Purchase Pipe Assessments: A Growing Trend
Doran conducts many plumbing evaluations for buyers as part of due diligence.
His team often cuts out test sections of pipe—something cameras can’t replace. “You really need to take out sections of piping to know what’s happening. Cameras work great on sewers, not on water mains.” Buyers increasingly want a forensic understanding of hidden systems before closing on 1960s–1980s assets.
PEX Is the Future—For Now
When asked what comes next, Doran offered a grounded forecast: “PEX is the animal… I don’t know what it’ll be 10 years from now, except maybe a different compound with a better additive.” But the fundamentals remain:
Age is undefeated.
Maintenance spending eventually becomes capital spending.
Repipes protect cash flow by reducing future emergency costs.
What Multifamily Owners Should Take Away
If you own or operate properties built between the 1960s and early 2000s, you should be tracking:
Frequency of leaks
Rising repair invoices
Drywall patching patterns
Tenant complaints
Insurance pressure
Age and material of the original plumbing
Presence of hot water recirculation lines
Baseline conditions inside walls
When the signs stack up, it’s no longer a question of if you need a repipe. It’s when—and how much extra damage you can afford to absorb before acting.
“At some point, you’ve got to understand this system just needs to be replaced.” For multifamily investors, that isn’t bad news. It’s an opportunity to reduce long-term risk, extend asset life, and stabilize operations,” Doran said.
HFO Investment Real Estate is a multifamily brokerage offering apartment communities of all sizes for sale throughout Oregon and SW Washington. Learn more at www.hfore.com.
2026 will be a reckoning year for the rental market as the next 12 months will force rental property operators to rebalance tech, transparency, and affordability to meet a more cautious, value-driven renter.
By Virginia Love
After years of soaring rents and affordability pressures, the rental market is heading for what Virginia Love, a 30-year industry veteran, calls “a reckoning year.”
Income growth has finally surpassed rent growth, giving renters new leverage and putting pressure on operators to demonstrate value and transparency.
Meanwhile, Gen Z renters have burst onto the scene as the most informed, selective, and transient cohort in history, demanding value and transparency in every interaction.
Love, who is industry principal at Entrata, says the next 12 months will force operators to rebalance tech, transparency, and affordability to meet a more cautious, value-driven renter.
Her top calls for a 2026 reckoning year for the rental market include:
The return of “worth.” Renters will pay for what feels worth it, not just what’s cheapest. Operators who can tell that story clearly will win.
AI becomes a true partner: Tech and automation will finally streamline, not strain, onsite teams through smarter integration and training, while also elevating the renter experience with faster responses, proactive service, and more personalized living.
Gen Z reshapes operations: Their focus on purpose, flexibility, and authenticity will redefine community culture––sparking change not just for renters, but for Gen Z employees, too.
Amenities get personal: Expect growth in lifestyle-driven, creator-friendly spaces like podcast studios and co-working lounges.
Love did a question and answer session with Rental Housing Journal around a few key questions for the 2026 rental market:
Q: What is an example of how the value-driven renter is going to encounter higher rents and inflation in 2026?
A: “We’re heading into 2026 with the consumer still firmly in charge. Renters are smarter, pickier, and more mobile than ever, and they’re not afraid to move if the math stops making sense. Value will stay the headline, which doesn’t mean ‘cheap.’ They’ll pay for what’s worth it: transparency, convenience, and a sense that the community is actually meeting their expectations.
“As inflation lingers, I expect more renters to right-size, such as moving to different price points or smaller markets to preserve that sense of worth. Operators should prepare for a year where every renewal is a negotiation around value. You can’t just sell the price; you’ve got to sell why it’s worth it. The communities that articulate that clearly, especially when it comes to fees, will be the ones that keep occupancy stable.”
Q: What exactly does a value-driven renter want and how does it vary between an urban versus suburban apartment?
A: “Across every demographic, renters want the same fundamentals: technology that works, fast response times, a seamless leasing process, a pet-friendly community (pets are part of the family everywhere).
“Where the value conversation shifts is by ZIP code. In urban markets, renters will still pay a premium for convenience, for walkability, proximity, and a lifestyle that saves time.
“In suburban markets, value leans toward space and comfort: room to breathe, maybe a backyard for the dog, ample parking, and storage. All of it delivered without surprise fees.
“Heading into 2026, I think renters in both settings will expect more personalization with less noise. They want to feel known, not marketed to, and the best operators will make technology almost invisible, working quietly behind the curtain to deliver that smooth, reliable experience that feels worth every dollar.”
Q: Additional predictions re: luxury housing, Gen Z and technology?
A: “We’re starting to see luxury fatigue set in. Renters aren’t chasing natural stone countertops and rooftop cabanas the way they used to.
“Now, they’re chasing balance. The growth opportunity now is in what I call ‘attainable housing:’ high-quality, well-designed communities that still feel realistic. It’s about creating spaces that look good, live well, and make sense for the budget. That’s where demand, and loyalty, will come from in 2026.
“Gen Z is setting the tone for the industry. This generation values flexibility, mental health, and meaning, and it’s changing everything from how we hire and train to how we design and market communities.
“They want authenticity and purpose in the places they live and work. You’ll see that influence show up in lifestyle-driven amenities, like creator studios, co-working spaces, wellness programming, and personalized resident experiences. Operators who don’t adapt to that mindset will find themselves out of sync with both their teams and their residents.
“Technology’s about to move behind the curtain. The best systems won’t be what renters see; it’ll be what makes everything else seamless. If the tech’s working right, the renter shouldn’t even notice it. Friction-free, invisible, and fast.”
About the author:
Virginia Love, Industry Principal at Entrata, began her multifamily career 30+ years ago in leasing and has been passionate about the industry ever since. Now Industry Principal at Entrata, she helps drive innovation and strategy across multifamily. Virginia’s a NAA Lyceum graduate, twice named Globe St. Multifamily Influencer, a Connect CRE Woman in Real Estate, a recipient, and an Apartment All-Star. She’s a past Atlanta and Georgia Apartment Association Chair, and was inducted into the GAA Hall of Fame in 2025.
“No guns in my apartments” is again a point of discussion as the country struggles with gun violence in schools and other public places. How are landlords to decide whether to prohibit or allow tenants to have firearms in their apartments or single-family dwellings?
In some cases it is a matter of what state law provides. In other cases it is a matter of either personal preference that a landlord wants to say “no guns in my apartments.” However a more logical, legal analysis of negligence and case law, is important, according to Denny Dobbins, general legal counsel and vice president of Crimshield and RentPerfect.
By John Triplett
State laws vary on the issue of what landlords can mandate regarding saying, “no guns in my apartments,” and on gun possession in general by tenants in privately owned rental properties.
Landlords and property managers need to be aware of whether their state and/or local governments have specific laws, Dobbins said in an interview with Rental Housing Journal.
Only four states have specific laws regarding landlords and guns at rental properties
Minnesota: A landlord cannot restrict the lawful carry or possession of firearms by tenants or their guests. Minnesota Statute 624.714
Tennessee: A private landlord can prohibit tenants, including those who hold handgun carry permits, from possessing firearms within a leased premises. Such a prohibition may be imposed through a clause in the lease. Tennessee Statute 39-17-1307(b).
Virginia: Public housing prohibits landlords from restrictions on gun possession for tenants – Virginia Rental Housing Act 1974 Tennessee 55-248.9.6.
Wisconsin: This state has a complicated maze of where a weapon can or cannot be possessed. W Stat. § 175.60(21)(b).
All other states are generally silent on the issue, Dobbins said, meaning that private housing providers can choose what they want to do on the issue and say no guns my apartments. California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and Washington are six of the states that are silent on the issue.
For instance, Virginia law says public landlords cannot use a prohibition clause in their lease, and it does not require that a gun-free zone sign be applied or present on the property.
“Now in Minnesota, they have a different law. Generally, private landlords may not restrict the lawful carry of firearms by tenants,” Dobbins said. “All the other states are silent on whether private landlords can prohibit tenants from carrying weapons or possessing weapons on the property.”
Unless your landlord is a government entity, like a city or state agency or public housing, or receives state or federal funding for rental assistance on the property, the Second Amendment is unlikely to apply. However, private housing providers saying no guns in my apartments and prohibiting tenants from possessing firearms in a residential rental unit raises other constitutional and insurance issues.
“You can stop that kind of behavior cold in the common areas altogether, so go ahead and put something in your lease to stop it in the common areas.”
Can a landlord say “no guns in my apartments” and implement a “no-firearms” provision in a lease agreement?
“Generally, the answer is yes. But, I think we need to take the most practical approaches we can for all the issues surrounding the question,” Dobbins said.
“I would simply say to private housing landlords that you have more issues to be concerned about than just whether or not you can implement such a “no firearm” policy. Look, the real issue that you want to protect against is tenants having guns willy-nilly, or just being carried around and shown off on the property common area
“You can stop that kind of behavior cold in the common areas altogether, so go ahead and put something in your lease to stop it in the common areas. Prohibiting the display of weapons in the common area, or even in the unit where handling or showing of a weapon that can be seen on the inside from the outside, will help protect against liability issues and insurance/liability issues and help avoid possible Second Amendment challenges.”
What about telling tenants no guns in my apartments and prohibiting tenants from having firearms in their apartment unit?
“Generally, a private landlord can do that too, but there are a wide variety of issues to think about when you do so,” Dobbins said.
“Most states have not made a decision whether or not to attempt to prohibit the constitutional rights of a citizen who wants to have a weapon in their rental unit for their own protection. What that means is that leaves it up to the private landlord to make a decision about their own property,” he said.
“Yes, a private landlord can say, ‘We prohibit all tenants from possessing a weapon anywhere on the property.’
“Yes, a private landlord can say, ‘We prohibit all tenants from possessing a weapon anywhere on the property.’ The private landlord can make that decision because there hasn’t been a case yet that draws the Second Amendment into the private-landlord decision-making process on the issue, as has happened with Fair Housing issues like race, color, national origin, familial status, religion, gender, age, military status and Americans with disabilities.” Therefore, government assisted housing must respect a tenant’s constitutional right to bear a firearm. However, the housing authority can still prohibit firearms in common areas.
But non-governmental landlords, with no applicable state or local laws, have the right to do want they want on their own property regarding firearms. “So, a private landlord can say, ‘No guns in my apartments’ or any weapon possession in the rented apartment unit’. But a non-government tenant can also say, ‘Well, I have a constitutional right to a weapon to protect myself.’ However, that case has not been heard yet,” Dobbins said. He believes the issue will eventually be heard because “someone is going to finally get that case to the Supreme Court.”
The predicament for any landlord on this issue is this: ”If I allow firearms and someone on the property gets hurt, am I liable?” The answer is “Maybe.” And, “If I prohibit a tenant from having a firearm on the property and that tenant or his family, occupant or invitee is hurt; and had that tenant had a firearm, they may not have been hurt, am I liable?” Again, the answer is “maybe.” Every situation is fact-specific.
“From a practical point of view on the liability issue, let’s say a landlord says, ‘No guns in my apartments’ or ‘No weapons possession in the rented apartment unit.’ The tenant moves in and he wants to possess a weapon in the rented apartment unit but he decides to live there without possessing a weapon. Now somebody breaks into his home and kills his wife and his kids and he didn’t have a weapon to protect himself and his family. I don’t want to be that landlord who says ‘No guns in my apartments’ because I don’t want to get sued because I took that personal constitutional right away,” Dobbins said.
“The landlord is going to say, ‘He agreed to it and he moved in.’ Of course, the person who had their family killed is going to say, ‘Yeah, but I still had a right and you made me not have a gun and took away my Second Amendment constitutional rights to protect my family.’
“I don’t want to be that landlord,” Dobbins said. On the other side, if weapons are allowed on the property and someone gets killed or injured by a tenant intentionally, or even negligently, from a discharge of a weapon on the property, even while inside their own apartment unit, you know the attorney for the injured person is going to go after the deep pockets of the landlord, manager and their insurance money. By the way, you better check your insurance policy and find out what is and is not covered regarding this issue.
Saying no guns in my apartments is “an ugly Catch 22,” Dobbins said.
“It is possible that if a landlord has a no-weapons policy in the lease that the landlord will immediately become a target by a victim of a tenant shooting injury claiming the landlord should have known about the tenant’s possession of the weapon and should have taken steps to remedy the possession, although not at all practical. If there is no prohibition for tenants having weapons, then all tenants know of the ‘no-prohibition’ standard, and in my opinion, the risk to the landlord diminishes not just for injuries to others, but for constitutional claims.”
Dobbins suggested looking at two Second Amendment cases that he thinks make the tenant’s right to a weapon in the tenant’s apartment unit a personal right, and thus, a protected class
Issues on how ‘no guns in my apartments’ would be applied
“You run into a few issues in terms of how the prohibition can be applied in actual practice. For instance, where you have a law that says ‘landlords can prohibit gun possession in an apartment unit in a lease,’ well, how are you possibly going to enforce that? You don’t know what a tenant brings into the property,” Dobbins said.
“You don’t know what a tenant is going to have in their home. You don’t know if they have weapons in their apartment unit. You can’t really go in and inspect for weapons. If they have a safe, you can’t go look in the safe to see if they have weapons. Even if a state has a rule that says you can prohibit weapons, there’s no practical way to enforce that prohibition.
“The second issue then becomes really important: ‘Do you really want to be the case of first impression?’ Meaning, do you really want to be the landlord who takes on some attorney and a Second Amendments rights issue because the landlord says you can’t have a gun in your own apartment unit to protect yourself? We have all seen lately that mentally ill people, criminals, and terrorists can get guns. Look at Chicago, which arguably has the toughest gun laws in the U.S. Simply put, bad guys still get guns and cause havoc,” Dobbins said. No one is going to stop a mental ill person, or an evil person from bringing a gun anywhere.
“So, why should a private landlord have a such a prohibition where concerned tenants cannot possess a gun in their rented apartment unit? A private landlord does not want to become that trial case for a tenant who says, ‘Wait a second. I have a Second Amendment right to carry and to have weapons to protect myself and my family.’
“The landlord says, ‘Well, having a weapon on a private property is not a protected class like the protected classes listed above. Having a right to possess a weapon in one’s apartment unit is not a current enumerated protected class,” Dobbins said.
“But, I tend to disagree with those people who say it’s not a protected class, because it is clear that there is a constitutional “personal right” to bear arms – period. The protected classes in the housing arena listed above are all federal mandates. Well, an enumerated constitutional right in my mind is the same thing. A court case will determine that issue in a landlord-tenant relationship at some point.”
Let’s back up and look at the issue of no guns in my apartments
Dobbins suggested looking at two Second Amendment cases that he thinks make the tenant’s right to a weapon in the tenant’s apartment unit a personal right, and thus, a protected class.
“Here’s what we know. The federal government can impose some restrictions on gun possession. There have been a lot of debates over time as to what the Second Amendment means because it has a phrase in it regarding militias and it also talks about ‘the people’s right’ as opposed to a ‘person’s right.’ There’s been this idea that the ability or the right to bear arms is not a personal right. Rather, that it is a right of the people for a prepared militia.
“This issue came up in a case in the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008. It’s called the Heller Case. It dealt with individual rights to possess weapons. The Heller case made it very clear that there is an “individual right” to possess weapons as opposed to just a right of the people for the purposes of maintaining a militia,” Dobbins said.
“Heller goes on to say that the government can impose some possession restriction such as when dealing felons and the mentally ill. Such people have no personal rights because those rights are stripped for the mentally ill and felons. There still remained a question after Heller. The question after Heller was, ‘Well, that’s great, but what about the states? How does the federal law impact state laws on the subject?’
“In 2010, the McDonald case went before the Supreme Court and that dealt with the 14th Amendment, which forbids states from passing rules to the contrary of federal law. There were basically four elements in McDonald that they dealt with: whether there could be a state prohibition against handgun ownership, whether a state could force an annual gun registration and impose a fee for annual registration, whether it could be required that guns be registered prior to acquisition, and whether a gun could be forever unable to be registered if the registration lapsed. Those state laws were struck down in the McDonald case. Basically the opinion stated that the 14th Amendment applies as to the individual right to possess guns and that states cannot pass laws that infringe upon that federal constitutional right.
“So it seems to me that private landlords forbidding tenants from possessing firearms in their apartment unit could be successfully challenged based on the Second Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment, I think, because Heller and McDonald make possession of a weapon a personal right, which I think makes it a protected class,” Dobbins said.
“I guess the simple answer is in those six states that we mentioned … private landlords in those states can choose what they want to do, but when a private landlord chooses to ban tenants’ ability to possess a firearm in their apartment unit they face the ugly music of liability issues and constitutional infringement issues,” he said.
A proposed lease clause on how landlords might walk the fine line of dealing with tenants’ possession of guns in their apartment units and homes
Dobbins said he would propose the following lease clauses for landlords to consider.
“This is a landlord-tenant relationship and the landlord has no control over your unit or the home. Tenant has sole control of the dwelling unit.
In a sad 2006 Kansas City case where a landlord rented a single-family home the lease agreement expressly gave the tenant the right to sole possession of the premises, prohibited any member of the household from engaging in any illegal activity on or near the premises, and prohibited the unlawful discharge or unauthorized possession of firearms, the tenant minor child accidentally discharged a loaded gun, killing a visitor. The tenant and the landlord were sued for damages. The court indicated that because there was a landlord-tenant relationship where the landlord had no control over the property, the landlord was found NOT liable. Thompson v. Tuggle, 183 S.W.3d 611 (Mo. App., 2006).
However, in a multifamily setting, when the landlord is aware of, or should be aware, that tenant has a weapon, and the tenant acts erratically, then the landlord must analyze the landlord’s duty to the tenants for reasonable safety and make a determination with legal counsel if the tenant’s action make it foreseeable that the tenant may cause harm to another person on the property. If so, then the landlord must take reasonable steps to remedy the situation. Lozano v. Awi Mgmt. Corp. (Cal. App., 2016). When weapons are allowed on the premises, it is imperative that the landlord always monitor the property to see that the weapons are not misused, brandished, or unnecessarily displayed. Rosales v. Stewart, 169 Cal.Rptr. 660, 113 Cal.App.3d 130 (Cal. App., 1980).
“If you have any firearms, you must keep your weapons inside your unit at all times and out of view of open windows and doors, absent legitimate self-defense or the defense of others.”
“If you openly bring a firearm onto the common areas you will be evicted. You must keep your weapon to yourself, safely tucked away in the private confines of your apartment unit or home and not visible to other tenants, neighbors or staff.”
“As a landlord, I say, ‘No weapons in the common area.’ This is something that I put in my leases and in my client leases. It provides reason, accountability and protections for the landlord, the tenants and staff. It’s a section called ‘Weapons’ for the lease and this is what it says:
“Weapons of any kind, including, but not limited to, dart guns, air guns, BB guns, slingshots, handguns, rifles, or any mechanism that could be used to propel an object that could cause harm to person or property, are not allowed in the common areas, are not allowed in the office, are not allowed anywhere on the premises outside of the actual unit, and are not allowed to be displayed, shown, exposed, demonstrated, or exhibited anywhere in the community premises, except in case of self-defense or the need for imminent and immediate protection of residents’ life or property, or for self-defense or immediate and imminent protection of resident, resident’s occupants, guests or invitees’ life, or property. If a resident desires to possess a legal weapon in resident’s unit, in that case the resident must safely and inconspicuously carry said legal weapon to and from the resident’s unit in a manner that resident ensures other residents and staff do not see said weapon. Illegal weapons are never allowed visibly on the property outside of the unit. If resident or resident’s occupants do possess a legal weapon in the unit, resident shall be responsible for the proper and safe possession, handling and storage of said weapon. Landlord is not and shall not be responsible in any way to resident, occupants, guests, or invitees for any accidental, negligent, or intentional act involving any weapon or discharge thereof on, near, or off the property.”
“That’s my clause,” Dobbins said. “It covers a lot of ground because I don’t want to take away tenants’ right under after the Heller and McDonald cases, yet we need to make sure that tenants understand, in the common areas especially, if they brandish or show a weapon they will be evicted. However, I do not think it is a good idea to take away a tenant’s right to possession in their own apartment unit or home. That is just how I personally look at it. Each private landlord has to make a decision on this subject based on an analysis of all the factors set forth in this article. I suggest you talk to your attorney and your insurance broker to make your own decision on the subject is sound,” Dobbins said.
What about restrictions on ammunition in apartments?
In addition to no guns in my apartments can the private sector and private landlords say you can only have so much ammunition? Or no ammunition at all?
“Yeah, private landlords can if they want to, but the same factors are at issue as for gun possession in a tenant-rented unit,” Dobbins said.
Can landlords restrict ammunition or ammunition boxes in apartments?
“Here’s another issue to think about. Let’s say a private landlord prohibits the possession of firearms and the private landlord calls their property now a ‘gun-free zone’ or a ‘weapon-free zone.’ In my mind, they’ve done exactly what the schools have done when you call a school a gun-free zone. You’ve just opened it up to the crazy people and you’ve said, ‘Hey, nobody here has weapons. Come over here and break in. Come over here and cause havoc to our property because no one is allowed to have weapons here and cannot defend themselves. Come in and steal from them, rob them, do whatever you want to do with them.’
“I think that sets a very bad precedent and as a premises-liability expert, I would say that by doing that you’ve now opened yourself up to say you called yourself a gun-free zone, when it is just not true. You’ve invited bad guys to your property and you intentionally, unknowingly maybe, but still intentionally put your residents at risk of harm. That’s how I look at it.
“Once you invade someone’s privacy in their home for their own protection and their own desires regarding the Second Amendment, now you’re creating some issues that you don’t really need to create. Even if a landlord has a prohibition for tenants regarding guns or ammo, it’s not going to stop someone from having weapons if they want them in their apartment unit. So why have the rule at all? Why take on extra liability and extra problems when we know that possessing a weapon in one’s apartment unit or home is practically unenforceable? A tenant should be able to possess a firearm if they want one, but if the tenant goes around bragging about it, or showing it off, that tenant needs to go.
“Now if a management company maintenance employee goes in and he sees a stockpile of ammunition or weapons, I would immediately contact the authorities and let them deal with it as they will,” Dobbins said.
Should property managers have guns?
Two property managers in Portland were shot by a tenant following an eviction.
Should property managers have guns?
“Well, I think we’re getting into that debate a little bit with one of the remedies that’s been brought up about possibly arming teachers. For many years no in Israel the government trains and allows trained teachers to be armed. Israel has no problem with gun violence in schools because everyone knows the teachers are not only armed, but they’re trained,” Dobbins said.
“Now that’s something for management companies to decide because they’re put in bad situation, for example: ‘Okay, if my managers and staff have a weapon and they use it, am I going to be sued? If they don’t have a weapon and can’t use it, am I going to be sued?’ If they have a weapon and don’t use it, am I going to get sued? They’re in a real pickle because if they do allow staff to carry they need to make sure those staff members are very well-trained, use the weapon when they need to and don’t misuse that weapon. I do not know of any management company that wants to tackle that giant,” he said.
“For me as a property owner I would not mandate my staff to possess weapons. However, I would not take my staff’s constitutional right to protection away either. If the staff lawfully carries a concealed weapon, that is their choice. However, I would not want them to carry openly. Again, you have to decide as a landlord how to handle this issue after consultation with your attorney and your insurance carrier,” Dobbins said.
Summary Of No Guns In My Apartments
“There’s something to the deterrent factor, whether you have a liberal slant on guns or a conservative slant on guns. The facts are the facts,” Dobbins said.
“We just have to deal with them in a practical way. There are no easy answers to what private landlords should do about whether or not they allow their tenants to possess a legal firearm in their own apartment unit or home in the face of constitutional rights, liability issues, insurance coverage and individual feelings about weapon possession. But, it is an issue that needs deep thought and consultation with professionals.
“I think we need to take the most practical approaches we can for all of these issues, having something in our lease that says, ‘keep your weapons inside’ and ‘if you bring a weapon in the common area we’re going to evict you.’ Or, ‘no weapon possession allowed period’ and ‘if we learn you possess a weapon on the property, we are going to evict you.’ Whatever your choice, make sure that it is in writing and cannot be misunderstood. Have something in your lease on the subject and make it crystal clear,” Dobbins said.
J.D. “Denny” Dobbins, Jr. is CrimShield’s and Rent Perfect’s general legal counsel. He brings 30 years of experience and a passion for protecting landlords, tenants, businesses, and communities to his work. Dobbins works with company attorneys, managers, landlords and businesses to develop pertinent criteria to assess risk factors regarding their duties to their tenants, invitees, and customers. He also testifies as an expert on negligence, negligent hiring and negligent retention. His job is to help CrimShield and Rent Perfect investigators understand the laws of every state, as each state has different statutes and legal terminology.
About CrimShield and Rent Perfect:
CrimShield and Rent Perfect are companies devoted to protecting companies from negligent hiring and negligent retention as well as providing tools to stop management headaches, reduce customer complaints and eliminate lawsuits. This unique preventative approach to reducing criminal activity transforms the way companies hire and monitor employees, contractors, vendors and volunteers. CrimShield and Rent Perfect help companies assess potential risk and implement easy-to-use solutions for businesses who have close interactions in the homes or offices of their customers, and for landlords of every type in landlord-tenant relationships.
Noisy tenants can be a real headache for landlords so here are some suggestions in 7 ways to handle noise complaints in rental housing the right way.
By James Durr
If you are the landlord of a property that is home to multiple tenants, or if the building you own is located close to other properties, it is possible that you will receive noise complaints. These complaints may be from members of the local community about your tenants or vice versa, or from different tenants about one another.
Let’s explore how to resolve these complaints about noisy tenants and ensure that tenants and local residents are able to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing experience in and around your rental housing.
Preventing Complaints About Noisy Tenants
Ideally, you should already have taken steps to prevent major sound bleed between and from your rental properties.
If possible, when renovating a property, extensive soundproofing should be included in the budget. You should consider installing acoustic insulation in walls, floors and ceilings, and selecting soundproof doors and windows.
It is also highly advisable to include a noisy tenants clause in any tenancy agreement you produce. This means that, upon signing the document, a tenant agrees that if they are to make excessive noise – particularly during any specified hours – they will be in breach of their contract.
What to Do if You Receive Noise Complaints: 7 Steps
1. Accept the Noise Complaints Graciously and Act Immediately
It’s important that your building is able to maintain a good reputation, and that the tenants who live there – and the residents of the local area – are able to enjoy a positive relationship.
“To this end, if someone comes to you with a noise complaint, show that you are sympathetic to their problem. You should also let them know that you will take steps to resolve the issue straight away,” comments auctioneer and fast home buyer James Durr of Property Solvers.
It may be that the individual making the complaint has already spoken to the “perpetrator.” It’s a good idea to check whether this is the case before doing so yourself. After all, this will give you a clearer idea of how they are likely to respond to you.
2. Check with Other Neighbors and Tenants
It’s best to corroborate any claims of excessive noise with others who may be affected before taking action.
If you receive a complaint, you may consider checking with other residents nearby to see if they too have been disturbed by the same incidents.
Of course, different people are affected by noise in different ways – and sound travels differently from space to space – so some individuals may be less troubled by the situation than others.
3. Look into the Cause of the Noise Complaints
If there is a specific type of sound that is causing problems, there may be a way to resolve the matter in a manner that suits all parties.
Some loud sounds, such as a baby crying or a dog barking, can be difficult to prevent. However, if it appears that the repeated noise is the result of neglect or abuse, this must be reported to the relevant authorities immediately.
If there is a specific type of sound such as running children that is causing problems, there may be a way to resolve the matter in a manner that suits all parties.
In many cases of animal abuse, the owner may be prevented from keeping pets for a number of years in the future. This means that not only will the current animal be spared any further cruelty, but also that the tenant will not be permitted to replace it.
Of course, it’s extremely important that you do not make baseless claims of neglect or abuse just to resolve a noise complaint. Look into the issue as much as you can yourself before deciding to take action of this kind.
4. Ask the “Noisy” Party to Make Changes
This step is easier to take if you have already included a noise clause in your rental housing agreement, as you can remind the noisy tenant of this fact and reiterate that they are currently in breach of their contract.
Explain to them that, if this continues to be the case, you would be within your right to ask them to remove the source of the noise from the rental property. Be sure to speak politely and allow them the opportunity to explain themselves; after all, there may be another side to the story.
Sometimes asking the tenant to make a few changes in their rental activity can help solve noise complaints.
5. Get in Touch with a Mediator
If the individual in question refuses to make any changes or to discuss the matter with you in a civil manner, you may need to contact a professional mediator in order to resolve the problem.
Be sure you select an established and experienced specialist, and go to the meeting with an open mind.
6. Report to Your Local Authority About Noise Complaints
By getting in touch with your local Environmental Health Department, you may be able to make a formal complaint and get a noise-abatement notice issued.
This course of action may be particularly helpful if you have neglected to include a noise clause in your tenancy agreement, but it is also applicable if your own tenants have made noise complaints about other residents of the local area.
7. Eviction
If the tenant in question is the repeated subject of noise complaints, you may be within your right to evict them.
This may only be the case, however, if you have included a noise clause in the tenancy agreement, and if you have evidence of repeated breaches of that clause.
It is worth remembering that landlords themselves are not responsible for the noise made by their tenants, so no action can be taken against you unless you are the source of the disturbance. However, in order to ensure that your rental housing is a pleasant place to live and to build positive relationships with other local residents, it is always worth doing what you can to resolve problems of this kind.
By carefully vetting tenants, including a noise clause in your tenancy agreement and soundproofing your building, you may be able to avoid any noise complaints whatsoever in your rental housing.
About the author:
James Durr has been a property buyer and developer for almost two decades. As one of the co-founders of a leading United Kingdom homebuying firm, he knows how to speak effectively and empathetically with property owners and business owners to find genuine win-win solutions.
Here are the Rental Housing Journal top stories of 2025 that you, the readers, clicked on most often during the year. Here are the top stories of 2025.
Thank you for being a loyal reader of Rental Housing Journal in 2025 and we look forward to serving you with helpful, useful information and news about rental housing issues in 2026.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says consumers have lost millions to rental scams and that people ages 18-29 were three times more likely to report losing money than other adults, according to a release.
The analysis from the FTC shows that since 2020, consumers reported nearly 65,000 rental scams, many of which originated from fake listings on sites such as Facebook and Craigslist, and with losses totaling about $65 million.
Rental scams usually involve fake rental listings, which can often look very real and copy information from legitimate listings but are posted with the scammer’s contact information on different sites, according to the FTC’s latest Consumer Protection Data Spotlight.
Many of these ads are found on social media sites. In fact, the FTC found that about half of people who reported a rental scam in the 12 months ending June 2025 said the scam originated with a fake ad on Facebook.
People ages 18 to 29 were three times more likely than other adults to report losing money to a rental scam.
Reports show these rental scams can take different forms including:
Scammers pressure consumers to provide money upfront before seeing the rental property in person.
Scammers push consumers to prove they are creditworthy by sending screenshots of their credit scores. They send consumers affiliate links to websites to sign up for a credit check for little cost, but this may enroll the consumer in a paid membership with recurring fees.
Scammers collect personal information from consumers such as their Social Security number, driver’s license or pay stubs to steal their identity.
Some ways to help avoid rental scams include searching for the rental address online to see if the same property is listed with different prices, contact information, or is listed as being for sale. Consumers should also avoid sharing personal information until they have agreed to rent a property. In addition, consumers should check out typical rents. If the advertised rent of a listing is much cheaper than rents for similar rentals in the same area, that could be a sign of a scam.
In our recent interview with Tysen Bodewig, marketing director, and Larry Goldade, co-owner of Kennedy Restoration, HFO dug into a topic owners don’t love to think about but absolutely must: winterization.
If you’ve ever watched 6 inches of water pour from a broken sprinkler riser, or seen a garden-style property turn into a sheet of ice because no one could find the shutoff valve, you know winter events aren’t small inconveniences. They’re operational, financial, and sometimes legal emergencies.
Bodewig and Goldade have seen decades of freeze cycles in the Pacific Northwest, and their message to owners is clear: The difference between a disaster and a near-miss is almost always preparation.
Start Before the Temperature Drops
Owners often want a checklist. What does “winterizing a multifamily property” actually mean?
Goldade didn’t hesitate: “Right now, I’d be walking the property, figuring out where everything is at—shutoffs, water keys, and who handles what.” Too often, properties enter winter with:
New staff who don’t know where the valves are
No documented emergency plan
No one assigned to act during off-hours
No clarity about who can authorize expenditures
The lack of planning creates panic when something breaks. As Goldade put it, “They hit panic mode, and then they start struggling. . . who makes the decisions on what, where, and for whom?” The remedy is simple: Walk, document, label, and train before the first freeze.
Where Buildings Fail First: Sprinkler Lines, Stairwells, Attics
Newer buildings are better insulated—but ironically, new construction is where most catastrophic freeze failures now occur. Bodewig explained why: “Most new buildings have sprinkler fire-suppression systems in areas that aren’t heated. When the wind blows cold air into these cavities, that’s when you get the break and the freeze.” Owners often assume their biggest freeze risks are old domestic water lines. Actually, the highest-impact failures are sprinkler mains. And when they rupture, the damage is catastrophic:
A broken ½-inch pipe releases gallons per minute.
A broken 6-inch sprinkler line releases gallons per second.
“It’s a whole different level of problem,” Bodewig warned.
The Fix: Keep Air Moving—and Keep It Warm
In freeze conditions, the Kennedy team often recommends:
Opening ceiling tiles to circulate warm air
Pumping heated air into stairwells and breezeways
Identifying all sprinkler lines close to exterior walls
Adding insulation where feasible
It isn’t glamorous work. But it prevents million-dollar losses.
Preventative Assessments: The “Know Your Building” Audit
When asked what owners should evaluate before winter, both men answered the same way: “Everything.”
Bodewig described Kennedy’s approach: “You’ve got to look at every aspect—attics, airflow, mold, ventilation, electrical, plumbing, fire suppression. You never know which subcontractor you’re going to need.”
They also recommended completing asbestos and lead-based paint surveys in advance. It’s not glamorous, but when an emergency happens, waiting three days for lab results costs money, occupancy days, and additional damage.
“Secondary damage actually does more damage than the first run,” Goldade noted. It’s what sits wet for days that becomes the bigger issue.”
The Owner Mistakes They See Most Often
Asked about the biggest mistakes owners make when preparing for winter, Goldade laughed: “They roll the dice a lot. They gamble on, ‘Is it going to be cold?’ ”
Oregon encourages this kind of magical thinking.
It snows, and it melts the next day. Until it doesn’t.
Goldade offered a vivid example of a property that does everything right: “Anytime it gets below freezing, they put ice melt on the walkways… They are jumping ahead of the curve.”
Owners who take winter seriously don’t just avoid emergencies; they avoid liability, tenant injuries, and long-term insurance consequences.
Insurance: More Complicated, More Expensive—And More Important Than Ever
With rising premiums and dramatic increases in deductibles, many owners are deciding whether to self-insure minor incidents.
Kennedy sees this every week.
Goldade explained that owners sometimes prohibit the restoration firm from speaking directly with the insurance adjuster—an efficiency killer.
“If they would talk to us and let us explain why we’re doing what we’re doing, it goes much smoother. Most insurance adjusters have never built a house in their lives.”
The mismatch of expertise can delay approvals, slow work, and increase loss.
Kennedy’s team prefers to speak directly to the carrier because they already know what documentation, moisture readings, itemization, and photographs insurers require.
Bodewig added another operational headache: “If a resident shuts off a drying machine because it’s ‘too loud,’ it causes more secondary damage and slows everything.”
This is why trained technicians—and clear communication protocols—matter.
Are Owners Filing Fewer Claims? Yes. And It’s Changing the Industry
With insurance costs skyrocketing, more owners are choosing to handle minor losses themselves.
“We’re seeing companies buy their own equipment—fans, dehumidifiers, moisture meters—to handle small water losses,” Goldade said.
But he warned that this only works for very small incidents.
When a loss spreads across multiple floors, a professional must be called in. And when they are, the single most important question is whether the owner intends to make an insurance claim—everything about the restoration process changes based on that decision.
“The faster they know what they want, the easier it is to stop costing them more money,” Bodewig emphasized.
What To Do When a Winter Emergency Hits
If there was one part of the conversation every owner should memorize, it’s what should happen when those 9:00 p.m. Friday emergency calls come in. Goldade described it plainly:
Call the restoration firm immediately.
They arrive and stabilize the situation—minimizing disturbance to tenants when possible.
They perform moisture and air testing.
They determine whether evidence must be preserved for subrogation. (“We might have to lock up a water heater in our facility so investigators can inspect it.”)
The owner decides—quickly—whether this is an insurance claim.
The restoration work proceeds with proper documentation.
The longer the delay, the higher the cost. Not just in dollars, but in lost rent, tenant displacement, and preventable secondary damage.
The Takeaway for Multifamily Owners and Investors
If winterization had a slogan, it would be this: Preparation is cheap. Winter emergencies are not. So, in short:
Know your buildings.
Know your shutoffs.
Know your policies.
Know who’s authorized to call for help.
And, if you do need help, know that firms like Kennedy Restoration have seen every version of winter disaster—and know how to get buildings livable again fast.
As I listened to Bodewig and Goldade, one thought stayed with me: Winter isn’t the real threat. Unpreparedness is.
Kennedy Restoration specializes in restoring multifamily properties damaged by fire, water, wind, vandalism, and other natural and manmade disasters. They can be reached 24/7 at (503) 234-0509 or www.kennedyres.com.
About the author:
Aaron Kirk Douglas is a multifaceted storyteller and market analyst. His career spans journalism, creative nonfiction, filmmaking, and real estate research. He serves as Director of Market Intelligence at HFO Investment Real Estate/GREA, the Pacific Northwest’s leading multifamily brokerage.
Landlord anxiety is rising about late rent payments and here is a new study that shows four tools that can help tenants pay on time.
A new study offers data-backed insight into what actually helps tenants pay on time and how landlords can apply those findings to strengthen their operations, according to a release from RentRedi.
With affordability pressures, economic uncertainty, and heightened concern about rent reliability, this survey shows that the solution isn’t guesswork — it’s structure, according to the release.
“The same tools tenants say help them pay on time are the tools that measurably improve outcomes for landlords. This data offers a rare look at where landlord concerns and renter habits intersect, and how technology is changing that relationship,” according to the study.
Key takeaways from the survey include:
Landlord anxiety is rising:
In joint RentRedi–BiggerPockets surveys, 41% of rental investors say they’re more concerned about tenants not paying rent than last year, even though 45% report no increase in late or unpaid rent.
Landlords and tenants agree on what works:
Automatic rent reminders ranked as the most helpful tool for on-time payments for both groups.
44% of tenants say reminders help them stay on track, while over half of landlords rely on them to encourage timely rent.
Autopay delivers measurable results:
41% of landlords offer autopay to encourage on-time payments.
RentRedi platform data shows units with tenants enrolled in autopay achieve a 99% on-time rent rate, compared with 87% for those without.
Incentives matter — and credit reporting stands out:
Among landlords who incentivize on-time rent, more than 70% use credit reporting.
Reporting on-time rent leads to a 13% increase in on-time payments, helping renters build credit while improving consistency for owners.
Payment preferences are shifting with technology:
RentRedi tenants show far stronger adoption of digital payments, including credit and debit cards, compared with what landlords report across the broader market—highlighting how mobile-first tools can reshape renter behavior.
Conclusion
The survey concludes that when landlords build structured systems around rent collection, “everyone benefits. Renters gain predictable tools that support their monthly routines, and owners strengthen the financial backbone of their portfolios.
“Autopay, reminders, credit reporting, and mobile-first payments aren’t just features—they’re the smart path to steadier cash flow and a more confident renting experience for both sides.”
Real estate professionals say adopting technology and innovation has now risen to one of their top three challenges, passing up human resources and staffing, according to a new study.
The new survey of nearly 2,000 real estate industry professionals was done by AppFolio, a property management software platform, in partnership with the National Apartment Association (NAA) between July 16 and August 4, 2025.
Operational strain
“The largest threat to property performance today isn’t demand, it’s operational strain,” NAA CEO Bob Pinnegar said in a release. “At such a crucial time for our industry – where property teams are being asked to operate more strategically than ever – this timely analysis sheds light on constraints like staffing challenges, fragmented systems and reactive workflows.”
“Long-term performance will depend on how well the industry aligns teams, technology and the customer experience, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with AppFolio to analyze and leverage these insights to address challenges moving forward,” Pinnegar said.
Routine and reactive tasks
The survey found that real estate leaders spend the majority of their time on routine operational work (42%) and reactive tasks (24%) but aspire to spend much more time on strategic, performance-driven work. It would seem that AI could help with that, but respondents weren’t convinced.
“The real barrier to performance and ROI in real estate is not the potential of AI, but the limitations of legacy, task-based property management systems (PMS),” said Cat Allday, vice president of product for Appfolio, in the release.
“Traditional PMS is built on fragmented technology and silos, creating a data disconnect.”
Falling Short of AI’s Full Potential
The survey says AI adoption is widespread; however, its full potential to generate strategic value for property managers remains largely untapped. There is a clear opportunity for property managers to embrace AI-native technology that creates a unified experience and drives true performance:
The majority of respondents use general-purpose AI tools (53%) like ChatGPT and Gemini, and 43% use AI features embedded in their property management software.
With 77% of companies already reporting overall performance improvements – largely driven by generative AI – the industry is seeing the beginning of what is possible. Widespread adoption of AI capable of executing complex workflows is poised to take these gains even further.
