It Might Be a Long, Long Summer

How do you handle property damage caused by a couple of unsupervised six-year-olds at your community? I was actually accepting an Application from a gentleman when one of my Residents came into the Office and told me some kids were taking out a mature bush. So, I excused myself and went to the door, looked out and sure enough, they sure were. In all honesty, I can handle mischievous children, having taught for years and raising two children of my own. What I find difficult to understand are the parents who non-chalantly behave as though this is MY problem and they share no responsibility for supervising their children. To be fair, one parent brought her son immediately into the office afterward because he was so upset himself and told his mother that he had "done something bad" and "Mindy's mad at me." (Not that I want a child to think I am angry, although I did want him to know how disappointed I was in his behavior.)

I saw this as a great opportunity for a teaching moment and I spent some time talking with Carson and explaining how hurt I am that now my landscaping does not look so great. He came into the Office crying and left smiling but sober in the realization that he needs to learn some self-control.

The other parent's reaction to the news of the incident? "Allistair!!!! You can NEVER PLAY OUTSIDE AGAIN!" Really??? You are never ever going to let your little boy play outside again? I looked at her and said, "Now, you know that isn't what is going to happen. In the future, you are going to have to spend more time watching him and less time talking on the phone inside. He's six years old. He's your responsibility and I would not want to see him get hurt."

Oh, and by the way, the new bush will cost $65 and labor to install. I'll send you the bill.

Fifty Shades of Crazy

I have been a student of the psychological condition since I was ten years old and discovered if you opened a Webster’s dictionary to look up the definition of crazy, you would see a picture of my family. Okay – maybe not crazy, but certainly a light shade of dysfunctional (okay, I’m exaggerating!) When I saw a quote on my Twitter feed the other day saying some version of this: “Go somewhere else. We don’t sell Crazy here!” I could only think one thing. If you’re in Property Management, chances are you have to deal with some kind of “Crazy” every day. And by crazy, I don’t mean the amount of paperwork you do everyday or the number of reports you complete on a daily, weekly, bi-monthly and monthly schedule (an insane number!) I am referring to the politically incorrect kind of crazy – the kind of people who leave you with your jaw-dropped and eyes-popping-out-of-your-head because you can’t believe what someone just said or did, either in your Office or their apartment or on the property. It is time to recognize it and learn to deal with it.

Some psychological conditions are easy to spot; however some conditions may remain completely buried until some event triggers a reaction. It is important to learn not to trigger a reaction if possible. My first on-site experience with triggers occurred in my first year on a project based Section 8 property. The receptionist noticed that “Mary Ann” was walking back and forth in front of the office patio door window and called out to me and the manager. The manager took a look and said not to worry about it, that “Mary Ann” sometimes did that. Being new I didn’t want to object; however, when “Mary Ann” continued her pacing and looked as though she were talking to herself quite animatedly, I took pause. “This is not normal behavior,” I said, ever one to state the obvious.

Long story short: “Mary Ann” was not okay … at all … in any way. Eventually she made her way into the office and asked to speak to the manager, so the manager escorted her to her office and shut the door. As soon as I heard the door close, I KNEW something bad was about to happen. Two minutes later “Mary Ann” left the Office visibly agitated and muttering under her breath. I was in my office and the manager was in hers. Within five minutes the Resident returned to the office with a knife and tried to attack the Receptionist. By the time we could react, “Mary Ann” had left and the Manager went to attend to the Receptionist and I called 9-1-1.

How did I know that the sound of the door closing would or could be a trigger for this person? It’s simple. That sound is a trigger for many abused people because perpetrators sneak into bedrooms, quietly shut doors and then perpetrate horrendous acts on their victims. Most of the time, most people have no idea why they feel freaked out and anxious when they hear a door click shut. They only know they are experiencing that “Fight or Flight” response.

The problem is exacerbated in a multifamily setting. Those who live in detached single family dwellings can shut the door and remain obscure and anonymous in their painful struggle with daily life. Those who live in an apartment community may not have this ability. General stressors tax their ability to cope especially with dealing with paying rent on time or reporting a work order request. Although we who work in the industry cannot be expected to recognize and diagnose our residents, we may need to understand things such as triggers and behavioral affect. For example, one of your residents is never seen on the property. I mean, really, never seen. He pays his rent on line, never calls in a work order and refuses to allow Maintenance in for routine preventative maintenance even though he received the notice. This should be a red flag to the on-site team. Another example is the resident who appears to walk around on the property cursing under his breath, is unkempt, and keeps his hands in his pockets. He may stop and start screaming for no apparent reason. Or, the resident who has paid her rent on time without fail ever since moving in eight months ago suddenly stops paying. The first comes and goes and no rent. You call; you post a Balance Due Notice Reminder on her door, and finally a 3-Day Notice to Vacate. With still no communication, you go the unit and discover someone who is holed up in a dark apartment, refusing to talk to you OR they are so animated and hyper vigilant you are entranced. All of these are signs of breaks with reality.

Handling Residents who happen to also have a mental illness can be a problem for Property Managers and their teams. Always try to remain calm and do not be afraid to call 911 if threatening behavior is exhibited (threatening to kill self or someone else.) Second, make sure you always have up to date emergency contact info and that the form Residents sign explicitly allows you to contact their Emergency Person in the event of a problem. Always take notes on any conversations and fill out Incident Reports with date and time and list names of those present, if applicable. It is vital to keep an objective outlook as everyone in your community has the right of privacy, as well as the right to be treated with respect. The following link is an excellent reference source and should be a part of every team member’s training: www.jfcsboston.org/LinkClick.aspx ... Although this guide is geared toward working with older adults, it is applicable for all aged residents.

Most people have quirks that are a part of our charming personalities. However, there is a difference between being eccentric and quirky and being a danger to self or others. As professionals, we should be on the alert for those who are one shade of crazy in our communities. 

"Is Your Pool Open Yet?"

It's that time of the ________ again .... Yeah, not my favorite time at all. No, it's not what you're thinking. GASP! I'm talkin about Pool Season. Seems like only yesterday when I was confessing my hatred of opening our community's swimming pool and here it is time to re-open.

This year the pool was painted, a new rockscape installed, new latch installed, tables prepped and painted and all areas deemed to be accessible by anyone larger than a hamster reinforced. Based on the number of phone calls from Residents asking when we were opening the pool, I was pretty sure Opening Day would be successful. However, I was completely surprised by this phone conversation.

The phone rings and I answer it late in the afternoon, expecting the caller to be a Prospect looking for info or a Resident with a work order.

"Is your pool open yet?"

Now, I am such a smart ass (in my head at least.) So many possibile replies volleyed back and forth in my head in all of a split second. But I successfulle repressed the urge to utter something totally irresponsible. "Well, I will be happy to talk to you. With whom I am speaking?" Yeah, I actually can be pretty formal.

"I just want to know if your pool is open?"

"Okay, I understand that. Are you one of our Residents?"

"What difference does THAT make? Look, it's a simple question, Lady."

"Yes, and I have a simple answer. If you're a Resident, I can tell you this information." A long pause.
"I'm calling for someone else who lives there. They're at work and want to know if they can use the pool when they get off work. So, is your pool open or not? Why won't you just tell me?"

So, I told him we don't have a public pool and I can only discuss property questions like this with a Resident. "Just have them call the office or send me an email," I said. "And the reason I can't discuss this with you is one, you will not even identify yourself, so how do I know who you are? And two, there are a lot of differences between public pools and private pools. Our pool is private and it is only for our Residents."

He was really persistent. "So, are you going to tell me or not?" When I didn't answer right away he hung up and truthfully I was relieved. Why on earth would a complete stranger, whom I do not know (or at least I don't think I do) talk so rudely? Okay, so maybe it isn't that I don't like Pool Season as much as I just don't like Rude People.

How Norman Rockwell Can You Get?

My, how time flies, whether or not you are having fun. Some days go by so quickly and others seem to drag. Now that graduations are being commenced and pools are opening and all the reality TV shows are wrapping up another season of stupidity, we are forging once again into a hot, summer time. I treasure those days when the temps are nice - you know - high 70s - breeze blowing just enough to cool and no one really NEEDS any air conditioning.

The other day was a particularly slow leasing day. Hardly any traffic coming through the door and I was happy when someone finally showed up late in the day. It was a great meeting, she was pleasant, seemed happy and excited about the prospect of her first "grown-up" apartment. That's when she asked me, "So, what makes this place so special?"

Funny. I think this is the first time anyone actually outright asked me that. My first response was (and always is tucked somewhere in my "presentation"): "Me. No one cares more about this community than I do." Then it hit me like a ton of bricks and I added, "Well, me AND our Residents."

She kind of smiled and asked what I meant. So, I told her that I thought it was rare that people feel so comfortable here that they decide they WANT to be here. Year after year and not just for one or two people but more and more Residents choose to stay here for five or more years, even when they could buy a house. Of course, she may have thought I was just saying that to make Ashton Glen look inviting, but it is the truth. Just at that moment (and you know the gods don't align like this often), I pointed out the sliding glass door window to the little boy running with his kite across the large green space and I said, "Where else do you see a sight like that? Is there anything more Norman Rockwell than that?"

There are two military families that are shipping out and two more that have already shipped out, I told her. Even though they left or are leaving to attend to duties overseas or in other parts of the United States, two of these families are returning here when they come "home." Home to them means not just the United States, but also this apartment community. Wow. And one of these families is actually paying rent on their apartment while absent. This says it all.

Managing a Section 8 Property

What are you supposed to do to “turn around a troubled Section 8 property?” Some people may not like my answer; however, since this has been my forte in a past life, I will give you a succinct, straight forward answer – you can’t – UNLESS you are committed to doing what it takes. I feel strongly that just because you work on an income based property, there is no reason not to manage with pride and provide the best living experience for your residents. But it takes more than someone coming to work at eight o’clock each morning and running out the door at five o’clock each evening. I can tell you almost every project based Section 8 property struggles with discouraged management at one time or another. Until you can walk on that property at 8 AM ready to face whatever comes your way, then you aren’t approaching that property ready to do it justice.

My first Section 8 property (when I was hired it was because the manager  did not even know how to turn on her computer, much less master the newly installed property management accounting software program. She was an acquaintance of mine and recruited me) was rough with more than 300 police calls each month. The Manager’s office contained stacks and stacks of files in varying stages of recertification. Rent checks had not been input into Yardi for 3 months. I asked if the money had at least been taken to the bank? Some had, but not all of it had, evidenced by a stack of checks I found inside the bank bag.

I can say that after about two weeks, I knew the Manager did a terrible job of handling paperwork. She had no instincts in handling residents, their problems, their issues and the drama they all created. It wasn’t long when I was promoted.

Here is how to turn your property around:

1. Hire someone who will take ownership of your property.
2. Make sure this person understands it is not a 9-5 job.
3. Train them properly on your property management software. If your Office team cannot comprehend how to utilize the system, then find a better teacher or get someone else.
4. Send your team to earn their designations in affordable housing.
5. Implement an effective Neighborhood Watch Program. Hold meetings. Cooperate with the Police. DEMAND bike patrols by uniformed officers on your property weather permitting.
6. You must evaluate security on your property.
7. You must evaluate your lighting in interior common halls and exterior buildings. I actually worked with the city’s electric utility department and they updated all the lighting in the parking lots at no cost to my company.
8. You must respond to lockouts – not your maintenance team – the Manager must! After all, I wanted to know why they were locked out. I know this is a controversial approach, but I can tell you it cut down on a lot of property damage, a lot of  domestic violence calls and drug deals.
9. Install No Trespassing and Loitering Is Not Permitted Signage on your property.
10. You must provide an on site presence who is not afraid to ask visitors for ID and why they are on your property. Security guards that are off-duty cops are best. Even so, I oftentimes showed up between midnight and 6 AM while getting a handle on the “traffic” hanging out in the parking lots, etc. I did this for an entire year. After that, word was out that my property was not accessible.
11. Provide activities for your younger residents. Afterschool clubs are GREAT. You might also host Boy Scouts and Girl Scout troop activities supervised by a staff member. I did this, plus we played whiffel ball and my cops played football with the children/teens. Do NOT install basketball hoops on site – tell them to do this somewhere else.
12. Walk the Property everyday. At first, when I walked the property, I could literally hear phones ringing and people saying, “Manager’s walking. Mindy’s close!”
13. Update your Resident Criteria. I dislike having to rent to people with no prior rental history because to me, this is code for “Mama wants the house back. You got to go get your own place!” If you must do so, make sure the credit requirement is sufficient. For some places, no credit established can prevent someone from qualifying to live at that property.
14. Implement a Parking Pass Policy and ENFORCE it. One rule often overlooked is requiring Guests to display a Guest Pass hang tag. Make sure all Residents’ cars are registered and are registered to the actual Resident and NOT the Baby’s Daddy, a parent or someone else. Residents used to tell me they need the car and their boyfriend wouldn’t put the car in her name. I’d have the boyfriend come and in and tell him if he wants his child’s mother to have a car here, he can put her name on the registration. Many times, he did. Win-win.
15. Communicate with your police officers. I set up a Substation in the outer office. Police did not have access to files, keys or anything confidential. They did have a nice bathroom to use and a kitchen, which I stocked with cookies, cool drinks, bottled water, chips and candy. I knew everyone’s favorites. I worked with the same 5 Officers. I also brought them in dinner monthly and it was a nice way to just relax.
16. Communicate with Residents and enforce the Lease.
17. Train the entire team to watch for signs of trouble: splintered door frames, people climbing up drain pipes to reach upper floors (Hello?); strangers standing around in doorways; maintenance should report what they see in units: drug paraphernalia out in the open (a lot of times seen on a coffee table!) and have the Manager inspect all units for housekeeping issues.
18. Require that no aquariums are kept in the units (used to stash drugs).
19. Evict those who are “not playing well with others.” No excuses. No exceptions.
20. Do not allow residents to display items in windows. Often times this indicates when it is safe to come to the unit to “conduct business.”
21. Boyfriends who spend the night all the time are really just freeloaders that you have allowed to reside at your property. Get a handle on this. I once had this young lady’s mother barge into the office yelling that I cannot tell her daughter that her boyfriend can’t visit. She actually told me her daughter “has to be able to get her freak on” and that was none of my business. J If taxpayers are footing the bill for her daughter’s rent then I have every right to know that her boyfriend is living with her. Otherwise they can go get an apartment at a Market Rate community (which they eventually did. No tears shed on my part.)
22. Invest in some nice landscaping. Get rid of bushes that hide windows or create potentially unsafe places for criminals to hide behind. Plant flowers and hang baskets. Residents told me someone would steal my hanging baskets but no one ever did.
23. Hold BBQs or cookouts every so often in the spring, summer and fall, if possible. Invite the community fire and police departments. Play games with the kids and SMILE at the Residents. Encourage relationships to develop. I can tell you once Residents see the evictions happen, that loitering and catcalls from balconies have stopped, and that children can actually play outside again, they will appreciate it.
24. Be accessible. I can’t tell the number of times I have heard the most intimate details of people’s lives. The more I know the better able I am to direct them to people who can provide help. My seniors loved me because loneliness is the bane of society.
25. Develop a data base of community resources: CPS; APS; Catholic Social Services, etc., plus HUD contacts who can help you when you have questions. Ideally you have a compliance department to assist you, but if you don’t, you need someone to help you navigate the ins and outs of section 8 paperwork.

It is a lot of work. It takes a dedicated person to invest himself to such an extent. It is a thankless job – be prepared for that. Over time though, you will see your property outshine even some market rate communities and one day someone will walk into your Office door thinking this is just a regular apartment community, not one that is income-based, and that is the greatest compliment of all.

It's Always Something

It is true that we have had a weird kind of winter this year. We have barely had any kind of winter weather here in Ohio. Imagine my surprise at this exchange:

Ring! Ring! 
Me: "Thank you for calling XYZ. This is Mindy. How may I help you today?"
Caller: "Hi. I'm over here in #682. My air conditioner won't work. I turned it on and it's not blowing cold air."
Me: "Uh. Okay."
Caller: "Well, when are you going to fix it?" She sounded exasperated.
Me: "Today is February 29th, Mrs. W."
Caller: "But it's hot in here!" W-H-I-N-E-EEEEEE
Me: " I'm not sure maintenance CAN fix it today. We usually have to have some consistent warm temperatures before he could re-charge it, if that is what is wrong with it. But I'll write up a work order."
Silence on the other end.  For several long, quiet seconds.
Me: "Are you still there, Mrs. W?"
Caller: "But it's 70 to 73 degrees in here!!!!"
I didn't want to be unsympathetic but come on!
Me: "Yes, okay. I understand. Why don't you open a window for a little while?"
Caller: "Oh, I couldn't do that. I never open windows. And my dog is just PANTING!"

I tell the Maintenance Tech and he goes over and finds a wire disconnected. Thank goodness.

The Dreaded Move Out Inspection - Why Don't Residents Care?

One of the folks who had leased an apartment for a short term moved this past weekend. This was a mixed up situation from the get-go since the arrangements were being "handled" by an insurance claims department. When the guy first came to me, he was in a panic and needed immediate housing (always a red flag any time!) However, I was able to accommodate his family and he filled out and Application and placed the security deposit on the only available unit I had at the time.

It turned out that our community was directly down the street from his condo and the reason he needed to move was because a neighbor's fire had badly damaged his condo. I spoke with the insurance company and they seemed to think this would be a year lease. Eventually they called and said he should only sign a 6-month lease. At the six month mark, they asked for a one-month extension. After I said I could do that, they then called and stated they only needed it for one extra week or two. (Never mind that I don't prorate the last month of rent. Apparently, the insurance company did not care.)

Long story short, arrangements were made for a February 19th move out (a Sunday) with keys to be either put in the night drop box or hand delivered the next day. This unit had already been reserved for a March move in date so I was anxious to get maintenance in there to start the turn. Imagine my disappointment when it took the Resident 2 days to get the keys back to me and imagine my disbelief at the condition of the apartment. To say it was appalling would be the least of how I would describe it.

In these situations, I like to call the now-past Resident and let them know that they are in danger of losing their security deposit and possibly will owe money. Naturally, I offered him the opportunity to meet with me.

He showed up the next day - late (and I really get irked when people show up late to their appointments) and I invited him to come back to my office. He remained standing which is never a good sign, especially since he stands almost a foot taller than I and outweighs me. But I stand my ground (literally) as I explain all the things I found wrong with the condition of the apartment after he moved. He stands there arguing about most items but admitted the fact that he allowed his WIFE to draw on the bathtub with a crayon (the children were under 2 and not able to write "Happy BIrthday!" I am sure) and agreed there would be a charge for that. He acknowleded that no one cleaned the inside of the refrigerator or oven and that there were issues with the carpet having multiple stains. I told him I had a problem with the fact that the carpet was not salvageable, in my opinion, but I explained I would have my carpet expert come out as soon as possible to determine this. I also reported that the entire unit would require a total repaint as every wall had mulitple marks all over them.

He became upset about the carpet and said he wouldn't pay for it, nor would he accept that I would question all the marks on the walls. Hummm. "No, Sir, you will pay for whatever damage you caused."

"Well, you would have to paint anyway and you guys clean anyway, too, so I don't know what you think is so bad."

I asked him if he felt someone could move into his unit today as it was. He hung his head and said he didn't, but that is why people go to apartments - "You guys always have to do this stuff." I looked at him and told him our apartment community is not a hotel. There is not maid service here to clean up after our Residents, and that for someone to leave an apartment like that was never okay.

"Your Lease specifies that apartments must be left in the same condition as received."

There were a few more statements made that day, to be sure. But the one thing that stood out among all others was Mr. M's statement that it's "just an apartment. People stay there for a time and move on" and why would I expect anyone to care about how the carpet and walls look once their lease is up?"

I expect to provide a well kept, maintained, clean, apartment home for all my Residents. I expect my Residents to enjoy the time they spend here but I DON'T EXPECT people to be disrespectful, lazy slobs who feel they share in none of the responsibility for maintaining their own homes.

"Mr. M.," I said, "people LIVE here; they don't just STAY here. Most of your neighbors here have chosen to rent a home for various reasons, and I can guarantee you that just because they live in an apartment, they want to feel pride when their friends and families come to visit. They deserve to walk into an apartment that we have provided on move in day that is welcoming and maintained. I don't want any of our Residents to think that they shouldn't take care of their homes just because it's an apartment." I went on (and I probably shouldn't have) to say that I wondered what his rehabbed condo would look like in six months. In fact, I would NOT even want to see it. The way he and his wife (who was some provileged princess at move in) left 404 Maplestone Lane was a disgrace and they should be ashamed.

To top it off, they left a damaged sofa and loveseat in their garage and told the Maintenance Tech that someone here would love to have it. Really?????  If that was the case, then why didn't they take it? It is so disappointing to hear someone say, "It's just an apartment."

It isn't just an apartment. It's someone's home.