Vote Already!

Renters: the great ignored

Barney Doran, Delray Beach Opinion originally published in the Sun Sentinel

October 14, 2008

Now that John McCain has proposed that the U.S. government buy up $300 billion in mortgages, write down the outstanding amounts and lower the payments for the homeowners, it is time for the voices of America's 34 million renting households to be heard. Please note this constitutes approximately 135 million people and roughly 65 million potential voters. Americans are regaled daily in the media with the vicissitudes of the homeowners who were "forced" into dwellings by rapacious bankers and mortgage brokers. How about the 7 million rental households with annual incomes under $10,000 who pay over half that income on rent? Haven't heard too much about them in this great national brouhaha, have you? But not only the poor rent in this country. Twenty percent of rental households (6.8 million equating to approximately 27.2 million Americans) make over $60,000 a year.

Back in the heady days of house gambling, don't you think they received calls at dinner time from mortgage brokers offering zero-down, no-income-verification, no-credit-check mortgages? Yes, they did, but they were either reluctant to get entangled, or they realized this was one big casino. In other words, they didn't take the bait, but the fish across the street in foreclosure did and is about to be bailed out by the government. The sober renter, however, is being totally ignored, even though his rent was increased during the housing Vegas days because of "rising property values."

Is it fair that his tax dollars are going to bail out a greedy/stupid neighbor? I don't think America's renters are going to think so. But I do think the politicians representing these renters will ignore this inequity at their peril. These voices will be heard.

The Peeping Landlord

Pennsylvania landlord was arrested for taping female tenants. Thomas Daley, a 45-year-old Phoenixville man whom authorities said owns three apartment buildings in Norristown having a combined total of 16 apartments, is charged with invasion of privacy, criminal use of a communication facility and violations of the wiretap and surveillance laws.


County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said Daley, of the 1000 block of Spring City Road, installed hidden cameras and audio equipment in three of the four apartments in a building he owns in the 500 block of Stanbridge Street.

This equipment, which was hidden in bathrooms, bedrooms and living rooms, was hooked up to enable him to spy on the private activities of his clients from his computer at home for his own sexual gratification, according to Ferman.

"This is just creepy at its worst," said Ferman.

The alleged victims "feel completely violated," said Ferman.

"This kind of personal invasion is just harrowing," said Ferman. "These victims just now are finding out that their most private, most personal times in their own homes have been captured on videotape and that somebody else has been watching them for their own personal gratification."

"To say it is unnerving, to say it is disconcerting doesn't even begin to express how upset they are," she said.

Ferman called the charges against Daley for the property in the 500 block of Stanbridge Street just "the tip of the iceberg."

Norristown police have been interviewing past and former tenants of the other two buildings throughout the weekend and on Monday, and "we expect many additional charges," said Ferman. Authorities suspect that Daley may have been engaged in this type of activity for almost 20 years.

Police first learned of Daley's alleged activities on Sept. 18 when one of the Stanbridge Street tenants contacted 911 to report she had found a hidden camera behind the bathroom mirror in her apartment. The woman's boyfriend was changing a light bulb in the bathroom when he spotted a small micro "pinhole" style video camera hard-wired into the wall.

Police said the wires appeared to go from the first-floor apartment down into the basement. The tenant told police that the landlord kept the basement area locked and did not allow tenants access.

While waiting for Daley to arrive at the apartment building, police discovered another camera, similar to the one in the bathroom, in the living room.

When Daley arrived, police learned that there was another camera in the bedroom ceiling fan pointed down at the bed and a fourth one in the bathroom, according to the criminal complaint. They also learned of cameras in two of the other three apartments in the building, the complaint said.

Daley later gave police a statement allegedly admitting that he installed the cameras, some of which were activated when a tenant turned on a light switch. Some of the cameras recorded on a VHS system that was in the basement while other digital cameras fed a digital video recorder, also stored in the basement.

In addition to being able to record what was happening in the apartments, Daley said he could access the DVR system from his computer at home and get a live feed. He also could turn the cameras on and off from his home computer, according to the criminal complaint.

Daley allegedly told police he would save the VHS tapes and, if he viewed an act he liked, he would record the video on the digital recorder and save them, the complaint said.

Police confiscated Daley's computer equipment and electronic taping and recording equipment as well as numerous tapes and DVDs. Some of those tapes showed the four alleged female victims in various states of partial and full nudity while in the privacy of their residences.

"This system was a very sophisticated and elaborate," said Ferman. "Mr. Daley, in the privacy of his own home, could invade the privacy of his tenants."

By Margaret Gibbons, Special to The Mercury

Apartment Guide'sLatest Feature

Insult to Injury

The Florida legislature just gave the ok to increase court fees for "removal of tenant action" aka evictions. The court-related fees will go into effect on July 1st. Currently it costs $80 but will more than triple to $270. Whoa! thats gonna hurt.
Be proactive contact your property attorney for details and make sure to consider the increases for your '09 budgets!

To view a copy of the bill, go to www.flsenate.gov/Welcome/ and type in 1790 under the Jump to Bill tab on the left.

In loving Memory

We can't believe, We don't want to believe, but we must believe that you are gone.

Technology can be cruel. Our in boxes & voice mails have become sacred, erasing your replies & messages is impossible.

We're too sad to move on, but its too painful to remember every conversation, every meal and every laugh we shared.

We cant miss you, We don't want to miss you, but we will miss you.

For more information on how you can contribute to the Sloan Gentile Memorial fund, please email me at Tanisha@RentandReason.com

Understanding Our New Workforce

Why Risk It?

The concept of Renters' Insurance is a simple - demand it, or deal with the incredible risk involved with damages ranging from fire to power surges. An article published in the latest edition of NAA's magazine Units - highlights that mandatory renters insurance reduces the financial expenditures related to resident caused damage by 79%.

A 2006 study by Dirk Wakeham CEO of LeasingDesk Insurance Services reported a majority of owners from his survey (82 percent) who offered and required residents to have a renter's insurance policy--and then enforced it--said they would "absolutely" recommend this type a mandatory renters insurance program.

Grant Berkey, Vice President, Capstone Real Estate Services Inc., an Austin, Texas-based fee management firm responsible for more than 50,000 units described an experience of A resident at one of their properties that had a kitchen grease fire which spread to both adjacent units causing damages totaling more than $38,000 in repairs. Berkey explained "fortunately, the resident was insured and we were able to file our claim through their renter's insurance policy."

12th Annual SEFAA Volleyball Tournament

Friday, May 9, 2008

11:00 am Volleyball Tournament . 1:30 pm Oceanside Buffet BBQ

Hollywood Beach Resort

101 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, FL - 954-921-0990

Here's a link to a few helpful tips

WOW 12 years! Below is probably what the 1st annual was like:

Opportunities and risks for renters in Broward and Palm Beach counties

Rental bliss
Sisters Jill and Melissa Melzer in front of Jill's apartment complex, the Mizner Court in Boca Raton, last month. Melissa will also be living in her own apartment in June at Mizner Court.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel BY ROBIN BENEDICK

Finding a place to rent in Broward and Palm Beach counties is easier and in some cases cheaper than it has been in years because more housing is available and the competition for tenants is lowering prices.

"We're seeing a lot more concessions being offered to get people moved in," said Dori Rones, general sales manager of For Rent Media Solutions, which publishes For Rent Magazine and operates forrent.com.

Read full story

Meaningful Amenities : Smoke-Free Apartments

The momentum in South Florida for smoke free apartments burned out. It was a buzzing topic that gained popularity in mid 2005 and seemed to have had the ears of local industry leadership. But in the fog of the condo boom there were more pressing issues to address, leaving the potential for smoke free apartments to newly formed condo boards.

Three years later. . . and boy how times have changed, property managers in South Florida are performing awe inspiring maneuvers to keep the influx of mortgage refugee residents happy and ultimately retained, but only the most meaningful amenities will make the difference.

According to a survey about smoke-free apartments conducted by the California Apartment Association it may be an issue important enough to spark renewed interest in South Florida.

The Survey Results:

• 69% of renters favored regulations requiring
all apartment buildings to offer
non-smoking sections, where all the
apartments, patios, and balconies
in that section were non-smoking.

• 39% of renters would prefer to live in a
building where smoking is not
allowed anywhere.

• 46% of renters experience secondhand smoke
drifting into their own apartment.

• 70% of survey respondents believed
a tenant should be evicted for
repeated violations of smoking prohibitions
in a lease

1st For Rent ,Then Foreclosed, Finally Forced Out!

The shock is over, when reading or hearing about renters getting the surprise of their lives in the form of a foreclosure notice. A recent Daily Business Review article indicates that this scenario is becoming more common in South Florida multifamily industry. A Hialeah single mom is the subject in the story published earlier this week that describes her struggle to find a new place to rent as she is forced out of what was typically a safe bet for renters.

Her landlord like so many other smaller investors, collected rent while defaulting on his mortgage -creating a devastating dilemma for the residents.
Click here for the full story

SEFAA Annual Auction

Wednesday April 16th
Deerfield Beach Hilton
100 Fairway Drive

Sponsored by: For Rent

For more info visit SEFAA.com or follow the links below:

Download registration form and invoice

Download auction donation form

Below are the latest Items Donated for auction!

Rent And ReSearch.com

Click to visit:

Blackberry Friendly

I love emails that are Blackberry friendly, polite, brief and to the point. I've heard too many stories from colleagues that are incensed by emails rivaling a novel. At a recent SEFAA breakfast a manager complained "You just keep scrolling until your thumb is soar". I hear ya girl.

My advice -
1. Judge the source before you get suckered into a scrollathon. If its not your boss, maintenance supervisor, etc. let it wait until you get to your desktop.

2. Build a text message network-let your vendors know that text messaging works for you. People are accustomed to space limitations in text messages and have little choice but to keep their message short and sweet!

Here's a few tricks to help train your Blackberry

A Blackberry can be a girls best friend, especially if looks like this one.
Kimora Lee Simmons -Fabulous custom Blacberry .

Xtreme Apartment Guide Promo

Boca's Missing Bridge

Last week Boca Raton’s Housing Authority faced a near riot as applicants literally camped out (some overnight) in hopes of securing a housing voucher. This incident shockingly demonstrates that the demand for housing in our region is clearly strong. But- this is the side of the market that is obviously linked to subsidized apartments that cant seem to satisfy a seemingly desperate demographic.

Palm Beach County and in this case Boca Raton is constantly facing occupancy challenges , and will only get tougher during the traditional summer season as the snowbird population migrate north. The evidence is the increased dawning of large bright street signs at “A” rated luxury apartment communities, shouting move in specials. Unfortunately, the signs usually generates the polar opposite of what was set off by a mere announcement of voucher applications- that drew Christmas sale like lines to the doorstep of the city’s housing leaders.

There is obviously something missing here, something that requires a bridge between the two markets.

The riot police, the comments from desperate residents, the shocking video of people swarming makes for interesting media content, but the true story is once the cops and cameras are gone the Boca Raton Housing Authority will remain in the spotlight.

SEFAA Legislative Breakfast Meeting

Speaker: Jeff Rogo, Florida Apartment Association (FAA) Government Affairs Director

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 9:00 am - 10:30 am

Deerfield Beach Hilton 100 Fairway Dr., Deerfield Beach, FL 954-427-7700

Issues impacting the bottom line of Florida apartment communities will be discussed. These include early termination, fire alarm monitoring, rental inspection preemption, mandatory telecommunications access, licensing for apartment personnel, mandatory background checks, sexual offenders, and more. As we approach our annual trip to Tallahassee to speak with legislators, April 2 - 3, we want to share these important issues with you.

Download the registration form and invoice.

Renter's Dilemma

One night last fall, a process server went to Dan Dixon's house and gave him papers informing him of the foreclosure. Dixon stands in front of the house he continues to rent even though the bank has foreclosed on the owner. He is moving soon.

Tenants: Be aware of landlords facing foreclosure

BY SCOTT ANDRON MiamiHerald.com

The following headline has become the best leasing point of a rental community-
Landlords have always asked potential tenants about their financial situation. But in today's housing market, renters may need to ask if potential landlords are facing foreclosure.

While South Florida's falling housing prices may favor renting rather than buying right now, the recent real estate bubble is also creating new risks for tenants.

Plenty of homes and condos are available for lease because their owners can't sell them, giving renters a variety of options. The problem is that many of the owners may not be on steady financial footing.

If they end up in foreclosure, tenants can be kicked out -- despite having a lease.

''That's happening. A lot of people are losing their homes,'' said Samira Ghazal, a Miami consumer lawyer. ``They don't know if the landlord is paying the mortgage or not. Then they end up getting evicted.'' Read more