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NCRPA News~ DECEMBER
ADA Compliance Part II
GO ASK ALICE; Will return in September issue
President’s Message
Your Association Request Your Help
Capitol Alert
Industry Partners Directory
Press Release
DECEMBER 2013
INSIGHT
MAGAZINE WINTER EDITION
NCRPA News ~ DECEMBER 2013
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Membership Referral Program
Receive a $10 credit to your membership
account with EACH successful
Resident Bill of Rights
National Apartment Association
As members of the National Apartment Association, and Nor Cal Rental Property
Association Inc. we take pride in providing quality rental homes
for our residents. We value our residents and recognize our partnership with them in
maintaining the rental housing industry. We believe residents should be aware of
their rights in this partnership. Therefore, know that,
· A Resident has the right to be treated fairly and equitably when applying for,
living in, and vacating a rental residence.
· A Resident has the right to be given notice prior to any entrance into a
rental residence by a rental property owner or manager, except in an emer-
gency.
· A Resident has the right, upon written request to the rental property owner or
manager, to a prompt response to requests for repairs.
· A Resident has the right to a written notice from the rental property owner or
manager prior to any rent adjustment.
· A Resident has the right to the return of any security deposit that may have
been collected by the rental property owner or manager and a good faith
accounting of any charges against that deposit within 21 days after the rental
residence has been vacated.
(The Resident Bill of Rights is not to be construed as a list of legal rights of the resident
or the rental property owner and is not exhaustive or exclusive of any such rights.)
NCRPA News~ DECEMBER
Rooftop Vent Caps Should Be Inspected Annually
Rooftop vent caps come in many different shapes and sizes. They are made out of many different materials, but they
all have the same purpose. Their main purpose is to vent the products of combustion produced by the gas appliance,
safely to the outside of the home or apartment. Their other job is to prevent downdrafts from entering the vent stack
when the wind blows and also to
keep birds, debris and rain out of the vent stack.
All gas appliances rely on maintaining a clear vent stacks and vent caps for safe operation. If a gas appliance vent
stack or the vent cap becomes restricted in any way, then the products of combustion, which can include deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) gas, can spill back into the living area. The annual appliance inspection and safety check
performed for Free by the gas experts at Southern California Gas Company (SCGC), San Diego Gas & Electric
(SDG&E) or Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) will show any venting issues. Their inspections are only on the gas
appliances and do not include an inspection of the vent stacks or vent caps. However if there are any venting
problems, they will be able to detect any issues when checking the appliances.
(Special note: Long Beach Gas Company does not offer Free appliance inspections.)
The vent stacks and caps on single family homes with pitched roofs can usually be visually inspected from the
ground. On homes with flat roofs, it may require you to go up on the roof to inspect the
vent stacks and caps. The same goes for apartment buildings with pitched and flat roofs. If there is any indication of
a potential problem, then a closer inspection should be made. Any problems should be corrected immediately. If in
doubt, replace it! They are not designed to last forever and they are relatively inexpensive and easy to replace.
Good Visual Inspection Possible Corrosion Problems
Requires a Closer Inspection
Being constantly outside in the elements, the vent stack and vent cap must deal with what Mother Nature dishes out.
High winds can whip off the vent cap entirely, leaving the appliance unprotected from downdrafts, birds, debris and
rain. Also, if they are not constantly painted the vent stack and vent cap can corrode over time causing it to partially
collapse and restrict the appliance venting.
Apartment buildings with flat roofs have the same potential problems as homes, but they have an additional element
to contend with, various workers constantly going up on the roof.
NCRPA News ~ DECEMBER 2013
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Looking at the piping coming out of the roof, can you tell what they serve? Flat roofs need a lot more maintenance than pitched roofs. They need constant roofing inspections to ensure there is no potential water leaks and to make sure the roof drains are clear. In the picture above, the air conditioning condensers are on the roof along with other things like electrical disconnect boxes, electrical lines and cable TV lines. All this equipment means that various tradesman are going on the roof to service and maintain their equipment. They are carrying tool bags and equipment to do their various jobs. They are on the roof to do their job and leave when their job is complete. They are not thinking about what can happen if they accidentally hit and crush a vent cap. Most of them don’t even know what the vent caps are for or what they do. If you have any roofing work done, whether it is a repair on the existing roof or you are having a new roof installed, you should have all the vent stacks and vent caps inspected before the gas appliances are put back into operation. If there is any doubt, call your gas supplier for a free appliance safety inspection, which will identify any possible venting issues. You are only entitled to one free appliance safety inspection per year so have all of the gas appliances inspected at the same time.
By now, all homes and apartments in California must have carbon monoxide (CO) detectors Installed to warn the occupants of dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) levels in the living area. Without the detectors, the carbon monoxide (CO) buildup could have deadly consequences. The bottom line is, all home and apartment roofs should be checked annually to make sure they are in good condition and will not leak. The vent stack and vent cap inspections should also be a part of the annual roof inspection to insure everyone’s safety inside the apartment or house.
Randy Lindenberg is President of Natural Gas Consulting, LLC with 35 years of
residential, commercial and industrial field service experience with Southern
California Gas Company to help you solve: Gas Safety & Efficiency Issues,
Conservation, AQMD Equipment Compliance Issues, Natural Gas Equipment/
Pressure Issues and also Earthquake preparedness.
“There is no such thing as being too safe when dealing with natural gas.”
NCRPA News~ DECEMBER
Go Ask Alice:
Go Ask Alice
By Alice Hannan
Background: This month, my column is not a question as much as a concern I’m observing. Twice,
recently, I’ve been in the office for committee meetings and have noticed how little
attention some members are giving their application process. I fail to understand why any
member would consider a resident without a thorough background check. After all, in
reality, when you sign an agreement with a new resident, you are loaning the value of the
property to the resident plus all the potentials for several forms of liability. So, at least as a
minimum procedure, I urge every member to attend the Tenant Screening class offered by
the Association. A. I noticed all kinds of forms, some of which I felt uncomfortable about and would consider them
inadequate. The Association has a great Application to rent available on its website (norcalrpa.org).
It’s free to all members, except for the cost of the ink and paper in the printing. Yes, its three pages,
but a very important three pages. And, yes, applications are periodically changed, so members
should check the Association’s website to make sure you are using the very latest form. B. Make sure you require a separate application for each person who will live in your property who is
18 years of age or older. And yes, that is EACH PERSON 18 years of age and above. One
application for each person, even if your applicant is a couple who have been married 60 years and
she has no income and has never worked. Why? Because you want to verify that each applicant is
what they are telling you they are. This concept is in addition to the fact that you must treat each
person equally, using the same procedure for each person. And, who knows, you might not find a
credit file on her in the previous scenario, but that would verify that she is what they told you she
was. C. Make sure each applicant has signed the application. Our Association will not process any
application which has not been signed by the applicant. I certainly don’t want anyone checking into
my background without my consent and knowledge. Do You? Treat your applicants like you want
to be treated. D. On a separate sheet of paper, you should state the requirement(s) or criteria an applicant must meet
to be “qualified” as a resident of your property. I think it is best if the criteria are attached to every
application. However, some members prefer to post it in the property or the rental office. All
potential residents have the right to see and understand the criteria you will be using to make your
decision, especially if you are charging an application processing fee. Your criteria may be different
from my criteria. If you have not completed this exercise and don’t know how to start, there are
three avenues to assist you: 1. The Tenant Screening Classes are held on the second Wednesday,
every other month. 2. The Boot Camp held on October 28, 29, 40 and 31, 6 to 9 PM. Both classes
assist you with creating your criteria. 3. As a last resort, if you absolutely cannot attend the Tenant
Screening Class or the Boot Camp, make an appointment with staff and I will come to the office
according to my time and schedule and help you, even in the evening. I will require a donation to
the Association in compensation for volunteering my time. E. Don’t forget an application on the pet. Various situations are arising as a result of pets from the
cancellation of your insurance to liability issues. Your pet policy should be included in your criteria.
This form is also available from the Associations web site.
NCRPA News ~ DECEMBER 2013
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Capitol Alert News and Updates from the California Political Consulting Group
Page 1
Bill Corner: Updates on Important Landlord-Tenant & Real Estate Bills
SB 603 (Leno) – Interest On Security Deposits Bill Is Dead. On Friday, May 24, 2013, SB 603 was amended, removing the section that represented one of the biggest potential administrative nightmares landlord-tenant law has seen in years. Per the amendment, the mandate on landlords to pay interest on security deposits to tenants was removed. CalPCG remained opposed, however, because landlords could still be held liable for the misdeeds and violations of a previous landlord’s mishandling of a tenant’s security deposit. This past week, despite the removal of the interest on security provision, the bill died on the senate floor on an 13-18 vote. AB 5 (Ammiano) – Homeless Rights Bill Suspended For The Year. As predicted, the bill was held up in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and is no longer eligible to be voted on this year. AB 5 would have provided homeless persons with a number of rights including the right to move freely, rest, solicit donations, pray, meditate, or practice religion, and to eat, share, and accept, food and water in public spaces without being subject to criminal or civil sanctions. Initially, public spaces included private business areas open to the public. The bill also contained a provision making all records of housing status confidential and barred from disclosure to landlords. CalPCG, as one of the lead apartment representatives, negotiated with the author’s office and testified at the Judiciary Committee hearing against these provisions. The author agreed to our amendments, limiting confidential records to those from homeless shelters,
medical centers, schools, or publicly funded human service providers, and redefining public spaces to exclude private businesses.
Ultimately, the bill was held up in appropriations because of the sheer expense of complying with the bill. Cities and counties would have been required to set up and pay for “hygiene centers” as a place for homeless persons to shower. They would have also had to provide defense counsel to homeless persons charged with infractions like loitering. Finally, law enforcement would have had to track and keep records of the number of citations, arrests, and 16 other enumerated activities, such as loitering, obstructing a sidewalk, lying down, camping, bathing in public spaces, etc. The one-time price tag for cities to comply would have been $216 million, and then another $81 million to maintain. SB 550 (Jackson) – Bill Increasing The Number Of Required Access-Compliant Residential Units Becomes Is Stopped In Committee And Therefore Becomes A Two-Year Bill. SB 550 would have increased the number of units in an apartment required to be accessible to disabled individuals. The new mandates would have applied to “public housing” defined as property owners receiving “direct financial assistance” from the government. As the only apartment representative opposed to the bill, CalPCG lobbied for amendments on grounds that the term “direct financial assistance” was overbroad and swept into its regulations private property owners who lawfully claim state tax deductions such as and including, property taxes and mortgage interest. Negotiated amendments would have removed private owners of existing apartments from the mandates of the bill. Nevertheless, the bill failed to clear the Appropriations Committee, and will not be heard any longer by the Legislature this year.
May 31, 2013 EDITION
NCRPA News~ DECEMBER
Rental Association News Nor Cal Rental Property Association
In Affiliation With
National Apartment Association Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce
Lodi Chamber of Commerce
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assoc.
Member, Central Valley Association of Realtors
Rental Association News is an official publication of NOR CAL RENTAL PROPERTY ASSOC., INC. a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation founded to promote, protect and advance the general welfare of the rental housing industry in San Joaquin County. The advertising printed in this publication is for the information and convenience of its readers. It is not to be construed as an endorsement nor guarantee of the products and services advertised.
DIRECTORS
Eli Tapia 2013
Michael Collins 2013
Irene Borelli 2013
Byron Alvarez 2013
Diane Barger 2013/2014
Diane Starr 2013/2014
Bob Sullivan 2013/2014
Larry Haworth 2013/2014
2013
ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
President Norbert Huston
Vice President Marc Garcia
Secretary Alice Hannan
Treasurer Albert Vetter
Past President Vernell Hill
Allied Waste Services: 209-466-3604 ~republicservices.com Checkpoint: 916-307-3324 Citizens Business Bank: 209-478-4222 ~ [email protected] Joe Lents Co./Abbey Carpets: 209-956-0188 Mr. Rooter Plumbing: 209-833-3841 Servpro of Stockton: 209-477-3090
Setness Roofing Inspection Service Inc.: 209-476-8487 Steele Insurance Agency: 209-981-2206 WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems, LLC: 209-832-1610 Successful Solutions, LLC 619-460-9433 Clark Pest Control BG&Son Auto Transport 209-464-3422 Franks Home Improvement 209-275-2253 Aon Rent Protect Rent Default 888-722-2172 Aseli Legal Services Collections
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DARRYLE A. OAKMAN, CCRM/AE
STAFF
JoAnn Magee, Tenant Screening Specialist
Raven Barkley, Eviction Specialist
Erica Oakman, Bookkeeper/Office Manager
Receptionist
WEBSITE: www.norcalrpa.org
NCRPA News ~ DECEMBER 2013
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PRSRT STD
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PAID
STOCKTON, CA
PEMIT NO. 93
POSTMASTER: Dated Material
Please Expedite
Nor Cal Rental Property Association
2375 W. March Lane Stockton, CA 95207 Return Service Requested
TIME DATED MATERIAL
DECEMBER 2013
Press Release: Nor Cal is pleased to announce that Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to allow courts to charge a search fee to access court records conducted by any court employee fell short into making it in the state 2013-14 budget plans. The proposed court fee proposal would have boosted court revenues by placing a $10 price tag on any public records search requested by business, credit bureaus, journalists and the public. Only parties involved in a lawsuit would have been exempt from paying the new fee. The state Senate included the $10 fee in its version of the state budget and proposed to exempt the press from paying for the fee. The Assembly version of the issued rejected the fee outright. Conceivably, credit check fees would have been increased by the new court search fee proposal if a court employee assisted a credit bureau in the search of court records, for each name, file or any other information for which a search was requested.
