Recycling Bargain

I recently had a tenant from Hi-Lo Apartments in Graceville, MN request that I send a memo regarding the recycling services offered at the property. The trash dumpsters are full with much of the waste considered recyclables. I designed a creative little postcard requesting tenants recycle more and utilize the extensive services offered to the property. (Postcards for less paper, caretaker delivered; no postage, no fuel.)

Saying please is all well and good but I added a few recycling facts to get the brains thinking. While searching for thought-provoking tidbits, I stumbled across this site that was informative and interesting in its simplicity. The facts are organized by the recyclable product. They are simple, to the point, and no lecture interesting.

http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-facts.html

I believe learning to recycle is easy but can you learn the will to recycle? Maybe by educating yourself you find the will to recycle but again, it is up to you to educate yourself. It is a brain-teaser. Who knows, by dropping little tidbits and facts, it encourages a person to learn more and therefore, education leads to recycling.

It is fascinating that my elderly properties are usually filled with rabid recyclers. The “dig a hole and bury it in the grove” generation recycles everything. Maybe their education is visual. Our world when they were kids in comparison to the world it is today. Teenagers and those in their 20s seem to be one way or the other. Some could care less while others are very world conscious.

I find it ironic when individuals who love outdoor activities; weekends at the lake, hunting, camping and so forth, can’t even recycle an aluminum can. Getting me to go camping is next to impossible, a weekend at the lake is pure torture, and it isn’t even in the realm of imagination that I would go hunting but I feel deeply about the preservation of nature. I do enjoy being outdoors; hiking, snowshoeing, gardening. Then again, there’s always the basics to consider. Clean air, blue skies, and pure water should never be taken for granted. Who knew good clean dirt wouldn’t be a joke anymore?

So if the whole environmental notion can’t sway someone, let’s bring up money! This is one tidbit off the site that I find compelling. On average, it cost $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to $75 to incinerate it. Really!! Not only is it better for the environment, it’s a bargain too. Who knew?

So for tenants who think it truly doesn’t matter, it will keep the garbage bill down which in turn, keeps their rent lower. So ignore the lecture, think of your bank balance.

Remembered

It is next to impossible not to develop some sort of relationship with your tenants. Some you get to know very well, others not so much but they are still on your radar. When working with any property where eligibility is based on income, you delve into an applicant’s personal finances and inevitably, their personal lives to a certain degree. As you wade through the paperwork together, you’re working towards one goal.

Vinessa Lozano, her fiance, and son were tenants with our company for a short time. I got to know them both through the application process and their tenancy. When often you fight for paperwork, this young couple submitted everything promptly and did the work needed for a home. When children are often allowed to run screaming through my office, these young parents supervised their son who was always well-behaved. This may sound superficial but in this business, paperwork and kids are great indicators for the type of tenants you’ll get.

When I was told a woman was stabbed in Montevideo, I worried it could be one of my tenants or former tenants. The majority of the properties I work with are located in Montevideo. I’ve gotten to know many individuals living in Montevideo through my work when in the past, I’ve known very few. This morning I learned the young woman who was stabbed and killed was Vinessa Lozano.

Vinessa was a sweetheart, this couple was cute together, and their baby boy is a charmer. From someone who knew her only briefly, my condolences and strength to Vinessa’s loved ones. Robyn

Times are Tough

Money may be tight, stress may be high and tough times may be everywhere, but how we treat one another defines us as human beings. Kindness costs nothing. Giving costs but repays in many ways. This year our caretaker and tenants at Normandy Apartments display that tough times can be countered with kindness and generosity.

Their annual food drive was held in November this year just in time to make someone’s holidays a little brighter. Our caretaker Lisa distributed a list of items most needed by the food shelf and a paper bag to each tenant. Those wanting to participate placed their items in the bag and set it outside their door  on collection day, Saturday, November 14.

Even more tenants participated this year and 89 pounds of food was donated to the local food shelf. Normandy Apts is only 16 units which averages out to 5 and half pounds for each unit. Nicely done by those living at Normandy.

Great job done by Lisa, who organized the event long before Van Binsbergen & Associates became management for this property. Lisa also delivers thank you cards to each of the tenants who participated taking kindness one step farther.

Our office would like to give special thanks to Lisa for the great job she does with this event, the tenants, and overall work she does for the property! You are deeply appreciated by many.

It’s cold in my apartment!

A complaint heard often this time of year. When I started at this position my first concern was always a problem with the heating system. Something wasn’t working properly. However, I quickly learned that isn’t always the case. Often it is not the fault of the heating system but a tenant’s lack of understanding of how the heating works. This is especially true for those tenants living in buildings with hot water heat. I am in no way blaming the tenants for their lack of understanding. Most of us figure heat is heat. You turn up the thermostat and heat is generated, simple concept. My goal with this post is to provide a basic understanding of how hot water heat is different from other, more familiar types of heat. More importantly to provide those living in buildings with hot water heat some suggestions for keeping their apartments comfortable.

There are three “typical” types of heating in apartments. These being forced air, electric and hot water (boiler). All share a similar characteristic, they are controlled by a thermostat and are quite effective. The differences lie in how heat is created and distributed. 

Forced air heat is the easiest to regulate. Turning the thermostat to a specific temperature causes the furnace to kick on or off depending on which way the temperature is adjusted. For an increase in temperature, the air in the furnace is heated and a blower distributes the warmed air throughout the dwelling until the desired temperature is registered by the thermostat. If you turn down the heat when leaving for an extended period of time, the furnace will not start as frequently automatically lowering the temperature thereby saving money. When you arrive home you can turn the heat up, the furnace kicks in, and warm air is forced through your home raising the temperature in a matter of a few minutes. Typically there is one thermostat which controls the temperature for the entire dwelling.

Electric heat is generated by a baseboard or wall mounted heating unit. The thermostat is set for the desired temperature which heats the unit, fins built into the unit are designed to “radiate” the heat outward until the room reaches the designated temperature. Essentially electric heat functions the same as forced air. Turning the thermostat down causes the heaters to kick in less often, thus cutting down on the electric bill. Turning the thermostat up causes the heaters to kick in and begin heating. The main difference, electric heat takes longer to heat the apartment because the heat is radiant. Instead of being forced into the room it must radiate out until the room reaches the desired temperature. Although slower it is still relatively easy to regulate.Heating unit(s) along with the thermostats are typically located and controlled within each room of each apartment. 

Hot water heat operates differently. Typically the boiler is located somewhere within the building and is designed to heat water to a temperature specified on a thermostat controlled by a custodian, caretaker, or other individual. The hot water is distributed through a series of pipes running throughout the building. Each apartment has a thermostat which controls a zone valve located in that particular unit. The zone valve opens and closes depending on the desired temperature for the apartment. When the thermostat senses the apartment is too cold it opens the valve releasing hot water through the pipes in the apartment. The heat from the water, heats the pipes and the heat from the pipes radiates throughout the unit. When the desired temperature is reached the zone valve closes trapping hot water in the pipes. This forces the temperature up beyond the called for temp for a short time while the water cools. Granted this is a very simplistic explanation of how they operate, but overall it is correct.  By it’s very nature, this is a slower process than the previous methods can be harder to regulate. Raising the temperature in an apartment with hot water can take a few hours instead of a few minutes. Unlike forced air or electric, it is more efficient to find a comfortable temperature and leave it than to manipulate the temperature throughout the day. 

On more than one occasion I have heard of a tenant who has turned down the heat in their apartment trying to save energy. When they return home they turn up the temperature. In an hour it still feels cold so they raise the temperature more. After three or four hours, it is just too hot and they begin to open their windows while continuing to lower the temperature. This creates an uncomfortable and frustrating cycle. With hot water (boiler) heat it is a much better choice to find the setting which creates a comfortable temp and leave it alone. Remember, the adjustment will take time!

Whatever your heating source, don’t hesitate to call your maintenance person for help when trying to find your comfort zone.

Candy, Cookies, Bars, oh my!

It has recently come to the attention of those in the office that our caretakers are fed quite well during the holiday season. Larry, now in the office, was formerly a caretaker for the Montevideo properties. When asked, Larry can offer a synopsis of the tenant, their unit condition, and their culinary expertise.

Apparently Mary Ann rocks brownies. Elaine makes wonderful bread. Helen J offered up warm blueberry dessert with ice cream. Gloria plates up fresh donuts. Mary, Helen P., Marge, Lorraine, Janice kept him supplied in cookies. Larry went into raptures when describing Florence’s sugar cookies. Oh and Sylvia does a great brownie as well.

It was a bit startling how quickly and easily this list came to mind. Many others contributed to Larry’s five-pound gain that only a man could grin about. Further investigation revealed this isn’t just during the holiday season! With uncanny instinct, Larry knows who to visit, at what time, and what sort of goodies he will receive.

This year new caretaker Ryan is receiving the goodies much to our former caretaker’s dismay. Oddly enough, Larry volunteers for any tenant visits or to fill in when Ryan is out?!

Goodies or no goodies, five pounds or not, from all of us at Van Binsbergen & Associates, Inc and Madsen Properties Inc, we wish everyone a wonderful holiday!!

Recycle Dilemma

I have a property in downtown Montevideo, MN called the Hunt on Main. This building received a bad reputation as a party place for 20 somethings who liked to party in the downstairs bar and not pay their rent. In a small town, it takes a long time for a reputation like that to turn around. I’m not sure it ever turns around 100% but currently, the Hunt is known for better things.

                                                

This four-story, 31 unit building houses one of the most responsible and trouble-free group of tenants it has ever known. It only took four years?! There are a few original tenants who put up with the “party years” and they are deeply appreciated. Mostly the building holds newer tenants who have simply been a joy to work with. What a difference!

The change brings about a new set of concerns but these are welcome concerns. The most recent complaint regards recycling. Our tenants who display wonderful responsibility in regards to their rent and apartments, also want to show responsibility in the stewardship of our planet. 

Our waste management company offers the recycling bins but we are having difficulty with collection. The company requires the recycling bins to be set on the street. No problem, our caretaker is more than willing to place them on the curb. Unfortunately, the wind whistling down the street has a tendency to spread the recyclables all over the town. (I have yet to meet and individual who enjoys picking up recycling from four square blocks.) We are unable to leave the bins within the garbage enclosure as the company will not pick them up.

So what do we do?

As a recycler, I want to accommodate our tenants. If the will is there, shouldn’t we encourage this behavior? So far our attempts at accommodation have met with failure but we hope to achieve a reasonable solution. More substantial curbside bins….perhaps permanent recycling receptacle. Not sure what the answer is and it isn’t always easy to find in small town America, but we hope to find the solution to this recycling dilemma.

Bucking the System

Income based housing requires a lot of paperwork for applicants, tenants, and management. Anger can be the response when we delve into income, assets, and medical expenses. “What do you need to know this for?” is often repeated during the application and recertification. As a member of management I can tell you without hesitation, we don’t particularly like digging through your personal information. When we have an individual who loves to share every last aspect of their medical conditions, it is not something which causes great excitement amongst the staff. We make every effort to keep things strictly relevant to apartment rental and determining your rent. If you feel the need to share, we’ll listen. If you can’t stand the invasion of privacy, be assured we’re trying to keep it to a minimum. However, providing correct information is a requirement when applying for and living in income based housing.

Accurate reporting is a key factor when renting with HUD or RD assistance. Honest mistakes happen, intentional fraud happens as well. Report income from one job to keep your rent low but work three jobs. Report social security income but don’t bother mentioning your employment. Doesn’t seem like such a big deal…but it is!

Housing Urban Development (HUD) properties work with the EIV system. Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) gets together with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Have I shoved enough acronyms at you? In an ultra convoluted system, EIV compares what is reported by tenants as income and what they report to the IRS as income. Discrepancies are thoroughly investigated. Should fraud be discovered, penalties can be severe and we’re not just talking about getting evicted. If a tenant has fraudulently received rental assistance, you can bet they are required to pay it all back.

Rural Development (RD) uses the Wage Match Program. This program allows RD to receive wage and benefit information from the State Department of Labor (SDOL). I know, I know, more acronyms. The information is compared against information provided  on your tenant certification. If you accurately report your income or any changes in your income, this is not an issue. However, if you fail to follow this simple requirement and receive assistance to which you are not entitled, any improper assistance is subject to recapture.

In a nutshell, you have to pay it all back!!

I’m not writing this to scare anyone. Our goal is to educate those living within income based housing and receiving rental assistance. Those in need deserve the help and these programs provide the assistance that gives them a home. Anyone receiving assistance wrongfully, commits fraud and damages a program needed by many honest individuals.

Whether elderly and living only on social security or just starting out and working a minimum wage job, rental assistance can benefit every generation. Let’s leave it for those in need and be thankful if we have the wherewithal to not need assistance.

Negativity Rewarded

In a land where positive reinforcement is touted, why do we reward negativity? Ever notice the crabby customer receives more attention than the patiently waiting customer. Think of the last time you waited in a restaurant while the mouthy jerk at the table received all of the service. You patiently smile at the wait staff because your empathy/sympathy level raises every time this idiot demands something else.

Tis the season of insanity shopping. Who hasn’t cringed as some service individual receives a dressing down because the item won’t ring up, the size is wrong, the parking lot is full, the sun is too bright, or it’s snowing. Yet this chronic complainer receives the attention, service, and courtesy. Positive reinforcement works but negativity gets more results.

I’ve done restaurant work. I’ve done retail. You can add daycare, publishing, wholesale, and a few others. My empathy/sympathy levels are off the charts for employees of these industries or any individual interacting with customers, clients, etc. I’m not saying they are responding wrongly. With the credo of “the customer is always right” they are responding just as they should, keeping the customer, keeping their job!

But is this right?

At Van Binsbergen & Associates, Inc. we work with government subsidized housing, market rental housing, and everything in between. We meet individuals from all walks of life. It is a trying and rewarding occupation. Ask anyone working in the office, at the properties from applications people, property coordinators, caretakers and most often, they’ll say the same. You can remember the nightmare’s name from five years ago but it’ll take a more than a moment to remember the awesome tenant from last year. We always joke, the name isn’t familiar so they must be fine.

But is this right?!

Why does the grumbler get hotter coffee, better service, or new carpet? To shut them up, of course! No one wants to listen to that. No one wants to deal with that. Polite individuals receive a heartfelt thank you but they really don’t receive the treatment they deserve.

A 15 year tenant pays their rent on time every month and keeps their apartment immaculate. They treat their “rental” as if it was their own. It is their home and they take pride in their home. No matter how hopelessly out of date their flooring may be, it is unlikely it will ever be replaced during their tenancy. It looks like new! The walls are great, why paint? Everything is clean, neat, so why on earth would we update anything. Because they deserve it, certainly. But seriously, does this happen…not so much.

Tenant of one year, trashes the place and moves out. We need new carpet, might as well do the vinyl, and let’s paint the walls before any flooring installation. Next tenant loves the place but you know, “it’s just a rental.” With that mindset, one year down the road, we could be doing the place all over again!

We could pass this behavior off sagely as “it’s just the way it is” but as I’ve mentioned before, I’m a bit stubborn. I advocate sincerely for my good tenants and I know others in my office do as well. On occasion that carpet may be updated and walls could be freshened up. If we can’t do that, smaller improvements can be managed. We make a conscientious effort to remember the good in addition to making note of the bad. I try to share more of the thank you notes and less of the jerks swearing at me.

I want to see the sales clerk say, “excuse me, this person was ahead of you” to the mouthy budger. I want the wait staff to walk right past whiny table and freshen up my coffee as I smile and say thank you. Will this happen often? Probably not but once in blue moon, I’d like to see it happen.

Complainers will never fade. Those polite and considerate people know that in the madhouse of shopping, dining, and even rental properties, they made someone’s life a little easier. I’m content knowing that and I feel better for it. I’ll show my appreciation for those who do the same for me. 

Unreasonable fault-finders beware, I just may get my coffee first!

The Trouble with Pillows

There will always be a difference of opinions between residents. Some create headaches while others bring us a bit of laughter. In one community room, pillows are placed on the back of the sofa. On occasion they are tucked within the corners of the cushions. Imagine my surprise when I was told in hushed whispers, the pillows belong on the back and someone keeps placing them on the cushions. It was up to me to correct the problem. On a later occasion, I was drawn into a private, very confidential conversation. Apparently, someone was placing the pillows on the back of the sofa. They look much more inviting on the cushions and that is where they belong. It was up to me to resolve the issue. This was quite a serious concern for all parties involved and it didn’t fade as one might hope.

Most often I have a certain level of tolerance, patience and understanding. There is a high requirement for these traits in the realm of rental management. However, I will confess I am genetically gifted with orneriness.

I placed one pillow on the back and one pillow on the cushions. No one has asked me to solve a decorating dilemma since. I’m oddly comfortable with that.

Half Full, Half Empty

At all of our properties, we have a policy that states all vehicles in the property parking lot must be operational and licensed. I recently had a conversation with a resident about his car that hasn’t moved for months. It doesn’t start, the tires are flat and the tabs are expired. Clearly not in compliance with our policy. A letter was sent, a call was received and I was scolded firmly. “The tires are almost flat…they’re not flat.” His glass may be half full but his tires weren’t!