webLOGfor.US

Allentown PA has taken a unique approach to trying to get landlord's take responsibility for the appearance of their properties.  They have a website dedicated as a Landlord Hall of shame.  They've also taken to sending news releases to the local paper of the landlords if they live out of the area.  It'll be interesting to see if this has any effect on the landlords.

Allentown to shame landlords into property cleanup

ALLENTOWN – Allentown's mayor is putting landlords on notice. They'll have to clean up their properties or face public humiliation.
Mayor Ed Pawlowski has unveiled a Landlord Hall of Shame.
It's aimed at publicly embarrassing landlords into action when issuing code violations doesn't work.
Inductees' names, phone numbers and home addresses will be posted on large signs attached to their properties so neighbors can call and demand action themselves, according to WFMZ-TV.
If the landlords live out of the area, the city will send news releases to their hometown newspapers. If that doesn't work, the city will purchase advertising space to ensure that the public shaming reaches into their own neighborhoods.
Allentown has established a page on its Web site dedicated to outing neglectful landlords.

View the Landlord Hall of Shame here

Some laws can be good.  Some can be bad.  When you are someone who is on the up-an-up and tries to follow all the laws and do the right thing, over-regulation can be a burden. I see a huge amount of regulation coming into investment properties.  This regulation will be to protect tenants who are up to date on their rent payments but living in a home going to foreclosure.  

My post on Friday talked about Sheriff Tom Dart in Illinois that is refusing to evict tenants from properties where the landlord was foreclosed. What he wants is to push the banks to give notice to the person living in the property that foreclosure is coming.  I agree with this as it can protect the tenant but I can see bigger issues it may cause.  First, there is the potential of a sale.  If a good tenant is in a property, one that pays their rent on time and maintains it well, the house will sell faster to an investor with a good tenant than empty.  You know that once a tenant receives word that a foreclosure is in the works, they are gone.   Second, and I am cynical here, there are always people who try to ride the system for all they can.  This gives tenant's one more weapon in their arsenal to not pay rent.

Tom Dart's stand seems to be contagious as a Genesee County Missouri Sheriff, Robert Pickell, is following suit.  He's started a moratorium for renters who are facing foreclosure.  Here is a link to the article. Anyone see a trend starting?

 Here are some links to articles on tenants who are being forced out.

This tenant in Philadelphia was taken for a ride by an investor who assumed the owner's mortgage.

This Wesley Chapel tenant moved into a property that was heading into foreclosure.

This Laguna Hills guy paid $30,000 in rent and the place in in foreclosure.

This article gives some good pointers on how to protect yourself from landlord's who may be facing foreclosure.

Today I read this article about Sheriff Tom Dart in Illinois that is refusing to evict tenants from properties where the landlord was foreclosed.  I agree with some of his ideas.  Specifically the banks should know who is living in the property and there should be notification that the property is going into foreclosure.  No tenant should find out by the sheriff going to their door to move them out.  

What I do have a problem with is a sheriff not doing his job.  His statement that "Until the banking industry steps up and does the right thing, I won't continue to risk violating the law and open taxpayers to further liability" is wrong.  He admits he tried to lobby the legislature to pass a law which never happened.  If he tried to get a new law passed why would he now say that he is worried about violating the law?  It sounds to me like he is on a personal crusade and needs to uphold the laws on the books.  Just because he was unable to get his own law passed does not mean he can ignore his duty.  

On the flip side, there is this law which affects only three small areas within Philadelphia.  Here city council passed a law that on certain blocks within a vicinity of one college students must live in owner occupied housing.  Now you need to know that there are at least 6 major colleges or universities in Philadelphia.  This law only applies to the houses near one of them.  I can't see how a law can be passed only for certain parts of a city and not others.  Someone needs to challenge the legality of this law and fight back.

web log for us – those that see some huge regulations coming for landlords in the future

When you are going to be in business for yourself, you need to learn the laws controlling that business.  One of these important laws is the EPA's Lead Based Paint Disclosure Program.  There is a pamphlet that is to be given to tenants.  You can find the pamphlet here.  In addition you can find the disclosure here.  Finally you can find the FAQ from the EPA here.

Why do I bring this up you ask?  It was this article that made me give the warning.

(10/7/2008 — SAN FRANCISCO) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined a San Francisco-based property owner $25,410 for alleged violations of federal lead-based paint disclosure requirements at eight rental properties in Sacramento, California.

“Property owners take note: The EPA takes seriously its responsibility to ensure that renters and buyers receive the information they need to protect children from potential lead-based paint hazards,” said Enrique Manzanilla, director of the EPA’s Communities and Ecosystems Division for the Pacific Southwest Region. “This enforcement action is an example of the EPA’s commitment to enforcing toxic substances regulations to protect public health — especially children, from potential lead-based paint hazards."

Residential property owner Joseph Lueras did not provide federally-required lead warning statements to his tenants before he leased them pre-1978 housing units located in Sacramento, California. He also failed to disclose any knowledge or reports pertaining to the existence of lead-based paint in those units or else indicate that he had no such knowledge or reports. These failures resulted in multiple violations of the federal Toxic Substances Control Act.

Between August 2002 and March 2006, Lueras owned and leased various residential rental units located in Sacramento, California at 4208 55th Street and 1823 T Street.

It is estimated three-quarters of the U.S. residential dwellings built before 1978 contains some lead-based paint. Lead poisoning in children can have serious, long-term consequences including intelligence deficiencies, learning disabilities, hearing impairment, hyperactivity and/or behavioral problems.

Federal law requires that persons and entities who sell or rent housing built before 1978 must provide an EPA-approved lead hazard information pamphlet; include lead notification language in sales and rental forms; disclose any known lead-based paint hazards and provide reports to buyers or renters; allow a lead inspection or risk assessment by home buyers; and maintain records certifying compliance with applicable federal requirements for three years.

Children younger than age six are among the most vulnerable to adverse health risks from lead-based paint. The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act helps prevent exposure — especially the exposure of children — to hazards from lead-based paint by requiring disclosure and notification when selling or leasing applicable housing.

I've broken down and ordered myself a memory card for my Palm Treo.  They're cheap enough o get but I just haven't gotten around to getting it yet.  I've been traveling to and from a local office for work lately and have found myself using the Internet on it more plus I have been snapping pictured of things I find funny, interesting or just want to remember.  This has gotten me to use the memory up and I have been receiving the memory critically low message almost daily.

To clear up space on the Palm Treo's memory, first, make sure you empty the deleted items.  Do this for both your email and for your text messages.  The steps are below.    
    

1. Go to bottom blue bar reading "Reminder" and "Menu" tap "Reminder" to change to "messaging"
2. Tap "messaging"
3. Tap "menu" on bottom blue bar
4. Tap "tools"
5. Tap "Empty Deleted Items"

Next, make sure that you get rid of your Internet Explorer Cache.  
 

1. Go into Internet Explorer
2. Click on the Menu button
3. Go to Tools
4. Then select Options
5. go to the memory tab and Click Clear History
6. and then click Delete Files
7. After clicking the Delete Files it may run for a while.

You may want to do this after extensive Web searching or browsing.

Once my 2GB memory card arrives I’ll move all my videos and pictures to it and I will hopefully no longer have a problem with the Palm’s memory critically low message.