Jan 8, 2016 | Newsletter
WI-CARH’s 18th Annual Conference a Success
By Russ Kaney, President, WI-CARH Board of Directors
Rural housing owners, managers, suppliers and vendors who serve the rural housing industry in Wisconsin came out on Thursday, November 5th for a great day of information, inspiration and networking. Well over 100 participated in this year’s conference held at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
The theme for the 2015 conference was “Rural Housing: 21st Century Solutions Required”.
As at past conferences, the State Director of Rural Development, Stan Gruszynski, kicked off our event with his perspectives on the state of rural housing in Wisconsin. Stan has been a solid advocate over the years for community involvement and the large role that Federal funding can play in Wisconsin.
WI-CARH was excited to bring Beth Hodges, President of Salter, Ltd to Wisconsin as our opening speaker. Beth covered an array of topics with an emphasis on 504 compliance and keeping properties in compliance with Rural Development rules and regulations. Beth has a wealth of experience and will return from Ohio to expand on these subjects and more at our spring training event to be held April 19th in Madison.
Our conference had a wide variety of vendors with products and services that meet the needs of the housing industry. Each vendor had the opportunity to introduce themselves and their products just before our morning break. Our morning sessions concluded with a technology update and the power of the internet as revealed by Luke Wolter of Streamroll. Finally, Colleen Fisher, Executive Director of the Council for Affordable and Rural Housing brought the audience up to speed on pending issues, including funding levels for all housing programs in Fiscal Year 2016.
Each year, WI-CARH presents a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving student seeking higher education. During our short program following lunch, our scholarship winner was announced and although she could not be present, a very appreciative letter was read on our winner’s behalf. Our awards committee also presented the property, property manager and maintenance awards of the year. Finally, a very moving and heartfelt tribute was offered by Carol Wetuski of Rural Development remembering her/their/our colleague, Brent Hall. Brent passed away unexpectedly in June, 2015. He will be missed.
Immediately following lunch, a short business/membership meeting was held to review the 2015 accomplishments and to elect/reelect Board members. Congratulations to Rob Dicke of Dane County Housing Authority for becoming our newest Board member.
Our afternoon featured speaker was perfect for bringing an energy level and knowledge about customer service. Elaine Simpson provided lots of ideas and strategies to find and retain residents for your properties. Following a break with exhibitors, sessions on the Management Plan and a panel on “Smoke Free Housing” rounded out our day. A smoke free housing addendum is in the process of being made available through the WI-CARH lease process.
Raffle drawings helped end our day on a very positive note. We thank our sponsors, exhibitors and all attendees for making the 2016 conference a success. Many attendees stayed for the reception and gave everyone a chance to catch up on work, ideas and life.
A thank you to the Board of Directors for their efforts along with the conference committee in planning all the details of this conference. A special thank you to Laura Mason for her work preparing and coordinating this special event.
We look forward to seeing you at next year’s conference.
Congratulations to WI-CARH’s 2015 Award Winners
By Denise Loveland, WI-CARH Board Member and Chair of the Scholarship/Awards Committee
Property of the Year, Site Manager of the Year, and Maintenance Person of the Year were recognized at WI-CARH’s 18th Annual Conference. Riverview Manor, owned by The Housing Authority of the City of Burlington Wisconsin was awarded the Property of the Year. The property was originally built in 1977 and 1984. Through use of the Rural Development MPR program, the Housing Authority was able to accomplish significant improvements to keep Riverview vital for many years to come. The $1.5 million in MPR funding impacted nearly every aspect of the building. Along with the refinancing came a reduction in debt service which allowed the Housing Authority to lower rents for the residents.
Eileen Olson, manager of Riverview Manor, was recognized as Manager of the Year. She has been with the 92-unit senior complex since June 2013. Her first task upon being hired was to bring to fruition the MPR application being worked by her predecessor for several years. Within a year of hire, the MPR loan was finalized and construction began shortly after. Testimonies from residents attest to her extra efforts in helping them through the difficult rehab process. She continues to provide personalized service to her residents, making them feel comfortable and secure in their homes.
Every site manager dreams of having maintenance that completes work orders efficiently, anticipates needs and looks for more work when one task is completed. Such a maintenance worker is Victor Rubach of the Housing Authority of the City of Burlington Wisconsin. Victor has been at Riverview Manor since December 2013. He is their carpenter, plumber, painter, mechanic, locksmith and janitor. He is a high energy worker, always ready and willing to help with whatever is needed. The residents clearly adore him and his manager is thankful to have him. Victor’s work ethic exemplifies best practices for site maintenance. For this reason, Victor is Maintenance Person of the Year.
Nomination forms for 2016 awards will be available July 2016 and due back to the WI-CARH office by the end of September. Take the time to complete a nomination of a deserving person or property–you’ll be glad you did!
Become a 2016 Member of WI-CARH
Renew Your Membership Today! Not a Current Member? Now’s a Great Time to Join!
When you become a member of WI-CARH, you gain access to important tools, information, and services. The monetary benefits range from discounts on conferences, trainings, and leases to savings through the CARH Preferred Buyers Club program. This program includes Wells Fargo Insurance Services, HD Supply, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Staples and Online Rental Exchange. You also have the opportunity to meet industry leaders and to align yourself with a diverse group of business people involved in every sector of the affordable housing community. WI-CARH members include builders, developers, lenders, management companies, owners, non-profit agencies, and vendors. WI-CARH is committed to supporting their goals, CARH’s goals, and yours. Most importantly, CARH’s strong membership base helps to educate members of Congress and the Obama Administration about the issues that affect your business, the lives of your residents, and the future of the rural affordable housing industry.
New for 2016 –
- Associate members will receive a 50% discount on their exhibitor fee at the Annual Conference.
- Members can list their apartment communities on WI-CARH’s website. Visitors to the site can search for affordable housing by city, feature, type or management company. There are two types of listings, free and premium ($50/listing/year). A free listing includes a marker on the map and basic information about the property. A premium listing will include photos of the property along with more detailed information and a larger marker on the map. Members must use their member log in to add listings to the site. Contact the WI-CARH office for more details.
More information on the benefits of membership can be found on our website. If you are a current member, invoices for 2016 were sent out at the beginning of December. If you are not a member, simply complete this form and mail it along with a check to WI-CARH.
WI-CARH’s 2016 Residential Lease
Orders Now Being Accepted!
The WI-CARH lease is approved for use at any Rural Development supervised property. Using this lease for your property will insure that you are in compliance with Wisconsin law and RD and HUD regulations while saving you the expense of hiring a lawyer to do the same thing.
Since there were no changes to Wisconsin law that impacted the WI-CARH lease, the 2015 lease is still able to be used. A smoke free housing addendum is being reviewed by Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If it is approved, it will be made available as well. If your office uses the paper version of the lease, you can use any extra leases you have from 2015. Remember, per the agreement on the lease order form, you may not make copies of the lease except to provide a signed copy to the tenant and the office.
To purchase the lease, complete the lease order form found on our website and mail it in with your payment to the WI-CARH office.
Help Your Residents Achieve Their Education Goals
WI-CARH Now Accepting Scholarship Applications
WI-CARH’s scholarship program began in 2007 with a goal of promoting education and expanding opportunities for residents of affordable housing in Wisconsin. A $1000 scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating high school senior or adult wishing to further their education. Eligible applicants can use the scholarship at any two year or higher accredited public or private school in the State of Wisconsin which offers an associate or undergraduate degree.
Applicants are judged on academic achievement, work performance, and career goals. Extracurricular school and community activities and achievements will also be considered. This scholarship award is open to any qualified tenant or resident family member living at a WI-CARH member’s property or to any qualified person residing in a Wisconsin property which is part of a USDA Rural Development program.
The application deadline is April 30, 2016. All scholarship information and forms are available on WI-CARH’s website.
In addition, CARH’s Scholarship Foundation is accepting applications for their scholarships. Each scholarship recipient will receive $1000 per semester for educational expenses, with a maximum of four years of funding. The deadline for those scholarships is April 30, 2016, too. More information can be found on the CARH website, www.carh.org, under “Scholarship Foundation”.
If you have a resident that you believe qualifies, please encourage them to apply to both the WI-CARH and the CARH scholarships. Christine Marriott said it best in her thank you letter stating, “Good people in hard circumstances often need assistance to change their lives.” Let your residents know about these scholarships today, it could be just what they needing.
2016 Spring Training
Successfully Managing Your Affordable Housing Portfolio Presented by Beth Hodges of Salter, Ltd.
Affordable housing has lots of twists and turns. Compliance with multiple funding sources (RD, HUD, WHEDA, and HOME) can be confusing and frustrating. Our spring training seminar on Tuesday, April 19th will address these programs, providing you and your housing staff with the confidence of knowing you are meeting and exceeding the rules of the programs.
Topics to be covered include:
- Layered regulation and programming
- Income-assets
- Pensions, annuities, IRA’s
- Reasonable accommodations
- Family composition
- Case studies
Who should attend:
- Property owners
- Property managers
- Site personnel
- Maintenance
- Compliance and audit specialists
A Certificate of Completion will be provided at the end of the day to all in attendance.
Registration will open online on January 18th. Payment can be made by credit card at the time of registration or by mailing a check.
USDA Announces New Loan Modification Program
By Jeff Banker, Vice President, and Adam Diehl, Associate, Lancaster Pollard
Following the example of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now offering note modifications-a low-cost alternative for housing owners to reduce annual debt service and thereby increase the overall financial performance of the property.
Read the full article here.
Lancaster Pollard is a member of WI-CARH. To learn more about becoming a member, please visit our website.
Upcoming WI-CARH Events
February 9, 2016 – Liaison Meeting
10 am at USDA Rural Development, Stevens Point
April 19, 2016 – Spring Training: Successfully Managing Your Affordable Housing Portfolio
8:30 am at Crowne Plaza, Madison
May 10, 2016 – Board of Directors Meeting
10 am at Wisconsin Management Company, Inc., Madison
Contact
Laura Mason, Executive Assistant
PO Box 394, Mount Horeb, WI
608.437.2300
Oct 19, 2015 | Newsletter
2015 Annual Meeting & Conference
Rural Housing: 21st Century Solutions Required
The Wisconsin Council for Affordable & Rural Housinginvites you to attend our 18th annual meeting and conference at a great venue – the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin on Thursday, November 5th. A full day of training, education, and networking has been scheduled. This year, we are excited to host Elaine Simpson of Occupancy Solutions. Her interactive presentation will enlighten us all and provide inexpensive ideas to retain your current residents.
Our conference theme, “Rural Housing: 21st Century Solutions Required” will help you stay motivated, informed, and on track with the challenges of today’s rural housing industry. Sessions include 504 compliance, updates from state agencies, actionable tactics for using the internet, management plan, and transitioning your property to be smoke free. We’ll also hear from the Executive Director of CARH on the current status on the funding and programs that impact the rural housing industry.
The deadline to register at the reduced rates of $210 for members and $360 for non-members ends on Monday, October 5th. After that, the price increases $75! In addition, the special hotel room rate of $109 at the Kalahari will no longer be available. Further details including online registration can be found on our website.
Brent Hall Memorial
By Chris Hand, Affordable Housing & Service Department, Wisconsin Management Company, Inc.
On June 21, 2015 the affordable housing community lost a good friend, colleague, & industry partner, Brent Hall of USDA Rural Development. Brent passed away unexpectedly and is survived by his wife and two young children. Brent was very passionate about the USDA Rural Development program, the property owners, the residents, the management companies, and everyone that assisted in providing affordable housing. He truly enjoyed working in a business that had a positive impact on people’s lives. As passionate as Brent was about affordable housing, it pales in comparison to his passion and love for his wife and children. He coached baseball and football, officiated swim meets, was a meet manager and board member of the SPDY swim team, and the list goes on. Brent was a very special person that is dearly missed by many.
In memory of Brent, a memorial fund has been established at the Central Wisconsin Credit Union Plover location to help with future expenses of Brent’s children. Wisconsin Management Company donated nine tickets to the Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks game on September 20 and raffled them off as a fundraiser on behalf of the Brent Hall Memorial Fund. This was a great success! With the support of employees, industry partners, Rural Development, and property owners, $3,225 was raised and donated to the memorial.
Wisconsin Management Company would like to thank all of those who participated!
New WI-CARH Members
Welcome Mishicot Housing Corporation and Stevens Point Housing Authority!
Join us in welcoming Kenneth Beine, Manager of Mishicot Housing Corporation. Kenneth can be reached at mishicothousing@charter.net and his full contact information is available on our membership list on our website.
In addition, please welcome Donna Bella, Executive Director of Stevens Point Housing Authority. Donna can be reached at dbella@spha-wi.org. Her full contact information is also available on our membership list on our website.
More information about becoming a member of WI-CARH can be found here.
Available Soon: WI-CARH 2016 Residential Lease
Orders Now Being Accepted!
The WI-CARH lease is approved for use at any Rural Development supervised property. Using this lease for your property will insure that you are in compliance with Wisconsin law and RD and HUD regulations while saving you the expense of hiring a lawyer to do the same thing.
WI-CARH’s 2016 residential lease is currently in the process of being updated to be in compliance with Wisconsin law. It will then be sent to both Rural Development (RD) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for their approval. As soon as that happens, the WI-CARH office will send it to the printer and to Simply Computer in order to complete the final steps required before making them both available for purchase.
Due to the increase in costs associated with providing this lease, there has been an increase in the fees for the 2016 lease. To purchase the lease, complete the lease order form found on our website and mail it in with your payment to the WI-CARH office. Orders will be processed as soon as the leases are available.
Disparate Impact Ruling Creates Opportunities
By Brian Coate, Vice President, Lancaster Pollard
Although the original intent of the Fair Housing Act (Act) was to provide equal housing opportunities for protected citizens, the nation’s neighborhoods are increasingly segregated into two groups, further perpetuating the prophecy of the 1967 Kerner Commission Report of “two societies, one black, one white-separate and unequal.”
Signed into law days after the death of Martin Luther King in 1968, the Act prohibits individuals and entities from refusing to sell or rent housing to any individual because of race. While the purpose of the Act was to equalize access to housing, the law has had questionable impact on eradicating racial isolation. According to a 2012 report by Gary Orfield, John Kucsera, and Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, the typical black or Latino today attends school with almost double the share of low-income students in their schools than the typical white or Asian student.
However, a U.S. Supreme Court decision this summer may make it easier for developers around the nation to build low-income housing in high-income neighborhoods. In a 5-4 decision, the Court paved the way for disparate impact to be challenged under the Fair Housing Act. Disparate impact is when a policy that may appear to be neutral has a discriminatory effect on a group based on race, sex, age or disability. These claims often use statistical models to prove disparity, rather than behaviors of unequal treatment. The Supreme Court ruled that discrimination doesn’t have to be intended, and disparate impact claims are cognizable under the Act.
Read the full article here.
Lancaster Pollard is a member of WI-CARH. To learn more about becoming a member, please visit our website.
Impact Seven Begins Rehab at Barron County Housing
By Emily Gall, Director of Marketing and Communications, Impact Seven
The Barron County Housing project was acquired by Impact Seven in August of 2014, following the initiation of a prepayment request that could have ended the project’s affordability for low-income individuals and families. The three properties are located in three neighboring communities along the Highway 53 corridor in Barron County, Wisconsin.
A mix of two and three bedroom apartments, all 40 units are restricted to households earning 50% of the median income or less. All tenants benefit from project-based Section 8 rental assistance, which subsidizes rent amounts above 30% of their household income.
With the help of Federal Home Loan Bank HOME funds, Impact Seven is able to begin the rehabilitation and renovation stage of the project later this month. Upgrades will focus on energy efficiency, including replacing all windows, upgrading A/C units, new Energy Star-rated appliances and more. Units will also see accessibility upgrades to meet HUD’s visitability standards.
Impact Seven works to make sure that rural Wisconsin communities have access to affordable housing opportunities. While this may sometimes require new developments, this goal can also be achieved by ensuring the future of existing affordable housing stock, as is the case for Barron County Housing. In 2014, Impact Seven was the recipient of the 2014 NEXT Seed Capital Award from Wells Fargo, in recognition of this strategy to preserve affordable housing for very low income individuals and families in Rural Wisconsin.
Impact Seven is a member of WI-CARH. For more information on becoming a member, visit our website.
Adams County Housing Authority Purchases 8-unit RD Property
By Chris Hand, Affordable Housing & Service Department, Wisconsin Management Company, Inc.
Earlier this year, the Adams County Housing Authority along with its management agent, Wisconsin Management Company, applied for and was granted Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) funds as part of a plan to purchase an 8-unit Rural Development property in Adams Wisconsin. Funding will include deferral of existing debt and a new loan for more than $250,000 that will include deferred payments. As part of the purchase, the apartment building will be completely renovated and will include many accessibility features such as moving the laundry facilities from the basement to the first floor and creating a fully accessible apartment. The transaction is expected to close in late 2015 with construction set to begin in early 2016.
Wisconsin Management Company is a member of WI-CARH. For more information on becoming a member, visit our website.
Section 8 Wait List – Who Applied?
By Rob Dicke, Executive Director, Dane County Housing Authority
On August 4th 2015 the Dane County Housing Authority opened its Section 8 Wait List for the first time since 2007. The list has been closed for so long because in 2007 it was opened for two months and in that time over 5,000 families applied. The applications were delivered in sacks by the Postal Service and it took staff weeks to enter all the applications. With limited financial assistance from HUD, it took almost eight years to serve them all.
Recently other areas of Wisconsin had Section 8 Wait lists open to people lined up around the block waiting for hours to have their applications date and time stamped, or allowed thousands of people to enter a lottery for a chance to be placed on the list, knowing only a fraction would get that chance. I was determined that when the DCHA opened our list things would be different.
Read the full blog post here.
Dane County Housing Authority is a member of WI-CARH. For more information on becoming a member, visit our website.
Contact
Laura Mason, Executive Assistant
PO Box 394, Mount Horeb, WI
608.437.2300
Save the Date!
November 5, 2015
WI-CARH Annual Meeting & Conference
Jul 30, 2015 | Newsletter
Spring Training & Annual Conference
It all starts with the feedback
The Fair Housing Seminar provided by Mark English and Scott Moore of Fair Housing Solutions on April 22nd was well received. Topics covered during the day included Testers, Fair Housing Advertising, Reasonable Accommodation, Assistance Animals, and much more. 72% of the attendees that responded were very satisfied with the program. The down side was that it was a lot of information to cover in one day and it left some attendees wanting more. One attendee echoed the responses of many by saying, “More on this please – every bit was valuable.” You can see the complete 2015 Training Evaluation Summary here. The evaluations that we ask the attendees of our events to complete are reviewed thoroughly and used to make decisions about session topics at the Annual Conference and the Spring Training. We are working hard to provide valuable information at our upcoming Annual Conference on November 5th that will make your job easier and better prepare you to serve the rural housing industry.
Housing Authority of the City of Burlington Completes $1.475 Million Renovation
Funded by RD’s MPR Program
A $1.475 million renovation was recently completed at Riverview Manor, a 98-unit affordable housing apartment complex for the elderly and disabled that’s operated by the Housing Authority of the City of Burlington, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Management Company served as the general contractor, and its subsidiary, FGS The Restoration Company, performed rehab work, with USDA Rural Development as the lender through its Multi-Family Housing Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration Program (MPR). The project was designed and supervised by Benz Architecture Limited, LLC.
The primary focus of the remodeling project was interior improvements to the apartments. This included cabinetry, flooring, lighting, appliances, painting, low-curb showers and accessories. Six apartments were converted to full accessibility, while six additional apartments were given many accessibility features. Updates were made in the common areas and the exterior, giving the property a fresh look and user-friendly amenities.
New WI-CARH Member
Welcome Clear Gains!
Join us in welcoming Deborah Grayson, Program Coordinator at Clear Gains: Wisconsin’s Smoke Free Housing Initiative, a program of the American Lung Association. To learn more about smoke free housing, please email Deborah at Deborah.Grayson@lung.org or visit wismokefreehousing.com. Full contact information is available to WI-CARH members on our website.
More information about becoming a member of WI-CARH can be found here.
Sheperd Re-elected to WI-CARH Board
Meet David Sheperd
At the Annual Meeting of Members held during the WI-CARH Annual Conference on November 18, 2014, David Sheperd of WHEDA was re-elected to the Board of Directors. He is now serving his second three year term.
David has been in the housing and the real estate business for over 30 years. From 2003 to July 1, 2011 David was a Community Relations Officer at WHEDA. In this capacity, he established partnerships and relationships in communities throughout Wisconsin. Currently, David is a Commercial Lending Officer in the Commercial Lending group at WHEDA.
Read his full bio here.
A Buyer’s Market
Fannie Mae Acquisition Loans
For those receiving an abundance of real estate brokerage packages lately, one aspect is likely to stand out-the high prices sellers are asking for in today’s frothy acquisition market. Due to those high prices, as well as factors such as fewer closing contingencies, quicker closings and all-cash offers, now can be an ideal time to consider selling well-performing affordable apartment buildings.
Read the full article here.
Clear Gains in Smoke-Free Housing
Lessons From the Field
It is clear from the increasing availability of smoke-free multi-unit buildings that property owners and managers recognize the financial and health benefits of adopting these policies. Owners and managers have said that these benefits definitely outweigh the issues that arise as a result of smoke-free policies. These issues and responses to them are addressed here.
Contact
Laura Mason, Executive Assistant
PO Box 394, Mount Horeb, WI
608.437.2300
Save the Date!
November 5, 2015
WI-CARH Annual Meeting & Conference
