Well why not combine the two?! Have your weekly team meetings in a vacant, market-ready apartment. Have each member of the team take a room and do a through inspection. Make it fun, and reward the apartment service team a prize for every room that is perfect!

Contributed by Kristin Lapdog

With over 700,000 registered sex offenders living in the US [3], there was a need to consolidate these records into a publicly accessible national database.  A cooperative effort between the federal government and independent jurisdictions hosting sex offender registries has created a national sex offender database.  This database, commonly known as the Dru Sjodin national sex offender list, is comprised of aggregated data from all 50 states and is available online.   However, sex offender data is regulated and maintained at the state (jurisdiction) level, meaning that different state regulatory policies impact the consistency of national sex offender data resulting in slight variations in data available to the public depending on the state.

Using Sex Offender Data to Screen Your Applicants
With full public access to a national registry of sex offenders, how exactly are property managers using this data to screen their applicants?

Regardless of property type, almost all management companies will set screening criteria to reject any applicant that is listed on the national sex offender registry.  There may, however, be exceptions to this industry-wide practice when property management companies must adjust their screening criteria to accommodate state-specific laws or regulations regarding the use of sex offender data.

Standards for screening and rejecting registered sex offenders have been adopted by multifamily operators across the country to promote safe environments for their residents and their employees.  Additionally, the risk of a damaged reputation for property managers and the financial consequences of a failed audit or lawsuit are monumental.  By effectively using national sex offender data to screen your applicants both at the lease signing and lease renewal, such consequences can be avoided.

Regulation and Compliance
Complying with HUD guidelines is imperative to successful affordable housing management because violations could result in lost credit and subsidies, fines or other penalties.  Your resident screening provider should understand the importance of these regulations and provide clear applicant screening files that document the national sex offender search was conducted on each applicant.  Explicit evidence of a completed search is invaluable to property managers as HUD audit contract administrators require documentation that clearly specifies that a national sex offender search has been conducted for each screening performed.

Conclusion
Ultimately, using sex offender data to screen your residents is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to help protect your bottom line, your residents, your employees and your communities’ reputation.  If you have questions or concerns about using sex offender data to effectively screen your applicants, contact your resident screening provider today.

Mike Lapsley is General Manager and Vice President of RentGrow, Inc., the resident screening experts (www.rentgrow.com). He can be reached at lapsley @ rentgrow.com.

Citations:
[1] http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/phr/about/titlev.pdf
[2] http://www.nhlp.org/node/1212
[3] http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/documents/sex-offender-map.pdf

(Some Viable Alternatives to Requiring SSNs)

by Nadine Green

An interesting concept has been batted about by various fair housing experts in the past few months, and as is the case with most issues, there is no consensus as to just what is the right answer. The topic is the policy of landlords requiring a Social Security Number (SSN) from prospects in order for them to qualify as residents.

Let’s look first at why a landlord would ask for an SSN to begin with. It is much easier to check credit if you have the SSN of a prospect, and, of course, you like to check credit to determine how well the prospect manages his or her money. And you want them to manage it well, so that they will have the appropriate dollars to pay you your rent, which is pretty fundamental for a landlord. (Of course we know that this process is not infallible; I would place a bet that no landlord reading this article has had every resident pay rent in full and on time without fail!). Is it, then, a reasonable business practice to require an SSN?  Yes, of course, the business rationale is clear. But is this policy free from all possible implications related to fair housing law? Maybe…but maybe not! And here is how we come to the debate about this issue…

Fair housing law provides that it is unlawful to discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of rental because of the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of a prospect. (These are the federally protected classes; your state or local government may have provided protection to other groups, and you would be wise to be aware of such.) The law makes it clear that discrimination can occur overtly and with intent, as is most often the case. However, what many landlords do not realize is that fair housing laws can be violated when there is unintentional discrimination. There remains a legal question under fair housing law as to whether a practice or policy that is not intended to discriminate can, in fact, be unlawful if it has the effect of discriminating against a protected class. And this brings us to the matter of landlords requiring SSNs from prospects.

Just who has an SSN? Well, just about every American will have one, even the babies (we can thank our beloved IRS for this). So chances are that most every American will be able to provide this required information. And, of course, there are many legal aliens and residents who have one as well. But, who does not have an SSN? Most likely, a person without an SSN will not be an American, but will be a citizen of another country. In other words, the person without an SSN will most likely have a national origin other than American, and as has been said, herein lies the rub…A policy requiring a SSN is intended as a means to obtain financial documentation, but the effect of such a policy means that most, if not all, Americans will pass the threshold test of supplying the landlord with an SSN, but that most people who cannot pass this test will have a national origin other than American. So the question is, could the effect of an apparently neutral, business-based policy be challenged if it is discriminatory in its effect?

Well, the experts disagree on this (goes to show you that fair housing issues can be so very simple and basic, or so very complex and unsettled!), with some believing that the practice could be deemed discriminatory, others believing that it would not (and who would be willing to serve as counsel defending such a case), and others believing that this entire topic is no less than ridiculous. So what do you do?  First, be aware of the following:

• People are not required by law to have an SSN to be able to rent an apartment. (Often, landlords confuse housing law with employment law. To hire someone, you are required by law to verify their right to work through proper documentation, including their SSN; to rent to someone requires no such documentation.)  Remember that even illegal aliens have fair housing rights and protection!

• Foreign nationals here with a work status will have an alternative number from the Social Security Administration. This should be acceptable and helpful to you for your qualifying purposes.

• In some cases, it is not much more costly or difficult to get a credit report on prospects who have a federal ID number from a country other than the United States.

Now, think about what you are trying to accomplish with an SSN requirement policy in the first place. The point is to have at least some assurances that the rent will be paid. Since that is your point, you could consider alternatives to requiring a SSN.

• If you can’t get an SSN from a prospect and thus check credit, how about offering that person the right to have a guarantor to the lease…someone who does have an SSN and who meets your credit standards. This way, you have someone “on the hook” if the rent isn’t paid or the resident skips out leaving you with unpaid rents and/or damages.

• Another way to help protect your interest may be to require an enhanced security deposit (if allowed by your state law) in lieu of a prospect being able to provide an SSN.

Something to think about…no easy answers here…but remember that while it may not be unlawful to require SSNs, fair housing laws are broadly applied (just look at the issues that have developed in the past decade on federal, state, and local levels…you never thought you would see some of what has developed). Most of the experts agree that it is not wise to refuse to rent just because someone does not have an SSN. By offering alternatives to the requirement of SSNs, you can still serve your business well, and perhaps protect yourself from a fair housing dispute (even when you win one, it’s not a lot of fun to be involved in the first place!). You have also opened your doors to everyone who can provide you with a probable guarantee that you will get the rent…and opening doors is what fair housing is all about!

Nadine Green is Senior Counsel with For Rent Magazine®. The information contained in this article is not to be considered legal advice, and the author and FRM strongly recommend that you consult with your own counsel as to any fair housing questions or problems you may have.

Why do winners win? How do you become a self-made winner?

Winners work hard at learning from other winners. It is up to you to learn from these examples and become a self-made winner. Here’s what I’ve learned from other winners.

1.    Persistence

“Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you least expect it.  I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.”  - Charles F. Kettering, Vice President of General Motors

Winners refuse to see obstacles as one solid barrier, but as a combination of small hurdles.  This positive outlook allows them to develop higher levels of persistence and to tap their inner strength leading to greater degrees of success.

Who in this industry typifies this persistence?  Tami Siewruk who created her own opportunities and launched a marketing company that literally changed our industry.

2.    Attitude

“Nothing can stop the person with the right mental attitude from achieving his/her goal:  nothing can help the person with the wrong mental attitude.”  - Thomas Jefferson

Positive spirit precedes positive results.  Winners assume the mental attitude that it is impossible to fail.   Losers often judge their efforts with pessimistic reasoning instead of reinforcing their efforts with optimistic hope.

Who in our business typifies this positive outlook?  Anne Sadovsky, whose positive spirit enabled her to find solutions to challenges and allowed her to tear down barriers to emerge as a major player in our industry.

3.    Effort

“The kind of people I look for to fill top management spots are eager beavers, the mavericks.  These are the people who try to do more than they’re expected to do – they always reach.”  - Lee Iacocca, Chrysler Chairman

Winners know that without extra effort it is impossible to win.  Extra effort does not always mean you have to work harder than anyone else.  Extra effort can come from working smarter, not harder.

Who exemplifies this better than Bill Norwell, Senior Vice President of Draper & Kramer?  Bill not only works harder than anyone else, he works smarter, holding on to his vision and creating unheard of opportunities.

4.    Courage

“To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance.  It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all.”  - John F. Kennedy

The famous football coach Vince Lombardi once told his team courage equals mental toughness.  Martin Luther King saw courage as “… an inner resolution to go forward in spite of obstacles and frightening situations.”

Who in our industry demonstrates courage?  Mindy Williams, President of Let’s Party, a resident retention company, had the courage to be creative and to bring her big idea to life.

5.    Competition

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”  - Theodore Roosevelt

Winners realize competition is the only way to get better, to get tougher, and to taste the sweetness of success.  Avoiding competition means you will never find out how good you truly are.

Jennifer Nevitt, President & founder of Bravo Strategic Marketing, knows that you cannot prove you are the best unless you have competition.  Jennifer Nevitt is motivated by competition allowing her to reach challenging goals and to accomplish the impossible.

6.    Adversity

“Success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties.  If there were no difficulties, there would be no success.”  - Samuel Smiles, Author

B.   F. Skinner, the noted psychologist once suggested the way to look at failure:  “A failure is not always a mistake; it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances.  The real mistake is to stop trying.”

Adversity is nothing more than a wake-up call for creativity.  Several individuals in our industry have overcome difficulties leading them to succeed.  Toni Blake, President of Blake Productions, Anne Sadovsky of Anne Sadovsky & Company, and Dana Fox Lynde, Idea Broker, to name a few.

7.    Gratitude

“There is as much greatness of mind in acknowledging a good turn as in doing it.”  - Seneca

Cicero stated “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but he parent of all the other.”

My first entry into this business began on a small community, located in a difficult neighborhood in Baltimore.  My husband and I, expecting our first child, had recently moved form Ohio to Maryland for his new job.  Unfortunately, the company my husband worked for dissolved shortly after our move.  We were in the frightening position of no jobs or income.  As we began our search for employment, I informed all the employers of my pregnancy.  None were willing to take a chance on hiring me because of this – until I interviewed with a small management company.  I was given a job as a groundsperson in a garden apartment community.  I continued my career in property management through positions as leasing consultant, assistant manager, manager, director of marketing, marketing analyst, and vice president.

I do truly realize that without the assistance and guidance of others I would not be in my present position today.  I am grateful to those of you mentioned in this article, and to Jeff and Ashley Gorski, Nancy Brown, Chris Cole, Kim and Sue Haggerty, John Kurtz, Jim and Beth Montrella, Scott Sterling, Mara Tripp, Lisa Trosien, Alex Welker, Nancy Whitney, and Debbie Whitt.

The lessons on why winners win are easy to understand.  They are hard to put into practice – but not impossible.  Among the many, many rewards are higher success.  Reach for it!

Jamie Gorski is Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing for The Bozzuto Group where she provides strategic marketing direction for the entire company, overseeing all advertising, marketing and public relations efforts for each of Bozzuto’s six integrated companies – Acquisitions, Construction, Development, Homebuilding, Land Development and Property Management. Jamie brings more than 25 years of multifamily marketing experience to Bozzuto, including five years as chief marketing officer for Kettler.  Prior to Kettler, she served as vice president of marketing for Archstone-Smith and for Charles E. Smith Residential. Jamie’s expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, standards implementation, Internet marketing and statistical market analysis.  She has extensive experience overseeing major initiatives such as redeveloping corporate web sites and re-imaging campaigns and is an expert in advancing advertising and collateral and in improving corporate and site-specific visual identities. Jamie has won numerous marketing awards, including 30 Pillars of the Industry Awards from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).  She received a B.S. in mathematics from Ohio State University, where she was captain of the swim team, a Big Ten Champion and an NCAA National finalist.  Jamie and her family reside in Annapolis, Maryland.

Benchmarking

The first step in conducting a thorough Skill Gap Analysis is to create a picture of what ideal performance looks like. This step—called Competency Profiling—takes a look at the attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and specific skills needed for an individual to excel in a particular role. These competencies can be rated as critical or core, meaning that a high level of proficiency is needed in order to be successful in the role; or preferred, meaning that while not mandatory, a particular competency would help the employee to better excel.

Assessment

Once your benchmarking is done and core and preferred competencies are identified for the role; it’s time to measure the employee’s proficiency against the competencies you’ve identified. There are a number of ways that this can be accomplished, and while any one of the following strategies can be effective, it’s far preferable to use a combination of several so that you get a more well-rounded picture of how the employee is performing and what he or she might be missing that can be rectified with added training and development. Assessment techniques include:

• Performance Review – a standard performance review typically revolves around discussion between the employee and the supervisor of both the supervisor’s and employee’s assessment of the employee’s proficiency. The review includes development of a strategy to help the employee further improve his or her performance in the role.

• Interviews – interviewing employees and supervisors with open-ended questions (questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”) allows for gathering of qualitative data. Interviews can also identify misconceptions with regard to the role; resistant attitudes (including change-resistance and personality conflict); and other barriers to excellent performance that might not surface in a performance review.

• Surveys – surveying managers, employees, and coworkers (including other managers) can help gather even more qualitative information that can be used for statistical performance analysis. Today, such surveys can be designed and conducted very quickly, easily, and efficiently, online.

• Customer Feedback – if it’s possible to interview or survey customers or other stakeholders, they can be an outstanding source of feedback on the performance of either a group of employees or an individual.

• Performance Tests – many skills can be assessed using standardized tests to gather quantitative data (multiple choice, fill in the blank etc.) of employees’ understanding of particular competencies, necessary to their ability to perform them.

• Audits – this process simply creates a checklist of specific operational standards, and the employee’s ability to perform to those standards is checked against the list.

Analysis

Once the assessment has been completed using one (or preferably several) of the techniques listed above, the trainer can then begin the process of closing the gaps with strategies including training (if a lack of knowledge is identified), role reassignment (personnel transfer or organizational changes); allocating new resources; added rewards or other incentives; or improved goal-setting and measurement. As in any case where proficiency can’t be improved by other means, termination may have to be considered.

Adding Skill Gap Analysis to your training plan will help you to identify, improve, and prioritize your training and development projects by creating a sharper picture of your team’s abilities as compared to your vision for ultimate success; but creating a fully comprehensive plan requires far more than we could fit into one blog post! If you’re interested in putting this outstanding tool to work in your organization, be sure to make Your Team's Got Talent: Better Training Through Skill Gap Analysis presented on Thursday, September 16th at the Multifamily Brainstorming Sessions by Kara Rice and Jana Muma of Grace Hill part of your Brainstorming 2010 training plan! We’ll see you there!