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Shelter from the Storm
by Maria Shea
The San Francisco Apartment Association is a nonprofit trade organization that protects property investment for landlords in San Francisco. Over the years, members have consistently relied on SFAA to provide a host of services, which include: housing advice/assistance, forms, tenant screening, membership meetings, legislative lobbying, reliable vendors and information on rent control issues. We strive to provide quality products and services to all members, whether it is through our Regular Membership, Management Company Membership or Associate Membership. We are currently serving over 3,000 owners, managers and property management companies. Associate Members have the benefit of targeting our other members with their products and services. As an Associate Member, you are able to network with our regular members through the SFAA website (www.sfaa.org), SF Apartment Magazine and by attending our monthly meetings, which give Associate Members the opportunity to pass out marketing information about their businesses and have one-on-one time with our Regular Members.
Our Regular Members and Management Companies reap the benefits of a staff that is up to date on current laws governing rent control. SFAA offers assistance through: unlimited property management advice; counseling either over the phone or in person (however, staff cannot offer legal assistance); rental forms that can be downloaded for free off of the California Apartment Association website (www.caanet.org) or bought at our offices; a subscription to the monthly SF Apartment Magazine, which addresses topics that are important for landlords; educational courses; government representation; fundraising; community outreach programs; referrals to industry partners (Associate Members); tenant screening through the Credit Bureau Associates; and monthly member meetings.
Another perk is the free legal panel held prior to the meetings, where attorneys answer member questions.
When owners aren’t proactive about getting answers, small problems can spiral out of control and require an attorney. But these issues often could have been solved with a simple call to our office. SFAA staff is here to assist you and put your mind at ease by answering questions and advising to the best of our ability.
Luckily, SFAA is staffed with employees who have a background in property management. In a city that is mostly tenant occupied, it is nice to call an organization and know that they are there to help, listen and advise.
San Francisco is a city that differs from most due to the complex nature of rent control and ever changing laws. SFAA exists, in part, to keep our members informed. We are here to protect the interest of our members. If it gets to the point where that advice is above and beyond our area of expertise, we are the first to give a referral, so you still get the correct information in a timely fashion.
A good example of everyday conundrums that the staff of SFAA deals with is how to handle the security deposit once the tenant is ready to end the tenancy. We tell property owners that they have exactly 21 days to return security deposits, along with estimates and receipts. Once the tenant has vacated the unit and you take possession, the security deposit must go out as soon as possible; if you hesitate to return the security deposit, it is possible that your tenant might take you to small claims court. This means that you are looking at paying penalties, in some cases triple-net damages, all because you didn’t return the security deposit check in the designated time. Another typical line of questions concerns rent increases, how many days you have to give notice and the proper way of serving it; if it is under 10% of the base rent it is a 30-day notice, if it is over 10% then it is a 60-day notice. This notice needs to be posted and mailed out.
When joining SFAA, property owners also become part of the National Apartment Association and California Apartment Association. NAA lobbies in Washington D.C. on behalf of property owners. It provides a nationally recognized education certification program and is involved in fair housing, Section 8 and tax issues affecting owners at the national level. CAA monitors and advances legislation at the state capitol. The organization also disseminates information as it relates to changes in state law and incorporates that information into a comprehensive education program, forms and management systems.
SFAA also provides classes to members and nonmembers, which help educate individuals on San Francisco rules and guidelines; these classes are taught by professionals in the industry. Some classes that SFAA offers are: Landlord 101, Lease Review and California Certified Residential Manager Series (CCRM, which is held in the spring and the fall). Students who participate in this last course become more knowledgeable and are able to apply this information to their everyday tasks in property management. It is highly recommended for new property owners, but even long-time owners will probably learn a thing or two. The series will teach the basics of property management in a ten-week course that covers: fair housing, maintenance, legal compliance and risk management. This series is taught by property managers with years of experience in the industry who will teach you what to expect during the overall tenancy of a unit.
Meet the Team
Our staff consists of five individuals here to help our members in any way possible. Janan New has been the executive director of SFAA for 15 years. She serves as a registered lobbyist with the City and County of San Francisco. New is constantly at city hall lobbying on behalf of our members, fighting for their best interests. Not only does she offer leadership to landlords in San Francisco but she also deals with planning, membership development, and program development
and implementation.
Vanessa Khaleel, SFAA’s education and events director, has continuously outdone herself every year by educating management companies through the regularly held Managers’ Luncheons, holding an annual trade show, hosting educational classes (for members and nonmembers), and organizing the Trophy Awards. The formal dinner and award show was held this past November and honored the firms, employees and properties that lead our industry. It was a showcase that gave recognition to San Francisco’s rental housing community, from the small independent owners to the property management companies and
leasing consultants.
As the director of membership services, I am here to provide our membership with the advice and skills needed in this industry. One of my tasks is to facilitate and organize our monthly member meetings based on the feedback of our members. SFAA General Member Meetings are held to keep our membership up to date and educated on current issues; these meetings strive to inform our members about what to be aware of in San Francisco. It is my job to help the membership by making sure our forms and vendors are current, our meetings are informative and advice is only a call away.
Lisa Fricke, who recently joined our team, is our new government affairs and community relations manager, replacing Sean Pritchard, who left us in November. Fricke tracks legislation that may affect our members, advocates on behalf of our members, and represents them at meetings with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and other policymakers. She has also taken on the task of running the Community Education and Outreach Program—working with tenant organizations to mediate between landlords and tenants.
Crystal Wang is the SFAA’s accountant and has been with the association for eight years. Crystal provides SFAA with translation services, business development, organizational activities, financial control of the business and implementation of policies.
SFAA is a strong organization that is growing more and more everyday thanks to our dedicated staff and respected members. We would like to thank you for your continued support and faith in SFAA. We encourage you to become more active and participate when tackling issues of the rental market in San Francisco. Again, we thank you for your membership and loyalty.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the SFAA or the SF Apartment Magazine. Maria Shea is the member services coordinator at SFAA and can be reached at 415-255-2288. Copyright © 2009 by Black Point Press. All rights reserved.