Affordable Housing Management Association (AHMA)
Chapters of the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA)
Representing the States of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington
PROTECTING THE
INTERESTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OWNERS AND MANAGERS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
AHMA NORTHWEST is the premiere organization representing managers, owners, and professional service
providers who are committed to maintaining excellence in affordable housing
communities located in 4 Pacific Northwest states. AHMA of Washington is a
chapter of AHMA Northwest. Welcome to AHMA of
Washington's web site!
AHMA of Washington's Mission:
“To
support and sustain affordable housing by building relationships and taking
actions that create opportunities for success for our members.
We promote excellence in multifamily housing management by fostering
education, collaboration with government agencies, and advocacy – for the
ultimate benefit of the residents we serve.”
Important Industry Internet Links: There are many
resources to assist our members at these web sites:
Contract Management Services (HUD Programs):
www.contractmgmt.org
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (LIHTC and Bond Programs):
www.wshfc.org
US Department of HUD - Seattle hub (HUD Programs):
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/states/washington
USDA Rural Development - State of Washington (USDA/RD):
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/wa/
City of Seattle - Office of Housing (HUD, HOME, LIHTC and locally-funded
Programs):
http://www.seattle.gov/housing/
Washington State Dept. of Commerce (Housing Trust Fund financed Programs):
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/site/493/default.aspx
National Affordable Housing Management Association (use your exclusive member
username and password): www.nahma.org
BREAKING NEWS and Updates
on our April 19-21, 2010 Conference
February 3, 2010 bulletin:
Registration is now open for our upcoming joint conference of
the Affordable Housing Management Association of Washington and her sister
organization, the Washington State Council for Affordable & Rural Housing.
The conference is entitled "Launching a New Decade of Excellence in Affordable
Housing Management" and will be held April 19-21, 2010 at the Wenatchee
Convention Center in beautiful Wenatchee, WA - the Apple Capital of the World.
By the way, the Apple Blossom Festival begins on the day following the end of
our conference.
Below are downloadable PDF versions of the forms in the registration kit, being
mailed out over the next 5 days. The exception is: we are for the
first time offering an Excel 2007 version of the Multiple Participant
Registration form for larger management companies to use. Simply "right
click" the link to that document below, and then click "Save Target As...".
Save the file to your hard disk. Follow the instructions on the
spreadsheet.
Excel Version of the Multiple Participant Registration Form (right click your mouse; then click "Save Target As..." The worksheet is locked, except for the fill-able areas).
Hotel Partner List, and Alternate Hotel Listing.
14th Annual CARH CLASSIC Golf Tournament Registration Form.
Award Nomination - Universal Entry Form for all Categories.
Sponsorship Opportunities. It's not too late! The benefits provided to your organization are listed.
Based on hotel room pre-reservation forms, this
promises to be the
largest affordable housing
management conference in the Western United States – with over 500 attendees
expected.
There is something for everyone in our industry.
We have both basic program training classes for
LIHTC, HUD and USDA/RD managers – and sessions that are highly relevant to
supervisors, owners, developers, maintenance professionals, CPAs and government
agency staff – among others.
We expect our Trade Show on Tuesday, April 20 to be
huge.
Spectrum’s Fair Housing/Section 504/ADA training on
Wednesday is highly acclaimed.
We actually
reduced
the fee for conference attendees, compared to last year!
On top of that, we’ve put together two awesome
pre-conference events, and offer the Tuesday night banquet at no additional
cost.
See you in Wenatchee!
January 29, 2010 bulletin:
Registration will open on Wednesday, February 3rd!
The theme of the conference is: "Launching a New Decade of Excellence in
Affordable Housing Management!"
This conference will be the largest affordable housing
management conference in the Western United States - with over 500 attendees
expected!
Come and enjoy the beauty of apple blossom time in Wenatchee
You won't want to miss the wide range of
educational and networking opportunities that this conference offers.
Members who have pre-reserved sleeping rooms have
received their hotel assignments and room set-asides by mail, as of January 27.
If you have not received your letter yet, please call Joe Diehl. Your
sleeping room pre-reservations will be held until February 19. That means,
you have until February 19 to use a credit card or make other arrangements with
the respective hotels.
Sponsors To Date:
Conference Co-Sponsor Level
Contract Management Services
Insurance Program for Association Housing
Platinum Level
Cascade Risk Placement, Inc.
Gold Level
AptFinder.org - Multifamily Affordable Properties
ORCA Information
Sprague Pest Solutions
The Summit Group
Silver Level
KDC Solutions LLC
Legacy Management Group LLC
Loveridge Hunt & Co. PLLC
Pine River Management, Inc.
Titanium Level
Coin Meter Company
Quantum Management Services, Inc.
Shelter Resources
Simply Computers
All Others Sponsors
Catholic Housing Services of Western Washington
Heritage Homes
Hilltop House
National Affordable Housing Management Association
Gary Williams - Black Swan Academy
January 10, 2010 bulletin:
Key sponsorships have been received from a variety of organizations as noted
above. Many sponsorships are still available.
Interested in a sponsorship? We have a huge menu of different levels that
include, for example, an opportunity to speak before our attendees, have a
specific event at the conference tagged with your name as sponsor, or have
preferred placement at our trade show (among many other benefits). Just
click HERE and fax your sponsorship form to:
(425) 454-7695. Get the form in early so we can give you recognition in
our mass registration mailing!
FAQ's - note the highlighted key dates:
Q: I
sent in a pre-reservation form, for sleeping rooms in the AHMA/CARH room block.
When will I find out which hotel is mine?
A: AHMA
and CARH will be allocating sleeping room assignments between January 20
- January 29, approximately. Both the hotel and your organization
will be connected up with contact information at that time.
Q: Is it too
late to send in a pre-reservation form?
A: We are currently assigning out
the pre-reservations that we have already received, and can't accept any more.
However, we'll have a list of hotels in the registration materials.
Q:
For my company's sleeping rooms that are assigned by AHMA/CARH, what if I change
my mind about the number of attendees I'm sending?
A: We
will use our best efforts to match your preferences and number of rooms
requested, to the hotels blocks that exist. If you actually want fewer
rooms, then the hotel will simply release those extra rooms back into the
general room block. If you want more rooms, then you can try to work with
your assigned hotel to get those additional rooms.
Q: If I
missed the pre-reservation process, will I still be able to get a room at the
AHMA/CARH group rate?
A: The
hotels will continue to offer the AHMA/CARH group rate until March 19,
2010. Then the rates return to "market rate" or rack rates.
Of course, there is the risk that 6 hotels in our room blocks might be sold out.
But there are over 40 hotels within 19 miles, and many nice Bed & Breakfasts, in
apple country! No worries!
Q:
When will conference attendee registration open officially?
A: We
plan on opening registration process on Wednesday, February 3, 2010!
All the forms will be available here, online, and a limited mass
mailing will take place as well. "Limited mailing" means, like, we're
trying to go GREEN!
December 15, 2009 bulletin:
AHMA and its sister organization, the Washington State
Council for Affordable & Rural Housing, will be holding their 2010 conferences
together on Tuesday-Wednesday, April 20-21, 2010 at the Wenatchee Convention
Center! You won't want to miss this mega-conference.
Registration will open on January 29, 2010...but in the meantime:
Pre-reserve your sleeping room now. DOWNLOAD OF THE PRE-RESERVATION FORM IS NOT AVAILABLE AFTER JANUARY 1; SEE FAQ's ABOVE. There are a limited number of sleeping rooms in Wenatchee and we want to ensure you get one! There is no commitment to guarantee a room...all we want you to do is to let us know the names of your prospective registrants and what their hotel room preferences are. We need this by December 10, 2009. Then, on January 10, 2010, we'll be assigning rooms to one of the 6 hotels that are our HOTEL PARTNERS. Click Here for a description of the rooms. Click Here for a letter describing the process. Rooms are first-come, first served and we'll do our best to fulfill your preferences and requests.
Click Here for a copy of our TENTATIVE PROGRAM. Most of the presentations and speakers are finalized and going under contract in the next 30 days.
Over 500 attendees are expected! They'll be a one day Trade Show on Tuesday, April 21 ($340 per table - includes breakfast, lunch, banquet and all breaks).
If you have questions, call Joe Diehl at (206) 290-5498.
15th Annual Meeting and Conference, August 20-21, 2009
Many thanks to our loyal
supporters!
CO-SPONSOR:
GOLD SPONSORS:
ORCA Information
A SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Loveridge Hunt & Co., PLLC - Certified Public Accountants, Bellevue
(Click Here for their Web Site)
for donating 15 years of office space,
furniture, equipment and services - at no charge to AHMA or its members
SILVER, TITANIUM AND DOOR PRIZE SPONSORS:
Silver:
Next Step Housing
Quantum Management Services, Inc.
Yardi Systems, Inc.
Titanium:
Cambridge Management, Inc.
Legacy Management Group, LLC
The Summit Group
Washington Management Company
Door Prize Pool Sponsors:
American Meter & Appliance
Sprague Pest Solutions
AND Special
Thanks to Our Collaborating Agencies!
City of Seattle, Office of Housing
Contract
Management Services, Contract Administrator for the State of Washington
US
Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
Washington State Department Commerce
Washington State Housing Finance Commission
2010 Site Managers of the Year (7)
Vickie Nahay, Juanita View Apartments, Quantum Management Services
Juanita View is a 94 unit family property with 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. Vickie consistently produces high quality work. Her organizational skills result in impeccable performance and few findings on her MORs. Most of the units have required complete rehabs, adding a lot of work to Vickie’s duties. Vickie works with local nonprofits to bring truck loads of gifts and food to her residents every December and organizes many other events for her residents. She takes pride in her work and in her property.
Susan Sims, Glendale Apartments, Quantum Management Services, Inc.
Susan goes above and beyond the call of duty in her position as manager of Glendale Apartments. She is always helping her co-workers and is relied on as an in-house expert in the field of Low Income Housing Tax Credits. She displays a great attitude, nice personality and she is knowledgeable about managing affordable housing, especially when there is tax credit financing in place. Susan Sims takes her job very seriously and is an outstanding property manager for Quantum Management Services.
Jackie Rome, Plymouth on Stewart, Plymouth Housing Group
Jackie started as a front-line building specialist at the
David Colwell Apartments in 2006. Her talents, compassion and commitment to
Plymouth Housing Group's mission were obvious and outstanding from the very
beginning. She was quickly promoted to Live-In Building Manager at Plymouth on
Stewart in 2007.
She maintains an open door
policy with her staff and tenants at her property.
Jackie has a perfect balance of enforcing rules and advocating
for, and supporting her residents.
She is highly respected by her tenants, staff, and fellow
colleagues at Plymouth Housing Group.
George Whittaker, Jr., Centralia Manor, Westwood Management & Development Corp.
George is the second
generation of Whittaker’s, to manage Centralia Manor.
George's father was manager for many years.
George is focused on doing excellent work, and as a result, all
of his paperwork is ahead of deadlines, and very accurate. His building received
a REAC score of 99.
George’s property has been challenged by the threat of funding, horrible
torrential rains and a number of "water related" issues. He has been known to
don waders and collect tenant garbage when the floods have surrounded his
building. George’s
property has also gone through a number of improvements, and he keeps the
tenants happy despite the noise and inconvenience.
Dianne Moreland, Madison Group (5 Properties), Capitol Hill Housing
Madison Group consists of 5 sites, totaling 128 units. Dianne successfully manages these 5 buildings with confidence and competence. She has completed her COS with a score of “100%” – an outstanding achievement in and of itself. She does not take her responsibilities lightly; her buildings are kept clean and in good repair. Her re-certifications are always complete and on time. Dianne’s buildings have low balances in rents receivable and maintain low vacancy rates.
Bonny McCurdy,
Crestview Terrace, Cambridge Management, Inc.
Bonny’s reports are
accurate and timely, she maintains professional correspondence with her
supervisor and all members of the corporate office.
Bonny’s most admirable character strength is her ability to
prioritize the needs or her residents above all else. On a large property, with
many homeless and disabled households and applicants, Bonny treats everyone with
a very high degree of dignity and patience. When faced with time consuming
meetings with residents that require extra care, Bonny remains calm and
attentive throughout, never rushing anyone out of her office. She will stay late
or come in early to meet corporate deadlines. Bonny never
Emily Martens, Legacy Management Group
Emily Martens has successfully managed 2 properties for
Legacy in the years with the company. When
you call Emily on the phone or meet her in person, the first thing you will
notice is her incredible positive attitude which comes through in her voice and
mannerisms. No matter what situation she is dealing with professionally or
personally her positive outlook shines through. Her certifications are on time
and correct. She is always professional and caring to her residents and goes
above and beyond to ensure that they are able to reach community resources and
interpreters. She has been successful in procuring an entire donated library
with beautiful bookshelves for the children
and adult use at Oxford Square. Emily is active in the local community and
Neighborhood Watch program.
MANAGEMENT AGENT STAFF PERSONS OF THE YEAR (3):
Susan Meyers, Quantum Management Services
(Doug Repman accepted the award for Susan Meyers)
Susan is someone you can trust to provide guidance to her staff and response
with accurate and timely answers.
She always responds whether she is in the office, in the field,
or at home – and responds with patience and understanding.
She has excellent communication skills and is very fair and
diplomatic with residents.
She is a team player.
Susan has an exceptional attitude and goes above and beyond the
call of duty in her oversight of many properties.
(Ronn Clark accepted the award for John Brewer)
As the Compliance Lead Person for Legacy Management
Group, John's duties include reviewing
certifications, being a resource
for the department and site managers, and taking on one special
project after another. John
is responsible for each lease up property and ensures that all set asides are
met. John is knowledgeable on all program types in several states.
His patience with the
managers has made him a favorite among the Compliance Specialists. One notable
achievement this year has been to get compliance set up in YARDI. He and two
temp staff organized and entered over 8000 certs into Yardi. He had to set up
the utility allowance, income and rent limits. Whether he is collaborating with
a Compliance Specialist, educating a manager, or navigating Yardi, his calm
manner and positive attitude make him a great team player and valued manager.
Dora Lee, Capitol Hill Housing
Dora always goes the extra mile for the organization.
In becoming the compliance manager at Capitol Hill Housing, she
jumped into her job with minimal training and supervision. She has taken Capitol
Hill Housing's compliance monitoring and reporting to new levels. Recently the
City of Seattle complimented her reports that were submitted and this is all due
to Dora's leadership and guidance. The funders are very p1eased with her work as
well. She is
extremely organized and does not let any question go unanswered.
Dora bas attended various trainings and always applies her
new-found knowledge to improving the organization’s Compliance activities. She’s
a great trainer, as she understands the complexities of compliance.
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SERVICES STAFF PERSONS OF THE YEAR (2) :
Sheri Strom, Contract Specialist, Contract Management Services
Sheri has been a Contract Specialist since June of 2005 but has been employed
with BHA since 1991. Sheri is responsible for processing annual rent
adjustments and contract renewals, opt-outs and terminations. The
nomination indicates that Sheri is very easy to work with and makes the contract
renewal process happen smoothly. She has an upbeat, positive attitude and
is very knowledgeable about the HUD programs. A few words about Sheri’s
job: Sheri’s position represents CMS and HUD, to assure that each
development’s contract is being administered in compliance with the Annual
Contributions Contract and consistently with other developments in the CMS
portfolio.
Along with the importance and seriousness of what she does at an MOR, she manages always to have a smile and friendly demeanor that is reassuring to building managers and staff that are present. Teri is a competent and knowledgeable professional who can use the MOR as a teaching arena to update and clarify expectations and requirements of the industry. She is an excellent representative for CMS, she is approachable and always willing to research the answers to difficult questions that we might pose. Teri has been a Compliance Specialist since May of 2007. Teri is responsible for conducting on-site Management and Occupancy Reviews with the owner/agents of Project-Based Section 8 properties statewide. A little about her position: this position represents the Housing Authority’s Contract Management Services division (CMS) and HUD to assure that each property’s HUD Assistance Payment (HAP) contract is being administered in compliance with the ACC and current HUD regulations. This position is the physical link between the owner and CMS and provides first-hand technical assistance to the owner/agent.
Not all nominations were selected for recognition. There are many unsung
heroes that work tirelessly to help us succeed in providing housing at an
affordable level.
Patti Hanly served as AHMA of Washington's first
Executive Director, from 1994-1996. Her high levels of energy, enthusiasm
and persistence built the foundation for AHMA's success.
Developer, owner and manager Dean Chaussee was a founding member of AHMA of
Washington. Dean and Carol Chaussee were honored with the prestigious
"Pioneers in Affordable Housing" Award in 2006. Only two such awards have
ever been given by AHMA in its 15 year history..
A revised set (of 50 documents) has been posted as of April 27, 2009.
Click the LINK
to go to the members-only web site. Use your AHMA-issued username and
password to access these documents. This site is restricted to members in
good standing (that is, with all membership dues fully paid for calendar year
2009).
Membership dues for Washington State are nominal: only $250 per organization
per year, plus $2 per unit per year for all properties in your affordable
housing portfolio. Click HERE to download your
membership application. Fill it out and fax it in, to (425) 454-7695.
Many thanks to Sheila King, who has been our consultant on this
project.
Note, Sheila can be engaged as a consultant for specific issues, to the industry
as well as to AHMA members specifically. She can be reached by phone at
(253) 383-3861 or by e-mail at
sheila@aptfinder.org
(Usernames and Passwords were snail-mailed to Members in Good Standing on August
6, 2008. This resource is a precious
member benefit – don’t share your password with non-AHMA members!).
Passwords will change again soon, on June 30, 2009. Watch for your revised
username and password by snail mail.
2009-2010 Training Opportunities
Click HERE to go to our Training and Education Web Page!
It's time. It's time for you to achieve greatness: earn your
Specialist in Housing Credit Management (Tax Credit Program) Certification.
Also, check out the Master Classes being offered by Contract Management Services
in 8 states!
Property and Liability Insurance Program for Association Housing (IPAH)
AHMA of Washington
and it's sister association, Washington State CARH, is Pleased to Announce Group Property and Liability Insurance Plan for Members!
Read PRESS RELEASE.
Enrollments began on December
1, 2006. Nearly 500 properties have been bound and approximately 20% in savings
have been realized.
Breaking news! The program is now being offered in most Western states for
any affordable housing/multifamily asset.
CLICK HERE
to review the August 2007 press release. Note, you
must become a member of AHMA of
Washington, or Washington State CARH. This is a members-only plan.
We have a variety of membership options to suit your needs.
To get a quote, simply download the
LOCATION FACT SHEET, fill it out
for each property, and FAX it to Cascade
Risk Placement at (425) 452-1120. Receive a quote in 1-4 business days on
any property submitted.
Thank you for
Supporting
our 2008 Annual Meeting and Conference
Held Thursday-Friday, August 14-15, 2008
Kitsap Conference Center
Bremerton, WA
All 2008 Conference Photos can
be Seen at:
http://ahmanorthwest14thannualconf.shutterfly.com/
Click "See all 160 pictures" and then Click "Slide
Show"
AHMA of WA and the Seattle Office of Housing Announce their Green Turn Initiative!
The Green Unit Turn Initiative offers affordable housing owners and
managers guidance on cost-effective green operations and maintenance practices.
It builds on the City’s SeaGreen guiding principles, to:
●
make it durable
●
make it healthy
●
reduce operating costs
●
protect the environment
The information for the Green Unit Turn Initiative was gathered from experiences
and recommendations of several affordable housing owners and managers who are
engaging in cost effective green practices. It by no means includes all
the green choices or products that are available to you. Start with these
suggestions and build on them as you do your own Green Unit Turns.
DOWNLOAD this poster! It is
meant as a helpful reminder to staff which you can use to encourage Green Unit
Turns. Print on a color printer, on legal size paper, and post it prominently in
your on-site manager’s office. Encourage your property management and
maintenance staff to visit the website
www.seattle.gov/housing/GreenUnitTurn for the whys and hows of Green Unit
Turns.
General Information on our AHMA Chapter:
Resources:
IPAH Group Property and Liability Insurance Program Flyer and Fact Sheet
Occupancy and Compliance College Program:
Read the Rules Here
Enroll Here
Log Your Clock
Hours Here
Graduates To-Date:
CONGRATULATIONS!