apartment manager san diego magazine

GOING GREENTransitioning to Solar Energy

Stacey Foo, Community ManagerAvalon Fashion Valley

www.apartmentmanagersandiego.com

April-June 2009ApartmentManager

INTERNETMARKETING

The Value of Internet Leads

5-STEPSTo Keep in Touch

With Your Residents

“SMILE”Top 4 Inner Needs

of a Customer

Taking the“CUS”Out of

CUSTOMER

Phot

o by

Lar

s C

hris

tens

en

GOING GREEN

As a property manager, you can make a difference

by choosing environmentally friendly products and

services and participate in recycling programs.

Let’s minimize our carbon footprint on earth and

leave a clean place

for our children!

Good for the environment. Good for your property.

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28

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4 Apartment Manager San Diego

Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine • APR-JUN/2009

contentscover storyManager SpotlightStacey Foo, Avalon Fashion Valley Apartments

featuresGoing Green - Solar PanelsService Starts with a Smileby Cary Cavitt

departmentsLeasing & MarketingInternet Marketingby Amy Kosnikowski

Resident RelationsTaking the “Cus” out of Customerby Anne Sadovisk

Move In GiftsCreative ways to say “Welcome”

Team BuildingHow to Master Property Management Team Buildingby Ernest Oriente

Resident RetentionReach Out and Touch Your Residentsby Toni Blake

Work EthicsYou Can’t Afford the Luxury of Disengaged Employeesby Jim Donovan

Landscape CareParenting Your Treeby Christine & Ted Huffman

Affordable HousingScore High on REACVAWA Compliance

Legal UpdatesBed Bugs - by Susie Lein (KTS)New State Law - by Meliah Schultzman (NHLP)

17

1228

07

24

20

10

33

36

22

30

38

40 Maintenance 5-Tips for cleaning roof & gutters - by Ryan AmblerThe History of Pipeline Materials

Vendor’s DirectoryProducts and Services Guide

InspirationEnthusiasm: Reach High and Succeed

46

44

Editor-in-ChiefELAINE SILBERBERG

Contributors in this issueAMY KOSNIKOWSKI

ANNE SADOVSKICARY CAVITT

CHRISTINE & TED HUFFMANERNEST ORIENTE

JIM DONOVANMELIAH SCHULTZMAN

RYAN AMBLERSUSIE LEINTONI BLAKE

PhotographyGEORGE VALLE

Graphic ArtistELAINE SILBERBERG

Proof ReaderKATHY KOTOWSKI

Marketing and SalesTRACEY L. SMITH

Published quarterly byClever Publishing Company

10240 Thanksgiving LaneSan Diego CA 92126

[email protected]: 858.564.9222

Fax: 619.342.7793

For Advertising Contact Tracey L. Smith: 619.405.5750

[email protected]

Copyright 2009 Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine is published quarterly by Clever Publishing Co. All rights are reserved. Reproduction of this publication in whole or in part without ex-press written consent is prohibited. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publish-ers or staff. Every effort has been made to en-sure that all information presented in this issue is accurate and neither Apartment Manag-er San Diego Magazine nor Clever Pub-lishing Co. is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine.

ApartmentManagerSan Diego Magazine

apartmentmanagersandiego.com 5

f rom the Editor

am excited to bring to you the launch

edition of Apartment Manager San Diego

magazine.

In my 18 years as an apartment manager, I have

waited for a magazine that would be a voice for

our profession to showcase our accomplishments,

ingenuity and diversity. A magazine to inspire, in-

form, and educate in a simple and relevant way.

In this issue, our cover manager Stacey Foo shares

her story and passion for providing great customer service. Business-coach Ernest Ori-

ente has some great tips on how to master property management team building. Every

manager knows how important it is to have a good resident retention program in place.

Toni Blake, nationally recognized speaker, takes you step-by-step through a working plan

on how to reach out to your residents and get them to renew.

Often, we come across difficult people in our profession and how we handle them is

crucial to our business. Anne Sadovisk, certified professional speaker, challenges you to

take the “cus” out of customer, and offers tips on how to handle unhappy residents.

Many Apartment Owners have been looking into Solar Energy as an alternative to

protect the environment and as a way to save money on their utility bills. In this issue

of Apartment Manager San Diego, we have gathered some information to inform you

about Solar Power.

Our inspiration theme for this issue is “enthusiasm” - having enthusiasm is essential to

the success of anything we endeavor to do in life.

As you flip through the pages of this magazine,

I hope you find yourself inspired and chal-

lenged to do what you do everyday better

and with your whole heart.

I

Elaine Silberberg, [email protected]

on the cover...Our cover for this

issue is Stacy Foo,

Community Manager

for Avalon Fashion

Valley Apartments.

The image of Stacy

was captured by

George Valley.

Are you reading someone else’s copy?

Get your own subscription mailed to you every quarter,so you will never miss another issue.

Go to www.ApartmentManagerSandiego.comclick on “subscribe”

It’s fast, it’s easy and it’s absolutely FREE.

Did you know that 52% of Internet leads that we receive in our inboxes are never followed up on? Unbelievable! That is over half of the interested parties inquiring about your community who are not getting a response! Compare and consider if you did not answer half the calls that came in everyday! Or even imagine if you refused to talk to every other person who came in to tour your community. That is a huge amount of valuable business lost right at your fingertips knocking on your web door. Answer the email or maximize the phone call and let them in.

Internet Marketing

Get the Biggest Bangf r om

by Amy Kosnikowski

ou can do this by Under-standing the Value of Inter-net Leads, Use all the Tools

and Quickly Respond with proper Ne-tiquette.

Did you also realize that Internet leads are more qualified and eager to take the leasing process to the next step? That’s because they take the time to research and evaluate all their housing choices. When Internet customers email or call – they are ready to do business! They have already seen your prices, floor plans, virtual tours and photos. For all you know they have picked out their favorite floor plan and placed the furniture. All you need to do is invite them out for a tour or proceed with the lease over the phone!

Did you realize that Internet searchers seek out farther ahead when looking for an apartment home? According to a recent study by Apartments.com, 42% of their visitors are looking to move in 60 days and 20% in 3-6 months. It is understandable the reasons why an immediate move-in lead would get worked harder than one that was looking 90-days out. However, chances are that you will receive few future notices to move out. So no

need to look in the crystal ball— more than likely you will need this business. It has been proven that residents who look 60 days in advance stay an average of 2.5 years.

Compare that to someone who wants to move-in less than 30 days will average one year or less of residency. Doesn’t this make one want to focus more on those future internet leads?Internet as a Leasing Tool

The Internet is a great tool to show-case your property, but also to close the deal right then and there over the phone. Encourage the customer to get back online and use all the images and visuals online such as virtual tours, floor plans or photos to get them ex-cited about your community and apart-

ment homes. Walk them through your community to build up anticipation before they arrive. They may even lease sight unseen by filling out your application online and using their credit card.Know Your Property Website

If you are not already extremely familiar with each of your In-ternet ads – I challenge you to immediately go online and thor-oughly study each site. Knowing the in’s & outs and how to use

“”

The Internet is a great tool to showcase your property, but also to close the deal

right then and there over the phone.

Y

marketing | leasing

April-June/2009 apartmentmanagersandiego.com 7

the provided tools will assist you to leasing apartments. For example, most sites have surrounding city informational links and stats that could build your knowledge base plus give your customers more informa-tion during their decision process.

Adding Value to Your SiteAccording to Homespages.com, a

real estate portal, the top searches when people are searching for homes are seek-ing school information and community knowledge such as crime stats, weather, popula-tion and other demographical information.

According to Apartments.com’s Internet customers, the features that are found to be most useful are the area map, driving directions, real time availability and link to prop-erty management’s website. This same study reflects that 35% of the leads are coming from out-of-state and 31% are moving within the state so it crucial that surrounding area information links and informa-tion is known and provided. If you knew that your customer is moving from out of town, wouldn’t it be extremely ben-eficial to know this in order to customize your phone call or email to share local area tips and other useful information? Gaining this knowledge will lead you to becoming an amaz-ing expert resource to your cus-tomer as they proceed through the moving process. Does your site(s) adequately provide regional area information to your prospective custom-ers and is the information correct? Take a look and make the needed adjustments such as adding links or maps.Be an Internet Monitor

Get in the habit of going online at least monthly to not only review and update your community’s Internet advertisements but also to see what your competition is

up to. Remember that anyone at anytime 24/7 can view your sites so ensure that it is looking the best it possibly can. By simply updating copy, photos or changing headlines can improve performance. Price adjustments and other changes such as up-dating your photos can easily be made on-line or by calling your local representative or Webmaster. Do not hesitate to make recommendations to your company’s

marketing department if your commu-nity needs additional Internet exposure on other site or beef up current ads. Be pre-pared to do research and present the rea-sons for the additional cost with expected ROI and even to offer take ownership to set it up. Pick one day a month to moni-tor your site(s) and stick with it to become committed to Internet Quality Patrol.

Another way to use the Internet is to

print out all ads and insert them into your Leasing Presentation book. This will be helpful for you while on the phone if you cannot access the web. This will enable you to become familiar with what each site offers and what your customer is look-ing at. You may even be able to use the ads to improve source tracking methods to narrow down the correct site that the customer viewed you on by having them

point to it or even describe it.Knowing what tools each

site contains in addition to gaining the knowledge of how to use it will advance your In-ternet leads into leases quickly.

The Early Bird Gets the Lease!

Responding to Internet leads will be the best way that you can spend your time in building your potential customer data-base. Treat it just as urgently as if it is a phone call or potential customer walking in to your office. Respond to the Internet lead in the same way the lead came to you within 1-2 hours of receiving the call or lead. Also ensure that the Automat-ic Response is being utilized, if that is an option, and custom-ize it with distinguishing ele-ments of your community.

A great idea is to compose an Internet Response Let-ter thanking them for their interest and highlighting the qualities and services of your community unique from the copy on your site. You can cut

and paste this letter from a Word docu-ment and then customize it to the needs of the customer once it is in the email.

For example, you may include some teaser tidbits describing the one bedroom apartment and its view. Include also that you will follow up with them within 24 hours – And do it! The Internet Response Letter will save you time and effort, plus make you a Leasing Superstar.


marketing | leasing

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About the Author Amy Kosnikowski is a proven

leader in sales, leasing, management

and marketing real estate asset

bringing over 18 years of passion

and experience in the real estate in-

dustry. As a nationally recognized

expert for her talents and achieve-

ments in the industry, Amy has

served at the executive level with

national REIT’s in addition to pri-

vately held real estate investment companies. Based out of Charlotte,

North Carolina, Amy serves as the principal of Quintessential offering

The Q Standard system focused on improving bottom line solutions.

Amy’s expertise is frequently highlighted at national conferences, expert

panel events and educational seminars. Amy shares her extensive experi-

ence with companies, associations and organizations across the country

as a national speaker, industry educator, marketing strategist and sales

coach. Contact Amy at 704.496.4107 or [email protected].

Golden Rules of NetiquetteDon’t forget when responding to Internet Leads to follow the

Golden Rules of Netiquette:

Always spell check for a positive first impression.

Add your digital signature supplying your name, title, com-munity name and contact information (phone, email, website URL).

Ask permission first if you want to send additional attach-ments.

If the Internet lead provides the customer’s number, always follow up with a phone call to answer questions, build excitement and rapport then set up an appointment to come tour your com-munity.

Tracking Internet LeadsYou should record the Internet traffic on your community’s

guest card record and track the call or email. If you are a stickler when tracking Internet Leads, the numbers for potential move-ins will be staggering! It will not take long for you to realize the posi-tive impact by understanding the immense value of the Internet, responding and tracking Internet leads can tremendously enhance your numbers.

Quickly volunteer to be your property’s Internet Ambassador by checking the quality of the site(s) and taking charge of all the leads coming in. Remember that this is a Leasing Professional’s dream marketing machine working 24-hours a day, 7 days a week on your behalf. You will see immediate results when you maxi-mize how this tool is used and will be so glad that you did!

License # 015056

marketing | leasing


AM

resident relations

oes th i s s cene sound fami l i a r ? The re s ident i s in your f ace , venom spewing. He is so angry that

his face is red, his eyes are bulging and the veins in his neck are pulsating. Before you can gather your thoughts or say a word, the four letter words and name-calling begins.

How would you react?

Human beings typically respond in one of three ways: some be-have in kind, in other words; they cuss, you cuss; they threaten you, you threaten them; they whine, you whine. Some of us might simply give in… “whatever you want, we’ll do, we don’t want you to be mad at us.” And some of us simply want to escape… “please step out of my office, lose my phone number, I have to leave now, excuse me while I go hide.”

Your choice of behavior typically comes from conditioning (both childhood and adult), and lack of thinking before speaking and behaving. Our reaction comes naturally, but that doesn’t mean it’s effective.

Sadly, none of those behaviors work! Our goal in this situation

is much more than soothing the savage beast, more than calming them down, more than making them happy. Our goal is to keep them living there, paying rent and referring their friends!

And it takes training, attitude changes and refocusing on that goal to make it happen. Each team member has to see the ben-efit of better handling of our customers when they are unhappy. Sometimes we have to suffer in order to put different behaviors in place.

Several years ago, the Dallas Morning News reported that an unhappy resident shot a manager and assistant manager (that is more suffering than anyone should have to experience). I had an opportunity to talk with the supervisor and learned that a complaint turned into a shouting, threatening, cursing match, with the staff participating as much as the resident. My question remains, “I wonder if it could have turned out differently if the team members had used a little psychology, some soothing words and had kept their cool?”

So how do we change and get others to change in order to keep happy, satisfied residents? The practice of these few rules will make a huge difference:

D

Smooth Handling of Difficult People...

By Anne Sadovisk

HOW TO TAKE THE “CUS” OUT OF CUSTOMER

Photo

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HOW TO TAKE THE “CUS” OUT OF CUSTOMER

1. DO NOT react. Take deep breaths, and ask yourself, “Is what I am about to say going to make this better or worse?” If the answer is “worse,” don’t say it! Weigh and measure your words before speaking. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself saying, “I wish I hadn’t said that.”

2. Never speak when you are feeling a physical reaction to what the customer is doing or saying. If your hands are shak-ing, you feel your face flushing, your guts are grinding and your heart is racing, silently count to 10 slowly. Call a mental time out, take some notes and stay focused on your goal.

3. Disarm them by doing the opposite of what they are try-ing to provoke and are expecting. Listen, nod, acknowledge their feelings by saying, “I see that you are really upset about this, and I would be also. Let’s see what we can do about it right now.” Make it another goal to try and give them a better day, a more positive feeling about you, the property and your company.

4. Use words that are proven to soothe. I call them MAGIC words:

“You are very important to us.”“I’d be upset if it happened to me.”

“Let me write this down so we can get right on it.”

“Let’s put our heads together and come up with a solution.”

5. Don’t take it personally. They really aren’t mad at you, but at the situation, at life in general. You don’t always know the whole story of what is going on in their lives that makes them get so easily upset.

6. And remember, never try to out shout, use foul language OR correct them for theirs, make them feel small or demean them. This doesn’t mean that you should ever take physical abuse, or that verbal abuse should continue after you have made every effort to calm the resident and have kept your cool. Sometimes it becomes necessary to say, “I have offered every-thing possible that I know of to help you.

Perhaps we should both think on this for a while. I’ll make some calls and let’s get back together by phone in half an hour.” Choose your words based on the degree of severity of the prob-lem, the urgency of the situation and how hostile the customer is.

Bottom line: Challenge yourself to be a peacemaker…make every effort possible to calm and soothe…remember, in order for one of you to win, one of you has to lose. Make every resi-dent contact a win/win. AM

Anne Sadovsky, CSP, CAM, CAPS, RAM, has been in this industry since 1968. She is a member of the Nation-al Speakers Association and has earned the prestigious designation of Certified Speaking Professional. Based in Dal-las, Texas, she was named one of the top trainers in the industry by Multi

Housing News. Her success story has been featured in Money Magazine, Ladies Home Journal and Texas Business. As a consultant, Anne has saved and made her clients mil-lions of dollars. To contact Anne by phone: 866 905-9300 or e-mail: [email protected] or visit her website at www.annesadovsky.com.


resident relations

Solar Energy

Facts About Solar Power

What is Solar Electric Photovoltaic (PV) System?

Solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) technology uses the sun’s energy to make electricity. When sunlight strikes an array of solar panels, electrons are freed by the interaction of sunlight with semiconductor materials (typically silicon). The electrons are collected to create electricity.

Direct current (DC) is the only type of current produced by solar cells. Appliances and machinery, however, operate on alternating current (AC), as supplied by your utility. The DC energy produced by the panels is fed into an inverter that transforms the DC power into AC power, which then feeds into the main electrical panel that powers your house or business.

A bi-directional utility meter is required to connect to the electrical panel. This meter is connected to your utility’s grid and is the means of delivering AC electricity both into and out of your home or facility.

Is my property a good place for a PV System?

First consider how much sunlight your property receives. Your prop-erty should have a clear, unobstructed access to the sun for most of the day, and throughout the year.

In California, the sun is in the southern half of the sky and produc-es more PV electricity than in the northern part. Because shading will reduce the amount of electricity your system will produce, PV panels should be installed in a location that is not significantly shaded by trees, chimneys or nearby structures. The best orientation for a PV system is on a south-facing roof; roofs that face east or west may also be acceptable. Flat roofs can also work because the PV array can be mounted on frames tilting south; a PV array can also be mounted on the ground.

Do I have enough roof area?

The amount of roof space needed is based on the size, or generating ca-pacity, of the system. Residential systems can vary in size from 50 square feet to 1,000 square feet. A rule of thumb is that a square foot of PV module area produces 10 watts of power in bright sunlight. For example, a 2,000-watt system would require about 200 square feet of roof area.

What size PV system do I need?

Several factors will influence the size of the system. The first step in determining the appropriate size is to consider your present electricity needs. A solar installer/contractor will be able to help you with this.

How much electricity will a PV system produce?

In California, a PV system will produce the most electricity in spring through fall when sunlight hours are the longest and the sun is posi-tioned higher in the sky.

A 1-kW system can produce from 1,400 kWh to 2,000 kWh per year depending on the location within the state. Generally, a PV system in the southern part of the state will produce more electricity than one in the northern part of California.

What is a kilowatt (kW)?

A kW is a basic unit of measure of real electric power or a rate of doing work. A kW is 1,000 watts. A kWh is a basic unit of energy con-sumption. For example, ten 100W light bulbs burning for one hour will consume 1,000 watt-hours of electricity, or 1 kWh.

Are there cleaning and maintenance costs?

PV output is significantly impacted by dirt accumulation. The fre-quency of cleaning depends on the location. For example, locations clos-er to freeways or industrial facilities, or in high-wind areas, are likely to accumulate dirt more frequently and should be cleaned more often.

What happens during a power outage?

In case of a power outage, your solar electric system is designed to immediately shutdown for safety reasons. A grid-tied solar electric sys-tem does not provide power during outages unless it includes a battery storage system. Your power will be reinstated moments after grid power is restored; however, you will need to manually reset your solar system (inverter) back to service after your power is reinstated. – most have auto reset once power is restored. AM

Source: Southern California Edison International. For more informa-tion visit www.sce.com/csi or www.gosolarcalifornia.gov.ca.

Going Green | Environment


s the world becomes more aware of global warming and more concerned about the depletion of our natural resources, solar power electricity is getting more attention than ever before. Solar Energy

benefits the environment and it’s a good way to contribute to energy sustainability. Recently, many Apartment Owners have been looking into solar panels out of their concern over envi-

ronmental pollution as well as to save money in their utility bills. In this issue of Apartment Manager San Diego, we have gathered some information to inform our readers about Solar Power.

A

Photo by John Keith - A man connects cables while installing solar panels.

At any time of the day, your solar energy system will produce more or less electricity than your property needs. To allow for Net Energy Me-tering, a bi-directional meter mea-sures the electricity flowing into and out of your property.

For example, when your solar generating system produces more electricity than your property uses, the “excess” electricity automati-cally passes through the meter and onto the utility grid. When this oc-

curs, the meter runs backward and Net Energy Metering generates a bill credit for the full retail value of the electricity your system is producing at that time.

At times when your electricity de-mand is higher than your solar sys-tem produces, your property uses electricity supplied by your utility.

Over a 12-month period, custom-ers on Net Energy Metering will pay for the net amount of electricity used from their utility over and above the

amount of electricity their solar sys-tem generates (in addition to month-ly nongeneration charges incurred).

Net-Metering - What is and How it Works

Did You Know?Californians have installed 69% of all of the grid-tied PV capacity in the U.S., which is 280 MW cumula-tive to date through 2007. Californians have installed about 33,000 out of the nation’s 48,000 solar systems. The state with the second-most is New Jersey, with 9% of total installed capacity.


On October 16, 2008, the

California Public Utilities Commission

(CPUC) adopted the Multifamily Afford-

able Solar Housing (MASH) Program that

provides solar incentives on qualifying af-

fordable housing multifamily dwellings. To be eligible for the program, existing

multifamily affordable housing must meet the definition of low-income residential housing as defined in Public Utilities Code 2852.a.2 and have occupancy permit for at least two years. MASH is administered by Southern California Edison (SCE), Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) in their respec-tive service territories and the California Center for Sustainable Energy for San Di-ego Gas & Electric Company’s (SDG&E) territory.

The MASH program provides two types of incentives:Track 1 incentives and Track 2 incentives. Track 1 incentives provide fixed, up front capacity-based in-centives for solar PV systems that offset common area and tenant loads. Track 2 offers higher incentives to applicants who provide quantifiable “direct tenant bene-fits” (i.e. any operating costs savings from solar that are shared with their tenants). Track 2 is a competitive grant application process where the applicant submits a proposed dollar per watt for a project. The project must demonstrate that it will provide significant benefits to tenants.

The Goals Under MASH Stimulate adoption of solar power in the affordable housing sector.

Improve energy utilization and overall quality of affordable housing through ap-plication of solar and energy efficiency technologies.

Decrease electricity use and costs without increasing monthly household expenses for affordable housing building occupants.

Increase awareness and appreciation of the benefits of solar among affordable housing occupants and developers.

QualificationEligible electric customers of PG&E,

SCE, and SDG&E may receive an incentive

through the MASH Program. The MASH

Program is targeted at existing multifam-

ily affordable housing facilities that meet

the definition of low-income residential

housing set forth in Pub. Util. Code §

2852. Specifically, this means multifamily

housing financed with low-income hous-

ing tax credits, tax-exempt mortgage rev-

enue bonds, general obligation bonds, or

local, state or federal loans or grants.

The facility must also meet the defini-

tion of low-income households in Health

and Safety Code § 50079.5. AM

Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing - “MASH”


Determine your historical energy use from your past electric bills. Pay attention to the difference between summer and

winter power usage.

Determine your roof area available for Photovoltaic Panels. These Solar Panels mounted on your roof contain the Pho-tovoltaic (PV) cells, which convert sun-light into DC power. South facing surface areas is best, but seasonal variations in sun exposure allow for a variety of Solar Panel placements to be used. Also, new technology allows for sun “tracking” or programmed mechanical moving of the solar panels to maximize sun exposure during the day and across all seasons of the year.

Contact a licensed and approved Solar Installation Contractor(s) in your

area to perform an on-site consultation. Your contractors will know all the cur-rent solar technologies available and how to take advantage of all possible Federal, State, and possibly local solar tax rebates, grants, etc.

The Solar Installation Contractor will determine best location for your Photo-voltaic Panels and best Inverters to use for the size of the Solar System. Location of solar panels may vary as well as type of panels. Inverters (which convert the solar panel current from DC to usable AC current) need to be chosen based on best size and type for the system as does

- By Randy Connors

10-Steps to Slar System

Installation

Phot

o by

Man

fred

Ste

inba

ch


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the Production Meter. The power from the Solar Panels are sent to an Inverter (or power converter) which con-verts the DC electricity from the solar modules to AC power, which is the same type of power being sent from your utility company to your home or business.

Discuss all costs for various solar electric system op-tions and installation timing with your Solar Installation Contractor to finalize all variables. Once all is decided, it is the time to sign the contract with your Solar Installa-tion Contractor.

Your Solar Installation Contractor will submit applica-tions to your electric utility and begin paperwork with all possible Federal, State, and local tax rebates, grants, etc., to save you the maximum money possible.

You will then sign a contract with your electric utility. This is called a Net Metering Agreement and states that the power utility will credit your account for the excess power you produce, which flows to the power grid. Also, an important consideration is the use of a Meter Moni-tor. This will allow you to be given credit for power you generate at different rates. These rates can be peak and off-peak rates, and are dependent on time of day you pro-duce power, day of the week, and month of the year. Peak rates are often summer afternoon week days. If you send power to the grid during peak times, you will get credit at the higher, peak rate. When you gain credit and then draw on your credit at off-peak periods your account will be debited at off-peak rates. If all of the electricity being gen-erated by your solar energy system is immediately being used, your meter will not “spin backwards”.

Your Solar Installation Contractor will generate design drawings and pull all permits needed and, when you are ready, will install your system. Once completely installed your County or City will inspect the system for compli-ance and to ensure you are eligible for the Solar Tax Re-bates and other benefits you have applied for.

Your Utility Company will be sending your Solar Re-bate Check 6 to 8 Weeks after Inspection of System.

Enjoy decades of environmentally friendly and mainte-nance-free electricity solar power while adding value to your property. AM


We Are Looking For Apartment Managers That

Would Like To Be Featured On Future Issues of

Apartment Manager San Diego Magazine.

If You Are Interested Contact Us By Email At

[email protected].

How to Cleanup Your Computer

I s your computer performing slower that when you first got

it? You are most likely in need of a computer tune up. Although you can call a computer technician to have it fixed up, there are few things you may be able to do yourself.

After using your computer for a while, it starts to become bogged down with things that have been added since you started using it. These things can include registry entries, unwanted software or temporary internet files. It might be a good idea to do this clean-up on your computer monthly, but it obviously depends on how much use your computer gets. The more use the computer gets, the more regularly you should run these maintenance tasks.

Cleaning UpAre you ready to get rid of the junk?

If you are, do this: (These instructions are for Windows XP)

Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. Run the disk cleanup with the default settings that it recommends. After the disk cleanup is complete you will see it disappear. You have just removed a lot of unnecessary temporary files from your computer.

Click Start, go to Control Panel click Add/Remove Programs. Now you can uninstall programs from your computer. Try uninstalling software that you are not using anymore. If you are

unsure what it is, it is probably best to leave it installed.

Now you might want to run a disk defragment utility. This will organize the files on your hard disk and improve performance. Open My Computer, right click the local disk volume that you want to defragment, and then click Properties. On the Tools tab, click De-fragment Now. Click Defragment.

About the Author

Wesley Render is the owner of Other-data and provides computer assistance to computer users across Canada. For more information visit www.otherdata.com.

by Wesley Render

computer | technology



cover story

Manager Spotlight


When Stacey Foo started in the

hospitality industry, and while

working for the Hilton La Jolla

Torrey Pines, little did she know

that she would be managing one

of the newest and finest apart-

ment communities in San Diego.

But it was Stacey’s passion to

provide excellent customer ser-

vice that has led her to property

management.

With a bachelor’s degree in

Communications from San Di-

ego State University, Stacey

strives to exceed her residents’

expectations at the Avalon

Fashion Valley. This brand-new

161-units Apartment Communi-

ty is strategically located across

from the Fashion Valley Mall.

By Elaine Silberberg

Photographs by George Valley

STACEY FOO 27, Community Manager of Avalon Fashion Valley, San Diego, CA.

Humble BeginningsAfter graduating from SDSU in

2004, Stacey went on to obtain a Real Estate license. It was during this time that Stacey’s interest in property management developed. On July 2005 she joined the Ava-lon Communities, as an Assistant Manager for the Avalon at Mission Ridge, and was promoted to Com-munity Manager just few months later. During that time she as-sisted several off-site projects for the Avalon Communities, includ-ing the renovation of South Hills Apartments, in West Covina. Upon returning to San Diego, Stacey was offered her current position at Avalon Fashion Valley.

It was during the time she spent at South Hills Apartments that

Stacey’s ability to handle pressure was put to the test. “Undergoing an occupied renovation has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding assignments I had,” says Stacey. Today Stacey appreciates

the opportunity she had at South Hills Apartments and realizes that the experience has prepared her for future endeavors. However, during that time, it wasn’t always easy to deal with resident’s com-plaints. The occupied apartments went under an interior makeover, including the replacements of all hot and cold water pipes. “I had to maintain and ensure a positive working and living environment for our team and residents at all times,” remembers Stacey, “Over-coming objections became my specialty.”

Mission Accomplished

Today she enjoys the rewards of hard-work and an accomplished mission, as she manages a beau-tiful and newly built property in the center of San Diego. In spite of the high-end rents, these luxurious apartment homes, combined with a great location, seem unchallenged by the current economy. “Avalon


cover story

Stacy’s best friends: Coco Chanel (pink outfit) & Louis Vuitton (blue).

cover story

Fashion Valley’s lease-up is going smoothly”, says Stacey, “everyone needs a place to call home.”

Best Friends

Stacey was born in Vallejo, Cali-fornia and has always been a very driven and self motivated individu-al. “As a child I wanted to be a vet-erinarian,” recalls Stacey. Though times have changed her plans, her love for animals has not, and today she enjoys her two Yorkies: Coco Chanel and Louis Vuitton. “No matter how my day goes, it always makes me smile knowing that my babies are eagerly waiting for my return.”

Despite her accomplishments, Stacey looks forward to what op-portunities are yet to come. She enjoys baking and playing the piano.

Stacey is happy and energetic, very positive about the future and

a great representative of all Apart-ment Managers in San Diego. AM

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Savor & SootheThis stunning gift boasts two offerings in one. The larger box is filled with Smartfood

popcorn, peanut M&Ms, peanut butter crackers, and SunMaid raisins. The top box includes soothing Tazo Chai Tea, Thymes Limited sleep-well lotion, a votive candle, and a

silver wrapped peppermint. A silver bangle embossed with your property’s monogram and chocolate brown ribbons accent the aqua boxes. Can You Imagine? To order go to

www.canyouimagine.com. $11.40

move in giftsWelcome

Tools To Live ByOur reusable cotton tote bag will catch the attention of any new resident eager

to set up household! Headlined by a multi-purpose screwdriver set and a

complete picture hanging kit, including level, and much more. Can You Imagine?

www.canyouimagine.com.

$11.00Over the Back FenceA picket fence gift box is filled with wel-come themed coffee, cookies, and snacks

galore. Wrapped in cello, topped with a bow, and finished off with a personal-

ized gift card for your property. It shouts “welcome neighbor” without saying a word. Creative Gifts To Go. Order

online at www.shopcreativegifts.com.

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Gourmet snacks and useful essentials combined in this generously sized pack-

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$17.35


Back when Lee Iacocca was trying to fix Chrysler his company ran a commercial that ended

with the quote “lead, follow or get out of the away”. This quote mirrors perfectly the steps of

successful team building, which requires you to lead at times, follow at other times and most

importantly, know exactly when to get out of the way. As a property management professional,

your success is a direct reflection of your ability to provide powerful team leadership. Yet, when was the last

time you invested in strengthening your skills as a team builder? Or, when was the last time you asked your

team to evaluate your team building skills? Powerful team leadership will allow you to guide your property

management team dynamically, while creating giant results. On the next page, we will review ten tips for

powerful team building.

HOW TO MASTERProperty Management Team Building!by Ernest F. Oriente


lead, follow or get out of the way“ ” Phot

ogra

ph: A

ndre

s R

odri

guez

team building

10 Tips For Powerful Team BuildingIndividual Participation + Your Leadership = Giant Results.

Short Term Projects + Daily Goals + A Specific Deadline = Successful Outcome.

Each participant must be reminded they are a team participant. Why is this important?

Types of teams: Executive Team, Cross-Functional Team, Busi-ness Team, Support Team, Project Team, Change Team, Hot Group.

Integrity + Vision + Commitment + Results-Focused + Courage = Powerful Leadership.

Always reward success, but never let errors go uncorrected. Why is this so critical for team building?

Key Team Roles: Team Leader, Critic, Implementer, Coordina-tor, Idea Person, and Inspector.

Don’t let failure on one part of a project jeopardize the overall group/project success.

Support from your Technology/Information Team + Your Team’s input = Powerful Systems.

Quality wins: encourage more team effort!

Want to learn more about your team leadership skills? Send an E-mail to [email protected] and The Coach will E-mail back to you a free 32 question self-assessment on leadership.

ABOUT THE AUTHORErnest F. Oriente, a business coach since 1995, (23,160 hours) the author of Smart-Match Alliances, and the founder of PowerHour (powerhour.com). He has a passion for coaching his clients on executive leadership, hiring and motivating property management SuperStars, traditional and internet marketing, competitive sales strategies, and high le-verage alliances for property management teams and their leaders. He provides private and group coaching for property management companies around North America, invest-ment banking services, executive recruiting services and powerful tools for hiring prop-erty management SuperStars and building dynamic teams. Recent interviews and articles have appeared more than 6000 times in business and trade publications and in a wide variety of leading magazines and newspapers, including Smart Money Inc., Business 2.0, The New York Times, Fast Company, The LA Times, Fortune, Business Week, Self Em-ployed America and The Financial Times. Since 1995, Ernest has written 155 articles for the property management industry and created 250+ property management forms, business and marketing checklists, sales letters and presentation tools. To subscribe to his free property management newsletter go to powerhour.com. PowerHour® is based in Olympic-town, Park City, Utah, at 435-615-8486, by e-mail at [email protected].

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Rent

Pho

to b

y A

lex

Bro

sa (F

acto

riasi

ngul

ar)

Reachoutand touch your resident

by Toni Blake

resident retention

Rent

Reachoutand touch your resident

by Toni Blake

sk any manager today, “Who is your favorite resident?” They will probably tell you the one who drops the rent in the night de-

posit, is never late and never comes in the office to complain! These residents are GREAT - move them in and they leave you alone!

Some of us will agree that this sounds like an IDEAL resident, but is it really good to have residents we never see? What is the average amount of time you spend getting to know a resident during his/her first year lease?

We are in a Customer Service Revolution and my advice is to stay in touch with your customers, do not avoid them! Communication, or lack of it, is a major factor in many areas, including the high divorce rate. A lack of com-munication between parents and teens has been linked to the alarming increase of teenage suicides. To keep any relationship healthy, an open line of commu-nication is not optional, it is a must! Top business consultants tell us in order to create a successful business, we must establish a good relationship with our customers.

With this in mind, I have designed a 5-phase program to help keep you in touch with your residents. These phases can be implemented with a simple clip-board system. List all move-ins, and when each move-in is completed, remove the name and place it on the phase 1 clipboard. Upon completion of phase 1 (personal visit), put the residents on the phase 2 clipboard, etc., etc., etc. Each phase is designed to keep the lines of communication open and to take care of any problems before they become difficult. Involve the residents in the prop-erty and activities. Insure and make sure they are living at the level of satisfac-tion you guarantee.

Phase OneA Personal Visit (3-10 days after move-in)

This is the most important part of the new relationship between the resident and management. This visit will let the resident KNOW YOU MEAN SER-VICE - how often people give lip service only! This is not a REAL surprise visit, call first and ask if a visit within the next hour would be convenient. Take an unexpected gift along. You will need service requests and maintenance “tips.” Make sure everything is okay in the apartment, walk through and check again personally. A gift of a fresh herb or mint plant (small) might be the final touch for your resident. It says “we care” and it shows!

Educate your residents - spend some time explaining maintenance “how-to’s” and give them a card with the phone number on it. Encourage your resident’s use of community services, such as banking facilities, dry cleaning, supermar-kets, restaurants, etc. Make notes on a calendar for your follow up visit. This visit will establish a trusting relationship and let your residents know you re-ally mean what you say! Ask if everything is okay in the apartment. If not, fill out the necessary service request while the resident watches, then follow up!

A


Phase TwoWelcome Letter

Thirty days after your resident has settled in, send him a welcome letter saying, “We hope you are enjoying your new home.” Enclose a small gift. We recommend welcome labels. Welcome labels work to get your residents “stuck on you.” They are inexpensive, self-adhesive return address labels that are presented as your special “welcome gift” to each new resident, or “thank you” to each renewal. This thoughtful gesture creates instant goodwill and secures positive re-lations from the start. Welcome labels are easy to order and surprisingly inexpensive. You may order by phone at 800-852-3350 or online at www.welcomelabels.com.

When you send this follow-up letter to your new resident, include a “community calendar” and coupons from local merchants (cross mar-keting)! Also, extend a personal invitation to the next community activity or program and encourage the resident’s involvement. Ask for service requests and resident referrals.

Phase ThreeTelephone

The purpose of this telephone call is to touch base before you contact a resident for a renewal. Phase 3 is a time to clean up any rea-sons why he/she might not be willing to renew. Check all completed work orders for any recur-ring problems and discuss the general satisfac-tion with the apartment. This personal touch of the phone call validates your seriousness about service.

Telephone Follow-up: Review residents’ files, know their names and any problems or com-plaints they have had. Familiarize yourself with

pertinent information concerning your resi-dents. Personal concern in communication is the key element to good resident relations!

Marketing Questions: Are you using our ame-nities? How do you like them? Discuss the man-ager’s surveys and ask residents to participate. Thank them in advance. Is everything okay in your apartment? Do you have any requests for service?

Resident Referral: By the way, we have a beautiful apartment just around the corner, do you know of someone who would enjoy living in our community?

Phase FourLetter Contact (Renewal attack)

Ninety days before the resident’s renewal date, print a formal invitation and leave it on the door with a flower. This is the first reminder of his lease renewal, so be creative - use your marketing genius! “We would like to extend an invitation for you to reserve another year in your apart-ment.” Leave a gift in the apartment, such as a Teddy Bear, with a note that says. “We can’t bear to lose you,” or “You’re worth a mint to us” (with a mint candy attached). Your goal with this con-tact is to make an appointment for the renewal.

Some managers take renewing residents out to lunch to sign a renewal. To replace a resident in today’s market can cost as much as $1597. Compare that figure to a $20 lunch at Chili’s. It’s worth it! Be flexible with the time and place, be creative with your invita-tion, and be bold with your rent increase!

Phase FivePersonal Visit

Make an appointment and go for renewal and increased rent. Check the resident’s file

before the appointment, take a gift with you and send flowers after the appointment. This is the actual renewal, so be prepared and go on time. Have your paperwork neat and in order. If the resident is coming to your office, serve refreshments. If you are going to his/her apart-ment, take a gift. Some managers send flowers or plants to the resident’s work place after they sign a renewal lease. It’s impressive and a great way to get referrals.

This 5-phase program is designed to help you get to know new residents and stay in touch with long-time ones. Practice this and the re-newal leases will be no problem!

About The Author:

Toni Blake is a nationally recognized

expert in customer service, sales and

marketing. She travels to over 60 cities

annually speaking to over 30,000 man-

agement professionals each year. Toni

is known for her innovative concepts

and is an industry trendsetter. She has

been involved with Multifamily Hous-

ing since 1979 and currently resides in

Greeley, Colorado. For more informa-

tion, contact her office toll free 866-

889-6600 or 1-970-378-6784. Visit her

website www.TotallyToni.com.


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resident retention

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EVERY CUSTOMER in the world walks away with an experience when he or she walks out of the door of a business. This is true in every situation when playing the role of a customer. This experience will be the ultimate factor that will determine whether the company has excellent, average, or poor service. In other words, the final decision will be based on the memory of the experience.

Service Starts with a Smile!

By Cary Cavitt Photo: Yuri Archus

The key to

ultimate

success

lies in

meeting

your

customer’s

inward

needs.

“

”

customer service

As apartment managers it is your job to perform in such a way that allows every per-son that comes in contact with your property to not only feel comfortable, but also to leave with a pleasant memory of the experience, when they look back and reflect on your or-ganization.

Over the years I have come to the con-clusion that excellent service is the result of how the customer “has felt” during their ex-perience as a customer. Without exception, the five-star service corporations understand that the key to ultimate success lies in meet-ing the customer’s inward needs. Every cus-tomer expects to get service, but what they rarely expect is to leave with a pleasant mem-ory of the experience. It is only in meeting their needs as a customer that allows them to tell others about their great experience.

Listed are what I consider to be the top

four inner needs of a customer. When we meet these needs, we will soon find that our ratings in the area of customer service will reach a higher level.Customer wants to feel welcomed

This is what I call the “friendly factor.” Cus-tomers who feel welcomed and accepted will begin to view the service in a more positive way.Customer wants to feel important

Every customer wants to feel like a VIP. When this need is fulfilled, the customer will automatically rate the service higher.Customer wants to feel respected

When respect is consistently given to the customer, they will want to tell others about their positive experience.Customer wants to feel appreciated

Consistently show appreciation and you will win the customer for life. AM

Have you ever strolled

into a business and felt comfortable

right away? More than likely you

were greeted with a friendly smile

by one of the employees that ac-

knowledged you. It’s amazing how

a simple smile can make you auto-

matically feel welcomed, yet how of-

ten we forget to give this powerful

little gesture. Companies that stress

the importance of a smile when

greeting others are ahead of their

competition. The reason for this is

that whenever you create a friendly

environment for the customer, he

or she will automatically be drawn

to return. The simple smile conveys

to others that you are happy to

see them and they in turn feel wel-

comed. So remember to encourage

your team to smile!

Why 99% of Customers Like “Enthusiastic Companies”

here is something attractive about people who are enthusiastic about

life. This is especially true when an orga-nization is excited about what they are doing. Others soon take notice when a company truly is enthused about serving others. The excitement of enjoying work and clearly seeing the value in serving makes other people curious and drawn in. This is because all of us are looking for something outside of our own needs. In-side we want to have a purpose that goes beyond our own wants and needs. What we can discover is that capturing a heart of servitude opens a new window of op-portunity of really finding what others need. The most enthusiastic people are those who look outside of themselves and genuinely care about others. And when this type of attitude surrounds an organization, people are drawn because they can sense that others really care about them. AM

T


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• Children develop their academic, social and Spiritual potential

• Caring and experienced teachers

• Low student-teacher ratioAbout the AuthorCary Cavitt began in the customer ser-vice field in 1975 and has served well over 100,000 customers. An award-winning PGA Golf Professional, he is the author of seven books, including “Service Starts with a Smile,” “Customer Service Super-stars,” and “Five-Star Service.”

Cary also has founded Service that At-tracts Seminars, on-site workshops on how to develop outstanding service. Based in the Chicago area, Cary is available to travel throughout the United States. For more information on purchasing books or scheduling a Workshop in your facility go to www.carycavittconsulting.com.

customer service

n today’s business envi-

ronment with increases in

staff reductions and rapidly

changing roles and responsi-

bilities, it is crucial that all of your

team members are fully engaged

in the tasks at hand. According to

a Gallup survey, 350 billion dollars

are lost each year in American com-

panies due to disengaged employ-

ees. How then do you minimize the

impact of this costly problem within

your organization? Below are key

strategies to help you grow your

people toward peak performance

and enable you to produce quan-

tum results with your team.

Own your outcome

All too often employees are quick to

blame circumstances, the economy,

or a host of other causes for their

less than stellar outcomes in a given

situation. Only by taking personal

responsibility for our outcomes and

performance can we take back our

power and create the results we de-

sire. It’s quite simple, if the problem

is being caused by the economy I am

powerless to effect it. If, on the other

hand, I am willing to take personal

responsibility for it, I have reclaimed

my power and am in a position to

impact change.

I


You Can’t AffordThe Luxury of Disengaged Employees

by Jim Donovan

work ethics

Pho

to b

y S

cott

Grie

ssel

You Can’t AffordThe Luxury of Disengaged Employees

by Jim Donovan

work ethics

Pho

to b

y S

cott

Grie

ssel

Make Integrity a Must

This is not an option.

The only way companies

will survive and thrive into

the future is by making

integrity an absolute must

throughout the organiza-

tion. No longer can people

skate by with question-

able behavior and slip-

pery deals. The time has

come for each person to be honest and

truthful in all situations, regardless of

the outcome. The cliché “honesty is the

best policy” became a cliché for a good

reason, it works! However, in order to

create this environment of absolute

honesty and integrity, you as a man-

ager must be willing to allow people to

make mistakes and it must be okay to

mess-up once in a while without fear of

repercussion.

Challenge People’s Limiting Beliefs

It is important for your people to un-

derstand the role their conscious and

unconscious beliefs play in their ability to

produce desirable outcomes. They must

understand how every thought, action,

and result is directly linked to their be-

liefs. By first identifying people’s limiting

beliefs, a person can begin to replace

them with more resourceful empower-

ing beliefs, which will then enable them

to create the results they desire. For ex-

ample, a belief that “I am not comfort-

able calling on ‘C’ level executives” can

be shifted to one that feels better and is

more empowering, like “While I am not

totally at ease, I have a strong support

team backing me up.” While this is not

a fully empowering belief, it is a small

step in the right direction. These “bridge

beliefs” shift the person’s beliefs more

toward the desired, empowered belief.

Link Values to Behaviors

Identifying a person’s high driving

values and helping them understand

the role these values play in their pro-

ductivity and satisfaction can go a long

way toward achieving peak perfor-

mance. A simple question like, “What’s

most important to you in your work?,”

will generally elicit the person’s number

one driving value. Continuing with ques-

tions like, “What else is important?” etc.,

will enable you to uncover the person’s

high driving four or five values. Knowing

this will help you better match specific

assignments to individuals, understand

how to better motivate people, and

result in more harmony among your

team members. For example, a team

member who lists “freedom” as a high

driving value will be the ideal person

to assign a task that can be done from

a home office, while the person with

“contribution” as a high

driver will be well suited

for a team project. Un-

derstanding your team’s

values will help you deter-

mine assignments and en-

able you to get the most

productivity from team

members while maintain-

ing harmony throughout

the organization.

Create a Compelling Vision

Many times an individual sees an

overall vision for their role on a project

that is out of alignment with that of the

manager or the company. Often, the

individual has beliefs about their abil-

ity to fulfill their function within this vi-

sion. By completing a visioning exercise

in which you will, as a group, create the

overall vision, you’ll be in a position to

establish specific individual goals for its

accomplishment. During this process

you will uncover each person’s appre-

hensions and limiting beliefs about their

ability to accomplish the task at hand.

By completing this exercise together,

you are in a position to address their

concerns. The result of this visioning ex-

ercise, if done properly, is a fully aligned

team, holding the same overall vision,

and having each member understand

their role in its accomplishment. This

will, naturally, lead to the next and fi-

nal step in our process.

Strategies and Inspired Action

Don’t be a gerbil. Not that there is any-

thing wrong with gerbils, they’re quite

It is important for your people to understand the role their conscious and unconscious beliefs play

in their ability to produce desirable outcomes. “”


work ethics

cute, however not the ideal role model when it comes

to achieving results in business.

Unfortunately, too many people in business today

are behaving like gerbils when it comes to their ac-

tions. They are taking action for the sake of action

— “gerbil action” — and confusing activity with results.

This is even more evident in sales organizations where

individual sales people frantically call prospect after

prospect, achieving little in terms of results and burn-

ing through territories faster than a California wildfire.

This kind of unfocused action does nothing more than

frustrate contributes to the high employee turnover

we see in so many companies.

A better way is to employ “inspired action.” Inspired

action is action that is created from a clear vision of

the desired result. It engages the higher portions of our

mind to create more focused, synchronistic action, pro-

ducing quantum results.

A simple way to develop more inspired action is to

begin with a valued finding question like, “What’s

working?” When was the last time you heard this

question at a company meeting? By shifting the

group’s focus from problem finding to value finding,

you encourage inspired actions based on successes. It is

a commonly accepted psychological fact that we at-

tract more of what we focus on. By keeping the focus

on what is right, or working in a given situation, our

creative energies and minds will be drawn to more of

the same. AM

work ethics

About the Author:

Jim Donovan is an international bestselling author,

motivational speaker and business coach. His books,

include “This is Your Life, Not a Dress Rehears-

al” and “Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck.”

To receive a free subscription to his “Jim’s Jems” ezine

and a bonus gift, visit www.JimDonovan.com.


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SPRINGit’s here

“Perceive and rejoice that life is abundant, that beauty and goodness are amply available...

that your happiness is in your hands.” Paul Hodges


Parenting your tree

Become familiar with your trees. This allows you to take steps before an emergency arises from storm damage or high winds. Schedule a walk through with a certified arborist. He can help you create a list and prioritize your trees according to hazard levels and basic health recommendations.“

”

Written by Christine and Ted Huffman Photography by Caitlin Cahill

SPRINGit’s here

“Perceive and rejoice that life is abundant, that beauty and goodness are amply available...

that your happiness is in your hands.” Paul Hodges


landscape care

s a property man-ager you have taken

on a challenging role much larger than just

an “office job.” Although the bulk of your work may keep you juggling papers, budgets and rent checks, there are also relationships developing within your daily duties. When problems arise, you are the one responsible to find the solution. You are the liaison between residents and vendors and you are the person putting those solutions into action. In many respects, the property manager is much like a parent.

Among those developing relation-ships is one which is a little less obvi-ous; the one with your “tree popula-tion”. Even though your trees will not call you at 9pm to inform you that the water line is broken, they are a vital and living aspect of your landscape. And their health and longevity reflects a well-managed property.

You do not have to be a botanist to understand the physical needs of your property. But you do want to learn a few basics in the area of arboriculture, the care and cultivation of trees. This way you can approach your trees with knowledge and planning, as well as understand problem areas and work to prevent future emergencies or li-abilities.

Here are some simple guidelines to help you make informed decisions re-garding your property trees.

Importance of Trees Trees add value to your property.

Aesthetics is only one aspect of their function. Trees add to the physiologi-cal environment as well. They save en-ergy by producing shade throughout the property. Wind blowing through tree clusters can cool temperatures by several degrees and counteract heat

islands created from sun and cement. They also provide privacy and sound barriers, depending on their loca-tions.

Trees store carbon dioxide and re-lease oxygen into their surrounding areas. This exchange creates health-ier, cleaner air. The more mature the tree, the greater this exchange. Proper pruning and planning will help protect the life of your trees so that they can reach their full potential.

Safety Issues

Be aware of your trees overhang-ing limbs, as they can pose a threat to your resident’s vehicles and your property’s amenities. Reduce your li-ability by shapping back these branch-es; this can be done without any loss to the tree. Also, watch for roots lift-ing walkways that may cause injury to pedestrians. Learning to spot these problems becomes easier by following a long-term plan.

Long-term Planning

Become familiar with your trees. This allows you to take steps before an emergency arises from storm dam-age or high winds. Schedule a walk-through with a certified arborist. He can help you create a list and prioritize your trees according to hazard levels and basic health recommendations. Removals should be considered as a last resort if the hazards outweigh the ability to correct the tree’s prob-lem. Long-term planning gives you an action plan so that you can develop tree inventories, focus on seasonal requirements for certain species, and work with your company’s budget.

Clear Communication

When discussing your tree concerns with a professional, make sure that

you are both speaking the same lan-guage.

It is important you talk to an arbor-ist rather than simply your gardener. Just as you wouldn’t call a carpenter to fix the plumbing, arborists special-ize in tree care. Trees are not pruned like shrubs or watered like turf/grass. Proper pruning saves money in the long run, because you are working with the trees natural growth pattern, not simply topping to save time and money.

Hire a Professional Arborist

Choose to work with a company that has a certified arborist on staff. An arborist is knowledgeable in prop-er pruning, tree health, and current green industry standards. Also, the company must be fully insured, carry-ing liability and workman’s comp. The company should have certified work-ers/climbers through International Society of Arboriculture and member-ships in professional affiliations such as ISA and Better Business Bureau.

Reputable companies should have ongoing education programs for their staff to provide you with the latest in-formation on urban forest issues.

By following these simple guidelines you can manage the outside of your property with the same confidence in which you handle the inside of your office. AM

A

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Christine and Ted Huffman are the owners of Green Leaf Tree Care Inc. Ted Huffman is a ISA Certified Arbor-ist and has been in business since 1980. Green Leaf Tree Care serves San Diego County and its surround-ing areas. For more information, go to www.greenleaftreecare.com or call Ted at 619.575.1332.

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affordable housing


You received a letter from HUD that your REAC in-spection is a month away. By this time, you should be

ready - your grounds work completed and all your apartment units on tip-top shape. So, you relax and wait, right? No!

Inform Your Residents

You must be proactive to ensure a successful outcome of your REAC inspection. Send an inspection letter to your resi-dents and pull all your resources together to inspect all your apartments, looking for level 3 violations only. Even if you have 300-500 apartments, it can be done with a well-trained crew in just few days.

Inform your residents of the expectations and the impor-tance of passing this inspection. Let them know that their subsidy maybe be at risk if the property fails. By informing your residents you create a sense of participation and share the responsibility.

Looking for Level 3’s

Inspect the apartments quickly, looking for level 3’s only. Start from the kitchen and check all appliances, GFI’s, and sink for leaks. Test all smoke alarms and check for exposed wires in the electrical box. Check all windows and doors: they all should open and close properly. Close the front

door and make sure it locks properly, and while doing that look for gaps between the weather strip and the door frame. Check bathrooms for leaks and make sure the bathroom door locks properly. Look for signs of water damage, mold and mil-dew and peeling paint. Most importantly, check for blocking egress and trip hazards - these are common things that your resi-dent will cheat between inspections.

Last Minute Repairs

Have a crew of maintenance workers going in the apart-ments right after you, for last minute repairs. Send out lease violations right the way for blocking egress, housekeeping and other issues.

By following this simple plan, you will ensure a successful outcome and have confidence when the REAC inspector ar-rives. AMScoring High on REAC

VAWA - Compliance

Inspector at Work: Inspector checks

for damaged and

rotten wood,

peeling paint,

and signs of mold

on the exterior

of the property.

HUD has issued an Interim Rule on the self-imple-menting sections of the Violence Against Women

Act (VAWA) that became effective on December 29, 2008. This rule impacts the Public Housing, Housing Choice Vouch-er, and Section 8 project-based programs.

An Amendment to the Lease had to be sent to all residents and to be signed no later than 60-days from the effective date. Also, all Project Housing Assistance (PHA) must include in its annual plan a description of any activities, services, or programs being undertaken to assist victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault. A PHA must include in its five-year plan a description of any goals, objectives, policies, or programs it uses to serve victims’ housing needs.

By Elaine Silberberg

By Meliah Schultzman

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VAWA Affects Admissions and Terminations

An individual’s status as a victim of domestic violence, dat-ing violence, or stalking is not an appropriate basis for denial of admission or denial of housing assistance.

VAWA establishes an exception to the “one-strike” crimi-nal activity eviction rule. Actual or threatened criminal activ-ity directly relating to domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking does not constitute grounds (either as a “serious or repeated violation of lease”, or as “good cause”) for termi-nating assistance, tenancy, or occupancy rights of the victim or an immediate family member of the victim.

Despite the protections described above, a PHA may still evict the victim if the PHA can demonstrate an “actual and imminent threat” to other tenants or employees of the property if the victim is not evicted. VAWA does not define “actual and imminent threat” or explain what evidence a PHA must provide.

Criminal Activity Unrelated to Abuse

VAWA does not protect tenants if the criminal incident for which they are being evicted or denied admission is unre-lated to domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. In determining whether to evict, a PHA or owner may not hold a victim of abuse to a more demanding standard than other tenants.

Terminating the Abuser Alone

A PHA may bifurcate a lease to evict or terminate assis-tance to a tenant who commits acts of violence against fam-ily members. This action may be taken without evicting or terminating assistance to the victim who is also a tenant. Bifurcation is applicable to all leases in the public housing or Section 8 programs. The eviction or termination must com-ply with federal, state, and local law.

Proof of the Abuse

PHAs may, but are not required to, ask an individual for certification that he or she is a victim of abuse if the indi-vidual seeks to assert VAWA’s protections. At their discre-tion, PHAs may apply VAWA to an individual based solely on the individual’s statement. A PHA may request that the indi-vidual certify that he or she is a victim of abuse by filling out a HUD-approved certification form. Instead of the certifica-tion form, the victim may provide: Documentation signed

by the victim and a victim service provider, an attorney, or a medical professional in which the professional attests under penalty of perjury to the professional’s belief that the victim has experienced bona fide incidents of abuse. A federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local police or court record.

After a PHA requests certification, an individual has four-teen business days to respond. If an individual fails to re-spond, a PHA may terminate assistance. However, a PHA is free to extend this timeframe. Any information provided must be kept confidential. PHAs may not enter the informa-tion into any shared database or provide it to any related entity. The only exceptions are: the victim consents to dis-closure in writing; the information is required for use in an eviction proceeding; or disclosure is otherwise required by law.AM

Disclaimer: This article is for general purpose only. Before acting consult your Compliance department and visit www.hud.gov for additional information. Sources: National Center For Housing Man-

agement (NCHM) and National Housing Law Project (NHLP).


affordable housing

Bed Bugs andLandlord Rights and ResponsibilitiesBy Susie Lein, Esq.


you have not had a problem with bed bugs at your apart-

ment community, consider yourself very fortunate. Bed bugs

were once thought to be a thing of the past. However, a steady increase in in-ternational travel and a ban on the pes-ticide DDT has allowed them to flour-ish in the United States once again. Bed bugs do not discriminate. They can invade even the most luxurious of apartment communities and once they make themselves at home, they can be extremely difficult to eradicate.

Be prepared to deal with an out-break of bed bugs before it occurs. First, check your rental agreement to see if it contains language that gives you the necessary tools to efficiently handle an outbreak of bed bugs. Many leases will contain language that speci-fies what the resident’s responsibility is in terms of pest control treatment. For example, the lease may state that the resident agrees to comply with any pest control preparation requirements such as moving or discarding personal property inside the unit or vacating the premises if necessary.

If your lease agreement does not contain a clause about pest control issues however, you may still enter a resident’s apartment in order to begin treatment. Preparation for spraying is not generally considered an emer-gency, so a landlord is required to give written Notice of Intent to Enter

before beginning treatment. 24 hours is generally considered reasonable no-tice. The notice should be delivered to the unit and if the resident is not there to receive it, it can be posted on the resident’s door. If the resident refuses to allow access the following day, you can serve a 3-Day Notice to Cure Cov-enant or Quit for failure to allow ac-cess.

You may have a resident who will al-low you to enter the unit, but refuses to prepare his or her unit so that your ven-dor can begin treatment. If the resident refuses to comply with any preparation requirements (such as moving or per-manently discarding infested personal property or furnishings), you may be able to serve a 3-Day Notice to Cure Covenant or Quit for violating other sections of the lease such as a clause that deals with housekeeping issues. Contact an attorney to discuss the type of notice you can serve upon the resi-dent if your lease does not specifically require your resident to comply with pest control preparation requirements. You should also contact an attorney if the resident whose unit is infested has a disability. If a resident reports an in-festation of bed bugs in the his or her unit, prepare to inspect the surround-ing units right away to make sure the bugs have not spread throughout the community. As with any other damage caused by a resident, you may be able

to charge the resident for the cost to treat the unit if it is determined that the resident is responsible for the infesta-tion. However, do not delay treatment while waiting for payment by the resi-dent, as the landlord’s first responsibil-ity is to have the infested unit treated as soon as possible to prevent the spread of bed bugs to neighboring units.

Regardless of how well your com-munity is maintained, there is a good chance you will eventually have an out-break of bed bugs. Getting rid of them may require several visits from your pest control professional along with the cooperation of the residents whose homes are infested. A landlord’s best tools for dealing with an outbreak of bed bugs are a lease agreement with pest control language and a reputable pest control vendor who has experi-ence dealing with bed bug infestation in multifamily housing. AM

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP is a full service real estate law firm representing residential and commercial property owners and managers. This article is for general information purposes only. Before acting, be sure to receive legal advice from our office. If you have questions, please contact your local KTS office. For contact information, visit our website: www.kts-law.com.

If

Legal Updates

Keeping Your Residents Pest-Free

Pest Eradication and PreventionEnvironmentally Friendly ChemicalsAnts, Bedbugs, Roaches, and Rodents

Aztec Pest Control619.286.7373

State Law Now Allows Victims to Break Their Lease to Escape Violence

California has passed a new law allowing victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking to terminate their leases early. If a victim needs to break a lease to escape further violence by the abuser, the law may prevent the victim from be-ing charged additional rent or fees once the victim provides notice and moves out.

What is California’s early lease termination law?The early lease termination law, which went into effect September 27, 2008, allows people who have a temporary restraining order, emergency protective order, or a police report to end their leases without owing ad-ditional rent. This law was created to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It applies to both private and subsidized hous-ing. The text of the new law is available at www.leginfo.ca.gov. Search for “AB 2052”

What is the law’s purpose?In most cases, if a tenant moves from an apartment before the lease ends, the tenant can be held responsible for all the rent that would be owed until the lease expires. The new law allows victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to terminate the lease early, leave the unit, and no longer be required to pay rent. The victim will be responsible for rent for up to 30 days after notifying the landlord that he or she is ending the rental agreement, but not afterwards. The law applies only to tenants who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking and who meet certain criteria.

How does the lease termination law work?To use this law, a tenant must notify the landlord in writing that he or she was a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and is end-ing the rental agreement. Under the law, the tenant must give the land-lord at least 30 days’ notice before the rental agreement terminates. The tenant must attach to the notice either: (1) a restraining order; or (2) a copy of a police report showing that he or she was the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The restraining order or police report must have been issued no more than 60 days before the tenant’s request to end the rental agreement.

What if the victim has roommates who are on the lease?Roommates who are on the lease and who are not members of the victim’s family remain obligated under the lease, even after the victim moves out.

They must continue to pay the full amount of rent due under the lease, including any share of the rent that the victim was paying.

How long must the victim continue to pay rent after notify-ing the landlord that he or she is terminating the lease?The victim is responsible for paying rent for up to 30 days after giving the landlord notice that he or she is ending the lease. The victim is free to move out anytime after giving the landlord the 30-day notice. If the victim leaves, and the landlord re-rents the unit within 30 days after the victim gave the notice, the landlord must prorate the victim’s rent.

What happens to the security deposit?The security deposit is treated the same way as if the victim had used the standard procedure for ending a tenancy. The deposit must be returned to the victim within 21 days after the rental agreement ends. The landlord may deduct money from the deposit for unpaid rent, damages beyond ordinary wear and tear, and reasonable cleaning charges.

Source: National Housing Law Project, 614 Grand Ave. Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94601 (510) 251-9400. For more informa-tion, contact Meliah Schultzman, Equal Justice Works Fellow, at [email protected].

By Meliah Schultzman


Legal Updates

AM

leaning your roof and gutters can be a real pain especially if you don’t have the

right equipment. What’s worse, though, is if you don’t do it right, you can end up

with a bigger mess than when you started. Discover these 5 little known tips for cleaning your roofs and gutters.

1 - Water Blast and Wash Your RoofBlack fungus, mold, lichens, algae and moss will dam-

age your roof. To effectively get rid of these pervasive de-structive organisms, first spray a cleaning solution made up of an environmentally friendly cleaning soap mixed in water at low pressure. Let it sit on the roof for about 15 minutes.

Pressure wash the roof using fresh clean water, keeping water pressure at less than 2000 psi. Keep the spray angle at 45 degrees, and work along the roof surface, moving the nozzle evenly, maintaining a distance of about 8 to 10 inches from the roof surface. This should provide ef-fective cleaning of all black fungus, mold, lichens, algae and moss, making your roof clean and sparkling.

CTips for Cleaning Roofs and Gutters

5

(So that you never have to worry about damage)

By Ryan Ambler


Grass on Roof - Photo of Stephane TougardClogged Rain Gutter and Mossy Roof - Photo of Gary Silverstein

www.raingutterpro.comEmail: [email protected]

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2. Understanding Your Roof Gutters

Gutters are “U” shaped and can be of many shapes and sizes. They can be made of steel, vinyl or aluminum. Gutters from the good old days can even be of wood or copper. Different methods are used to install gutters. You must know how your gutters are in-stalled if you want to maintain them for proper functioning. Usu-ally they are mounted in four different ways.

A. Using inside hangers: These hangers fit on the inside of the gutter, are fixed to the fascia with nails or screws going through the straps and the gutter face touching the fascia.

B. Using outside hangers: The hangers are mounted directly onto the fascia with the gutter sitting inside the hangers.

C. Using spikes and ferrules: Here ferrules are placed in the gutter for maintaining correct gutter width with spikes going through the gutter walls and the ferrule into the fascia.

D. Using strap hangers: With the gutter sitting in the straps, the straps themselves are nailed or screwed to the roof sheathing below the shingles.

When you know your gutters thoroughly, you will be able to maintain and repair them when required, otherwise the gutters may welled up and overflow from the sides, causing leaking, sag-ging, bending out of alignment, or needing replacement. Also, the fascia may suffer from water damage.

Sometimes merely bending the hangers to some extent may bring the gutter in proper alignment. You may need to replace bro-ken/irreparable hangers or fix additional hangers to get a properly functioning gutter to prevent water damage.

3. Fix Gutter Shields To Prevent Clogging

Gutter shields are inexpensive plastic or metal screens that act as guards to prevent leaves, buds, pine needles and other debris from getting into the roof gutters and clogging them.

However, in some cases, they may trap leaves on the topside of the screen mesh and reduce water flow into the gutter. Gutter guards that completely cover the gutter and let leaves and debris tumble over the top to fall to the ground are slightly more expensive. You can also place appropriate screens inside the gutter to prevent any debris that manages to get in from flowing down and blocking the drain spout.

4. Clean Accumulated Gutter Debris From Time-to-Time

Do this at least twice a year, i.e. in spring and fall on a good dry day. Place a ladder of sufficient height against the wall and ensure that it is properly balanced and will not slide to the left or right as you climb up and work.

Then get on top and collect dry twigs and leaves from the gutter and drop them onto the ground. You can also use a gutter scoop or a garden trowel. Alternatively, you can use a handheld electric

maintenance | roof & gutters

blower to blow off dry leaves and twigs. Some blowers come with attachments for this purpose. You may need to get down several times and move the ladder around the exterior of your house to complete the job. However, you will be rewarded for all your efforts with a clean, free flowing gutter.

5. Clear Down Pipe Blockage

Your gutter may well up and water may spill over the sides if your down pipe is blocked with leaves and debris. The best way to unblock it is to work from the bottom of the down pipe by using water pressure.

You can do this by running a garden hose up into the down pipe from the bottom and packing a rag around the hose and open the water full blast. This should loosen the blockage, which can then flow out. If it does not work, try a plumber’s snake or just take down the down pipe and clean by poking a broom handle from the bottom. A free flowing gutter is the key to years of water damage free living.

If all the above sounds like hard work, then simply hire a profes-sional to do all the hard work for you. That way, at least your gutter and roof cleaning jobs will get done, plus they’ll probably save you time and money in the long run. AM

About the author: Ryan Ambler is the owner of Dirty Blasted, the number one power washing company of New Zeland. He shares his knowledge world-wide at www.aucklandwaterblasting.com.

Keep Water Away From FoundationConstant exposure to water accumulating around your property will result in costly problems, and it will be time consuming to re-solve. Rather than let your property be adversely affected by such problems, follow these simple steps to ensure that water is away from the foundation:

Gutters and downspouts should be free of debris that could ob-struct water.

Gutters should be pitched towards the downspouts to accelerate water flow at a slope of at least 1 inch for every 30 feet of length.

To prevent leaks, all joints must be caulked.

Downspout extensions should disperse and direct runoff water to a safe distance away from your foundation.

Courtesy of Golden State Rain Gutters

maintenance | roof & gutters


H I STORYThe

pipeline materialsof

FactsDuring the 19th and early 20th century lead was used very

widely in the major cities of the U.S. for water pipes because of its durability and malleability. Unfortunately, it was also the major source of lead-related health problems in the years be-fore the health hazards of ingesting lead were fully understood. These hazards included stillbirth and high rates of infant mortality. Lead pipes were superseded by galvanized steel and cop-per. After World War II, copper became the predominant material selected for do-mestic water service and distribution in residential construction. Copper pipe still has over 80% market share for new indoor plumbing with galvanized pipe and plas-tics being alternatives.

LeadAccording to the Federal government,

“Lead is unusual among drinking water contaminants in that it seldom occurs nat-urally in water supplies like rivers and lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away, of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and household plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, brass and chrome plated brass faucets, and in some cases, pipes made of lead that connect your house to the water main (service lines).” In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumb-ing materials to 8.0%. This so-called “lead-free” brass can still legally contain up to 8% lead, and plumbing systems installed prior to 1986 can contain high levels of lead from both plumb-ing components and lead solder. The presence of lead in water from the tap is indicative of serious pipe corrosion that must be corrected for health reasons.

GalvanizedGalvanizing involves the application of molten zinc to pre-

formed steel pipes to provide a corrosion resistant coating. How-ever many galvanized pipes in old buildings were manufactured using zinc that probably contained high levels of lead, which is a common impurity in the zinc. It was not until 1986 that

the Wheatland Tube Company became the first galvanized pipe manufacturer to be certified to ANSI/NSF Standard 61 for its hot dip galvanized pipe. Gal-vanized pipes are still common in older homes and many commercial buildings. Galvanized pipes will corrode over time, as indicated by the following corrosion symptoms: high levels of zinc or iron in tap water. a “metallic“ taste of the water. poor water flow due to blockage from mineral buildup. discolored water (brown, red or yellow water).

CopperCopper is widely used for plumbing

pipes because of its excellent corrosion resistance and safety. It is also very easy to work with, as it is malleable and easily joined by fittings or soldering. Despite its success as a plumbing material, copper pipe has

sometimes failed well before its design lifetime, mainly because of pinhole leaks. This subject has been extensively studied for many years. Dr. Marc Edwards of the Virginia Polytechnic In-stitute and State University (Virginia Tech) believes and has testified during hearings of the U.S. House of Representatives and at City Council Hearings of the District of Columbia gov-ernment that pinhole leaks in copper pipes are a major national problem.

Source: Curaflo website (curaflo.com). W. Troesken, National Bureau of Economic Research. Copper Development Association. Providence Water, Press Release May 24 2007. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR Chapter 1, Part 141,143).


maintenance | plumbing

AM

Products & Services Guide Products & Services Guide Products & Services Guide Products & Services Guide


ADVERTISING

Apartment Guide - 877-999-4472 For Rent Magazine - 888-539-1150

A/C & HEATING

Sam’s Heating and Air Conditioningwww.heatingandairsandiego.com(see ad page 37) Ph. 619-697-9824

ALARM SERVICES

Advanced Cable Systems (see ad page 9) Ph. 619-582-3476

APARTMENT LOCATING

Apartment Finder - 866-441-RENT

APPLIANCES (REPAIR)

Appliance Repair ServiceCall Mike - 858-569-0369

ASPHALT & PAVING

Dixson’s Grading and Pavingwww.dgp1.com - Ph. 619-846-4774

ATTORNEYS/LEGAL SERVICES

Law Office of Michele L. Snyder(see ad page 15) Ph. 619-297-8330

Smith & Associates - AttorneysPh. 619-299-1761

BATHTUB REFINISHING

American Bathtub Refinishers (see ad page 27) Ph. 619-265-9200

Saddleback Coating (see ad inside back-cover) Ph. 877-735-7358www.saddlebackcoating.net

CARPET CLEANING/FLOOD

K&T Carpet & Flooring(see ad page 19) Ph. 619-425-5901

COMPUTER SERVICES


CONCRETE CONTRACTORS

GAC Concretewww.gacsd.net - Ph. 619-846-4774

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

Mr. Electric - Ph. 760-494-7509Visit us at www.mrelectric.com

FLOOR COVERING (SALES)

K&T Carpet & Flooring(see ad page 19) Ph. 619-425-5901

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

California Building & Remodeling(see ad page 35) Ph. 858-483-0800

GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

Golden State Rain Gutters(see ad page 41) Ph. 866-625-7187

HANDYMAN & HAULING

Marquina’s Handyman(see ad page 9) Ph. 619-395-4325

LANDSCAPING SERVICES

Green Leaf Tree Care(see ad page 35) Ph. 619-575-1332

Ario Landscape(see ad page 32) Ph. 619-279-2580

LAUNDRY SERVICES

Coinmach Laundry Lease & SystemsPh. 877-264-8622

Web Multifamily Laundry SystemsPh. 800-421-6897

Products & Services Guide Products & Services Guide Products & Services Guide Products & Services Guide

ROOF REPAIR/INSTALL

Commercial & Industrial Roofingwww.ciroof.com - Ph. 619-465-3737

Raindance Roof Companywww.raindanceroof.com (see ad page 23) Ph. 619-464-2800

SAFETY/FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SimplexGrinnell - 800-SIMPLEXwww.simplexgrinnell.com

SECURITY/COURTESY PATROL

Summit Security (see ad page 3) Ph. 619-294-3200www.summitpatrol.com

SIGNS/MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Peach Tree Business ProductsPh. 800-241-4623

SOLAR PANELS

Silverwood Energywww.silverwoodenergy.comPh. 619-501-2713

STEPS & HANDRAILS

Modern Stairways - 619-466-1484

TOWING SERVICES

Paxton Towing(see ad page 15) 619-423-7331

TREE TRIMMING

Green Leaf Tree Care(see ad page 35) Ph. 619-575-1332

WATER TREATMENT

Leak Control SystemsCorrosion Control and PreventionPh. 619-795-7011

WINDOW & GLASS

Window Tech - 619-444-9391

PAINTING SERVICES

Marquina’s Handyman(see ad page 9) Ph. 619-395-4325

PARKING LOT STRIPPING

Dixson’s Grading and Pavingwww.dgp1.com - Ph. 619-846-4774

PEST CONTROL

Aztec Pest Control(see ad page 39) Ph. 619-286-7373

PHONE REPAIR


PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bauman Photographers(see ad page 42) Ph. 619-232-3020

PLAYGROUND INSTALLATION

Playground Warehousewww.playgroundwarehouse.comPh. 866-258-3220

PLUMBING/DRAIN SERVICE

Expert Plumbing & Drain Cleaning(see ad page 11) Ph. 619-247-4222

POOL MAINTENANCE

P&P Pools - www.pppools.com(see ad page 27) Ph. 858-229-8535

Pool Service Pooltime Ph. 619-977-8976www.sdpooltime.com


inspiration

“One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life.” Edward B. Butler

“Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come from miles to watch you burn.” John Wesley

“A man can suceed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.” Charles Schwab

“Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusi-asm wrinkles the soul.” Douglas MacArthur

“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.” Samuel T. Coleridge

Every day we make decisions in our lives that will affect the outcome of our future in one way or another. But nothing is more powerful than our determi-nation to pursue our dreams.

When faced with the fear of failure, we engage in a bat-tle: to reach out for our dreams or to settle down. Norman Vince Peale once said: “There is a real magic in enthusi-asm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and ac-complishment.” In these moments, we realize that power

resides within us to choose to be a winner and not a loser, and to persist and never give up. Abraham Lincoln stated that: “Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”

As we read the quotes of those who understood the power of excellence, we can only be inspired to reach high and aim to suceed! Let us be enthusiastic as lead-ers, take chances, do the right thing, and don’t take for granted the power within us!

”I found that men and women who got to the top were those who did the jobs they had in hand, with everything they had of energy and enthusiasm and hard work. – President Harry Truman

“

QuotesQuotes

Quotes

― by Elaine Silberberg

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