HUD is reporting

Rental housing markets in major metropolitan areas of the Midwest region are balanced to tight, with rent increases reported in all major markets, continuing a year- long trend of strengthening conditions.

http://www.huduser.org/portal/periodicals/ushmc/winter11/USHMC_4q11_regional.pdf

(The linked document contains rental and housing stats for the entire nation)

A different way of municipalities interacting with property owners

In Washington  D.C. they have  The Housing Provider Ombudsman a information resource for small housing providers.

Blacklisting bad tenants

THE NAMES of 400,000 Australian renters have swelled national blacklists for crimes ranging from pouring concrete down toilets to stealing entire kitchens from properties. [Source]

I’ve spent most of the past 22 years as a director of the Apartment Association of Southeastern WI, yet I feel this is a question that must be asked often so that the Association continues to add value.

In a group like ours every member has a say in the direction it takes.  I became active in the association through John Chitko’s prodding me to do so by saying:

‘This is an all volunteer group. Join, put your ideas out there. If they have merit people will support them, if not you’ll learn something’

Today I urge you to take John’s challenge.

Do I think we are currently doing all that we could or should, No, but I’ve seldom thought that about anything I am involved in.  To do so would be settling.

From my perspective an association of rental property owners and real estate investors should focus on the following three activities (in my order of importance):

• Provide strong advocacy for the industry
• Educate membership on the things they need to succeed
• Provide social / networking opportunities

Advocacy includes addressing legislative, political and the public perception of our industry in a manner that makes it easier for legitimate owners and investors to succeed.

Education is pretty self explanatory, but should include how to run properties as well as how to make money in real estate in a legitimate and honorable manner.

Social and Networking includes our general meetings, trade show, Brewers tailgate party, and the holiday party.

I grade us today as B in education, C on social/networking and an Incomplete on legislative and political advocacy.  Ten years ago I would have given us an A- in advocacy, a B- in education and a C in social /networking opportunities.

Our educational offerings like Attorney Tristan Pettit’s Landlord Bootcamp are well received and add a lot of value for those members who attend.  I see us lacking the “how to make money at this business” aspect and feel that we should add more of this, while avoiding the flim-flam hucksters that some present as education.

Our social / networking offerings like the trade show, Brewers game and holiday party are well attended and these too offer  real value.  I feel that our general meetings could be more engaging.

We really got away from a lot of the advocacy that we did in the past.  We need to return to that as this is our reason for being.  Today we hear from many members that they are frustrated with all the Milwaukee County Eviction Court changes that have allowed nonpaying and disruptive tenants to remain in possession longer than they should.  We also continue to hear from owners of mistreatment at the hands of Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services (building inspection)

Our November Apartment Association meeting with be the first of at least two on challenges we face in eviction court and how to change them.

Board member Dave Ohrmundt has graciously volunteered to head up a renewed legislative committee.  Another member is considering volunteering to spearhead a statewide legislative effort if he can get others interested.  These efforts will fail if they are just one person.  If you care about what the environment that we work under, then you should become involved.  And involved does not necessarily mean fully committed, although that would be nice.  Little things done by many people have a greater effect than large things done by a single individual.   Attend a hearing at the statehouse, or help write a legislative alert, send us your thoughts on a particular rule or law, or read the pending legislative agendas.  It all helps.

So I want to hear your thoughts and ideas.  Either post them as comments to this piece or email me

A reader of the ApartmentAssoc Yahoo Group asks:

What is the size of Residential apartment industry in Southeast of Wisconsin?

It is pretty big. I haven’t gone through the work to assemble this data recently, but here is some older data. Assembling fresh data should be less today due to the amount of information you can find on the internet these days.

Ten years ago there were 25,000 rental owners in the City of Milwaukee and 31,000 if you included owner occupied duplexes and fours. Many own one or perhaps two properties. One business member has identified a list of 19,200 owners in the four county area of significant size to warrant direct mail marketing.

Statewide in 2001 there was an estimated 238,000 owners of rental/ investment/income producing real estate in WI. This came from a report by the state’s Department of Administration.

2000 Census shows 822,000 rental units in WI and 136,000 rental units in the city of Milwaukee. We don’t have too much longer to wait to see the 2010 data.


Back in that same time period half the folks elected to the state legislature owned income producing properties. But you could not tell it by their voting records. ;-(

We outnumber teachers statewide and nationally by four to one.

32% of Wisconsinites live in rented housing, more in urban areas. For example 61% of the residents of 53204 are tenants, 26% are owner occupants and 12% are vacant housing. (recent data - Click on housing tab)

Some older, but interesting national data can be found on the Census Property Owners and Managers Survey

For example 86% of rental housing is owned by individuals. In a two year period there were three quarter of a million evictions started in single family units and more than eleven million in multis. For the Census purpose it appears eviction started means something like a five day notice was served.

All this begs the questions:

1. Why are not more of these owners members of the AASEW?
2. Why do we allow ourselves be treated so poorly?