Community Updates

The Justice Department recently filed a lawsuit alleging that the owners and managers of residential rental housing in Honolulu, Hawaii, refused to rent to families with children, in violation of federal fair housing law. The lawsuit alleges that the three properties are operated as student housing…

  Dalila Molina set her sights on living near Northwest Portland’s high-end Pearl District. The 25-year-old human resources specialist knew she’d have to pay higher rent than in other corners of the city or the suburbs, but she could walk to work and avoid commuting time and costs. In October,…

The owners and managers of a single-family rental home in Idaho recently agreed to pay $15,000 to settle allegations that they violated fair housing law by refusing to rent the large home to a married couple because they have more than four children. The federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful…

  Over the past two years the Oregon Manufactured Housing Landlord Tenant Coalition reviewed sub metering statutes.  Last year a landlord-tenant work group drafted a number of significant changes to existing statute.  Those changes were adopted into the Landlord Tenant Coalition Bill (SB 586) and…

  Federal fair housing law doesn’t ban discrimination based on military or veteran status, but many state and local governments have gone beyond what’s required under federal law to ban discrimination based on veteran and military status. Meanwhile, veterans with disabilities are covered under…

By:  Phil Querin, MHCO Legal Counsel   Always Assume The Matter Will Go To Court   While most legal notices will have their desired effect – e.g. the tenant will pay the rent, or maintain the space, or do what is necessary to comply – there are a small number of tenants who will fight. Of those…

Continuing education for your employees is one of the most cost effective and morale boosting activities you can provide for them.  Additional training can also be your best defense if you are named in a lawsuit.  We cannot afford to not provide education for our managers.     By Angel Rogers,…

By Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive Rent increases will be capped at 9.9% through 2020, the first full year Oregon’s new rent control law will be in effect, state economists announced Wednesday. The Oregon Legislature this year passed Senate Bill 608, which imposed the nation’s first…

  By:   Erik Edwards, Director, Wells Fargo Multifamily Capital              Erik.Edwards@wellsfargo.com   So much has transpired in recent weeks that it has been enough to give both lenders and borrowers whiplash. Back in June and July, the lending and financial markets were stable. The 10-year…

Last in a series of articles on disaster preparedness  and how to safeguard your community, save lives and minimize damage. When manufactured home community residents return to their homes after a disaster, they must be careful to go about it in a safe way.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency…