Reprinted with permission from the City of Kent.
July 14, 2010
Dear Lakes Community Resident:
The City of Kent has been working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the King County Flood Control District on rebuilding the Green River levees in Kent. We have successfully partnered with these agencies to repair two significant levees in the last two years. One, the Riverbend Golf Course Levee, protects the Lakes Community.
Another levee that we planned to rebuild with the Corps is the Upper Russell Road Levee (URRL). It is the north extension of the Golf Course Levee and is located along the west side of the Lakes Community. The URRL project was included in the federal Green Duwamish Ecosystem Restoration Program, which has restoration of fish and wildlife habitat as its primary objective. A major challenge in funding the URRL through the federal program has been planning and designing the project to meet the program’s wildlife habitat objective while also complying with federal levee safety standards.
The federal levee safety standards require the areas around the levee to be devoid of all vegetation except grass, while habitat restoration goals include the placement of large numbers of native trees and plantings. The types of rock and soil materials built into the levee also differ between levee safety standards and ecosystem restoration goals. These design challenges are being dealt with nationwide, but have an immediate real impact here in Kent to our public safety, economic stability and environmental health.
The City is working with the Corps to resolve the conflict. However, the federal funding that was in place for the Ecosystem Restoration Project required the URRL to be under construction by the end of September, 2010. Due to the inability to resolve the vegetation conflict prior to that deadline, the Corps has returned the project funding to its headquarters, and new funding will need to be acquired to restart this project as a partnership.
Due to these developments, while we intend to keep working with the Corps, the City is now planning and designing its own project to repair this levee to federally certifiable standards. I want to assure you that the City’s flood protection is of the highest priority, and we will continue to pursue every avenue to improve your protection. We will keep you apprised of any new developments through your Neighborhood Council.
Questions or comments? Please direct questions or comments to Patricia Graesser, Public Information Officer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
206-764-3760 or email patricia.graesser@us.army.mil
For questions about the City’s planned levee improvements, feel free to contact Mike Mactutis, Environmental Engineering Manager:
253-856-5520 or email mmactutis@ci.kent.wa.us
Sincerely,
Suzette Cooke
Mayor
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
EPA Delays Lead Certification Requirement
On Friday, June 18th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will provide additional time for contractors to become trained and certified under the new Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. They have moved the deadline back to October 1st and will make exceptions regarding enforcement for workers who have applied to enroll or are enrolled in courses as of September 30th. Although it has delayed the certification deadline, the EPA will continue to enforce the work practice requirements set forth in the rule.
This announcement is a result of trade groups and elected officials voicing concern that contractors did not have proper access to the necessary certification courses. Contractors working on the pre-1978 target housing were originally required to be certified by April 22nd of this year.
For more information please visit the NARPM® webpage dedicated to the new lead based paint rules. There you will find helpful links to websites and important documents. Local and state governments have also started working on additional laws regarding lead-based paint. Please be sure you are monitoring updates from your local and state chapters of NARPM® to ensure compliance with all necessary laws regarding lead-based paint and residential property management.
This information is courtesy of NARPM®. For more information including contact information, Click Here.
This announcement is a result of trade groups and elected officials voicing concern that contractors did not have proper access to the necessary certification courses. Contractors working on the pre-1978 target housing were originally required to be certified by April 22nd of this year.
For more information please visit the NARPM® webpage dedicated to the new lead based paint rules. There you will find helpful links to websites and important documents. Local and state governments have also started working on additional laws regarding lead-based paint. Please be sure you are monitoring updates from your local and state chapters of NARPM® to ensure compliance with all necessary laws regarding lead-based paint and residential property management.
This information is courtesy of NARPM®. For more information including contact information, Click Here.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Summer Property Checklist
Courtesy of Richard Dobson, owner of The Master's Touch Painting Service. 253-988-6055
The general upkeep of rental properties is essential both in maintaining the value of a property and in attracting quality tenants to lease the property. Property owners depend on their property managers to help them identify items of concern that need to be taken care of. The days of summer is the best time to address certain items of concern that are easy to overlook.
Here is a short summer property checklist:
DRIVEWAYS / WALKWAYS / PATIOS: Horizontal brick, concrete and paver surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis. Dirt, mold and moss can quickly build-up during the winter months. A quick pressure washing of these areas can easily brighten the appearance of any property.
DECKS: Wood decks usually need to be cleaned and stained every 2 to 5 years. Mold and moss build-up will not only deteriorate decks, but it will also make them slippery and dangerous to walk on. Regular cleaning is essential. Checking the decking for rotten boards is also important for safety concerns.
FENCING: Like wood decks, wood fences ought to be cleaned and stained in order to keep their durability and beauty. Replacing an entire fence can be expensive, so regular pressure washing, staining and repairs can extend the life of a fence by years.
ROOFING: Composite, tile and shake roofs should be treated with a moss killer treatment to prevent moss growth. Long term moss growth can rot composite and shake roofs. All roofs can be pressure washed if needed. Shake roofs need to be cleaned and treated every 5 to 10 years in order to preserve their beauty, life and durability.
TRIM / SIDING: The appearance of a building not only adds curb appeal, but also adds value to a building. Vinyl siding and trim need to be routinely cleaned. Ideally, a new paint new coat should be added before paint peeling occurs. Once peeling begins, deterioration speeds up rapidly. The trim still needs to be painted on buildings with vinyl siding.
GUTTERS / DOWN SPOUTS: In the Evergreen State, gutters and down spouts can fill quickly with leaves, branches, mold, grime and even plant life. Cleaning them out not only helps preserve them, but it also protects wood trim and siding from the damage caused by sitting and over flowing water due to clogged gutters and down spouts.
WINDOWS / SKYLIGHTS: These ought to be checked for leaks, cracks and cleanliness, both on the inside and outside. Even minor leaks can cause extensive damage where building surfaces get consistent exposure to unwanted moisture.
SHEDS / GARAGES: Detached buildings that tenants do not live in still need to be cared for. Neglecting these pieces of property can not only be a real eye sore, but can also cause the overall value of a property to decline. Regular repairs, cleaning and painting can go a long way in maintaining these buildings.
Maintaining the appearance of a property not only adds curb appeal for potential tenants, but it also adds to the long term value of the property. Your clients will appreciate your input on any recommendations you may have in helping them maintain the value of their investment they have entrusted you to oversee.
The general upkeep of rental properties is essential both in maintaining the value of a property and in attracting quality tenants to lease the property. Property owners depend on their property managers to help them identify items of concern that need to be taken care of. The days of summer is the best time to address certain items of concern that are easy to overlook.
Here is a short summer property checklist:
DRIVEWAYS / WALKWAYS / PATIOS: Horizontal brick, concrete and paver surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis. Dirt, mold and moss can quickly build-up during the winter months. A quick pressure washing of these areas can easily brighten the appearance of any property.
DECKS: Wood decks usually need to be cleaned and stained every 2 to 5 years. Mold and moss build-up will not only deteriorate decks, but it will also make them slippery and dangerous to walk on. Regular cleaning is essential. Checking the decking for rotten boards is also important for safety concerns.
FENCING: Like wood decks, wood fences ought to be cleaned and stained in order to keep their durability and beauty. Replacing an entire fence can be expensive, so regular pressure washing, staining and repairs can extend the life of a fence by years.
ROOFING: Composite, tile and shake roofs should be treated with a moss killer treatment to prevent moss growth. Long term moss growth can rot composite and shake roofs. All roofs can be pressure washed if needed. Shake roofs need to be cleaned and treated every 5 to 10 years in order to preserve their beauty, life and durability.
TRIM / SIDING: The appearance of a building not only adds curb appeal, but also adds value to a building. Vinyl siding and trim need to be routinely cleaned. Ideally, a new paint new coat should be added before paint peeling occurs. Once peeling begins, deterioration speeds up rapidly. The trim still needs to be painted on buildings with vinyl siding.
GUTTERS / DOWN SPOUTS: In the Evergreen State, gutters and down spouts can fill quickly with leaves, branches, mold, grime and even plant life. Cleaning them out not only helps preserve them, but it also protects wood trim and siding from the damage caused by sitting and over flowing water due to clogged gutters and down spouts.
WINDOWS / SKYLIGHTS: These ought to be checked for leaks, cracks and cleanliness, both on the inside and outside. Even minor leaks can cause extensive damage where building surfaces get consistent exposure to unwanted moisture.
SHEDS / GARAGES: Detached buildings that tenants do not live in still need to be cared for. Neglecting these pieces of property can not only be a real eye sore, but can also cause the overall value of a property to decline. Regular repairs, cleaning and painting can go a long way in maintaining these buildings.
Maintaining the appearance of a property not only adds curb appeal for potential tenants, but it also adds to the long term value of the property. Your clients will appreciate your input on any recommendations you may have in helping them maintain the value of their investment they have entrusted you to oversee.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Kent Summer Concert Series
Throughout July and August, enjoy a variety of the region’s best live performances in some of Kent’s most beautiful parks – for free! Call 253-856-5050 or visit www.kentarts.com.
TAKE-OUT TUESDAYS:
Noon - 1pm
July 6 - August 10
Kent Station
July 6 - Blue 4 Trio
Eclectic music, including '30s and '40s swing and jump blues.
WEDNESDAY PICNIC PERFORMANCES: -Especially for Kids
Noon - 1pm
Sponsored by Allied Waste
Town Square Plaza
July 8 - Tickle Tune Typhoon
Dancing vegetables, larger-than-life robots and award-winning music! This Northwest favorite delivers positive messages and educational topics cleverly disguised as silly fun!
THURSDAYS AT THE LAKE:
7 - 8:30pm
Sponsored by Valley Medical Center
Lake Meridian Park
July 8 - Ray Wylie Hubbard
This legendary Texas troubadour counts among his colleagues icons like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Jerry Jeff Walker. Like them, Ray Wylie Hubbard is part of the musical legacy that continues to inspire subsequent generations of up-and-coming Texas talent.
Summer concerts are free. Donations of any amount are appreciated and used to continue to offer free quality entertainment for families. Donations are accepted on site the day of the performance. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact (253) 856-5050 or artscommission@ci.kent.wa.us to learn more about becoming a sponsor.
Summer Concert Series is family friendly and offers some performances that are especially for kids and families. All seating is unassigned, lawn seating and first come, first serve. Visitors may bring their own chairs or blankets.
Please the City of Kent know in advance how they may be able to help provide reasonable accommodations to those needing special assistance.
A heartfelt thank you to the sponsors 4Culture and Washington State Arts Commission and Kent Station.
Reprinted from the City of Kent's Scene eNewsletter and website
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
WSCAI Law Day
On May 22nd, board members, property managers, and other representatives will get together in order to benefit WSCAI's Legislative Action Committee. This is a one day seminar offering many different classes that are beneficial to all types of communities. Classes range from rental restrictions to legal issues boot camp for new board members. We strongly encourage all of our board members to take advantage of this opportunity and attend this seminar!
The seminar will be held at the Lynnwood Convention Center and is from 8am to 3:30pm and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. The fee is $85 for all attendees regardless if you are a CAI member or not. Contact our office for a registration form!
Hope to see you there!
The seminar will be held at the Lynnwood Convention Center and is from 8am to 3:30pm and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. The fee is $85 for all attendees regardless if you are a CAI member or not. Contact our office for a registration form!
Hope to see you there!
Friday, May 14, 2010
What can you do to get the best rent under the current market conditions?
By Vickie Gaskill, CPM®, MPM@, RMP@, ARM@ OWNER/BROKER
According to a recent report published by Dupree + Scott (April 2010), we may have experienced a rather rough past 12 months and are probably looking to more of the same in the future. They’ve seen a decline of 2% in one bedroom rents, 1.25% decline in 2 bedrooms, and a 1% decline in 3-4 bedrooms over the past 12 months. They noted that the only increase in rents was found in some 4 bedroom and 5 bedrooms and that was about 1%. They asked participants in their survey how much they expect rents in their properties to change over the next six months. Only 10% plan to increase rents and about as many anticipate decreasing rents.
According to the report, the overall average rents for properties in the greater South King County area is $1,086. As you can see by the graph below, Bell-Anderson’s average is pretty much keeping step with the Dupree + Scott analysis.
So what can homeowners do to make their homes more rentable?
1. Make sure it has great curb appeal – What does it look like when someone drives by it on the street. Have the landscaping in good shape. Remember, you’ll want to have the tenant maintain the yard while their occupying the property. Give it to them in good shape to start with.
2. Price it competitively – Sometimes that means that you won’t make your entire mortgage payment with the amount of rent collected. With our overabundance of rentals today, take the advice of your professional property manager when it comes to setting the rent amount.
3. Fresh paint, clean carpets, and all appliances must be in good working order. Just because you were able to put up with the nonworking burner on the stove or the drippy faucet in the sink, doesn’t mean that a tenant won’t want everything working properly. When these negative things are shown to a perspective tenant, they make the assumption that you don’t care about your house and they can treat it the same way you did.
Market conditions are a bit challenging right now. As a landlord/homeowner, it’s imperative that you do all you can to achieve renting your property out in a timely manner.
According to a recent report published by Dupree + Scott (April 2010), we may have experienced a rather rough past 12 months and are probably looking to more of the same in the future. They’ve seen a decline of 2% in one bedroom rents, 1.25% decline in 2 bedrooms, and a 1% decline in 3-4 bedrooms over the past 12 months. They noted that the only increase in rents was found in some 4 bedroom and 5 bedrooms and that was about 1%. They asked participants in their survey how much they expect rents in their properties to change over the next six months. Only 10% plan to increase rents and about as many anticipate decreasing rents.
According to the report, the overall average rents for properties in the greater South King County area is $1,086. As you can see by the graph below, Bell-Anderson’s average is pretty much keeping step with the Dupree + Scott analysis.
So what can homeowners do to make their homes more rentable?
1. Make sure it has great curb appeal – What does it look like when someone drives by it on the street. Have the landscaping in good shape. Remember, you’ll want to have the tenant maintain the yard while their occupying the property. Give it to them in good shape to start with.
2. Price it competitively – Sometimes that means that you won’t make your entire mortgage payment with the amount of rent collected. With our overabundance of rentals today, take the advice of your professional property manager when it comes to setting the rent amount.
3. Fresh paint, clean carpets, and all appliances must be in good working order. Just because you were able to put up with the nonworking burner on the stove or the drippy faucet in the sink, doesn’t mean that a tenant won’t want everything working properly. When these negative things are shown to a perspective tenant, they make the assumption that you don’t care about your house and they can treat it the same way you did.
Market conditions are a bit challenging right now. As a landlord/homeowner, it’s imperative that you do all you can to achieve renting your property out in a timely manner.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
How Much Money Should you Put Aside for Rental Repairs?
(Excerpt from Rentals.com May 2010 Newsletter)
Becoming a landlord doesn’t just mean worrying about keeping your property rented and to the right tenants. You also need to be sure you have budgeted for necessary repairs. Read on for some tips on how to plan ahead for the inevitable repair bills.
How much to put aside
Prevailing wisdom recommends saving 1% to 3% of the value of your rental property for repairs each year. Though repair totals will vary from year to year, leftover funds from one year can help cover you for big expenditures during another one. Just be sure you set down a dollar amount to hit annually for savings. On a rental property worth $250,000, for example, try to reserve $2,500 to $7,500 for repairs each year. Hitting your annual repair-fund goals will also help you prepare for the unexpected, such as storm damage.
Be realistic
Ideally, you had your property inspected before purchase and so are aware of the age of big-ticket items like the roof, HVAC system and kitchen appliances. Accounting for normal wear and tear, you’ll have a basic idea of when you’ll need to repair or replace these items, so start socking away funds for those major repairs.
Preventative measures
You can keep small repair issues from turning into big ones with regular maintenance, so be sure to budget for maintenance as well. Everything from chimney cleaning to tree or limb removal can save you big money down the line, so be sure you’re planning for the expense. Other maintenance practices to implement are yearly HVAC checks and regular gutter cleaning.
Don’t be caught off guard by repair bills for your rental property. Prepare now by starting a savings fund to take care of regular maintenance and the cost of repairs to and replacement of systems, appliances and structural items.
Becoming a landlord doesn’t just mean worrying about keeping your property rented and to the right tenants. You also need to be sure you have budgeted for necessary repairs. Read on for some tips on how to plan ahead for the inevitable repair bills.
How much to put aside
Prevailing wisdom recommends saving 1% to 3% of the value of your rental property for repairs each year. Though repair totals will vary from year to year, leftover funds from one year can help cover you for big expenditures during another one. Just be sure you set down a dollar amount to hit annually for savings. On a rental property worth $250,000, for example, try to reserve $2,500 to $7,500 for repairs each year. Hitting your annual repair-fund goals will also help you prepare for the unexpected, such as storm damage.
Be realistic
Ideally, you had your property inspected before purchase and so are aware of the age of big-ticket items like the roof, HVAC system and kitchen appliances. Accounting for normal wear and tear, you’ll have a basic idea of when you’ll need to repair or replace these items, so start socking away funds for those major repairs.
Preventative measures
You can keep small repair issues from turning into big ones with regular maintenance, so be sure to budget for maintenance as well. Everything from chimney cleaning to tree or limb removal can save you big money down the line, so be sure you’re planning for the expense. Other maintenance practices to implement are yearly HVAC checks and regular gutter cleaning.
Don’t be caught off guard by repair bills for your rental property. Prepare now by starting a savings fund to take care of regular maintenance and the cost of repairs to and replacement of systems, appliances and structural items.
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