[Durham INC] Tom Bonfield~ [pac2] Property Managers - how tofind out about them?

Wed Sep 16 11:42:05 EDT 2009

All,

For me,  I believe that the Campaign for Decent Housing would be the logical 'lead' organization to orchestrate this.

While I am a big fan of both INC and the PAC's,  it makes more sense to me to use Lorisa Seibel and the Campaign as the champion agency that already has a deeper knowledge, historical background and institutional memory regarding landlord responsibility.   

Besides having an in-depth understanding of tenant duties and leasing agreements between a landlord and a renter,  the CDH also understands the affect that contract has on those parties AND the impact it has on surrounding neighbors and the city at large when things don't go as smoothly as everyone expects.

It'd make perfect sense to have the Campaign to coordinate the coalition (including INC, the PAC's, Durham CAN, Realtors, etc) rather than have each one trying to replicate a new wheel.

Mike Shiflett

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Matthew Dudek 
  To: Darius.M.Little at alumni.unc.edu 
  Cc: Tom.Bonfield at durhamnc.gov ; pac2 at yahoogroups.com ; inc-list at durhaminc.org ; TheOcean1 at aol.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 11:04 AM
  Subject: Re: [Durham INC] Tom Bonfield~ [pac2] Property Managers - how tofind out about them?

  I  know we've talked about wanting this in the Cleveland-Holloway neighborhood before. I also know this was a recommendation that came out of some neighborhood planning exercises in North East Central Durham. 

  I'd love to see INC and the PACs champion this issue and make it a campaign issue. Let's finally get this on the agenda and make this happen. Transparency and accountability are never bad things. 

  Matt Dudek
  502 Mallard Ave.
  919 381 7577

  On Sep 16, 2009, at 9:48 AM, Darius.M.Little at alumni.unc.edu wrote:

    FYI: not a candidate plug here, but wanted to add for you that this idea is great and in some areas has successfully been implemented.  I know over near Southpoint Mall, in my neck of the woods, we've had situations where we wanted to talk to property owners about various issues with tenants (after not 'getting through' to the lessee directly - and wanting to avoid confrontation, but ended-up in the PO-Box-Galaxy-of-Neverfind).  In our area, it is now understood that all property management companies report to the Homeowner's Association of that subdivision, which properties they own in that neighborhood. 

    I'd be happy to assist Mr. Bonfield, or anyone, in executing this endeavor, as I've been through it before.

    - Darius

    "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." [Matt 21:22]

    -----Original Message-----
    From: TheOcean1 at aol.com
    To: Tom.Bonfield at durhamnc.gov; pac2 at yahoogroups.com
    Cc: inc-list at durhaminc.org
    Sent: Tue, Sep 15, 2009 6:55 pm
    Subject: [Durham INC] Tom Bonfield~ [pac2] Property Managers - how to find out about them?

    Hold on, 3 years is a long time in Durham. Maybe our new city manager likes the idea, perhaps Pensacola even had a similar program. Or maybe he won't like the idea, but let's give him a chance to tell us.

    Mr. Bonfield,

    What are your thoughts regarding property managers simply registering with the city a list of the properties they manage?

    As pointed out below, community activists have been interested in this for years, because of an occasional need to contact the responsible party. But I would think city staff has a much more regular need for the same information, surprised the request hasn't been coming from them, instead of the community.

    Bill Anderson
    PAC2

    In a message dated 9/15/2009 1:26:56 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, kjj1 at duke.edu writes:
        Elizabeth--
      Good luck pushing this issue. It is nearly impossible to find out who manages properties. It strikes me as odd in this age of databases & ease of making information widely available, that something as simple as requiring property managers to submit an excel spreadsheet listing all the properties they manage to a central clearinghouse where it could be made available to the public is a big deal. But it seems to be. Property managers resist it and the city seems to go along with them.

      It was last pushed hard 3-4 years ago. There is always a great deal of interest from neighborhood associations and citizens and a fair amount of resistance from property managers and city officials.

      Kelly Jarrett

      Steve Graff wrote: 

        Hi Elizabeth,

        This is one of the biggest struggles, finding out who to contact about problems with a property in the neighborhood. As you have discovered, the Durham GIS system only lists the name and address for the property owner (no phone number), but no information for the property management company. Often times, the owner is in another state entirely, and the address listed is a P.O. box. 

        Sometimes with the name and address you can use a search engine such as Google to try to find additional information for the owners. Other times, this information is not available.

        As an example, there is a four-plex apartment building just down the street from us. About a year ago it was purchased and renovated by the new owners, including replacing all of the windows. I was glad to see this happen as this apartment building was the scene of a shooting a few years ago.

        Everythi ng seemed to be going well up until recently. Then tenants started to play loud music at all time of day and night. Then they started throwing their trash into the ravine next to the building. Then we started to hear loud arguments. Then we started to hear glass bottles being broken on the ground. Then I started to see drug deals occurring there. Then one of the residents started speeding up and and down the street at 60+ mph endangering the residents who walk up and down this street (where there are no sidewalks).

        There was a big thread on various PAC mailing lists about the need for a property registry sometime earlier this year. The need is clear. There needs to be some way to contact property managers to notify them to concerns about their property, so that they can take appropriate action before bad renters trash their property and continue to continue to trash the neighborhood.

        Steve Graff
        President
        Old North Durham Neighborhood Association
        http://www.oldnorthdurham.com/

        slgraff at gmail.com

        On Sep 15, 2009, at 10:37 AM, elizabeth_gill99 wrote:

          Dear All,

          Walltown is reactivating Neighborhood Watch, we are starting with a few blocks with the hope of growing. Question: we know how to find out who owns properties on the City web site, but is there a easy way to find out who manages them? I don't mind contacting delinquent owners but would love to contact the property managers too.

          Thanks!

          Elizabeth K. Gill

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