By Jeff Schumacher | Keller Williams CPRE, LLC
Welcome home! My name is Jeff Schumacher, a real estate broker with Keller Williams CPRE, LLC, one of the top producing offices in Washington state that provides advance technology for brokers. While being on the front lines of real estate, I am here to share with you the urgent need for affordable housing reform. Our local government needs to listen more to local professionals and individuals.
One of the main core problems to affordable housing has actually been Homeowner Association (HOA) restrictions. It is much easier for government to regulate the small business landlords rather than the big business of HOAs with its plethora of lobbying organizations, attorneys, and property management companies.
In my humble opinion, many HOAs discourage renters with strict rental caps by allowing only a small percentage of renters to live within a community. For many, this is the only option to affordable housing in some of the best school districts in Snohomish County.
During COVID-19 our State government is considering imposing a Capital Gains Tax (SB 5096) and an Eviction Ban (SB 5160) that will encourage small landlords to terminate their services which could result in renters being left with alternative sources of living such as: the streets, shelters, family, or friends.
Together as a local community, we can truly make a difference to providing affordable housing solutions. Below are a few simple ideas that require cooperation from all parties involved:
- State government to make a law prohibiting rental caps of less than 40% within Homeowner Associations. The more rental units available, will increase affordable housing access.
- More HOA’s and property managers need to learn about the benefits of the FHA loan program which is one of the best opportunities for buyers to purchase an affordable home.
- An agency should hold HOAs accountable by allowing residents to submit a complaint for: HOA discrimination, HOA state law violations, and HOA financial fraud investigations within one year of the alleged occurrence.
- HOAs should be required to provide an annual survey disclosing percentage of renter occupied units. Financial lenders have the right to know more of an accurate record of homeowner occupancy.
- HOAs should be required to disclose its annual budget, income, expenses, and residences should receive a copy of all expense invoices.
- HOAs should only have the authority to enforce health, safety, structural integrity, parking, and common area elements. HOA’s should not be regulating aesthetics such as the color of a flower.
- The State should establish homeless shelters that provide food, basic health care, showers, drug rehabilitation, psychological therapy, and work force training.
I am honored to announce that even during the challenging year of 2020, our Keller Williams CPRE, LLC firm completed over 1,400 real estate transactions and over 820 Million dollars in volume. Contact us to learn more about how my real estate firm is truly one of the top producers in Washington.
For more information about SB 5096 or SB 5160 contact the Rental Housing Association of Washington at www.RHAWA.org.
Jeff Schumacher, License 112102, Keller Williams CPRE, LLC
www.JeffSellsFast.com
Cell: 425-344-5905
Email: Jeff@JeffSellsFast.com
One Response
> “Together as a local community, we can truly make a difference to providing affordable housing solutions. Below are a few simple ideas that require cooperation from all parties involved: ”
> “HOAs should only have the authority to enforce health, safety, structural integrity, parking, and common area elements. HOA’s should not be regulating aesthetics such as the color of a flower. ”
For a list of more policy proposals to protect homeowners from the abusive, fraudulent, and predatory business practices of the H.O.A. industry special interests, please see pages 14 – 20 of “Make Our Neighborhoods Great Again” at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KOpxNY6yi6L49Ubzl8zKbXT19PZMhqnl/preview
It was written for Colorado’s public policy makers – who have zero interest in the well-being of H.O.A.-burdened homeowners – but it can be modified for other states.