Your summer quarterly newsletter is here!

WI-CARH December 2018
Newsletter
In this Issue: 

21st Annual Meeting and Conference - A Recap
Congratulations WI-CARH Award and Grant Recipients!
WI-CARH Spring Training
Youth Grant and Scholarship Opportunities
WI-CARH 2019 Residential Lease
List your Property on the WI-CARH Website
Become a 2019 Member of WI-CARH
Mark Your Calendars - 2019 Dates
conference
21st Annual Meeting and Conference A Success AnnualMeeting

The Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells was the venue for the 21st Annual WI-CARH Conference held on November 8, 2018.  A variety of topics and housing related issues were addressed at this year's conference built around the theme of "The Challenges and Changes in Rural Housing." 
 
After a brief welcome and announcements by Russell Kaney, President of WI-CARH, the conference got off to a strong start with remarks from Frank Frassato, State Director.  

Our featured keynote speaker was Toni Blake with a dynamic presentation on the Wings of Positive Change!  Toni was motivational and it was a great way to kick off the day. 

Toni Blake, Keynote Speaker 

After an introduction of all the exhibitors and a networking break, the conference continued with a session on Community Facilities Funding Opportunities with Julie Giese and Kathleen Zurawski with Rural Development and Mike Palm, Mayor of the City of Baraboo.  They discussed who is eligible for this funding and provided samples of projects funded around the state.  The session centered around a project located in Baraboo, Wisconsin. 

Attendees meeting with the Exhibitors

Donna Huebner from Rural Development and David Ginger from WHEDA had a panel presentation on RD Updates and the Wisconsin State Credit.  Donna discussed how the latest updates might affect your properties and David discussed the Wisconsin State Housing Tax Credit and the upcoming 2019, 4% and 9% Housing Tax Credit application rounds.  
 
Our lunch was highlighted by our annual awards program.  Denise Loveland from the WI-CARH Board oversaw the recognition for site manager of the year going to Laurie Nordin and the maintenance person of the year going to Tim Chaussee.  Congratulations to all winners for their exemplary service! (see related article.)
 
Donna Braun & Denise Loveland, WI-CARH Board of Directors presenting Awards

Donna Braun from the WI-CARH Board talked about the winners of the grant program that was awarded to three residents of the Dodge County Housing Authority property. A video was played highlighting some of their summer fun activities.  (see related article.)

The afternoon started with the general membership meeting.  Russell Kaney, President of WI-CARH highlighted several of the activities WI-CARH supported, sponsored or initiated during the year.  
 
Russell Kaney, President of WI-CARH

Fair Housing 5.0  by Zeffert & Associates, started our afternoon session which gave a brief review of the Fair Housing law and principles for the multi-family housing apartment industry.  This also was a sneak peek for the WI-CARH Spring Training session which will be held on April 30-May 1, 2019.  
 
After an afternoon break with the exhibitors, our sessions resumed with Jamie Broesch from Wisconsin Management Company, Kathy Krusiec, former emergency management director of Dane County and Stan Heller and David Montgomery from BAER Insurance with a session on Emergency Planning and Insurance Issues.  
 
Kayla Dapp from Wisconsin Management Company conducted a session on Recruiting, Engagement and Retention of Employees.  
 
Emergency Management and Insurance Issues Panel

The afternoon closed out with a session on  Legal Compliance Issues  with Matt Impola, Counsel to WI-CARH from Foley & Lardner.   Matt discussed issues from leases, tenants, contracts and fair housing.  A raffle with items made in Wisconsin was held along with closing remarks.  The conference concluded with a reception held in the Ivory Coast Lounge.
 
A special thanks to all the sponsors and exhibitors for this year's conference support!  Their participation helps keep the conference costs reasonable to all who attend.   A special thanks to the speakers for bringing current and relevant information to our attendees.   Gratitude is also extended to the conference planning committee and Board of Directors who coordinate and generate ideas for this event.  
 
Thank you, 2018 Sponsors


awardCongratulations WI-CARH Award and Grant Recipients! Awards

There were multiple nominations for WI-CARH awards this year.  We were pleased to announce the following award recipients at our 2018 annual conference in November.

Site Maintenance Person of the Year: Tim Chaussee
  (Wisconsin Property Management)
 
Every maintenance technician can reasonably be expected to bring a diverse set of technical skills to the job. The ability to turnover a unit, complete carpentry, plumbing, electrical and other work orders timely, accurately and with as little disruption as possible to residents. These skills alone would make for a happy apartment community.
 
But when a maintenance tech regularly goes above and beyond in performing his position requirements, people take notice.   Such is the case with our Maintenance Person of the Year - Tim Chaussee of Wisconsin Management.
 
Tim has been the manager at the 24-unit Mill View Apartments in Kiel for the past 11 years. Tim's manager lauds his willingness to respond immediately for those pesky after-hours maintenance calls.   He thinks outside the box in designing special tools to accomplish tasks without needing outside contractors or additional expense. Tim never complains.
 
Tenants are appreciative of his ever willing, ever friendly and smiling approach. Tim goes the extra mile in providing service to his elderly residents.   Things like brushing snow off their cars, participating in their potlucks and even opening cans too difficult for older hands to manage.
 
As one of Tim's residents stated in her letter of support, "Tim is the sort of maintenance person that everyone hopes for".   WI-CARH was pleased to recognize Tim Chaussee as the WI-CARH Maintenance Person of the Year for 2018.
 
Site Manager of the Year: Laurie Nordin
(Wisconsin Management Company)

Occasionally events occur in life which serve to highlight the very special qualities and capabilities of an individual.  
  • Grace under pressure.
  • Concern for the well-being of others.  
  • Organizational skills.
  • Leadership in a time of crisis
Such were the personal traits exhibited by Laurie Nordin, our Manager of the Year, when one of her four properties experienced a horrific fire which affected the entire building.  Two-thirds of the building's residents were displaced.
 
Laurie works with Wisconsin Management where she manages four apartment communities for seniors. She manages a total of 183 units spread over four towns in NE Wisconsin.   Not only did she make sure the needs of her Parkview Haven residents were well cared for during the fire and its aftermath, she led the way in rehabbing the property and re-leasing the project.   Even while doing so, she still managed to maintain full occupancies and smooth operations at her other three properties.
 
Residents regularly praise her.   Co-workers applaud her organizational and leadership skills.   For these reasons WI-CARH was honored to award her the Manager of the year for 2018.  We appreciate  Laurie, for exhibiting those traits so important in our people business of property management.
 
Grant Award Recipients: Dodge County Housing Authority

WI-CARH was pleased to award three grant recipients this summer for pool passes and a soccer camp.   Please see the video that they made showing off how much fun they had this summer.  

Donna Braun Scholarship 2018 video for website2
2018 Award Grant video 
boardWI-CARH Spring Training!

Registration is now open for WI-CARH's Spring Training - Managing Rural Development with Combined Programs on April 30-May 1, 2019 to be held at the Crowne Plaza, in Madison, Wisconsin.  Please register here.  

The purpose of this course is to provide information for all interested personnel to successfully provide housing through RD regulations. This two-day course includes the optional online HCM-R exam.
Day 1 of this training will start with an overview of the RD Programs handbook HB - 2-3560 and the regulation 3560. We will then cover the housing programs under section 515 including family, elderly and congregate properties and how to maintain them. This section is followed by marketing and the application process. This includes the Civil Rights Act and the Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan (AFHMP) which covers application requirements, wait lists, and the required notices. We will discuss the project occupancy requirements on family, elderly and congregate properties and how to calculate income (7CFR .560.153 refers to 24 CFR 5.609 & 11) and assets along with allowable deductions and determining rent.
Day 2 covers the Recertification process for annual recerts, recerts due because of income or occupancy changes, and ineligible tenants. Lease requirements, tenant warning and termination. Following will be a review on Combined Programs. Development and compliance of affordable, multifamily housing can be challenging. The ability to combine affordable programs is a valuable component and assists in the success and availability of affordable housing. But, mixing programs can get complicated and presents challenges for meeting all of the program requirements as intended. During this session we will highlight the most common areas that can be the most challenging when blending other programs. A final review of this class concludes day two.
Each attendee who completes this course will receive a useful course manual with references, and a certificate of attendance which counts towards their continuing education hours.
Each attendee who completes this course will receive a certificate of attendance which count towards their continuing education hours.
The proprietary Housing Compliance Manager for RD Online Exam (HCM-R) is an open book online exam with 100 questions. You will be given up to 3 hours to complete the exam and will need a score of 67 or higher to pass. Those who pass will be shipped a deluxe HCM-R designation.
 
The speaker will be Tari Bradley, Senior Trainer, Zeffert & Associates
Tari has earned a number of accolades in her career. Prior to joining Zeffert & Associates, Tari achieved the Leading Edge Society Award, placing her in the top 6% of Prudential Real Estate Agents nationwide in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, Tari joined her husband in the oversight of a property management company specializing in affordable housing. As the Principal Broker/Owner, she provided oversight for 16 years to multiple HUD, Section 8 Project Based communities, Rural Development, and LIHTC Communities. Tari has long been an advocate for affordable housing and continues to participate in a variety of leadership roles.   Tari holds the HCCP, CPO, FHS, HCM-H, HCM-R, AHM, and C4P designations.


Printable Brochure Please check out the printable brochure which has the agenda and times.
 
Who should attend?
 
The Rural Development Training will be of relevance to property managers, syndicators, developers, owners, decision makers, and anyone with an interest in growing their knowledge in the Rural Development Program.

Fees

WI-CARH Members:  $395 with manual or $470 with manual and exam
Non-Members:  $435 with manual or $510 with manual and exam

If you are not a member of WI-CARH, please sign up and save money.  

Location of Spring Training and Hotel

The spring training will be held at the Crowne Plaza, 4402 East Washington Avenue, Madison, WI  53704.  You can make reservations at the Crowne Plaza by calling, IHG Reservations at 866-424-0835 by April 9, 2019.  Please identify yourself with the Wisconsin Council for Affordable and Rural Housing Group.  Room rates are $129 for two doubles and $139 for king beds.  The government rate will be honored with proper identification.

Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities

There are several ways that you can be a sponsor or exhibitor.  Please see the attached form.  



GrantYouth Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

Wisconsin Council for Affordable & Rural Housing 
(WI-CARH) is accepting applications for the 2019-2020 Youth Grant and Scholarship program.   Please spread the word and help us make a difference in a student's f uture!  Youth grants in the amount not to exceed $500 per student, per y ear, until all funds are used, will be awarded to enable students in grades 3-12 to participate in an academic enrichment activity. Eligible activities include:  Little League, Soccer, Volleyball or Basketball Leagues, 4H Camp, Music or Band Camp, Sports Camp, Cheerleading Camp, Girl Scouts or Boy Scout Camp, and an International Youth Exchange Program.  T hese activities are on a year-round basis and not limited to the summer.

A $500 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior or adult wishing to further their education.  Eligible applicants can use the scholarship at any two (2) year or higher accredited public or private school in the State of Wisconsin which offers an associate or undergraduate degree or a vocational/technical program. 

Applications for the grant and scholarship program will be accepted starting January 1, 2019.  Please check our website for more information or click on the grant and scholarship links for an application.  

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Orders Now Being Accepted!

The WI-CARH lease is approved for use at any Rural Development supervised property.  Using this lease for your property will insure that you are in compliance with Wisconsin law and RD and HUD regulations while saving you the expense of hiring a lawyer to do the same thing.  Just like last year, it is available in three formats:
  1. FHA Software Generated Lease - WI-CARH has teamed up with Simply Computer Software to give FHA Software users the access and ability to generate their WI-CARH Residential Lease and Amendments forms within their FHA Software program. Users of this program can generate the lease through the RD 3560-8 Tenant Certification - PRINT options window. All of the applicable project, unit, and tenant information will automatically be inserted.
  2. Stand-alone WI-CARH Lease Generation Program - A link will be sent to you from Simply Computer Software that will allow you to download and install the WI-CARH Lease Generation Program which includes pre-entered property listing information you provided. To produce a lease, just open the program, select the property, enter pertinent tenant information and print.
  3. Paper Lease - A package of 10 leases and 10 amendments will be shipped to you which you will use to hand write all pertinent tenant information on
To purchase the lease, complete the lease order form and mail it in with your payment to the WI-CARH Office at:  P.O. Box 258098, Madison, WI  53725.

listpropertyList your Property on the WI-CARH Website!

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Did you know that members of WI-CARH can list their properties on the WI-CARH  website?  This is a 

Visitors to the site can search for affordable housing by city, feature, and type of management company.  There are two types of listings, free and premium ($50/listing year).  A free listing includes a marker on the map and basic information about the property.  A premium listing will include photos of the property along with more detailed information and a larger marker on the map.  Members must use their member log in to add listings to the site.  

Contact the WI-CARH office  email for more information.  You can either add the information yourself  see instructions or Diane Hamm at WI-CARH can do it for you.  

memberBecome a 2019 Member of WI-CARH!
Renew your Membership today!  Not a current member?  
Now is a great time to join!

WI-CARH is dedicated to assist you in the rural housing industry.  
Thro ugh your membership, you help support an organization made up of your peers and housing professionals both within the State of Wisconsin and
n ationally. WI-CARH members include builders, develo pers, lenders,
management companies, owners, non-profit agencies, and vendors.  You also have the opportunity to meet industry leaders and to align yourself with a diverse group of business people involved in every sector of the affordable housing community.

When you become a member of WI-CARH, you gain access to important tools, information, and services.  The monetary benefits range from discounts on conferences, training, and leases to savings through the CARH Preferred Buyers Club program.  This program includes Wells Fargo Insurance Services, Home Depot, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Staples and Online Rental Exchange.  

More information on the benefits of membership can be found on our website.  If you are a current member, invoices were sent out at the beginning of December.  If you are not a member, simply complete this form and mail it along with a check to WI-CARH at P.O. Box 258098, Madison, WI  53725.  

 
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With appreciation of our association during the past year, we extend our very best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!

Upcoming Events
Mark Your Calendars - 2019 Dates! Dates

January 28-30:  CARH Mid-Year Meeting  Key Largo, Florida
February 12:  Liaison Meeting  at Rural Development, Stevens Point, 10am-12pm
April 30-May 1:   WI-CARH  Spring Training Session at the Crowne Plaza in Madison, WI
May 14  - Board of Director's Meeting at Wisconsin Management Company, Madison, 10am-12pm
June 24-26:   CARH Annual Meeting & Legislative Conference , Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, VA
July 17-18: A Home for Everyone Conference
in Eau Claire, WI
August 13: Liaison Meeting at Rural Development, Stevens Point, 
10am-12pm
September 10: Board of Director's Meeting at Wisconsin Management Company, Madison, 10am-12pm
September 17-19: WAHA Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI 
November 7-8: Annual WI-CARH Conference & Board Meeting, Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI 

Do you have news to share? We would love to hear about it! Please submit your news to info@wicarh.org


 
WI-CARH | 608-437-2300 |  info@wicarh.org | Visit our website!