Premium Rent Increase Policy

The following are guidelines on how to calculate the premium rent amounts for residents that do not wish to renew their leases.  This policy does NOT affect properties within the city limits of Portland that are governed by the recent new guidelines. This policy does NOT apply to rent restricted units and properties.

The premium rent increase should be 10% of the expected rent if the unit vacated plus 10% and in no case less than $100 per month.  Here are some examples:

Example 1:  If a unit is currently renting for $875 and you give the tenant a rent increase offer to $950 because you know you can rent the unit out to a new resident at $985; the Premium Rent amount calculation would be $985 + 10% ($98.50), but this is less than $100 – so the Premium Rent amount is $100.

Example 2:  If a unit is currently renting for $1000 and you give the tenant a rent increase offer to $1075 because you know you can rent the unit out to a new resident at $1100; the Premium Rent amount calculation would be $1100 + 10% ($110) – so the Premium Rent amount is $110.

If you have any questions regarding the information above, please speak with your property supervisor.

Holiday Packages

This is the time of year when packages arrive by the truckload to your rental offices.  This is typically followed by a parade of very relieved residents coming into your offices carrying small slips of paper saying that the impossible to find toy that they have ordered for their child has arrived…

We all understand how much staff time it takes to process these packages and how much room it takes to store them until they are picked up!

Didn’t know part of the job was working for USPS or UPS or Fed Ex–  did you??

We wanted to take a minute to remind everyone about what a great service amenity this is for your residents.  This time of year or any other–  it is a really helpful service for the residents that call your community home.

A few tips:

  • Please include a rental referral flier to the top of each package as it is picked up.  Free marketing, and you don’t need to leave your office!
  • Call residents to remind them that a package is in the office ready for pick up.  This is also a great time to ask them if everything is alright in their apartment.  Amazing customer service.
  • Call residents and ask for permission to enter to deliver the package to their apartment.  You can leave it right inside the front door (or they may want you to put it somewhere they dictate so that a member of their household does not see it until the time is right.)  Make sure to include the referral fee flier!

You might consider making sure you are appropriately staffed to allow for package delivery on the 24th before you head out early for the day / Holiday.

Thank You – Good Luck- and Happy Holidays!

 

Holiday Schedule

Below is the holiday schedule for Christmas and the New Year’s Holiday.

Remember if a staff member’s normal day off falls on the observed holiday, another day within the pay period will need to be taken off in lieu of the holiday.  Please note that coverage must be arranged in advance of these “make-up” Holidays.  Contact your property supervisor with any questions regarding scheduling.

Christmas Holiday

  • Thursday, December 24, 2015

On Christmas Eve, sites can choose to close early at 3pm. The Site Employee Resource Center will generally close at the same time.

  • Friday, December 25, 2015

All offices – Sites and Site Employee Resource Center, shall be closed in observance of Christmas.

New Year’s Holiday

  • Thursday, December 31st, 2015

On New Year’s Eve, sites can choose to close early at 3pm. The Site Employee Resource Center will generally close at the same time.

  • Friday, January 1, 2016

All offices – Sites and Site Employee Resource Center, shall be closed in observance of New Year’s Holiday.

 

Thank you, and have a safe and happy holiday season!

Resizing Photos

Most photos from cameras these days are easily over 2mb each if not more.  That’s 2000kb+.   Ideally photos should be 100-200kb when sending by email.

1 formate

 

Right Click Edit

2

Photo opens with Paint.  Click Resize.

3

Enter a number that’s between 30-60 and you’ll resize appropriately.

4

Remember to save the picture when done.

5

Right click again and select properties and you’ll see the photo is now just over 200kb.

6

 

Cambridge After Holiday Party

We are very excited to announce this year’s After Holiday Party!  The event will be held at Castaway Portland! Please RSVP by Friday, January 1st to Miranda Baker (mbaker@cambridgeres.com)

When: Thursday, January 14th

Party Starts: 7:00pm

Party Ends: 11:00pm

What: Casino Night, Dinner, Karaoke, Games and Photo booth!

Who: Cambridge Employees can bring 1 guest

Theme: Color Me Cambridge! Wear your Cambridge colors, the brighter and boulder, the better!

 

Address: 1900 NW 18th Ave.

Portland, OR 97209

See flyer below.

cambridge after holiday party 2016 (3)

 

Year End Close – Site Checklist

By now, we are all looking eagerly toward the holidays, the end of the year, and the upcoming 2016 annual symposium!

In order to close out the year end accounting books in the most seamless and stress-free way, we’re sending this reminder check list with important year end tasks to complete during the next 3 to 5 business days.   In short, we appreciate all of your support in getting:

  1. All income posted in Yardi,
  2. All income deposited at the bank
  3. All invoices entered into Yardi and mailed to SERC, so we can get your property vendors paid before the end of the year

Please prioritize these accounting tasks during the next 3 to 5 business days to allow a little cushion time in the event of US mail delays and/or any questions that might arise.   Our goal is to have all site related resident income, move-in/move-out activity, and invoice entry completed and mailed (i.e. postmarked) by next Friday, December 18, 2015.

If you have any questions about the specific items listed, please contact your supervisor or yardisupport@cresapts.com.

As always, we thank you for your support.

Checklist for Year End Accounting Close

Aged Receivable Report

  • There should be no more 5% of the total number of units for the property appearing on this report.
  • There should be no outstanding balances listed beyond the 0-30 day column.
  • There should be no households listed that have a move out date older than 11/15/2015.
  • There should be no current residents showing a balance owed to rent beyond the 0-30 day column on 12/18/2015, unless an eviction has been filed.
  • All remaining balances or credits less than $15 should be adjusted off (Excludes: Tax Credit, RD, Section 8, or HUD occupants).  Work with your accounting representative on this.
  • You might need to knock on some residents doors and/or send out delinquency notices to make sure payment demands are clear with your current residents.

Security Deposit Activity Report

  • Totals for Security Deposits  “On Hand” match the total listed as “Billed”.   You should strive to eliminate all delinquent deposits prior to next week.  You might need to knock on some residents doors and/or send out delinquency notices.

Move-outs

  • All residents with move out dates listed prior to 12/18/2015 should be  processed in Yardi on or before 12/18/15.
  • Appropriate documentation for all move outs with refunds due should be been mailed to the Site Employee Resource Center (SERC) by December 18, 2015 at the latest for processing.
  • All remaining residents with a move out date prior to 12/18/2015 and with a move out balance owed to the property should be mailed from the site manager’s office by December 18, 2015.

Move-ins

  • All Applicant data should be entered into Yardi on or before 12/18/15.
  • Move-ins occurring prior to 12/18/2015 should be entered into Yardi on or before 12/18/15.

Property Income

  • All forms of resident payments should be entered into Yardi and deposited to the bank by 12/18/2015.
  • All forms of miscellaneous income (i.e. laundry coinage, vending monies) have been entered into Yardi and deposited in the bank as of 12/18/2015

Vendor Invoices

  • All vendor invoices should be entered into Yardi and mailed to the Site Employee Resource Center (SERC) by 12/18/2015.

401k Open Enrollment – January 1, 2016

Please print and distribute the following as noted below:

– FOR DISTRIBUTION FOR ALL ELIGIBLE 401K PARTICIPANTS –

(Eligible employees have regularly scheduled hours per Employment Understanding

on file equal to or greater than 20 hours per week)

Eligible 401K Participants,

As a reminder and as provided in the Cambridge 401K Summary Plan Description, if you are eligible and not a current or active participant, you may begin contributing to the 401K Plan.  If you are an active participant and would like to change your contribution percentage, you may do so at this time.

The 401K Plan provides an opportunity to save money for your future and earn additional compensation via matching contributions from Cambridge.  Below are some great features of the Cambridge 401k plan:

  • Retirement investment advise is available at no cost through Merrill Lynch by contacting:

Brett Fisher @ 503-221-4671

Matthew Floberg @ 503-221-4610

800-937-0750 (for participants out the Portland metro area)

  • Cambridge provides an employer match of 50% of your contribution on the first 10% of your wages.  What does that mean and how does it work?  That means….
  • If you contribute 2% of your wages toward your 401k retirement plan, Cambridge will match 50% of that contribution, and make a contribution toward your 401k account for an amount equal to 1% of your wages.  The Cambridge contribution is on top of your normal salary or wages, so it is truly incremental compensation.
  • The same 50% matching contribution applies to any employee contribution you make up to 10% of your wages.  So, if you contributed a full 10% of your wages, Cambridge would add an amount equal to 5% in incremental compensation to your 401k account.
  • Employee contributions can be made in any whole percentage of your wages to a maximum of up to100% however not exceeding IRS statutory limits (contact Brett Fisher or Matt Floberg for IRS limits).
  • After five years of service, this match increases to 60%.
  • Cambridge vesting period of the matching contributions is 3 years after a 1 year waiting period.  The vesting period determines how quickly you have access to the Cambridge matched contributions.  The Cambridge plan gives employees 25% of the Cambridge contributions after 2 years, 50% after 3 years, and the full 100% of the Cambridge matching contributions after working at Cambridge for 4 years.
  • 401k contributions also save you money on income taxes, because contributions are taken out of your paycheck pre-tax, so your taxable income on your paycheck is lower.
  • An after tax Roth deferral is available with the Cambridge plan.
  • In service withdrawals are allowed at age 59 ½.

As always, once starting, you may stop your contributions at any time, but may not resume until the next open enrollment period (January 1st   2016).  In the event you stop, the employer match stops as well.

If you don’t wish to make any changes, no action is required.  If you would like to begin participation or change the amount you are currently contributing, please complete and mail the attached form to my attention at the Central Office. Deferrals must be designated in percentages only, our plan does not support fixed amount deferrals.  If you are interested in beginning participation for the first time and would like to receive an enrollment booklet, please contact me and one will be mailed to your home. Forms must be mailed or faxed so that they are received at Cambridge no later than January 1, 2016.

To see additional details on plan and program rules and guidelines, please consult the summary plan description, available on the e-Exchange.

Beneficiary Designation

Participant Enrollment

Cambridge Health Benefits Open Enrollment is from 12/1/2015-12/21/2015

Our annual Open Enrollment period begins December 1st and ends December 21st.

This is your opportunity to review your benefits package as well as make enrollment changes.  There are no significant changes to this year’s benefit offering.  Packets are on their way to your home address. Please review your packet carefully as it provides you with information you need to make enrollment decisions.

Open Enrollment Forms are due by 12/21/2015 and should be returned to Diane Runyan at fax 503-546-7588.

IMPORTANT ENROLLMENT INFORMATION!

 IF YOU ARE ALL READY ENROLLED IN THE CAMBRIDGE HEALTH PLAN:

– NO ACTION IS REQUIRED IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO CHANGE ANYTHING. YOUR CURRENT BENEFIT ELECTIONS WILL AUTOMATICALLY CARRY OVER AND REMAIN IN EFFECT for 2016.

– PLEASE CONTINUE TO USE YOUR EXISTING REGENCE ID CARD IN 2016; YOUR CARD WILL REMAIN ACTIVE.

-PLEASE CONTINUE TO USE YOUR EXISTING HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT (HSA) CARD IN 2016; YOUR CARD WILL REMAIN ACTIVE.

-YOUR HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT (HSA) MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS WILL CONTINUE IN 2016 UNLESS YOU MAKE ANY CHANGE.

 2016 Enrollment packet includes the following:

  1. Regence Enrollment Form for the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), Vision and Dental
  2. UNUM Beneficiary Form for changes to beneficiary information for Life Insurance (only required if you have changes)
    1. Cambridge automatically provides all eligible employees with Basic $20,000 Life/AD&D coverage.
  3. Health Saving Account (HSA) – Enrollment/Change Form
  4. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Brochure – UNUM’s WorkLife Balance EAP Program.
    1. A completely confidential program offering up to 3 face-to-face counseling sessions per issue.
  5. Regence Summary of Benefits and Coverage for Medical Insurance
  6. Regence Summary of Benefits and Coverage for Dental Insurance
  7. Annual Plan Notices – CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), Medicare Creditable Coverage Notice (for Medicare eligible members)

 

Benefit Changes – Questions and Answers

  1. What will happen if I do not make any changes to my current benefits?

A:  If you don’t want to make any enrollment changes, all of your current benefit elections will automatically carry over and remain in effect.

  1. When will my changes go into effect?

A: Any changes that you make will go in to effect on January 1st 2016.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S) – HEALTH BENEFITS

  1. What do I need to do if I have other health insurance and I do not wish to continue with my health plan with Cambridge?

A: Please complete and fax the “Waiver form” and send evidence of your other medical insurance to Diane Runyan at 503-546-7588 by December 21st, 2015.

  1. When will I receive my ID cards and HSA bank information?

A:  For current enrollees, you will likely receive your new card during December, but you should continue to use your old card until January 1st

A:  For new enrollees, Regence medical ID cards and Health Savings Account debit cards will be mailed to you in January 2016.

  1. What is the cost of my benefits package? 

A:  There employee only contribution in 2016 has increased to $48 per month, and the employee and spouse, family or children contributions have all decreased versus prior years.

2016 Employee Contribution Schedule Per Month Per Pay Period
Employee Only $48.00 $24.00
Employee & Spouse $554.00 $277.00
Employee & Family $920.00 $460.00
Employee & Child(ren) $430.00 $215.00
  1. Can I make changes to my coverage after the open enrollment period?

A: After the Open Enrollment Period, you cannot make changes to your coverage during the year unless you experience a change in family status, such as:

  • Loss or gain of coverage through your spouse              – Birth or adoption of a child
  • Loss of eligibility of a covered dependent             – Marriage, divorce, or legal separation
  • Death of your covered spouse or child                           – Switch from part-time to full-time

You have 30 days from a change in family status to make changes to your current coverage.

Health Savings Account (HSA) – Questions and Answers

  1. How much does Cambridge contribute towards my Health Savings Account (HSA)?

A: Eligible employees enrolled in the Cambridge medical plan will receive employer paid HSA contributions in equal increments over a period of 24 pay periods.  These contributions are made to the employee via the HSA visa debit card, issued and administered by HealthEquity.   The Visa Debit card you receive can be used to pay out of pocket medical expenses directly to your doctor, pharmacy or other medical service provider.  In addition to Cambridge contributions, employees can also contribute to their HSA visa debit cards.

 

Cambridge Annual HSA Contributions by Benefit Package
$3,000 Employee Only
$3,000 Employee with Children
$3,000 Employee with Spouse
$3,000 Employee with Spouse AND Children

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S) – HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (HSA)

  1. What is a Health Savings Account (HSA)?

A:  A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-favored savings account created for the purpose of paying medical expenses.  Withdrawals to pay qualified medical expenses are never taxed.  Interest earnings accumulate tax-deferred, and if used to pay qualified medical expenses, are tax-free.  Most importantly, unused money in your HSA isn’t forfeited at the end of the year; it continues to grow, tax-deferred, in your name.

  1. How does a Health Savings Account (HSA) plan work?

A:  An HSA works in conjunction with high deductible health insurance.  Your HSA dollars can be used to help pay the health insurance deductible and any qualified medical expenses.  Once you meet your calendar-year deductible, the Cambridge health insurance plan pays 100% of covered expenses after the calendar-year deductible is met.

  1. What are qualified medical expenses?

A:  A qualified medical expense is one for medical care as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 213(d). The expenses must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness, including dental and vision. Most expenses for medical care will fall under IRC Section 213(d).  However, some expenses do not qualify.
A few examples are:  surgery for purely cosmetic reasons, health club dues, maternity clothes, toiletries, and cosmetics.

  1. What about non-medical withdrawls?

A:  Non-medical withdrawals from your health savings account are taxable income and typically subject to a tax penalty.

  1. Can my HSA be used for dependents not covered by health insurance?

A:  Generally, yes.  Qualified medical expenses include unreimbursed medical expenses of the accountholder, his or her spouse, or dependents

  1. How do I find out what my HSA balance is, track my claims, payments, or reimburse myself for medical expenses I paid directly?

A:  Cambridge’s HSA accounts are administered by HealthEquity.  You can access your account information online at www.healthequity.com.  The first time you go to the site, you will establish a user ID and password.  Once logged in, you can access your visa debit card account balance, employer contributions that occur each pay period, and any payments you have made with your Visa Debit card, and or make payments or request reimbursements.

 

Have Additional Questions about health benefits or HSA accounts?   Call/email Jasmine Kwatra (jkwatra@cambridgeres.com) at 503-445-2793 or Diane Runyan (drunyan@cambridgeres.com) at 503-450-0243

Freezing Temperatures and Winter Preparedness

Temperatures in the Portland metro area will be below freezing this weekend, and properties in Idaho are already experiencing temperatures in the teens and twenties. Many of our properties in Northern California will be starting to see freezing temperatures in the next week and our friends tucked away in the Sierra Nevadas are forecasting temperatures as low as 9 degrees Fahrenheit next week.

 

That’s pretty cold.

 

Even our southernmost property, who is busy enjoying temperatures in the low 80’s this weekend will be seeing their low’s dip into the thirties at night.

 

Besides being a little envious of the balmy November temperatures in Perris, I suppose you’re all wondering why any of this matters.

 

As most of us are aware, freezing temperatures wreak havoc on plumbing systems. One of the unique properties of water is that it is one of the rare substances that actually expands as it freezes. This means the pipes that supply water to each of the fixtures in our buildings are at risk of becoming cold enough that the water inside will freeze. When this happens, the pressure of the water expanding inside the pipe can have enough strength to actually burst it open.

 

When the temperature warms up a bit, the frozen water thaws, causing water to gush out of the burst part of the pipe. As much as we try to prevent this, it happens every year at one or more of our properties, but fortunately, there are things each of us can do to help prevent this.

 

Make sure all of your foundation vents are covered. Some have little flaps that you can close, others need to be covered with styrofoam inserts. Both the prefabricated inserts and sheets of styrofoam can be purchased at Home Depot.

 

Install styrofoam covers over your hose bibbs. These are also available at your local Home Depot, and are an inexpensive way to help insure against frozen pipes. It’s recommended to install these on every hose bibb, even those that are frost free.

 

Deliver “Freeze Warning” notices to each of your residents. Many of you have this in a door hanger form, but if not, you can print it out in your TenantTech program. It is form number C085, and I am also attaching a copy in this email. Delivering this form to your residents will help educate them, which in turn, will help reduce the chance of frozen pipes.

 

Turn up the heat in vacant units, not too high, but not below 55 degrees. Open up the cabinets under the kitchen and bath sinks. If the temperatures gets below freezing, leaving both the hot and cold water running at a trickle can help keep the pipes from freezing.

 

Make sure your pool pump is circulating 24 hours per day. When water is circulating in the system, it greatly reduces the chances of the water freezing. During the coldest weather, turning on your pool heater to it’s lowest setting will also keep the pipes from freezing.

 

Pipes that run along exterior walls are most vulnerable, but remember, often pipes run in the attic and under the building, too.

 

Remember, we never use ice melt products. Have a supply of sand or small pea gravel to spread on walkways when it i snows or gets icy.

 

If a resident reports an issue with the heat in their unit, it is a priority during cold weather. Make sure to address any report of a heater not working on a same day basis. It’s also a good idea to have a small quantity of radiant heaters, available at The Home Depot, to put in a unit that has a heating problem that cannot be fixed immediately.

 

Make sure your on call maintenance is mindful of the potential of this type of situation, and if you do suffer a frozen pipe, act immediately. A burst pipe can put forth water at an alarming rate, so be prepared to handle the emergency. Make sure your site has extra plumbing parts on hand, and keep the number for a plumber nearby, in case one is needed.

 

Please make sure to have all hose bibbs covers installed, freeze warnings delivered, vacant units prepared, and foundation vents covered by the end of the day tomorrow. This will help prevent any emergencies that may arise from freezing temperatures.

CRES Freeze Warning

 

Thank you, and please contact Scott Busch (sbusch@cresapts.com) if you have any questions.

Autumn Leaf Blowing

As the autumn leaves have started to drop, I wanted to remind everyone of how important it is to have your leaf blower in use on a daily basis. As a rule of thumb, you should run your blower approximately one minute for every unit on your property each week.

 

This means a 120 unit property should use a blower about two hours each week. Blow around the property entrance, around the leasing office, and marketing paths daily. You can divide the rest of your property in sections, and do one section each day, resulting in having your entire property blown once per week.

 

Remember, if you have landscaping contractors that visit on a regularly scheduled day, there is no need for the site staff to blow that day, as your landscapers should have it covered.