Todays Rental News » Environmental

Who, who let the (drug sniffing) dogs in

Tim Ballering — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:40:10 +0000

Bobby Jardine, the owner of the apartment complexes at 260 and 280 N. Commerce Avenue, said Friday he plans to allow the city to bring drug-sniffing dogs through the halls of his buildings.

Jardine said his seeming reluctance to warm up to the idea stemmed from a combination of wanting to talk to his attorney and to keep his doors from getting “busted down” by police.“I don’t condone criminal activity at anytime,” he said. “We are all working together, and we are more so than seems to be conveyed.”

via Waynesboro News Virginian.

The 203k Is the ‘Green Mortgage’

Tim Ballering — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:22:37 +0000

The great news is that one of the most important keys to successfully greening America’s current stock of housing can be found in using the 203k loan, and along with it, the Energy Efficient Mortgage. The 203k really is the “Green Mortgage” since it offers a practical, cost-effective solution to providing funds for these improvements.

via RISMedia.

Concerns about mold in flood-damaged homes

Tim Ballering — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:49:28 +0000

“Once mold forms, they'll have to be razed,” Murphy told the Common Council. “If we don't take corrective steps immediately, we have hundreds of properties that could be razed,” taking millions of dollars in property value off the tax rolls, “and you and I will be stuck with the razing costs.”

Murphy said Mayor Tom Barrett's office had ordered city administrators to send the inspection message, at Murphy's request. Last week, Murphy said, he pressed the same point with representatives of the three major banks that together own about one-third of the foreclosed properties in the city.

via JSOnline.

How “Green” Is your property management?

Tim Ballering — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:49:12 +0000

The next time you’re searching for a rental property, throw out this question to your potential landlord and gauge their reaction: “What are your green credentials?”

via Ask Your Landlord About Their Green Property Management Credentials.

Broken Thermostat Brings in Hazmat Team

Tim Ballering — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:26:29 +0000

A Clarksville woman contacted WAVE 3 for help after her daughter accidentally broke a thermostat containing mercury in their apartment. Environmental clean-up crews spent the day, trying to lower the levels of mercury, but the landlord has already started eviction proceedings against the tenant.

Crystal Green says her daughter knocked caused a thermostat to break when she moved a couch. The mercury spilled out onto the floor. Green says she tried to vacuum up the mess, but Clark County health officials say that was the worst thing she could have done in the situation. They say the vacuum caused the mercury to vaporize and spread throughout the apartment.

via WAVE 3 – Louisville, KY.

Smoking Ban May Now Include Your Apartment

Tim Ballering — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:31:51 +0000

Some city landlords have begun prohibiting tenants from smoking inside their apartments, because of the dangers of second-hand smoke.

via Gothamist.

Supreme Court on … Property Rights and Hot Dog Sellers?

Tim Ballering — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:41:45 +0000

WASHINGTON — If you are the owner of beachfront property and the state comes along and widens the beach, do you own the new land or does the state?

“You could have televised spring-break parties in front of somebody’s house,” said Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., arguing that property values were not the only thing at stake in a case the Supreme Court heard Wednesday.In an argument studded with references to spring break, amusement parks and hot dog vendors, the Supreme Court on Wednesday struggled with that issue.

via NYTimes.com.

[HT: Attorney Tristan Pettit]

Landlord on hook for tenant who thinks recycling is rubbish?

Tim Ballering — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:13:54 +0000

I just received a letter from the city saying that I was being fined for “Recyc in Rubbish.”

via Philly

Eco-drywall made of recycled materials

Tim Ballering — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:08:49 +0000

EcoRock, a new drywall material that’s made of 80 percent recycled materials.

via Springwise.

Benefits of Brownfield cleanups

Tim Ballering — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:05:32 +0000

“Brownfield cleanups create jobs,” Jackson said, citing $110 million in federal money available for environmental remediation job training. “Doing right by the environment is doing right by the economy. Once that process of cleaning up sites is complete, the sites themselves go to work.”

via NOLA.