Mission and Goal statement for Linn-Benton Rental Housing Association

The Linn-Benton Rental Housing Association (LBRHA) is the Linn-Benton Chapter of the Oregon Rental Housing Association and serves as a membership organization for landlords and property managers in the Linn-Benton County area of Oregon.

The purpose of this organization includes:

1. On-going education of current trends in the industry.
2. Evaluating, amending and lobbying for legislation affecting the rental industry.
3. Information sharing between members on current trends in the present marketplace.
4. Networking with other members regarding methods of management, recordkeeping, maintenance, screening, marketing, and advertising.
5. Provide updated rental forms to membership.
6. Establishing ethics guidelines for our membership.
7. Striving to raise the level of professionalism in the rental industry.

Goals of the organization are to be well informed about the overall rental industry, grow in membership and organize to a level of exerting influence on local and state regulating agencies in favor of the overall good of the rental industry.  Internally help local members follow good business practices and abide by the law so as to raise the standards and ethics in the rental industry.

Membership Benefits

1. Availability of current Oregon rental forms under Landlord-Tenant Law and Landlord Tenant Law book revised after each legislative session.
   1. Forms available on-line at discounted member rates.
2. Availability of regular information meetings and programs.
3. Discounts for professional and education seminars.
4. Monthly membership meeting are held to handle any business interest of the membership and to focus on a special topic of interest presented by invited speakers on some particular facet of the rental industry.
5. Local newsletters with pertinent landlord information.
6. Provide member helpline and mentors.
7. Legislative support by a professional lobbyist representing all Chapters in Oregon State Legislature and a local legislative committee.
8. Encourage landlords, property managers and owners of rental housing to work together for the common good.
9. LBRHA, Inc. is a member of the state organization, Oregon Rental Housing Association, Inc (ORHA).
10. ORHA, Inc. employs a professional lobbyist to represent the Associations’ interests in the Oregon State Legislature.

YOUR MEMBERSHIP SUPPORTS THE RENTAL HOUSING INDUSTRY!

CODE OF ETHICS

As members of the Linn-Benton Rental Housing Association, we recognize the established principles of the free enterprise system of good business practices.

As members we pledge:

1. To uphold all current federal and state landlord/tenant laws.
2. To strive to improve our knowledge in the ways and means of providing professional service to the renting public.
3. To promote high standard of integrity in dealing with the renting public, members of our Association, and the business community serving our industry.
4. To maintain and operate rental units those are a credit to their neighborhood.
5. To promote advertising that is truthful and appropriate.

In the best interests of the Association, each member agrees to adhere to the By-Laws and Code of Ethics.

Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of this association shall be the Linn-Benton Rental Housing Association, Inc. (LBRHA)

Article II: Membership, Qualifications, Fees, and Dues.

Section 1: Classes

1. Active Membership shall include individuals who own, operate, or act as a residential agent for the owners of residential properties, including apartment complexes, multi-plex units, and single family dwellings.
2. Associate Membership shall include any person, firm, or organization that serves, supplies, or supplements services to the rental industry or is interested in the industry.

Section 2: Qualifications for Membership

1. Membership dues, fees and qualifications shall be reviewed on an annual basis by the Board of Directors.
2. Any member who fails to pay dues or fees within sixty (60) days of the time they are due and payable shall be automatically dropped from membership.
3. Membership meetings are open to Active and Associate members and those interested in becoming members.
   
4. Commitment and adherence to the Association Code of Ethics.
5. A former member who was not disqualified due to Ethics violations may be reinstated by becoming current in their dues and fees.
6. A former member disqualified due to Ethics violation who wants to be reinstated must submit a written request for reinstatement with a plan for meeting the Ethics criteria in the future and meet those criteria. This plan will be submitted to the Board of Directors for review and determination of reinstatement. The individual may be asked to meet with the Board to discuss the application for reinstatement.

Section 3: Applications for membership will be available on request. Completed applications must be accompanied by advance payment of required dues to qualify for membership.

Article III: Voting Eligibility

Section 1: Active Members may vote for officers, on proposed changes to the Articles of the Incorporation and By-Laws.

Section 2: Associate Members shall not be eligible to such rights and privileges nor to hold office.

Article IV: Executive Officers and Board of Directors and ORHA Delegates.

Section 1: Active Members in good standing for a minimum of one year shall be eligible to be nominated and elected to an office other Board of Director positions and the ORHA Delegate.

Section 2: Executive Officers.

1. The Executive officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Board of Directors.
2. These officers shall be nominated in April, elected from the general membership at the regularly scheduled meeting in May, and take office in June.

Section 3: Terms of office

1. The officers will serve for a term of two years.
2. The officers’ terms will start on July 1 and end the second year on June 30.
3. Officers appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the balance of the term for which his/her predecessor was elected.

Section 4: The President will preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors.

1. The President shall be the chief elected officer of the Association, shall have power to call special meetings and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
2. The President may, with the approval of the Board, appoint additional members to the Board of Directors with terms to expire at the next election.
3. The President shall be a member of the Board for two full years subsequent to his/her term of office.

Section 5

1. The Vice President shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President.
2. In the event of permanent absence of the President or as directed by the President, the Vice President shall perform all the duties of the President.

Section 6: The secretary shall maintain the records of the Association.

1. The Secretary shall record or cause to be recorded all minutes of the meetings. Keep accurate records of same, be the custodian of the Association minutes.
2. The Secretary shall record attendance at membership and Board meetings.
3. The Secretary shall maintain the regular correspondence of the Association.
4. The Secretary shall perform other duties as may be required by the President and the Directors.

Section 7: The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds belonging to the Association.

1. The Treasurer shall see that the full and accurate records for the Association are kept and maintained and presented quarterly to the membership.
2. The Treasurer shall be responsible to keep accurate records of membership, review meeting attendance, and encourage membership.
3. Before entering the duties of the office, the treasurer shall, upon the request of the Association, provide a fidelity bond to the Association, the premium to be paid by the Association.
4. The Treasurer shall pay all bills in a timely fashion so as to avoid extra costs for the Association and to verify that all bills are accurate.
5. The Treasurer shall do appropriate research to make sure expenses are within guidelines requested by the Board.
6. The Treasurer shall pay dues to ORHA and submit current membership address lists to ORHA.

Section 8: ORHA Delegates

1. The Delegates will attend membership and board meetings.
2. They will represent the local chapter at the ORHA meetings and report back to LBRHA.
3. They need to vote in a way that would support the interests of the local association.

Section 9: The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of the Association.

1. Composition of Board of Directors
   1. The Board will be comprised of the Executive Officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer), the two ORHA delegates, the past president and the chairs of the sitting committees.
2. Board Duties
   1. The Board shall make recommendations and reports to the general membership of the Association.
   2. The Board shall have direct control of all the affairs of the Association.
   3. The Board shall fill vacancies of any elected officer or director who may have resigned or is unable to function.

Section 10: Suspension from office

1. Any officer may be suspended or removed from office by two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors after reasonable notice and hearing.

Article V: Sitting Committees

Section 1: All committee are to be appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors

Section 2: Committees are

1. Legislative Action
   1. Duties
      1. Constantly review and evaluate state and local regulations affecting landlords with the objective of making improved changes locally over time.
      2. Alert other chapters of ORHA of issues and situations to avoid in their localities.
      3. Provide updated information to the ORHA Legislative Director and Lobbyist regarding changes LBRHA local would like to implement.
2. Newsletter
   1. Duties
      1. Publish monthly.
      2. Provide article to the editor for inclusion.
      3. List upcoming meetings, trainings, and events.
3. Membership
   1. Duties
      1. Encourage membership in the local and state organizations.
      2. Provide information on signing up for membership.

Section 3: Ad hoc committees or task forces may be set up on a temporary basis as needed by the Board to deal with short term issues.

Article VI: Annual Year

Section 1: The Annual Year of the Association is from July 1 to June 30.

Article VII: Election of Officers

Section 1: Nomination Committee

1. Not less than 30 days before the April meeting of the Association, the President shall appoint a nominating committee selected from the membership.
2. The committee shall present their nominations at the regularly scheduled meeting in April.
3. Individuals interested in serving may submit their names to the committee by the end of the April meeting.

Section 2: Nominations for any office may be made from the floor at the nomination meeting in April. Consent from the person nominated is required.

Section 3: Elections will be held by sending ballots to all members with the May newsletter.

1. Elections will be done by secret ballot.
2. Write-ins will not be counted except when nominated from the floor.
3. To be valid, a ballot must be returned by the end of the May Meeting, or if returned by mail, be postmarked by that date.

Article VIII: Amendments

1. By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the membership by a majority of those present, providing a thirty-day (30) notice of the amendment change as been provided to members.
2. Emergency amendments may be made by the Board of Directors with two-thirds vote to deal with pressing issues. At the next regularly scheduled membership meeting, the emergency amendment will be presented and go through the regular By-law amendment process.
3. Special meetings for the purpose of amending By-Laws may be called by the President at the request of a member.

Article IX: Meetings

Section 1: Regular membership meetings shall be held monthly unless the Board decides to cancel.

Section 2: Fifty percent of the Board of Directors present shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Board. Unless otherwise specified in these By-Laws, a simple majority vote of the Directors present shall decide an issue, provided a quorum is present at the meetings.

Section 3: Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or upon the request in writing of a majority of the Directors.

Section 4: Standing Committees will maintain a regularly scheduled meeting tied to their associated duties.

Article X: Expenses

Section 1: Officers, Board Members, and Members doing approved Association business will be reimbursed using the guidelines below.

Section 2: Reimbursement guidelines

1. Receipt for the expenditure must accompany all requests for reimbursement. In the event of a lost receipt, a written statement of the expenditure and any other available proof of the expenditure must be submitted. It is understood that reimbursement in these cases may be denied by the board.
2. The expenditure must be approved by the president.
3. If expenses are considered excessive or unnecessary, the president may request that expense receipt be accompanied by a written justification statement.
4. It is expected that members will work to keep cost to a minimum.

Section 3: Travel expenses

1. If a member must travel to do LBRHA business, travel expenses may be covered.
2. If the member is reimbursed by another entity, such as the ORHA, the LBRHA reimbursement will be reduced by that amount.
3. Travel expenses may include lodging, meals and mileage at the current IRS rate.
4. Carpooling is encouraged.

Article XI: Rules of Order

Roberts Rules of Order, latest edition, shall govern all meetings of the Association in all cases where applicable and shall not be inconsistent with the Articles or By-laws of the Association.

Article XII: Dissolution

Section 1: Upon the dissolution of the Association, the Board of Directors, after providing payment of all obligations, shall distribute the remaining assets to the Oregon Rental Housing Association (ORHA) and LBRHA members of ORHA.

Section 2: If ORHA dissolves, a special task force, appointed by the LBRHA President, will be formed to advise the LBRHA Board and membership on a recommended course of action and the plan for distribution of assets.