Legislation Matters: Sexual Orientation May Become a Protected Class in Ohio
If a proposed house bill passes, sexual orientation may join military status and ancestry as a protected class in Ohio. Read all about it here.
Association Leader Training that
Really Builds Your Group...
OREIA's annual association leader training has become famous nationwide for being intense, implementable, no-B.S. time for you and your board or staff to learn to build a bigger, better group.
This year, the topic is "How to Get Butts in Seats", and it's all about how to fill ALL of your meetings for more excitement, membership, sales, and satisfaction for you.
It's just $39 per person when you register by August 10th, and it's open to group leaders from all over the U.S. Get more info and register here
FINALLY, Seller Financing Could Get Easier...
Since 2014, OREIA has been working with the Seller Finance Coalition to support an amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act that would make it easier for Ohioans to legally offer seller financing to home owners. That bill has finally been introduced, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET IT PASSED. Read all about it here.
"Point of Sale" Inspections are
Unconstitutional in Ohio
OREIA continues to work on behalf of the rights of all Ohio property owners, and today is proud to announce a major step toward ending unconstitutional inspections for all Ohioans.
1851 Center for Constitutional Law, in partnership with OREIA, moved in Federal Court to enjoin Ohio cities from enforcing "pre-sale" and "point of sale" inspections. Read all about it here: https://oreia.com/Page.aspx?ID=Legislative-Updates.
Support OREIA's ongoing legislative, legal, and educational activities by joining HERE
Legislation Matters.
Ohio continues to push fair housing changes, nuisance property bills, and now, smoke detector bills. Read all about them HERE.
Watch the Webinar About
the Federal Court Decisions
Regarding Mandatory Inspections
(and what our next step are)
Here's the link you've been waiting for:
Federal Court Agrees:
Mandatory Rental Inspections
are Unconstitutional!
In a precedent-setting win for personal freedom and for landlords, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has found mandatory rental inspections unconstitutional under the 4th amendment.
In Baker v. the City of Portsmouth, the court ruled that:
"the Court finds that the Portsmouth [Ohio Rental Dwelling Code] violates the Fourth Amendment insofar as it authorizes warrantless administrative inspections. It is undisputed that the RDC affords no warrant procedure or other mechanism for precompliance review. As in the above cases, the owners and/or tenants of rental properties in Portsmouth are thus faced with the choice of consenting to the warrantless inspection or facing criminal charges, a result the Supreme Court has expressly disavowed under the Fourth Amendment"
The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law (www.OhioConstitution.org, an OREIA-supported public interest law firm), filed the case on behalf of several Portsmouth landlords who claimed that their constitutional rights, and those of their tenants, were being violated by "mandatory rental inspections" forced upon owners and occupants of rentals by the city.
The court also ruled that the City of Portsmouth is not entitled to sovereign immunity against restitution in this case--in other words, that landlords who paid the fees for these unconstitutional inspections are entitled to seek, and get, refunds for what they paid.
This decision is an extraordinary win for Ohio landlords, and, OREIA hopes, the beginning of the end of intrusive, unjust, and unconstitutional rental inspections throughout United States.
Read the entire ruling here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/283272619/035-Order-on-MSJ#scribd
OREIA will keep members and member associations informed as more information about this case become available.
Action Alert:
New "Meth Lab Remediation Bill"
is Unfair, Could Cost You BIG
Senate Bill 113, the "Meth Lab Remediation Bill", puts the cost of remediating meth labs squarely on the backs of landlords--who are VICTIMS, not PERPETRATORS. Click HERE to find out how to stop this bill--5 minutes of your time could stop this costly and unfair legislation!
Update on the "Helen Gryboski
Fairness in Fair Housing Act"
The 2015 Ohio Legislature is in full swing now, and with it, The Helen Grybosky Fairness and Fair Housing Act is back on the table as Senate Bill 134.
OREIA members from across the state join Sen. Seitz in supporting legislation that maintains prosecution of legitimate discrimination claims but also protects property owners from paying outrageous fines and expensive attorney fees in cases that are blatantly unfair.
No American should be denied housing because of his or her membership in a protected class. At the same time, the fair housing system must be fair to all, including those who expend enormous amounts of time, energy, and money providing the housing. Under current Ohio law, the system is unfair. That’s why OREIA supports SB 134; it is a law that brings some sanity back to Ohio’s fair housing system.
You can read a summary of the bill and track changes here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA131-SB-134
Opponents of this bill, which brings Ohio law closer to Federal fair housing law and removes some of the incentives for Fair Housing Organizations to "bounty hunt", have flooded the press with incorrect propaganda about what the law actually does. To join other Ohio Housing Providers in support of SB 134, get a free account by registering on this site, and we'll let you know who to contact in support and when.
OREIA's Spring Training
For Group Leaders and Staff
Will Change Your Group for the
Better in One Short Weekend, Guaranteed
It's the hard-core, no-fluff information you've been craving about the best practices of the the most successful groups in the country. You'll learn to grow your group, make more money from your vendors, put more butts in the seats, and more from leaders who are actually DOING IT...and it's just $129 for the first director from your organization and $29 for each additional director when you register now. All the info, a full agenda, and registration details are HERE!
OREIA's New Legislative Director
Suggests 2015 Priorities for
Associations, Investors in Ohio
In late October, Dan Acton, a member of Butler County Investment Property Owner's Association (IPOA) and experienced real estate investor, was hired on as OREIA's new legislative director. Dan continues to work with OREIA's lobbyist, Governmental Policy Group, and to set and work on legislative goals for OREIA and its local associations.
The 2015 plan for OREIA's legislative activities includes: (continue reading here: //oreia.com/Page.aspx?ID=Legislative-Updates)
Let's Get Political...
OREIA presents "How to Be an Effective Grassroots Voice for Your Industry"
September 6th, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
Tired of being the victim of anti-landlord, anti-flipping, anti-business fees, laws, and taxes? Ready to DO SOMETHING about it?
On September 6th in Columbus, you have the chance to turn that frustration into action in this all-day workshop about how to work with other real estate entrepreneurs to influence government and regulatory policy BEFORE it drops on your business like an anvil. You’ll be trained by professionals about:
- Why real estate investors and landlords are the whipping boys of cities and states everywhere, and how we can put a stop to it
- Why the WORST time to try to stop anti-business laws in right before they’re voted on—and when the most effective time to nip them in the bud is
- Where these laws are really coming from, and how to influence these groups
- Simple things you can do to make sure you have the ears of your elected officials, and that your opinion gets taken seriously
- What to say when the media asks for your opinion about a proposed or new law or regulation—and how to GET them to ask your opinion in the first place
- How to comfortably testify before committees, meet with elected officials, and stand up for your business (even when you don’t think you’re “the expert”)
- What you should absolutely NEVER say to politicos and bureaucrats, if you want them to take you seriously
You'll Find Out EXACTLY
How to Positively Influence the
Political Environment for Your Business--
And it's just $19 per person (lunch is included)
If you're tired of feeling helpless in the face of bad laws, join us on September 6th. This event is open to ALL real estate investors, housing providers, entrepreneurs, and group leaders...and you can register here or by calling (513) 471-5008 before September 3rd
OREIA & Seller Finance Coalition SFC Unite To Change Dodd-Frank Eddie Speed Vena Jones-Cox Matt Keelen from Vena Jones-Cox on Vimeo.