All Are Welcome To Join The
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EPOA
HBC
Dear Property Owners and Managers:
As an owner or manager of rental property in Evanston you probably just completed the task of paying interest on security deposits. We hope you paid the interest required by the Evanston Landlord Tenant Ordinance. We hope you paid 0.83% and not the old rate of 5.0%. Did you know that the rate had changed? Do you know who lobbied to change the Evanston Landlord Tenant Ordinance to reduce the rate of interest you pay on security deposits?
Did you know that in the past three years the City of Evanston has brought forward proposals including licensing landlords and mandating the acceptance of the Section 8 program? Did you know that there is a group of landlords in Evanston who have organized themselves to keep tabs on these proposals and lobby against any proposal that is detrimental to property ownership rights?
That organization is the Evanston Property Owners Association. Formed almost 20 years ago, the E.P.O.A. has worked diligently to make sure the aldermen and other City of Evanston Officials are aware of the consequences of these and other proposals to restrict the rights of property owners. E.P.O.A. has relied on volunteers to watch over the many committees and departments within the City of Evanston so that these proposals do not move forward without consideration of the property owner’s point of view.
Unfortunately it has become increasingly more difficult to monitor these proposals. Just when we think we have convinced a committee or the City Council not to move forward, the proposal gets put back on a committee agenda. Licensing landlords was discussed a couple of years ago and tabled. Now it is back on the agenda. Mandating acceptance of Section 8 vouchers was defeated at the committee level last winter and now it is on the Cook County Board’s agenda. We need your help to keep up with the pace of these proposals.
You can help in three ways. First we need you to join E.P.O.A. so we can create a database of property owners and managers to call upon to write a letter, send an e-mail, or call an elected official to present our position to protect rights of property owners. As our membership grows our voice will carry more strength when working with the City, County and State. Second, we need you to let us know when you hear about proposals affecting your rights. We have always relied on our members to tell us about new proposals so we can distribute the information to our entire membership. Third, we need your financial support to give E.P.O.A. the resources to keep up with the issues. Communication is important and at times expensive. E-mail and the Internet are helpful if you have the tools to make them effective.
We have created a partnership with the local Realtor Association to help us manage our organization. The North Shore Barrington Association of Realtors has agreed to manage the E.P.O.A. This will give us the ability to create a website that will maintain our membership database. They will distribute our quarterly Newsletters via e-mail and set up an electronic bulletin board where members can exchange information on legislative issues, share contractor recommendations, and allow members to share ideas in the arena of renting and owning property. Members will have access to contract forms such as rental agreements, lead paint lease riders, and sales contracts. Members will be able to participate in educational courses offered on continuing education, financing, and other aspects of property ownership. Members will be able to take advantage of technology updates on programs and processes to help streamline business operations.
Memberships are available between $30.00 per year (own & manage two-or-fewer units), and $60.00 per year (own & manage three-to-ten units). Communications are sent electronically via email. Membership for those owning & managing eleven or more units, or for those requiring USPS mailed notices and newsletters, is $100.00 per year. Those owning two or less units yet requiring USPS mailed information will pay $80.00 per year for membership.
To join, complete the online membership data form. Members have the opportunity to pay dues online by credit card. Membership begins as soon as the completed form is submitted and payment received. Those wishing to complete the membership application through USPS mail must call Terry Penza at 847-480-7177 and the membership form will be either faxed or mailed to them.
If you hold security deposits on your apartments located in Evanston totaling $1,200.00 or more, E.P.O.A.’s work to reduce the interest rate on security deposits has already saved you more than the cost of your membership. If we are going to continue to protect your property rights, we need your help. Please join today.
We will be sending out our next newsletter in January and we will have updates legislative proposals including the licensing of landlords in Evanston and the Section 8 mandate introduced at the Cook County Board. If these or other issues heat up before our next newsletter, we will be sending out a “Call To Action” request asking you to contact your Alderman or County Board Member to voice your concerns. We will give you talking points to help present a comprehensive and unified message on each issue.
With your support and your membership we can continue to be a voice for property owners. You can’t afford to own rental property in Evanston and not be a member of E.P.O.A. Protect your investment by joining the Evanston Property Owners Association.
Mission Statement: The mission of the EPOA is to Serve, Educate and Advocate on matters related to real property ownership and management in Evanston, Illinois.
Vision: EPOA is the ultimate resource for Evanston property owners, managers and contractors who collectively serve our “Jewel of the North Shore,” Evanston, Illinois.
Organizational Structure and History.
The EPOA is a 501.c.6 not-for-profit community service organization that is registered and operating in only the State of Illinois.
Circa 1970, the EPOA was started by a group of leading professional property owners and managers, principally George Cyrus in the early 1970’s and followed by James Matykiewic in the mid-1970’s to the early 1990’s.
In the main organizational raison d’etre has not changed in the ~35-year history of the EPOA: to Serve, Educate and Advocate (also advise and assist) Evanston civil servants and elected City Council representatives in the critically important development of prudent long-term public policies and programs (including containment of property tax growth), that affect the Evanston community in general and the business climate in particular.
As the EPOA has grown and evolved through the years, it developed the important secondary mission of fostering responsible and professional standards of business conduct for EPOA members.
Also, informal strategic alliances have been formed with a number of “sister organizations,” including the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and the North Shore and Barrington Association of Realtors.
Valuable EPOA Membership Benefits and Responsibilities.
EPOA Member Responsibilities.
Free informative EPOA Newsletters and other “flash” notices. In exchange for their EPOA membership benefits and privileges, each member is asked to recruit two new members each year, charged with complying with all State and Evanston laws and ethical business practices.
Evanston Property Owners Association (EPOA)
Membership Registration Form
Each new member should mail this completed form with check payable to “Evanston Property Owners Association.” Mail to: EPOA; 1732 Orrington Ave.; Evanston, IL 60201.
Available online at: http://www.epoa.net/epoApplication.asp
Applicant’s Name (printed legibly please): ___________________________________________.
How did you learn about the EPOA? ______________________________________________.
(e.g., please name referring or sponsoring EPOA member to receive “thank you” note)
Company Name (if applicable): ____________________________________________________.
Mailing Address: _______________________________________________________________.
City: _______________________. State: ___________________. Zip: ____________________.
Email Address* (printed VERY LEGIBLY): ___________________________________________.
*Note: Email is generally the only communication means used in EPOA.
Work #: ___________________.Fax: ____________________. Home Phone: ______________.
Please fill in below data for property in Evanston, and only in Evanston:
Type of Number of Number of Number of Non-owned Units
Property Properties By Type Units Owned Managed By Applicant
Single Family Home ______ ______ ______
Townhome ______ ______ ______
Condominium ______ ______ ______
Apartment Building ______ ______ ______
Office Building ______ ______ ______
Warehouse ______ ______ ______
TOTALS: ______ ______ ______
2005 Annual Membership Fees Schedule ($30, $60 or $100 for all others)
Regular Standing Annual Membership Rates (with rolling one-year membership
period that begins on date of registration and extends 12-months later;
a) $30, own & manage two-or-fewer units who only receive EPOA email communications;
b) $60, own & manage three-to-ten units who only receive EPOA email communications;
c) $100 for all others, which includes eleven-or-more units and all other members without working email and who require both phone notices (to attend City P&D meetings) and USPS mailed notices and newsletters.
Important EPOA Indemnification.
By submitting this signed Membership Registration and Agreement form to the EPOA, Applicant hereby agrees to the following:
a) voluntarily discloses all of the above personal contact information and property portfolio data;
b) consents to disclosure of this information and data to EPOA members, members of North Shore Barrington Association of Realtors (NSBAR) members, & potentially the public; and
c) consents to receive EPOA, NSBAR and affiliates communiqués by email, fax and USPS.
Signatue: X___________________________________ Date: ______________.
Check #: ___________. Check Amount: ____________________.