Electric scooters: Is the newest commuting solution bringing chaos to community associations?

Move over Uber, Lyft, and bike shares, dockless, electric scooters are the newest mode of transportation taking over cities, and controversy has already come to some community associations.

The scooters, which can go a maximum of 15 mph, provide a relatively cheap and convenient commuting solution for riders, according to the Los Angeles Times. Riders download an app, provide payment, and then use the app’s GPS to find an available scooter, which they unlock with their phone. Once riders reach their destination, they re-lock the scooter with the app. Riders are supposed to park the scooters on the side of the road or sidewalk so they don’t block vehicle or pedestrian traffic, but that’s not always the case.

In Los Angeles, where the scooters have gained a lot of traction, community associations are finding abandoned scooters within their gates, including in their driveways, on sidewalks, and near entrances, which presents a safety hazard. Some residents even describe the scooters as “sidewalk litter.”

Cities across the country have started to regulate where the scooters can be ridden (ideally, in bike lanes) and where they can be left. A Los Angeles proposal would require that the scooters and dockless bicycles be parked in the outer edge of the sidewalk and locked to something, such as a bike rack or a parking meter, according to reports.

The scooters have become such a nuisance in San Francisco and Santa Monica, Calif., that officials have been sending cease-and-desist notices and holding emergency meetings, The New York Times reports. Some cities have filed charges against the scooter companies.

Have you noticed dockless, electric scooters on your condominium or community association property? Will you consider developing rules on this new mode of transportation? Tell us in the comments below.

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BiggerPockets Podcast 291: How to Build a Business That Helps Find Deals Before Anyone Else with Neal Collins

Are you struggling with finding deals in today’s market, where the best properties go fast? On today’s show, we interview Neal Collins, an investor in the red hot Portland Oregon who has figured out a way to find deals before anyone else even sees them! Neal shares the brilliant strategy he’s created to build a world where the best deals find him. In this show, you’ll learn how Neal was able to find a 4-plex to house hacked—and how he made an additional $8-10k a month, as well as how he built a property management company and real estate brokerage (hint: he created an army of deal finders that get paid to make him money and find him deals) where he does none of the work but reaps all of the profits, and his brilliant, simple strategy for raising private money than anyone can replicate (he really hits the nail on the head with this one). If you’re looking for a solid, profitable, and step-by-step process to make money and build wealth with real estate, you won’t want to miss how Neal did just that!

Smoking Ban Goes Up In … Smoke

A failed smoking ban remains a point of contention between residents at a nearly 40-year-old condominium building in St. Paul, Minn., according to the Star Tribune.

The Gallery Tower board voted to ban smoking in the summer of 2017. The ban, which was due to go into effect this past April, was supposed to apply to units and the balconies outside them, according to reports. However, earlier this year, newly elected board members who smoke took control and voted to rescind the ban before it took effect.

A 19-year resident of the Gallery Tower, Marge Romero, felt she should be able to do what she wants within the confines of her home—and that includes smoking cigarettes.

In January, Romero and two other residents who opposed the smoking ban were elected to the board, and the following month the board voted to rescind the ban, citing it was a big overreach.

Yet that hasn’t stopped other buildings from outright bans.

“I think there has been a definite trend toward banning smoking in condominiums, and I expect that to continue,” says Matt Drewes, president of the CAI Minnesota Chapter. “Efforts at redirecting, controlling, or containing smoke has had mixed results and have often fallen short of making all parties happy, and they come at a certain expense that the owners involved may not be willing or equipped to pay.”

The fight at Gallery Tower may not be over yet. Residents like Jeff Tentinger and his wife, Robin— who spent more than $8,000 on air purifiers—were stunned people needed to vote on a smoking ban in 2018, especially given the health problems related to secondhand smoke.

States, cities, and other local governments have been moving to ban smoking in public places for years. Residents of public housing facilities in the U.S. can no longer smoke in or near the buildings in a new rule that went into effect July 31.

Many community associations have been outlawing the practice in common areas and on amenities but letting owners continue to smoke inside their units. Some condominiums are trending toward full bans, yet as the Gallery Tower situation proves, they may have a fight on their hands.

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BiggerPockets Podcast 290: 7 Paths to Financial Independence with Brandon & David PLUS Josh Dorkin Tells Us Where He’s Been!

BiggerPockets Podcast 290: 7 Paths to Financial Independence with Brandon & David PLUS Josh Dorkin Tells Us Where He’s Been!
by The BiggerPockets Podcast | BiggerPockets.com

Are you ready to get really excited about the life possible through real estate? This show will go down in BP history as one of the foundational episodes: Brandon Turner and David Greene dive deep into seven unique and powerful strategies for building a real estate business that can fill your life with cash—not work. You’ll love the humor, the stories, the lessons, and the tips throughout! This episode is one you’ll come back to time and time again. Plus — as an added bonus — Josh Dorkin comes back to the BiggerPockets Podcast to explain where he’s been and what the future of the BiggerPockets Podcast will look like! Don’t miss a moment of this powerful show!

BiggerPockets Podcast 289: Using Other People’s Money to Build Your Real Estate Empire with Matt Faircloth

Building a real estate business can be one of the best ways to achieve financial freedom. The problem for most, however, is money: There simply isn’t enough in your hands to get all the deals you want. That’s why today’s show might be the most impactful podcast episode you’ve ever heard. In today’s interview with Matt Faircloth, author of the new book Raising Private Capital, shares the steps needed to begin raising money from others to fund your real estate deals. You’ll discover the different types of private capital (and how to approach each), how Matt and his wife were able to grow from 30 units to over 300 (!) using other people’s money, and why talking about metrics to a private lender might not be a great idea at first. If you want to 10x your real estate portfolio or build your empire faster, this is one show you can’t afford to miss!

Talking ‘Bout Your Generations

Four distinct generations—matures, baby boomers, Gen Xers, and millennials—own homes in community associations and are in today’s workforce. The mix of characteristics and diverse workstyles of these generations has the potential to lead to miscommunication and discord. It’s little wonder board members and managers are looking for guidance on how to create more compatible and efficient living, governing, and working environments.

An acclaimed expert on generational differences, Cam Marston provided some of that guidance in a presentation during CAI’s 2018 Annual Conference and Exposition in May.

Marston, the author of Generational Insights, identifies clear behaviors in each demographic.

The matures (also known as the silent generation; born between 1928 and 1945) and baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), for instance, favor collaboration, teamwork, and hierarchy. They tend to arrive early, stay late, and embrace plenty of meetings.

Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1980) are independent and self-sufficient. They are also technologically adept and well-educated. Because of their independence and resourcefulness, Gen Xers believe the best way to manage people is to get out of the way and have as little contact as possible.

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) are multitaskers and comfortable with both group and individual interaction. They are generally adept at social media and prefer to text than call or email, Marston says. Like their baby boomer parents, the millennials embrace teamwork and like building relationships. However, unlike the boomers, millennials value work-life balance over career.

Marston believes the biggest leadership gap is with the Gen Xers. Their “reluctance to get involved” can get in their way of being strong, effective managers, he says. Yet they need to start getting a handle on the millennials. “As a group, the millennials are like a huge boulder barreling down hill, and the Gen Xers need to learn how to engage now to be able to guide and lead these workers in the future,” he says.

Those who want to create high-performance workplaces, whether within a management company or an association board, should learn “to recognize their own inherent workstyles as well as those of their colleagues” and then set their own workstyle aside, Marston says. Doing so demonstrates an understanding of generational differences and motives that can help people connect with each other.

Marston recommends treating colleagues at work or peers on boards as if they were people from another country or culture. Making one change in how you interact with each other could lead to better relationships. “Usually, one change creates momentum,” he says.

And before you get too comfortable with these four generations, the iGen is on its way. Individuals born after 1997 will be joining the workforce in large numbers and could become homeowners in a few years.

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