The regular monthly meeting of the Southcentral Independent Rental Owners Association Wednesday provided real insight into the concerns and challenges of rental property owners in Boyle, Garrard, Mercer and Lincoln counties.
Local businesswoman Elley Miller, co-owner of the residential and commercial cleaning company, “A Breath of Fresh Air,” organized the ad-hoc independent organization about five years ago to address the needs of members who benefit from sharing information not only on laws and proposed legislation that might impact their industry, but also to recommend for — or against — service providers, vendors and even renters.
“We have a mission statement to foster the growth of local property owners in order to provide a better experience for renters,” Miller said.
She said one of the primary functions of the group is to protect owners from loss associated with renters with less than pristine motives. “Before we started meeting, we kept passing drug dealers back and forth,” she said.
The group met at Mallards and heard about proposed upgrades to their website that soon would allow the general public to log on and search for available properties. Other changes would be to allow owners to access and update databases. The upgrades, Miller said, necessitated the yearly member dues to increase $25, for a $125 yearly membership fee.
“What we have now does not work for what we need,” she said.
The updated site also will have rental applications and lease agreements available to members as well as applications to join the group.
The Harrodsburg Herald’s General Manager April Ellis attended to inform the group her paper will now carry Mercer County eviction orders, “It is public information, available to anyone,” she said.
The group has been lobbying local papers to carry the notices as the information will be useful in qualifying applicants.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for noon April 16 at Mallards. Kentucky State Representative Mike Harmon is scheduled to attend the meeting to discuss the rising threat of bedbugs and what, if any, protections or remedies may be forthcoming from Frankfort.
Other topics in the coming months include using social networking to market properties, updates on drug actions from local sheriff’s departments and the fastest way to evict tenants.
Potential new members are invited to call (859) 936-2020 for more information or to attend any meeting.
