Burbank Housing Management Corporation

Burbank Housing provides a decent, affordable, and pleasant environment for residents and their guests. The philosophy is to not only provide a dwelling, but to also offer opportunities to live healthier, more fulfilling lives. Once the construction work is completed, Burbank Housing Management Corporation steps in to transform the units into homes for people. On-site managers work closely with residents to establish a sense of community pride. Through its community services program, Burbank participates with existing agencies and organizations to bring a variety of programs, services, and events to its communities. Many residents eventually transition into homeownership. The ultimate goal is to ensure those residents, neighbors, and the public-at-large see these properties as a valuable asset to the entire community.

Property Management Strategies

Burbank Housing strives to maintain the social livability of its properties through a high level of on-site management, including staff training and accountability, and clear communication to tenants of expectations for appropriate and courteous social interaction. Physical maintenance is provided through regular inspections, prompt response to emergency repair needs, and a systematic program of regular maintenance. A low level of unit vacancy is maintained by providing suitable property conditions, understanding rents in relation to the market, efficient physical turnover of units, maintenance of up to date waiting lists, establishment of an outreach and advertising policy, and staff accountability for filling vacancies. Services coordination and community enrichment efforts are maintained though the services coordination program and staff. Burbank Housing seeks to supplement resources for community services though solicitation of grant income.

Financial performance is achieved though accurate property budgeting and financial reporting, development of financial strategies for each property, and adequate staff resources to follow through on financial plans. Each property needs to maintain an adequate maintenance reserve to assure that routine maintenance and anticipated replacements can be accomplished.

Types of Housing

Family rental housing is available to all low-income people. It is intended to meet a range of incomes with various rent tiers from affordability at 30% of median income up to affordability at 60% of median income. All household sizes are served through this program with units ranging from studios to four bedrooms. This type of housing accounts for the majority of Burbank's housing production.

Acquisition and rehabilitation of existing housing is a strategy used to create, preserve and improve affordable housing. Burbank has acquired existing rental housing for a variety of reasons, including preservation of existing affordable programs in housing being sold by private investors, the creation of supportive housing for tenants with special needs, and the rehabilitation of blighted housing.

Special needs housing is available to people with disabilities and other identified groups, such as seniors and farm workers. The development of special needs housing has been driven by community priorities and by the availability of unique funding sources for this type of housing. To the extent that this housing is supportive housing where services are provided, Burbank will collaborate with another agency that provides the service component. Special needs housing can be developed as a separate project or integrated into larger rental developments.

Property Management Staff

Director of Property Management: Responsible for all aspects of property management operation with an emphasis on financial performance. Supervision of regional property management staff, assists the executive director in administration, development and implementation of Burbank's policy and procedure.

Assistant to Director of Property Management: Responsible for assisting the Director of Property Management in all aspects of property management operations with an emphasis on compliance, maintenance, and occupancy.

Community Services Coordinator: Primarily responsible for ensuring residents receive services as required by various funding or regulatory agreements entered into by Burbank Housing. Responsibilities include assessing community needs and coordinating and implementing supportive service programs with other community resources.

iCAM Support Manager: Primarily responsible for ensuring that resident managers and assistant resident managers are receiving computer and software support, training on iCAM and ACCUCert software data entry and processing, and for maintaining the iCAM and ACCUCert policy and procedures manual.

Compliance Specialist: Responsible for ensuring that resident files are consistent with company file audit policy. Reviews, corrects, and makes clarifications to resident files. Assists on-site staff with proper certification processing, proper record retention, and reconciling compliance files with main office records.

Maintenance/Rehab Construction Manager: Responsible for devising and implementing any measures necessary to maintain properties to the standard established by Burbank Housing.

Maintenance Operations Manager: Responsible for providing assistance to the regional property manager with maintenance of the properties, including interaction with resident managers and maintenance staff in prioritizing maintenance issues.

Maintenance Field Staff: Responsible for completing work orders received by the resident manager and oversight of the daily maintenance of assigned properties.

Regional Property Manager: Responsible for supervising the daily operations of properties owned or operated by Burbank Housing and independent third party contracts, working within approved budgets, and reducing vacancy loss.

Resident Manager; Assistant Resident Manager: Responsible for oversight of daily operations of assigned properties. Reviews applications for potential tenants, leases apartments, collects rents and deposits, coordinates maintenance of property, prepares necessary reports, supervises on-site staff, investigates and resolves tenant complaints.

Wells Family

Several years ago, Leonard and Josephine Wells found their lives turned upside down when their son, Joseph, experienced a series of medical problems that required hospitalization and frequent travel to San Francisco. When their focus on Joseph’s recovery finally cost them their jobs, they became homeless as well. They tried not to lose hope.

Staying with family members was difficult with a sick child, so Leonard and Josephine applied for an apartment at Jay’s Place. When their acceptance arrived, they both wept for joy. The affordable rent helped stabilize their lives and put them on the road to becoming self-sufficient.

During their tenancy at Jay’s Place, the Well’s family worked hard, never losing their focus. Through the loss of Josephine’s mother and Joseph’s illness, which prevented him from interacting with other children, they continued to build a better life. Josephine became a Key Tenant and began to learn about property management.

Today, as Leonard and Josephine approach their six-year wedding anniversary, they feel their marriage has been strengthened by the past. Leonard enjoys his job as a bus driver, and Josephine recently began a new job as property manager for Burbank Housing. Joseph, who is now able to play with his friends, will begin kindergarten in a few months. Leonard explains, “All there is to do now is go forward!”

James Lowe

Disabled and on a fixed income, James Lowe was on the verge of homelessness after his landlord raised his rent beyond the reach of his budget. Now James and his wife have a clean, beautiful, comfortable and affordable home at Grosman Apartments in Santa Rosa.