Dear REACH Members and Participants,

I’m a couple of weeks late, but Happy New Year to all of you - I hope that 2008 will be your best yet!

We are receiving lots of registrations for our classes scheduled this first quarter of 2008.  Thank you for your interest and the positive response.  Because REACH membership and class attendance is increasing we need to “fine tune” our registration process.  REACH members have priority over nonmembers when registering for a class, however, we have found that we need to define a time frame to let nonmembers know when their registrations can be accepted.  Nonmembers may send in their registrations at any time, however, the registration will not be finalized nor invoiced until one week prior to the class date.  If there is adequate space, one week before the class we will confirm with nonmembers that they are in the class and an invoice will be sent at that time.  If members haven’t registered one week prior to the class, their registrations will be processed on a first come first serve basis along with the nonmembers.   Also, please note that REACH has increased the class fee for nonmembers to $50 per partial day class (four hours or less) and $75 for a full day class (over four hours).  The membership fee was not increased and remains at $7.50 per unit per year.

The Quadel Three Day Manager Certification Workshop for Section 8 property staff has been scheduled for May 13^th – 15^th at the CHFA office in Denver.  The first two days consist of instruction on the HUD Handbook 4350.3 and the third day is a thorough review and the examination.  The successful completion of this class and examination will result in receiving the Quadel Assisted Housing Manager certification and your name will be added to the online Quadel certification register.  The regular class fee is $625 and the class is usually not offered in Denver.  CHFA is happy to be able to offer the class again at the same low fee as last year - $250 for members and $400 for nonmembers.  REACH members will be given priority until April 20^th.  I’ve attached the registration form to this email.  If you would like your name added to the nonmember waiting list, email me at kblack@chfainfo.com, or if you have any questions, please call me at 303.297.7394.

We have three classes remaining in January, and there is currently space available in all three classes:

Customer Service Essentials

In today’s fast-paced and complex work environments, customer service expectations have changed dramatically for both affordable and conventional properties.  Did you know that on the average it costs seven times more to get a new resident than it does to keep an existing resident?  Providing excellent experiences to our customers requires new skills and understanding.  When the interaction of all activities and events are positive, we become priceless!  In this workshop we’ll explore what it takes to create priceless experiences for those you work with and serve.  Our instructor has a varied background in the marketing field and has served as the Membership/Marketing Director for the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce.  Discover and reinforce essential customer service skills that help you manage various situations and meet the expectations of others.  Make both your internal and external customer service priceless!

            Date:   Thursday, January 24^th

            Time:  Registration: 8:45 a.m.   Class: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

            Location:  CHFA, 348 Main Street, Grand Junction     

            Instructor:  Sheri Fisher, Marketing Consultant and Life Coach

            Who should come:  Owners, managers, office staff and maintenance staff of all   property types

Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite

Most people born after World War II never understood what their grandparents meant when they said, “Sleep Tight and Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite”.   However, in recent years the incidence of bedbug complaints in developed countries has increased 500% according to the National Pest Management Association.   Find out what is myth and what is fact. Learn how to identify bedbugs, sources, and why they are such a growing problem.  Practical non-chemical methods of control will be presented, as well as chemical treatments.  An attorney will also be present to answer questions on owner/management liability issues.

            Date:  Tuesday, January 29^th

            Time:  Registration: 8:45 a.m.  Class: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

            Location:  CHFA, 1981 Blake Street, Denver

Instructors:  Dale Tanda, Environmental Protection Specialist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Scott Armrust, Rid a Pest Exterminators, and Lindsay Jasper, Hopkins, Tschetter, Sulzer, Attorneys at Law

            Who should come:  Owners, managers, and maintenance staff of all property types

 

Basic Mediation – How it Can Benefit You and Your Tenants

Housing managers often either find themselves involved in conflicts with tenants, or trying to resolve entrenched disputes among tenants.  This class will provide essential core theories and skills used by professional mediators to help move disputants to collaborative discussions and mutual agreement.  Receive a step-by step outline of the structure for a facilitated negotiation through which you can assist others in reaching mutually designed agreements.  Be able to confidently apply the five most effective mediation skills used by professional mediators to defuse angry, hostile, or emotionally blocked individuals.  Participants are asked to bring one of their own current conflict issues to use in an exercise for class participation and resolution.  Our instructor has mediated over 5,000 cases in 22 years of real-world experience.   

            Date:  Thursday, January 31^st

            Time:  Registration: 8:15 a.m.   Class: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

            Location:  CHFA, 1981 Blake Street, Denver

            Instructor:  Trish Elledge, The Elledge Group    

            Who should come:  Owners and managers of all property types, plus any one who desires a basic understanding of mediation