SEPTEMBER 2021

Serving Philadelphia's Investment & Rental Property Community

NEWSLETTER
A Message from the President
The Eviction Moratorium is
More Than Half
of Philadelphia Extended. What Now?
COVID Rent Relief By HP Board of Directors Editorial Staff daily, so keep checking the Hapco Phila-
delphia website for regular updates.
Applications Will
I
f the ever-changing rules on eviction
Never See Any Money have you dazed and confused, you’re in
First, let’s look at where we are. The Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention
great company. And that may be exactly extended the national eviction moratorium,
Greg Wertman how the government wants it.
HP President which was supposed to end on July 31st.
It’s not easy being a landlord these days, As we now approach September, it should
Here we go again. be over. Instead, according to the U.S.
and the City of Philadelphia certainly isn’t
Census Bureau, 6.5 million renters are
The federal govern- helping. So let’s review what we know. And
ment wants to reimburse landlords for the remember that information often changes continued on page 6
rent money they’ve lost due to a government-
imposed ban on evictions that has gone on
for 18 months and counting.
continued on page 9 LANDLORD SPOTLIGHT

Marco Muniz answers

6 questions about an Spotlight on Hapco Philadelphia
Offer in Compromise Member Anthony Krupincza
for Philly taxes By HP Board of Directors Editorial Staff
Fatoumata Fofana-Bility

H
Department of Revenue e didn’t set out to be a pandemic
landlord. Anthony Krupincza says it

T
he Philadelphia Department of Rev-
enue understands that the pandemic
has caused unusual financial stress to
many taxpayers across our city. If you are
struggling to keep up with your business
taxes, we may be able to help.
Our COVID-19 business recovery, pre-
ferred, and standard payment agree-
ments allow you reduce your tax debt every
continued on page 7
just happened that way.
Sixteen years in corporate banking, finance
and lending was enough to convince him.
Anthony’s real love was managing the six
rental properties he owned with his wife,
Latisha, in West Philly, near the Temple
University campus, and on the South Caro-
lina coast.
“I already had a realtor’s license and found
Anthony Krupincza: I Left A Corporate Job To Be-
continued on page 12 come A Landlord In A Pandemic…And Love It!

2101 Chestnut St. #1615 · Philadelphia, PA 19103 · Tel 215.684.1684 · Fax 215.684.1683 · www.hapcophiladelphia.com
 Speed
Redistricting: A Rubik’s Cube Serving Philadelphia's
Investment & Rental Property
Community
From the Committee of Seventy
The Hapco Philadelphia

N
and
ow that the politicians who’ll redraw Pennsylvania’s Congressional districts, Newsletter
and the politicians (plus one non-politician) who’ll do the same for the Gen- Published as a member service by

Acquisition eral Assembly have Census figures in hand, we have a pretty good idea Hapco Philadelphia

Rehab
of what they’ll be able to do: C70 executive director David Thornburgh likens the 2101 Chestnut St. #1615
challenge to a “Rubik’s cube problem” in a useful Spotlight PA guide titled Four Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: (215) 684-1684, Fax: (215) 684-1683
New Construction Takeaways from the PA Census Data and what it means for redistricting. How they’ll
do it is another matter. We’ll be watching, and so can you. The Legislative Reap-
www.hapcophiladelphia.com

Cash Out Refi

Office Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Ease of
portionment Commission, which handles the state legislative districts, will held a Monday through Friday
public session on Tuesday, Aug. 24 in Harrisburg.
President
Greg Wertman
People want reform: This month’s Franklin & Marshall College poll finds that
63% of registered PA voters want redistricting reform and that 65% want an Vice Presidents
1st – Brian Jackson
independent commission to redraw the General Assembly districts, including 58% 2nd – Howard Bernstein
of Republicans, 69% of independents and 76% of Democrats. 3rd – Robert L. Jackson

Capital
Latino representation: Highlighting the Census data, Ceiba’s Will Gonzalez makes Treasurer
Syed Maz Alam
the case for equitable representation of Latino communities across Pennsylvania,
SM including the growing and diverse El Barrio in North Philly. Secretary
Vincent J. Bakanauskas

Immediate Past President

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2 · Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter September · 2021 September · 2021 Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter · 3
 August 4, 2021 Time is an investor’s most valuable resource. Take it back with

MANAGEMENT YOU
To: Hapco Philadelphia Members
Re: Eviction Services Price Increase, Effective September 1, 2021

These are challenging and confusing times for landlords in the City of Philadelphia. The federal eviction moratorium

CAN MEASURE
has been extended until October 3rd by the CDC, although it’s still not clear that the Biden Administration had
authority to extend it.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered that tenants awaiting a decision on emergency rental assistance
can’t be evicted for 60 days while their case is pending. And the City of Philadelphia continues to require that land-
lords participate in its eviction diversion program prior to eviction or applying for assistance, though not all tenants
are willing participants. It’s not easy being a Philadelphia landlord right now. The rules are changing almost daily,
and more often than not, they don't benefit us.

Hapco Philadelphia is your trusted resource and partner. We are in constant contact with city administrators,
council members, and other key players as we move through another phase of the pandemic and with it the city's Keeping it simple and doing it right.
response. This information will be continually updated as we receive further guidance from the city and state.
For more than 30 years, TCS Management Services
No one wants to evict a tenant. But when there is no alternative, HP offers the most robust service with 67-years
of experience, vast depth of knowledge, and a flexible menu of services to ensure the work is done professionally and its affiliates have committed themselves to property
and in accordance with all regulations.
management. We maintain our commitment to quality
In recent months, the cost of providing this level of service has increased dramatically. Prices for key eviction ser- fiscal management, quality physical management and
vices must increase to enable HP to continue to be your source of information and service.
quality housing for tenants and landlords. At TCS we
If you're in need of eviction services, lock in our current rates by August 31st.
provide our clients with best in class professional property
As of September 1, 2021, our new rates are as follows:
management services designed specifically for the single
• One Step Eviction: $545.
family landlord. Our team is dedicated to exceed your
Step By Step Process: expectations every step of the way. TCS and its affiliates
• Municipal Court Hearing: $285. manage thousands of homes throughout the region
• Writ of Possession: $185.
• Alias Writ: $120. bringing you peace of mind to know your property is being
handled by seasoned professionals.
Note that these members-only prices reflect substantial discounts to those same services provided by others. You
can begin the process here.

If you haven’t already done so, we also strongly encourage you to apply for the city’s Phase 4 Emergency Rental
Assistance Program before it ends. Don't wait. Time is running out! You can begin the process here.
Reach out for special HAPCO Member pricing:
Thank you for being a Hapco Philadelphia member. We value your membership.
Joseph Puggi | 215.370.6909 | Joseph@tcsmgt.com
Regards,
Hapco Philadelphia Board of Directors 107 S 2nd Street, Suite 300, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Greg Wertman, President
Hapco Philadelphia is a Not-For-Profit 401(C)(4).
All contributions and membership dues are tax deductible.
Check with your preparer for more information.

4 · Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter September · 2021 September · 2021 Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter · 5
The Eviction Moratorium is Extended continued from page 1 6 questions about an Offer in Compromise for Philly taxes continued from page 1
behind on rent, and 72% of them owe rent through Fanny Mae or Freddie Mac, you tance application is “completed”, a tenant month. When a payment agreement is not The goal is to find a compromise that works Your request must include:
to small landlords. The Biden Administration must still give a Notice to Quit before filing cannot be evicted. But it’s unclear if appli- enough to cover everything you owe, we now for you and the City.
previously said it had no authority to ex- an action to evict, under the CARES Act. cations under review are considered “com- have a new program. • An Offer in Compromise Request
tend the moratorium, and the U.S. Supreme pleted”. And it doesn’t make much sense to Can anyone qualify for an Offer in Form, and
Court, while upholding it, only did so with You can still file an eviction complaint, go Our Offer in Compromise (OIC) program al- Compromise?
apply and wait for money that • Federal income tax returns for the last
the understanding that it would not be ex- to court, and get a judgment lows taxpayers to settle tax debts for less
against the tenant, but you you won’t get. But for now, Anyone with a business tax obligation to three filing periods, including all W-2s, tax
tended beyond July 31st. But alas, the CDC than what they owe. It is an offer you make
can’t lock the tenant out dur- that’s the law. the City may ask us for a compromise. But schedules, and worksheets.
extended it anyway, and here we are. Back to the Department of Revenue based on your
to court it went, and the same federal judge ing the CDC order. Still, the true ability to take care of your business tax submitting an offer does not guarantee ac-
If a Writ of Possession was Keep in mind that you cannot submit more
who earlier ruled the moratorium unconstitu- best advice is to start the pro- obligations. ceptance. We review requests case-by-case
served prior to May 1, 2021, than one request for the same account(s)
tional is now keeping it alive because of the cess immediately. and take the following factors into account:
you must notify the landlord- Marco A. Muniz is our Deputy Revenue within 24 months.
Supreme Court’s earlier decision. Yes, this The City of Philadelphia’s tenant officer and pay another Commissioner for Collections. We talked to • Your ability to pay, either in full or through
will go back to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Emergency Housing Protec- $45 for the Writ of Possession What’s the best way to submit my OIC
him about how the new program works and a payment plan.
yes, it will likely be struck down. But when?tions Act requires that before request?
to be re-served. Then you can what options exist when you believe that you
“It’s going to work its way to the Supreme a landlord file an eviction case, • Your present income and expenses, and
proceed with the alias writ. can never pay your debts in full. We are currently accepting requests by mail.
Court. The only question we have right now tenants must be notified of Ken Baritz your future earning capacity.
But remember, this remains on Here’s the address:
is how long that is going to take. Do I thinktheir rights. The landlord must What’s an Offer in Compromise?
it will get overturned? Yes. Do I know when? hold while the CDC’s eviction moratorium is • Whether a compromise is in the best in-
also file for rental assistance, then wait 45 in place or a “completed” rental assistance City of Philadelphia
No,” said Paul Cohen, Hapco Philadelphia’s An Offer in Compromise is when you ask to terest of the City.
days before filing an eviction complaint. The application is pending. “The court is taking Department of Revenue
attorney. In the meantime, as the extension pay the City an amount less than the full tax
problem is that funds for rental assistance the position that these people need to be If we find that you can pay Attn. Offer in Compromise Unit
runs until October 3rd, the clock continues
are about to run out. As of Mid-August, your debts, either in full or 1401 JFK Boulevard 2nd Floor,
to tick and landlords continue re-notified that they’re about to get locked
there were more than 47,000 through a payment plan, we Room 200 Philadelphia, PA 19102
to be held hostage. out. That’s bizarre, but that’s what it is,” says
applications for assistance, will not accept your offer.
Attorney Kenneth Baritz. “Every single thing How long does the Department take to
If you’re owed money and you with about 10,000 approved
and funded. Thousands more that they’re doing, they’ve tried to make it as decide?
haven’t received emergency Some types of debts, such
are still under review. And the confusing or anything but succinct so that as Real Estate taxes and
rental assistance from the You can expect a decision from us within 90
$135 million pot is expected we would understand what it is. And I believe Water and Sewer charges,
city, what should you do? For days. Remember that submitting a request
to run dry in September, leav- all of this is intentional. They want to muddy do not qualify for an Offer in
starters, we suggest you watch does not stop collection activity or change
Hapco Philadelphia’s Town ing many qualifying landlords the waters so we don’t know which way is Compromise. For a full list the payment requirements of an existing
Hall virtual meeting with attor- empty-handed unless new up.” of OIC criteria, please visit payment agreement. It also does not prevent
neys Paul Cohen and Kenneth money is appropriated. Still, Submit an Offer in Com-
They’re certainly your unpaid balances from incurring interest
Baritz, recorded August 16th. Paul Cohen, Esq. landlords must apply before promise to resolve your
doing that. To and penalties.
(See below.) But here are some filing an eviction case, even delinquent business
learn more, watch Marco Muniz
highlights: with the money soon gone. “Why? Because taxes | Service | City of What if my offer is rejected? Can I
[the government]wants to put [evictions] off the full Town Hall debt owed. It is not an appeal, nor is it meant appeal the decision?
Philadelphia.
If you rent a so-called “covered property”, as long as they can,” Cohen says. The city meeting or use to erase your debt. Your offer should be real-
which is an HCV property or is mortgaged also recently ordered that if a rental assis- this QR code. istic enough for the Department to consider. What documents do I need to submit? If rejected, you cannot appeal the decision.
All decisions to accept or reject an OIC are
Now $350 at the City’s discretion and not subject to ap-
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6 · Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter September · 2021 September · 2021 Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter · 7

HAPCO
PHILADELPHIA
NEWSLETTER
ADVERTISING
POLICY
The Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter is a
medium for transmitting information to
and exchanging ideas among rental hous-
ing providers who are members.
Advertising relevant to investment in and
operation of properties is accepted. The
advertisements help defray the cost of
producing and distributing the publica-
tion. They are also a valuable resource
for members, who own and manage more
than 30,000 small and mid-size rental
buildings in Philadelphia, by helping them
identify vendors who offer goods and ser-
vices relevant to their business interests.
Hapco Philadelphia reserves the right to
decline advertising inconsistent with rent-
al property acquisition, sale, maintenance,
and management.
Hapco Philadelphia reserves the right to
decline advertising, including cancelling
of advertising contracts, with refund of
any prepayments, based on conclusions
reached in investigating complaints by
members of unsatisfactory vendor perfor-
mance or reliability.
Members having complaints about the
performance or reliability of advertisers
will be requested to describe their griev-
ances in writing, on forms provided by
Hapco Philadelphia. The relevant vendor
will be advised of the complaint and given
an opportunity to respond. The complaint
and response will be reviewed by the Hap-
co Philadelphia Newsletter Editorial Com-
mittee and forwarded with a recommen-
dation to the Hapco Philadelphia Board of
Directors for a decision. This decision will
be considered final; the complaining mem-
ber and the vendor will be so notified.
An advertisement in the Newsletter does not
imply endorsement by Hapco Philadelphia.
Members are urged to request and consult
references as they consider prudent.
For advertising information contact:
Claudia Christian
Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter
C/O University City Review
218 S. 45th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Tel: 215.222.2846, Fax: 215.222.2378
Email: cchristian@pressreview.net
8 · Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter
Redistrict based on shared
interests, not power,
Pittsburgh residents ask
Image courtesy of House Republican Caucus
By Christen Smith | The Center Square
T
he House State Government Commit-
tee convenes Aug. 25, 2021, in Brid-
geville, Pennsylvania, for a congressio-
nal redistricting hearing.
(The Center Square) – Residents in Pitts-
burgh and surrounding suburbs said they
want lawmakers to group them into con-
gressional districts with common interests
and not just a high probability of reelecting
incumbent candidates.
The comments came during the House State
Government Committee’s regional redistrict-
ing hearing in Bridgeville, where testifiers
– one after another – disparaged the now-
defunct 2011 map that is still considered
one of the worst cases of gerrymandering
in the country, warning lawmakers against
repeating history.
In 2011, critics argued that Republicans –
who, at the time, controlled both chambers
of the Legislature and the executive office –
gerrymandered maps to cement their power,
resulting in bizarre and nonsensical district
borders.
The state Supreme Court tossed the maps in
2018 and imposed its own boundaries. The
redrawn districts flipped a 13-5 Republican
majority to a 9-9 even split.
“It’s ridiculous, just ut-
terly ridiculous,” said Hill
Jordan, a Pittsburgh resi-
dent. “It [shouldn’t be] …
I’m Republican so I’m go-
ing to carve up this crazy
district here or I’m Demo-
crat so I’m going steal this
area over here to get what
I want in the Legislature.”
“It’s absurd and it’s shameful,” he said as
lawmakers on the committee laughed in
agreement. “We chuckle, but let’s do some-
thing about it.”
Bridgeville sits in the state’s 18th congres-
sional district, which encompasses the city
of Pittsburgh and its suburbs in southern Al-
legheny County. The latest population data
gleaned from the U.S. Census Bureau means
that Pennsylvania will lose its 18th seat,
though it’s still unclear how lawmakers will
reshape representation in the region.
The new map, drawn by legislators and ap-
proved in both chambers, must also win
support from Gov. Tom Wolf – and they hope
to accomplish it all before the 2022 primary
elections next spring.
So, to avoid mistakes of the past, Committee
Chairman Seth Grove, R-York, announced a
slate of hearings to collect input from the
public about what the new districts should
look like. The House also launched a website
to collect public comments.
Wednesday’s hearing focused on what
residents in the diverse and contested Pitts-
burgh region want to see.
For Hill, it’s imperative that lawmakers keep
the city of Pittsburgh intact as a district.
Splitting it will disenfranchise Black voters,
continued on page 13
September · 2021
Rent Relief Applications continued from page 1
They claim their Phase 4 rent relief got it
right this time.
Previous Phases 1,2 & 3 were not even
close to being fair in making housing provid-
ers whole again. And now we learn the next
BIG problem: They are running out of money,
and fast!
I looked at the City of Philadelphia’s own
Rental Assistance numbers and found that
23% (9,480) of approved Philadelphia rental
assistance applicants received 49% of the
$127,540,969 available to the city as of July
30. Yes, you’re reading these numbers cor-
rectly. And the numbers get worse with each
monthly update posted by the city.
But City Council is not responsible for the
money Philadelphia received. It’s the federal
government that is responsible for the fund-
Te r r a I n s u r a n c e S e r v i c e
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PHILADELPHIA
Serving Philadelphia’s Investment
& Rental Property Community
Help us spread the word, Hapco Philadelphia
is the oldest Philadelphia area association
advocating for landlords. We are looking
to expand our membership, and we hope
that you will tell your other landlord friends
how helpful Hapco Philadelphia has been
for you and how important it is for them to
join. Hapco Philadelphia is a first source for
information about our industry. Check out our
website at www.hapcophiladelphia.com
September · 2021
ing shortfall.
With 42,041 applications received by July
30th, and another 7,000 that were filed in the
last 2-and-a-half weeks, that means 36,737
applications are waiting for approval. If you
filed in July or August, chances are you
won’t see any money.
How can President Biden extend an eviction
moratorium, knowing it was deemed to be
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court? He
continues to do this as study after study has
shown that the moratorium is putting mom &
pops rental property owners out of business.
And the loss of those small landlords fur-
ther reduces the amount of affordable rental
housing in Philadelphia, and elsewhere
around the country.
How can any government, let alone one
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founded on democratic principles, mandate
that a legal contract between a landlord and
a tenant be manipulated any which way the
government feels necessary? They don’t do
that to other small businesses.
Landlords are no different. We are small
business owners, and we continue to be
targeted. And even when the federal govern-
ment claims to want to help, it amounts to a
Band Aid.
What affects you, affects us. And the Hapco
Philadelphia board, our legal counsel, and
I are constantly monitoring issues at City
Council, in Harrisburg, and Washington, D.C.
that impact you, our members. We continue
to push our agendas at all levels to force
lawmakers treat us like the small business
owners that we are.
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Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter · 9
 Monthly Management Tips From
MRLANDLORD.COM
How To Find A Former
Resident
When former residents leave owing money,
landlords often have a hard time finding the
residents in order to collect money past due.
One landlord had a resident leave owing 5
months' rent and legal fees for the eviction.
The landlord filed a small claim to try and
collect the past due rent, but the resident
appeared to split and left no forwarding ad-
HAPCO
PHILADELPHIA
WEBSITE
Hapco Philadelphia has an
informative website at
www.hapcophiladelphia.com
featuring:
• NEW Fully Integrated Website
• Streamlined forms for landlord
& tenant legal actions
• Searchable archive
• Continuous updates of
legislative matters
• Updated news & information
feeds
• Announcements & calendar
events
• PA state level legislative
activity & PROA
• Online store (coming soon!)
• Special “ask our lawyer”
section (coming soon!)
The Hapco website is back up
with significant changes to
the eviction process!
10 · Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter
dress. The paperwork with the court was re-
turned from the court as undeliverable. The
landlord needs to have the sheriff serve them
with the court papers. But he also needs a
valid address and he can't find one. So the
landlord asked other landlords for sugges-
tions on how to locate them.
I offered the landlord the following unortho-
dox suggestion: It's a real good chance that
residents that leave owing money also leave
a few (or a lot of) pennies on the floor in the
house. So when you call the "emergency"
contact listed on the application, say that
you are trying to get in contact with so and
so because they left some "money" behind
in their last rental home and you'd like to get
it to them. Do you know where we can find
them?
Venmo For Rent
Collection?
Effective July 20, 2021, users that receive
payments identified by senders as for goods
and services will be charged a seller transac-
tion fee of 1.9% + $0.10. A landlord shared
how for the last 51 months his residents
have used VENMO. He's now saddened that
as he watched Venmo grow, Venmo chose
to reward us with fees. One alternative way
landlords are collecting their rent from resi-
dents can be found at DirectRentDeposits.
com, a third party service which also allows
your residents to build their credit score.
Have You Seen It?
How many of you require that rental appli-
cants actually SEE the rental home before
you process the application? One landlord
shared his reasoning for having this require-
ment. It's to avoid wasting time. It may take
30-60 minutes verifying the application to
see if a prospect qualifies, then the prospect
comes by and says it's "not really what they
wanted." So to avoid possible frustrations
later by both parties, some landlords insist
that applicants actually view the prospective
rental before going through the full applica-
tion and verification process. On the other
hand, you have some landlords who are able
to successfully rent up to half of their rentals
or more without applicants seeing the rental
home first, which includes families that are
relocating from other areas.
Deposit Stays Until
Property Is Vacant
A landlord shared the following scenario and
question:
"My 15 year resident is moving out and
is asking for his $500 deposit. His cousin
moved in 2 years ago and is on the lease.
They are staying but can't afford to pay a
$500 deposit. Not sure how to respond?
Thanks!"
Several landlords responded with pretty
much the same answer:
"The deposit always stays with the rental
(until property is vacant). For the person
moving to get their deposit, he needs to be
reimbursed by the person who is staying. It
is up to his cousin to pay him. If he can't
come up with the money to pay his cousin,
how can he come up with rent?"
I have an "Addendum to the Lease": If more
than one person is on the Lease and one
wants to leave, they both need to sign the
addendum, stating that it is agreed, by both
parties. It also states the deposit stays with
the rental. It states the person staying is now
liable to pay all rent due from that day for-
continued on page 11
September · 2021
MRLANDLORD.COM continued from page 10
ward, if it is current. It states that all other
terms of the Lease stay as is. You may add
Straight truth, not trying to beat you up. The
truth will hit hard.
The tips in this column are shared by regular
contributors to the popular MrLandlord.com
to the Addendum what you feel is needed Q&A forum, by real estate authors and by
and what is important. A property manager Yes, this is a perfect example of why land- Jeffrey Taylor, Founder@Mrlandlord.com. To
should sign as well. lords MUST raise the rents, at least a little,
receive a free sample of Mr. Landlord news-
EVERY year.
letter, call 1-800-950-2250 or visit their in-
What Brand Faucet Right now you are supporting the resident formative Q&A Forum at LandlordingAdvice.
com, where you can ask landlording ques-
by $5400 per year. You are running a char-
For Rentals? ity out of fear. If someone OWED you that tions and seek advice of other landlords 24
money, you would be having a fit. hours a day.
A landlord asked: What brand do you like for
longevity, availability of parts, and customer I did a quick estimate and determined you
service? I am done buying the lowest price have LOST $24,566 since 2009. R&B
point stuff! The three most common sugges-
NO resident is worth that much. Don't oper- Philly Lead
tions offered by other landlords included (in
no special order): ate out of fear. It takes courage to manage Inspections
your business for a profit. Fully Licensed and Insured
• Delta ASK ABOUT OUR AFFORDABLE
Me? Raise the rent to current market, with-
• Moen out apologies, right now. If they cannot pay
PAINTING & CLEANING
SERVICES
• Pfister that shows they are not the right residents
for your rental. Just keep remembering... Damon McLaughlin 215.900.9921
267.259.9690
you gave away $24,000... At the very least,
215cleaning@gmail.com
This Is Why You Raise this is a $5400 decision." BRAD
www.rnbphillyleadinspectionsllc.com
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A landlord shared the following comments Serving the TRI-STATE AREA: PA, NJ, Delaware
this week.
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resident that has been in one unit for a dozen FHA & VA • 24/7 MONITORING
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years and I never raised the rent for many Dusting Certification • PROMPT SERVICE
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over). The units all get increases when they
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lphia 7715 CRITTENDEN ST. SUITE #344 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19118
TEL: 215.242.6161
EMAIL: ALEX@ALARMIST.NET
go vacant but this one is an exception. But www.enterpriseexterminating.com WWW.ALARMIST.NET
now that it is over a decade.
I have to raise it due to recent tax and in-
surance increases. Anyway I was wondering
what experiences people had when jumping
the rent and what a logical amount would
be (after 10 years+) to prevent a move even
though everything else around is high. I rent
the units around it for $1200 per month but
this one has been $750 since 2009. Thank
you."
Numerous landlords responded. Here is one
of those responses:
September · 2021 Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter · 11

MEDICAL
INSURANCE
Current Hapco Philadelphia
members with paid-up dues, along
with members of their families
and employees, are be eligible
for special group-rate medical
insurance under a choice of
programs offered by Blue Cross
and Aetna. Rates and options are
attractive compared with those for
which individuals and owners or
operators of small businesses are
typically qualified. Further, within
the general framework, plans
can be custom-tailored to suit
individual needs.
Hapco Philadelphia membership
renews on a yearly basis every
January 1. Persons joining later in
the year can enroll in their choice
of plans, but must renew annually
on or before January 1 to maintain
their eligibility.
The plans fall into two major
categories:
UNDER AGE 65: The basic plans
include one from Aetna and two
– Keystone and Personal Choice
– from Blue Cross. Aetna requires
a health questionnaire; premiums
vary according to applicant’s
health, and coverage could be
denied for pre-existing conditions.
Blue Cross honors pre-existing
conditions.
AGE 65 AND OLDER: The plans
for those 65 years of age or older
are Aetna’s Medicare Advantage
programs.
For more information, including
detailed descriptions of the
alternate plans, options, and to
discuss tailoring plans to your
specific situation, call Hapco
Philadelphia client representative,
Allen Heffler at 215-658-1555.
12 · Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter
LANDLORD SPOTLIGHT
Hapco Philadelphia Member Anthony Krupincza
there weren’t that many realtors who actu-
ally owned rental properties,” Anthony re-
members. “When clients came to me look-
ing to buy a rental, I could tell them what I
went through learning to be a landlord.”
What Anthony went through in his first three
years of going it alone made him realize he
needed landlord-ing help.
“We had paid off the properties, but there
is much more to being a landlord than just
collecting rent.” Anthony says it was when
they bought a multi-family property in West
Philadelphia that his wife pushed him to join
Hapco Philadelphia.
“I attended one of their weekend ‘Rental
101’ courses and have made thousands of
dollars thanks to that class and other Hapco
Philadelphia classes I’ve taken,” Anthony
says. “I got more from those classes than
if I had gone to school for property manage-
ment.”
Anthony says that being both a realtor and a
landlord, he’s found many people don’t own
rental property because of a fear of the un-
known. And he’s found the COVID-19 pan-
demic has only added to that fear.
“People who were tempted to get into the
rental business were scared off by the evic-
tion moratorium. They hear horror stories of
landlords selling their properties and getting
out of Philadelphia.”
That’s where Anthony says being a member
of Hapco Philadelphia could prevent land-
lords from panic selling and keep them in
the affordable rental housing market.
“Some gave up and got out. If they’d known
about Hapco Philadelphia’s pandemic edu-
cation programs and online legal seminars,
they’d know how to weather this.”
continued from page 1
Anthony says it’s those Hapco Philadelphia
programs that helped him receive COVID-19
rent relief money.
“We encouraged all of our tenants to apply
and more than half of them got help. And we
even applied on behalf of a tenant who was
confused by the process. It also paid off to
have a good relationship with our renters,”
Anthony notes.
There is one worrisome trend that Anthony
sees in his job as a realtor. It’s phone calls
from large, out of town, corporate rental
companies from Boston and elsewhere.
They’re looking to buy ready-to-move-in
rental properties. And Anthony worries that
may further reduce the amount of affordable
rental housing in Philadelphia.
“Independent landlords like my wife and I,
we’re in it for the long haul. When the pan-
demic calms down, we want to buy another
five or six rental units. If we can make it
through this, we can make it through any-
thing.”
Members like Anthony exemplify the new,
hard-working Hapco Philadelphia rental
property owners. We love to tell the stories
of Hapco Philadelphia members, their chal-
lenges, and successes.
Let us know if you, or
someone you know,
should have a Spot-
light shined on them
in an upcoming
newsletter. And join
Hapco Philadelphia
today at https://
hapcophiladel-
phia.com/
September · 2021
Redistrict based on shared interests, not power continued from page 8
he said. “They have the vast majority of Black voters
in Pittsburgh,” he said. “Don’t cut those off
sentation, and I think that if those views are
commonly shared by those in the 17th dis-
“In order to improve things for African Amer-
into another district.” trict, it shows they should be in a different
ican voters, it’s important that our boundar- district than those of us in the city and the
ies not be gerrymandered or chiseled,” he For Tim Campbell, a physician and munici- Mon Valley,” he said.
said. pal councilman in the southwestern suburb
The committee’s regional hearings continue
Pennsylvania demographic trends over the of Bethel Park, being lumped into the 18th
Thursday at the State Theater Center for the
last decade, according to federal data, show district with Pittsburgh means the issues
Arts in Uniontown, where lawmakers will col-
populations in the northern tier and other ru- impacting his community “have been swal-
lowed by the city’s needs, which are differ- lect testimony from residents of the 13th and
ral counties have declined, while cities and
14th congressional district that encompass
their outlying suburbs have grown. ent and vast.”
Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, West-
Pennsylvania’s 13 million residents also be- “It’s not about race,” he said. “It’s not about moreland, Indiana, Somerset, Cambria, Blair,
came more racially diverse than ever before, socioeconomics. It’s not about exclusivity. Bedford, Huntingdon and Fulton counties.
with people of color accounting for 23% of It’s not about politics. It is about representa-
Christen Smith follows
the population overall. tion … [and] having a representative repre-
Pennsylvania’s General
sent the citizens’ desires and interests.”
Gabriel Johnson, a resident of Pittsburgh’s Assembly for The Cen-
ter Square. She is an
6th Ward, told lawmakers that keeping like- Johnson argued that demographics do in
award-winning reporter
minded voters together – such as those who fact play a key role in the shared interests of
with more than a decade
reside in the city, some of its eastern and a community. Those who disagree with that,
northern suburbs and a region considered he said, belong in a separate district. of experience covering
Mon Valley that runs south along the Monon- state and national policy issues for niche
gahela River – will do just that. “These are, of course, key points in repre- publications and local newsrooms alike.
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September · 2021 Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter · 13

Some recent traffic on Hapco's Online Forum:
Names have been withheld to protect the innocent. Responses reflect
the views of the Forum respondents and not necessarily those of Hapco
Philadelphia.
USING THE RESOURCES
 Post: Would appreciate carpenter rec-
ommendations (a small staircase fix job).
 Response: Unfortunately there are still
many that highly recommend contractors
merely because they showed up on time and
were nice to them while charging more than
what the job may have been worth? I have
tried several plumbers and roofer’s highly
recommended on the forum and mainly
found their cost to be higher than what the
job was worth? We need to be aware that it’s
a trial and error experience so get estimates
to help you know what’s a fair price.
 Response: You should be able to just
search your emails from any email program.
I never deal with Hapco or Google groups.
Just do a search in Thunderbird (free email
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14 · Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter
Overthe
Transom
Edited by Robert Christian
software) works great. Outlook and all the
rest can do this easy.
 Response: I posted the following In No-
vember 2019 and at least once before that,
but by the lack of response to your question
it seems that few people know about it.
“Before posting endless requests for handy-
men, plumbers, roofers, window repairs,
etc. people really should first use the search
facility at the Group’s home page, which is
reached by clicking on the title of any topic
in the email digest (click on the topic title in
the BODY of the message, not in the list of
titles at the top of the email digest). Once at
the Group page, type what you’re looking for
into the search bar at the top. For example
I searched “handyman”, and got about 700
results. And those results are links to entire
threads, not just to individual posts! In short
HAPCO
PHILADELPHIA
MEMBERS!
Newsletter advertisers
underwrite this publication.
Please patronize them and tell
them you saw their ad in the
Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter
THANK YOU!
you are going to learn more about handyman
recommendations than you ever wanted to
know. The same holds true for plumbers and
all the rest.
 Response: There are so many won-
derful resources shared in this forum. It
would be hugely helpful if there were a way
to search past posts for contractors, rather
than reposting the same requests.
SHOWINGS DURING COVID
 Post: My tenant, who I am not renewing
his lease and stopped paying, just contacted
me stating I cannot longer show his apart-
ment because of Covid. Are other landlords
pushing their way in or what are you doing
to show apartments? I was surprised he let
me show last week because he is not happy
about leaving.
 Response: My former tenants agreed
not to be there or they’d wait outside and
made sure everyone had a mask. I do not
believe it is the tenant’s decision to show or
not some.
 Response: I’d just tell him matter of
factually. Showing are happening at such
day and such a time....give him 24 hour no-
tice and perhaps a reminder and that’s it. I
always do one hour open house type things
to avoid the one-zie two-zie showings, but
if you only got one interested do what you
got to do.
continued on page 15
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Over the Transom continued from page 14
If he’s so concerned about Covid tell him he
can leave while the showings are happening
and everyone will wear a mask or they are
not allowed in. AND for him to go get vac-
cinated himself Gosh Darnit.
I’ve shown plenty of places and takes very
little to do it safely. He’s playing games.
 Response: I had a tenant try to pull
that crap about Covid. Told her to put on her
N-95 mask and suck it up, if she was that
worried. This is an excuse tenants use to
keep the property from being sold.
 Response: Thanks everyone. I think
he is trying to make it difficult to re-rent the
apartment. He claims people can touch sur-
faces during showings. Everyone knows the
virus is airborne. I do not get this tenant. He
was such a jerk and complained about ev-
erything and was so demanding for almost a
year. If he hated everything, you would think
he would want to leave after I didn’t renew.
Reasons to JOIN Hapco Philadelphia
H
apco Philadelphia is the pre-eminent rental
real estate industry trade group in the Phila-
delphia region.
Hapco Philadelphia (HP) was established in 1954
to represent the collective interests and munici-
pal concerns of owners of rental properties in
the City of Philadelphia. Now with nearly 2,000
members, its owners/managers control over
20,000 low- and moderate- and market-rate
rental units, including single-family and multi-
family properties throughout the Philadelphia.
The Hapco Philadelphia board is an all-volunteer
401C-4, Not-For-Profit organization, comprised
of entrepreneurs, teachers, police, lawyers,
architects, and who helm firms ranging from
start-ups to mom-and-pops, and old-line multi-
generational firms.
HP advocates for an improved business envi-
ronment, fair and reasonable laws, rules and
regulations that protect the health and safety of
tenants and at the same time enable landlords
to operate in a free, fair, and open marketplace.
September · 2021
INFESTATION REPORTING
 Post: I have a row home adjacent to
mine that is infested with cockroaches. I
have an extermination company contract for
my place but the filth next door is disgusting.
It belongs to a landlord who apparently owns
a number of properties in Phila. Even with
frequent treatments at my place - they keep
coming in. Does anyone know how to report
untreated infestation next door. 311 keeps
going to busy. My people keeps a very clean
home so this is beyond troublesome.
 Response: It is easier to report online  Post: I need to replace the electrical
with 311. Go to www.phila.gov/li and at the
bottom click on report a problem or it may
just say 311. You just need to create an ac-
count and it even gives you updates.
LEAD SAFE CERTIFIED
RENOVATORS RESPONSIBILITY
 Post: Hey guys quick question. If one is
— hapco@hapcophiladelphia.com —
FEATURES & BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP:
• NEW Fully Integrated Website
•• Streamlined forms for landlord &
tenant legal actions
•• Searchable archive
•• Continuous updates of legislative matters
•• Updated news & information feeds
•• Announcements & calendar events
•• PA state level legislative activity & PROA
•• Online store (coming soon!)
•• Special “ask our lawyer” section
(coming soon!)
• Exclusive members-only online Forum
• Facebook and LinkedIn platforms, & YouTube
channel
• Online monthly newsletter, including news,
trends, & editorials
Join Hapco Philadelphia NOW!
a lead has an EPA lead safe certified renova-
tor certificate, could one do dust wipes in
Philadelphia and submit the lab results with
certificate from the tenant to the department
for approval?
 Response: The answer to that is no.
Only a PA licensed lead inspector-risk as-
sessor or an EPA Certified Dust Sampling
Technician can do the testing.
COST OF 100 AMP SERVICE AND
OUTSIDE SERVICE CABLE
service in a row home with a new 100 amp
service and a new outside service cable that
is deteriorating. Has anyone had this done
recently and can advise me of the cost.
 Response: I had it done paid $2750.
• Educational series, lectures & roundtables
• Affordable, Tax deductible membership dues
• General Membership Seminars featuring guest
speakers from the local business community,
building, industry, and elected officials
• HP-PAC to support our various interests and
causes on behalf of its members
• Exclusive members-only discount at major
retailers, including Home Depot and Sherwin-
Williams
• Affordable, tax-deductible membership dues
make joining a snap!
• Get involved! Exciting opportunities to make
a difference by joining Hapco Philadelphia’s
wide array of committees.
• Meet-and-Greets!
Hapco Philadelphia Newsletter · 15

2101 Chestnut Street #1615
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Nobody Wants to Evict a Tenant
HapcoPhiladelphia and its members
appreciate and value their tenants and
the symbiotic relationship they share.
Unfortunately, sometimes that relationship
breaks down, with the necessity of court
intervention in order to reclaim your property.
Eviction is likely a last resort.
Everyone knows that going to court is time-
consuming and expensive; HapcoPhiladelphia
membership benefits include access to our
one-stop solution to Philadelphia Municipal
Court. Exclusive members-only fee structure
provides top legal professionals who will
guide and advise you on how the process
works, from paperwork origination, mediation,
settlement negotiation and, if necessary,
actual eviction and lock-change, so you are
comfortable knowing your rights as a property
owner are known and respected.
PHILADELPHIA Serving Philadelphia’s Investment & Rental Property Community
2101 Chestnut Street #1615 • Philadelphia, PA 19103 • P 215.684.1684 • F 215.684.1683 • HapcoPhiladelphia.com
PRST STD
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 280
Lancaster, PA
17604
Professional Services
Fee Schedule
Pre-Step (mediation) ............. $250
Step-By-Btep Method
• Municipal Court Hearing ............$285
• Writ of Possession........................$185
• Alias Writ (actual eviction)..........$120
• Reschedule Eviction For
Landlord/Tenant Officer .............. $50
• Petition Hearing ............................$150
if tenant should file a petition
• All-In-One-Package ............$545.00
To join HapcoPhiladelphia and for more information,
or to register visit at HapcoPhiladelphia.com