About Us
In the early years of the 1600's the nobles of England and Europe owned all of the land. The peasants worked the land for food and shelter, but got none of the benefits no matter how hard they worked. For most countries it was illegal for them to own land of their own. The nobles were called lords because they ruled over the land that they owned. Wars were fought over the land, hence the name landlords.
In more recent history the colonization of Africa and South America were done in much the same way. The land barons owned the land and provided food and jobs for the tribesman, but would not allow ownership.
In recent history of the 1800's some immigrants to America bought buildings in the poor section of large cities. They rented rooms as is and only fixed them to minimal standards and became known as slumlords.
Do any of these terms apply today? Most common knowledge and reporting would have us believe that all of them apply today, as landlords are oppressing the poor of today. Let us look at each of these individually and see if the are valid. The typical rental housing owner of today owns several houses or apartments but very little land. We do not have a monopoly on ownership of land or housing as we live in a free country. None of us in America are of nobility that we could be called lords. Baron is a German word for nobility or high social class. In America today we have several classes based on economics not birth. If we have slumlords today then it would stand to reason that we would also have slum people, slum cities, slum mayors and slum governments. Even though this may have been true in the early 1800's, we have progressed since then. The people of America will not stand for that kind of treatment. It was that kind of oppression that made people flock to America to escape. They are still coming to America to live under rule of law rather than under the rule of one individual, religion, or group.
If none of these terms apply, then what is appropriate for today? In today's world of litigation and political activism, owning rental property is a business. Businesses just like any other, whether retail or manufacturing, profit and loss. When costs rise like taxes or insurance rents rise to compensate. We are in the rental housing business.
Therefore it is our goal to support and educate those who choose to be in the rental housing business. To make alliances with area agencies on housing, to educate tenants, as how to successfully resolve disputes with owners or managers. We will set up a system of mediators to settle disputes of the most problematic issues to reduce the pressure on our court system. To promote our website as a clearing house as to what is available for rent in the Van Buren and Berrien Counties.
The Southwestern Michigan Rental Housing Association was not well known in our area, except in close circles of owners, property managers and real estate professionals. Membership varied throughout our history of 25 years or so. The association struggled for survival. If not for a few dedicated individuals the association would not have survived. Because of the dedication of these people many of our laws dealing with the rental housing business have been changed. We will continue that tradition of aggressively pursuing changes to the laws of the state of Michigan for the betterment of our community.
The future looks bright for our association because several people have stepped forward to head committees, instruct at seminars, become officers and volunteer for a variety of tasks. With this kind of strength we can become a large political force to change our community.