By: Tia Politi, ORHA President
September 1,2021

Hello ORHA members,

I am equal parts excited and terrified to be your new ORHA President!

I would like to honor our outgoing President, Sage Coleman, who despite challenges in his personal life, continued the work started by Past-President and current Legislative Director, Jason Miller, to make our group more efficient and cohesive by dragging us into the 21st Century in regards to our use of technology. The Google platform is allowing our committee and team members to collaborate more effectively in many ways. Sage’s term hit during the pandemic and required extraordinary efforts in regards to leadership and legislation. He was an effective voice for ORHA during some crucial conversations and media events and represented us well. A shout out of appreciation to Vice President Ben Seamans, who stepped up ably to fill in for Sage when he was unable to be present. We have a dedicated, dynamic and cohesive board that comes together when needed to support each other when our personal lives conflict with our volunteer lives.

During the past year or so, we have discovered the efficiencies (and cost savings) that can be created through virtual meetings, but we also feel that in-person meetings provide a creative (and fun) dynamic that helps us connect in a way that virtual meetings can’t. Therefore, the board has decided to hold two of our six bi-monthly meetings each year remotely for the months of November and January. Since travel is more difficult during the fall and winter months, it made sense to stay home then.

A little bit about me: I have been a housing provider since 2003, and a licensed property manager since 2009. I am also President of the Rental Owners Association of Lane County, Secretary for ORHA Education, Inc., and I head up the ORHA Forms Committee. I serve as a volunteer instructor for St. Vincent de Paul’s Second Chance Renter’s Rehab Program, and teach classes in rental management throughout the state, including a class teaching high school seniors the basics of renting a home. I own and operate Rental Housing Support Services, LLC, providing consultation, landlord-tenant training, mediation, notice prep and service, eviction support, and telephone helpline services to housing providers in Oregon. Married 34 years to Kevin, two grown children, two dogs. Love power walking, gardening, playing cards and board games, and working.

Besides myself, our other new and continuing officers are Ben Seamans, (serving his first official two-year term as Vice President after stepping in to the position several months ago), Jill Maricich who will serve another term as Treasurer, and Parker Vernon, who has agreed to be our acting Secretary until we can vote him in at the next meeting. The Executive Committee also consists of At-Large Member and ORHA Technology Chair, Cloud Miller, representing SE Oregon, as well as Legislative Director Jason Miller, and longtime ORHA board members and EC advisors, Dennis Chappa, and Violet Wilson, and Maria Menguita, ORHA Social Media Committee Chair. Sage Coleman will continue to serve on the committee, fulfilling the role of Past President.

We are blessed with a fantastic and growing group of leaders in the state organization as well as our local associations, and are excited to see younger members stepping up to lead at the state and local level. The future for ORHA is brighter than ever and I look forward to collaborating with all of you to ensure that our group continues to improve on the work of our past leaders and volunteers, maintaining ORHA’s stature as the voice of landlords throughout the state. Please feel free to reach out to me with ideas, suggestions, compliments or complaints: orhapres@gmail.com.

Warm regards,
Tia Politi, ORHA President