Multi-family Apartment Research Articles

Controlled Field Experiment for Performance Evaluation of Septic Tank Effluent Treatment during Soil Infiltration

Decentralized systems are responsible for treating approximately 25% of the wastewater generated in the United States. The most common decentralized system involves onsite treatment using a septic tank unit followed by dispersal to a subsurface soil infiltration unit where percolation to groundwater occurs. To evaluate the hydraulic and purification processes occurring during soil treatment of septic tank effluent (STE), a field experiment was initiated in the Spring of 2003 with continued operation and monitoring for 2 years. A replicated factorial design (22) was employed to evaluate three infiltrative surface architectures (ISAs) (open, stone, and synthetic) and two daily hydraulic loading rates (HLRs) (4 and 8cm∕day). Pilot-scale test cells were established in native sandy loam soils at the Mines Park Test Site located on the Colorado School of Mines campus in Golden, Colo. STE was obtained from a nearby multifamily apartment building and applied to the test cells daily. Field monitoring included baseline characterization of soil and site properties, routine characterization of the STE applied, observations of STE ponding on the infiltrative surface, periodic measurement of constant-head infiltration rates, and periodic sampling and analyses of the soil pore water at 60- or 120-cm depths below the infiltrative surface. Monitoring revealed that the ISA and HLR influenced the rate and extent of hydraulic capacity loss during soil treatment. For example, an open horizontal infiltrative surface maintained an infiltration capacity that was 40–80% higher than one covered with either washed stones or synthetic aggregate. Purification of STE during infiltration and percolation through the sandy loam soil was very high. The cumulative mass removed during 2 years of operation for dissolved organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus averaged 94, 42, and 99%, respectively. While there was no significant difference in the purification performance based on ISA or HLR, an increase in the vadose zone depth slightly increased purification.

Enhanced energy conservation in houses through high performance design

Key design features of high performance houses are investigated for improving energy efficiency in cold climates. Reference dwellings with typical constructions and system designs are compared with high performance houses using the best technology available. The dwellings used for reference are a multi-family apartment building and a single-family detached house, designed according to a mix of Nordic building codes of 2001. The high performance houses designed fulfilled the target requirements of IEA Task 28, Sustainable Solar Housing. Simulations of the buildings are performed using the computer programme DEROB-LTH and results from simulations give the hourly space-heating demand and peak load of the buildings. A comparison of reference houses to high performance solutions shows that the space-heating demand can be reduced by up to 83% for single-family houses and by up to 85% for apartment buildings. The climate data used for all simulations is Stockholm, Sweden. The environmental effects in terms of CO 2 equivalent emissions and use of non-renewable primary energy are quantified for each building type and construction. The energy saving potential of high performance houses in cold climates is demonstrated.

Essex Property Trust, Inc.

AbstractProperty, Real Estate & Development (MIC: 8.3 SIC: 6798 NAIC: 525930)Essex Property Trust is a self‐administered equity real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership, acquisition, development and management of multifamily apartment communities. Co.'s multifamily portfolio as of Dec 31 2004 consisted of ownership interests in 120 properties (25,518 apartment units), of which 13,755 units are located in Southern California (Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Diego and Riverside counties), 5,810 units are located in Northern California (the San Francisco Bay Area), 5,651 are located in the Pacific Northwest (4,776 units in the Seattle metropolitan area and 875 units in the Portland, OR metropolitan area), and 302 units are located in Houston, TX.

Favoured Owners, Neglected Tenants: Privatisation of State Owned Housing in Hanoi

This paper presents selected findings from the project ‘Privatisation of public housing in Hanoi, the impacts on housing quality and social equality’ which was financed by the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA). The project analyses the consequences of privatisation on the housing conditions of those tenants and owners who live in privatised and partly privatised multi-family apartment buildings. This paper focuses on the consequences of privatisation on the housing and living conditions of tenants compared to those of owners, and presents findings. The paper concludes that privatisation actually helps to strengthen the existing inequity between different social groups, in the sense that the privatisation policy supports senior government officials, many of whom are well situated both financially and socially, and ignores poor and low-income households. Privatisation also contributes to enhancing the inequality between better-off housing areas and poorer ones. Mixed ownership, and the lack of regulations about the duties and rights of owners and tenants after privatisation, also lead to serious degradation of common areas in all residential blocks.

Direct billing of multi-family customers for water use presents new opportunities and challenges to water providers in the United States

As water and wastewater rates increase faster than the rate of inflation, more and more buildings in the multi-family housing sector are converting to systems where each multi-family dwelling unit pays for water and wastewater directly instead of including these charges as part of the rent. The National Multiple Family Submetering and Allocation Billing Program Study evaluated the merits of separate billing programs including the potential water savings, costs and benefits from various perspectives, and the accompanying administrative and regulatory issues. It was found that the practice of installing individual water meters (submetering) on multi-family apartment units and billing based on actual consumption results in water savings of 15%. Water billing practices based on allocation methods (commonly known as Ratio Utility Billing Systems or RUBS) did not effect any water savings. The study was motivated by the water industry's interest in capturing potential water savings by multi-family residents where there is currently no pricing signal to encourage efficient use.

A Critical Analysis of Housing Finance Reform in a 'Super' Home-ownership State: The Case of Armenia

Communist countries in central and eastern Europe commonly lacked market-based mortgage finance systems. The establishment of such systems is generally regarded as being a crucial part of the transition process across the region, even though the emphasis placed on home-ownership varies greatly. A framework for analysing the adequacy of the housing reform process is applied to Armenia as an example of a 'super' home-ownership state. The housing, economic and political context suggests that, even if an efficient mortgage finance system were to be established, the housing needs of large sections of the population would remain unmet. This is because they would still be unable to afford to access finance or because of the nature of their housing need. Such is the prevalence of housing need and poverty that conventional subsidy programmes, no matter how well designed, are unlikely to fill the gap. Instead, there is a need to draw on examples from development literature, such as micro-finance, whereby relatively small loans aimed at improving the quality of often self-built housing without full legal title are made available. The system of micro-finance relies on connecting individuals with the formal financial system usually through an NGO and can be combined with the provision of core housing units for low- to moderate-income households. In the case of Armenia, if confidence in the banking system is not restored, it would still be necessary to create a formal financial sector, quite possibly on the principles of low-risk retail operations. A large challenge would remain to 'collectivise' micro-finance for use in multifamily apartments. While the need for sources of finance outside the formal system remains especially acute in Armenia, these solutions may be relevant to other transition economies, especially those with large home-owner sectors, self-built housing and widespread poverty

Essex Property Trust, Inc.

AbstractProperty, Real Estate & Development (MIC: 8.3 SIC: 6798 NAIC: 525930)Essex Property Trust is a self‐administered equity real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership, acquisition, development and management of multifamily apartment communities. Co.'s multifamily portfolio as of Dec 31 2004 consisted of ownership interests in 120 properties (25,518 apartment units), of which 13,755 units are located in Southern California (Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Diego and Riverside counties), 5,810 units are located in Northern California (the San Francisco Bay Area), 5,651 are located in the Pacific Northwest (4,776 units in the Seattle metropolitan area and 875 units in the Portland, OR metropolitan area), and 302 units are located in Houston, TX.

A multiple criteria evaluation of multi-family apartment block's maintenance contractors: I—Model for maintenance contractor evaluation and the determination of its selection criteria

The paper presents a model that describes the process of selecting dwelling maintenance contractors. The model is based on a multi-criteria evaluation of maintenance contractors, the determination of their utility level for the building's users and a bid price in negotiations that are made according to the results of the multiple criteria analysis. The proposed model could further be applied to plan dwelling maintenance operations. The criteria of maintenance contractor evaluation are selected by taking into consideration the interests and goals of the building's users as well as factors that influence the process of maintenance's efficiency. The correlation of the criteria characterizing maintenance contractors from various perspectives was determined.

Camden Property Trust

AbstractProperty, Real Estate & Development (MIC: 8.3 SIC: 6798 NAIC:525930)Camden Property Trust is a self‐administered and self‐managed real estate investment trust. Co. is engaged in the ownership, development, construction, and management of multifamily apartment communities in ten states. As of Dec 31 2003, Co. owned interests in, operated or was developing 146 properties containing 52,346 apartment homes geographically dispersed in the Sunbelt and Midwestern markets, from Florida to California. At Dec 31 2003, Co. had two recently completed multifamily properties containing 786 apartment homes in lease‐up. Two of Co.'s multifamily properties containing 1,002 apartment homes were under development at Dec 31 2003.

Property Taxation of Multifamily Housing: An Empirical Analysis of Vertical and Horizontal Equity

This paper analyzes the uniformity of the property appraisal outcome for multifamily apartment complexes in Phoenix, Arizona. Specifically, it investigates vertical and horizontal equity and equity across assessment methods. Apartment transactions and assessed valuations are examined over a five-year period (1998-2002). Once possible bias in model specification is accounted for, no evidence of vertical inequity in the sample is found. However, there is modest evidence of horizontal inequity: the results suggest that complex size and geographic location are more difficult for the assessor to value uniformly. There is also inequity between small and large properties, as represented by two different valuation methods. Thus, the findings indicate that the income approach is superior to the sales comparison approach for valuing multifamily properties for tax purposes.

Essex Property Trust, Inc.

Mergent's Dividend AchieversVolume 2, Issue 2 p. 90-90 U.S. Company Report Essex Property Trust, Inc.† First published: 22 April 2005 https://doi.org/10.1002/div.2261 † Contact: : George M. Marcus — Chmn. Address: : 925 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94303 Web Site: : www.expresspropertytrust.com AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Abstract Property, Real Estate & Development (MIC: 8.3 SIC: 798 NAIC: 25930) Essex Property Trust is engaged in the ownership, acquisition, development and management of multifamily apartment communities. 121 properties (comprising 26,012 apartment units), of which 14,943 units are located in Southern California, 4,605 units are located in Northern California, 5,886 of which are located in the Pacific Northwest, and 578 are located in other areas. In addition, Co. has an ownership interest in other real estate assets consisting of five recreational vehicle parks (comprising 1,717 spaces), four office buildings (totaling approximately 63,540 square feet) and two manufactured housing communities (containing 607 sites). Volume2, Issue2Spring 2005Pages 90-90 RelatedInformation

Camden Property Trust

AbstractProperty, Real Estate &Development (MIC: 8.3 SIC: 6798 NAIC:525930)Camden Property Trust is a self‐administered and self‐managed real estate investment trust. Co. is engaged in the ownership, development, construction, and management of multifamily apartment communities in ten states. As of Dec 31 2003, Co. owned interests in, operated or was developing 146 properties containing 52,346 apartment homes geographically dispersed in the Sunbelt and Midwestern markets, from Florida to California. At Dec 31 2003, Co. had two recently completed multifamily properties containing 786 apartment homes in lease‐up. Two of Co.'s multifamily properties containing 1,002 apartment homes were under development at Dec 31 2003.

Cockroach allergen abatement: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Cockroach allergen abatement: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Size, Scope and Performance of the Seniors Housing and Care Industry: A Comparison With the Multifamily and Lodging Sectors

Executive Summary. This research compares the size, operating performance and financial performance of the seniors housing and long term care (SHLTC) industry with two other major real estate sectors: multifamily (apartments) and lodging (hotels). The multifamily and lodging sectors receive a broader investor following than SHLTC even though SHLTC was found to be similar in dwelling unit count to lodging and has higher industry revenues than multifamily. SHLTC industry operating income is three-quarters that of lodging, and one-half that of multifamily. Capitalization rates and returns on investment in SHLTC are comparable to or higher than the other sectors, and total SHLTC market value (based on capitalized income) is two-thirds that of lodging and more than one-third that of multifamily. Thus, SHLTC may deserve greater attention from capital market investors and institutions.

Public housing and the American dream: Residents’ views on buying into “the projects”

This article examines residents’ attitudes toward homeownership in five large inner‐city public housing projects composed of multifamily apartment buildings. Based on 267 interviews with public housing residents in Boston, it contrasts their broad support for homeownership as a concept with their wholly mixed reaction to the idea of owning a public housing apartment. Interest in homeownership in public housing is shown to be independent of residents’ current employment status and closely tied to residents’ social investment in specific housing developments and to their perceptions about the quality of that development's management, maintenance, and security. The findings cast renewed doubt on policies that would make public housing sales a centerpiece of national policy, but they provide qualified support for more modest efforts to increase homeownership in public housing developments and in low‐income neighborhoods around them.

Connection Fees Unlawful

Late in 1990, James A. West and James A. West Jr. obtained a zoning approval from a Pennsylvania township to build a multifamily apartment complex that would contain 352 apartments. As part of the development process, the Wests had to apply to the authority for sewer and water connections. In September 1991, the authority adopted an $800 new connection fee per equivalent dwelling unit. The authority divided its connections costs into three categories: direct costs, indirect costs, and escalation‐consumer price index adjustment. Direct costs consisted of administrative review, installation, and inspection costs. Indirect costs comprised general administrative overhead. The authority applied a 6 percent escalation adjustment. The Wests appealed but lost in the trial court.

Radon levels inside residences in Swaziland

Time-integrated measurements of environmental radiation levels are commonly carried out using solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). These detectors are particularly suitable for monitoring indoor radiation. Levels of radon were measured, during winter and summer seasons, inside 130 traditional and modern houses and multi-family apartment buildings. The traditional houses, modern houses and apartment buildings had average radon levels of 62 Bq·m −3, 125 Bq·m −3 and 133 Bq·m −3, respectively. Between the ground and second floor of the apartment buildings, radon levels diminished by a factor of more than three which indicates that entry of radon-bearing soil gas was largely responsible for the higher concentration of radon in the ground floor. The radon levels in winter exceeded by ∼ 30% the radon levels during summer. From the experimental data the equilibrium factor (F) and the effective dose equivalent (H E) were also obtained.

Case studies of energy consumption in residential buildings in Russia's middle belt area

This paper describes the analytical results of heating energy consumption monitoring and the determination of heat protection levels for both single-family and multi-family buildings in Russia. Experiments have been jointly conducted by Russian and American researchers from the Research Institute for Building Physics, Gosstroy of Russia, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The paper describes qualimetric methods which provide a quantitative estimation of thermal and energy performance by using instrumental facilities and non-destructive methods. The first Section gives a brief methodological summary for determining on-site building energy and thermal performance. The second part reviews the field results of energy monitoring to determine techniques that may result in the highest energy conservation effect for standard single-family houses in Russia. The third Section presents a comparative energy analysis of the use of highly insulating windows in a multi-family apartment building in field conditions. The experiments conducted prove that it is possible to ensure a 20–25% reduction in energy consumption for residential buildings under actual conditions existing in Russia. Finally, a methodology for assessing whole-building energy consumption for multi-family buildings is described.

Radon Levels Inside Residences in Mexico City

Abstract Levels of radon were measured during winter and spring seasons inside 55 colonial and modern houses and 30 multi-family apartment buildings representative of middle and upper income families. The modern houses and apartment buildings in the southern section of the city had average radon levels exceeding 150 Bq.m-3 with a maximum single measurement of 458 Bq.m-3. The colonial houses in the central downtown section had radon levels nearly all averaging below 100 Bq.m-3. Between the ground and third floor of the apartment buildings, radon levels diminished tenfold, indicating that entry of radon-bearing soil gas was largely responsible for the elevated concentrations of radon. The radon levels in winter exceeded by about 30% the radon levels during spring. The potentially adverse health effects of these radon levels may be exacerbated by the quality of air in Mexico City which is often highly polluted during winter.

Radon Levels Inside Residences in Mexico City

Levels of radon were measured during winter and spring seasons inside 55 colonial and modern houses and 30 multi-family apartment buildings representative of middle and upper income families. The modern houses and apartment buildings in the southern section of the city had average radon levels exceeding 150 Bq.m-3 with a maximum single measurement of 458 Bq.m-3. The colonial houses in the central downtown section had radon levels nearly all averaging below 100 Bq.m-3. Between the ground and third floor of the apartment buildings, radon levels diminished tenfold, indicating that entry of radon-bearing soil gas was largely responsible for the elevated concentrations of radon. The radon levels in winter exceeded by about 30% the radon levels during spring. The potentially adverse health effects of these radon levels may be exacerbated by the quality of air in Mexico City which is often highly polluted during winter.