Ever wish you could talk to your state Representative without driving to Indy? Member at NICIA had that chance when Representative Hal Slager joined the NICIA community to talk with our members about legislation effecting the investing community. Representative Hal Slager was our guest for the month of October during our monthly Real Estate Investment meeting. He gave the NICIA community an update on legislation changes that effect landlords and investors. Members had a  chance to ask questions and get the inside scoop! Attendees had a chance to hear firsthand the legislative agenda for Indiana and ask questions.

Timothy Brown, the Executive Director of the Lake County Community Economic Development Department presented to NICIA, relevant information around Lake County Development programs that would help benefit your investment efforts.The Lake County Community Economic Development Department oversees 1.8 million dollars in federal funds each year for Community Block Grant Project, HOME Buyer Assistance, Emergency Grants, and Home Rehabilitation Loan all for Low to Moderate Income Residences and New Residents in the 17 Cities and Towns in Lake County and unincorporated Lake. The LCCEDD also over sees the Economic Development Commission in helping to fund new businesses in Lake County with Land, Building, and Equipment purchases. Mr. Brown is the Executive Director of the Lake County Community Economic Development Department in the Lake County.

Christopher Schmidt is a fair housing attorney and mediator with Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board located in Ontario, California. Mr. Schmidt came to the NICIA recently to provide some valuable information around fair housing. He has worked in the fair housing field since 2014 investigating, filing, and mediating housing discrimination complaints on behalf of tenants. Christopher has a thorough understanding of the Federal Fair Housing Act, the HUD housing discrimination complaint process and HUD’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing requirements. Currently, Christopher is providing onsite assistance to residents of the West Calumet Housing Complex in East Chicago, Indiana. His efforts are focused on working with residents, local housing authorities, and area housing providers regarding fair housing issues that arise during the relocation process, with a focus on the reasonable accommodation and reasonable modification processes for disabled residents, as well as working with other service providers onsite in ongoing efforts to assist residents with relocation to environmentally healthy areas of higher opportunity

January's meeting speakers were Richard Hardaway, President of Merrillville Town Council, Vickie Burnell, Head of Code Enforcement in the town of Merrillville.  They spoke on Vacant and Abandoned Properties and How investors can help.

Also, at the January meeting, Tia Cauley, Director of East Chicago Housing Authority spoke with several other authorities on how NICIA can help with the 287 dislocated families from the lead situation in East Chicago. NICIA is partnering with Gniar, the East Chicago housing authority and HUD to help relocate 287 families affected by the lead contamination.

Steve Eslinger joined NICIA in October to spaek about Dodd-Frank, its implications for our real estate businesses, pending changes in the law and work being done to make changes that would better benefit investors and communities. Steve Eslinger has been a real estate and business attorney in Indiana since 1980.  After graduating magna cum laude from the Indiana University Law School, Indianapolis, he began practice in South Bend as a litigator. Gradually, his practice moved into real estate, business, and estate issues. Steve has been very involved in many organizations in the Michiana community.  He presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Real Estate Investors Association of North Central Indiana (REIA-NCI), and the Governmental Relations Council of the Home Builders Association of St. Joseph County. Steve has also served on the St. Joseph County Area Plan Commission. In the last twenty years, he has also been an active real estate investor.  He started with multifamily units but quickly realized that he preferred single family homes.  He buys distressed properties, renovates, and rents or sells.  He has been involved in dozens of landlord/tenant disputes.  He has learned from these practical experiences what does or does not work for landlords. He has also written two books one concerning Indiana property taxes and the other concerning investing in Indiana tax certificates. He has been a popular speaker with the Northern Indiana investment clubs bringing the insight of both a day to day investor and an attorney who deals with clients’ real estate problems.

Scott Starr presented on securities rules and what real estate investors need to do to avoid securities law violations.  There is a safe way to use other people’s money when investing in real estate, and there is a very unsafe way to use other people’s money when investing in real estate.  At Scott’s presentation, our members were able to learn how not to violate the securities laws when using other people’s money. A partner at Starr Austen & Miller LLP, Scott Starr graduated from Ball State University summa cum laude, majoring in accounting (he passed the CPA exam), and from Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis, magna cum laude. Since graduation, he has concentrated on litigating civil lawsuits, including class actions and various types of securities fraud.

Mark Reynolds, NICIA’s current president and long time successful businessman, presented on Due Diligence which is a critical part of every business and can mean your success or failure. He shared how the proper research and analysis can protect you in your real estate transactions. Due diligence analysis serves to confirm all material facts in regards to a sale and is a way of preventing unnecessary harm to either party involved in a transaction.  It can help you to avoid costly mistakes when considering acquiring property.  Is that property really a good deal or will you take a loss due to unforeseen circumstances. 

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