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One often reads articles about "affordable housing." The news is bleak. The city council struggles to address our community problems with the lack of affordable housing — particularly for teachers, police, health staff, construction workers, middle managers, etc. Though Habitat for Humanity housing efforts have been limited to under 40 sites in our area, each volunteer project receives much "affordable housing" applause.

Neglected by the press, however, it seems to me, is a major element in the depressing Bonita affordable housing dilemma: rental housing and its associated tensions. A recent heading of an article in a respected national newspaper trumpeted "The Invasion of the Renters." Most renters are justified in resenting this as an exaggerated and offensive put down of the 30 percent of Americans who are not homeowners. Fortunately, the article itself was more moderate in its review of the facts. The current housing slump is expanding the rental market. Desperate "flippers" are becoming landlords. And, as more renters move in, complaints are multiplying about tenant overgrown lawns, bikes on balconies, loud parties, cars parked on grass, loud music after 9 p.m., added residents, etc. With thousands of stressed property owners across the country forced into renting their homes, Bonita has begun to reflect this trend. Analysts predict that nationally the lack of affordable ownership homes may yet see neighborhoods and condo associations familiar with under 10 percent rental ratios — ballooning to 20 or 30 percent.

A respected real estate research firm is reporting that the decades=long trend that has seen apartment buildings converted TO condominiums is REVERSING! For the first time since the 1980s, the second quarter of 2007 statistics reveal that condo reversions to apartments has flip-flopped into the numbers lead!

Are renters "less engaged in their communities and less concerned about maintenance?" this report asks. That complicated question is perhaps best answered by a poll of property owners whose next door owner has recently, for the first time, rented his house. It is unfair to generalize about all renters based on the behaviors of those in-your-face, irresponsible ones who deserve the label of "invaders." Indeed, few of us have not experienced the nightmare of rude, neglectful, selfish owners AND tenants. Some have suggested that the majority of problems associated with increased rentals rests with absentee landlords, not with tenants. Responsibility (read "good neighbor policy") will, I think, require early and reasonable review of current Bonita condo association private home leasing and renter guidelines. The short lived phenomenon of house/condo flipping inside the real estate bubble has burst. Owner and investors have themselves been "flipped" into the complicated and often difficult role of landlord.

Here’s some advice for "Accidental Landlords" by Ben Casselman (Wall Street Journal). Planning to rent it out?: Make sure your neighbors know you’ll be renting. Encourage them to tell you about any issues that come up. Check back now and then to be sure all is well. Landlords and the law!: State and local governments regulate everything! Avoid lawsuits, penalties or worse. Keep up maintenance: Do not assume renter responsibility. Good maintenance/repair means better tenants. Know the rental market: It is a mistake for many landlords to set rents based on their expenses rather than what the market will bear. They then wonder why their units don’t rent! Vet prospective tenants: Credit "score" is not enough. Dig into credit reports, verify income and call all references — one or two may not be enough. Take care about discrimination laws, i.e. rejection for age, marital status, other factors.

It appears that the trend to leasing property by owners will grow in the foreseeable future. Already I read reports of economic adjustments to accommodate the stresses it presents. Signs are that some builders are now focusing attention on constructing rental properties. Some developments have limited the number of renters, requiring owners to register before taking on tenants. One Las Vegas planned community has banned all buyers from renting out their homes in their first year — directed at blocking investor-owners. Others have established caps, but these are complicated and spawn litigation. Some have drafted and approved aggressive "good neighbor" letters to problematic owners and tenants, etc.

Thoughtful attention to this rental trend and its implications will prevent the problems from evolving into a them vs. us narrow mentality. Owners, renters — respectful neighbors all! The Hatfields and the McCoys had it all wrong!

Ted Beranis, of Bonita Springs, is a retired educator