President’s Message – September 2020
President Amber Molina gives BOMA San Diego membership updates about the chapter
In my previous newsletter remarks earlier in the year, I acknowledged that 2020 would be a landmark year. 2020 has certainly lived up to that declaration, but not for any reason we could have ever envisioned. COVID-19 has made our industry navigate unchartered territory, like never before in our lifetime. By mandate, and careful deliberation by our Board of Directors, BOMA San Diego has “gone virtual” with existing in-person events and meetings, and unfortunately postponed others in the face of the pandemic. While securing our standing as an association is vital, there is nothing more important than the health and safety of our members. Despite this enormous challenge, the BOMA San Diego mission has carried on. Our luncheons and educational programming have shifted to a virtual event platform. Committee and board meetings have also continued to take place virtually. And our BOMA office, as well as our committees, have rolled up their sleeves, and come up with new and resourceful approaches to keep the functions of our association alive and well. I could not be prouder of the incredible lengths our members have taken in order to keep our BOMA ship sailing. I am grateful to be at the helm of such a resilient and hardworking association.
Now more than ever before, our 2020 theme of “Future in Focus” takes on new meaning. With such uncertainty looming, it is more important than ever that the CRE community stays informed. As always, BOMA San Diego has kept its members apprised of related local and state updates and mandates. BOMA International has released a series of guidance documents to assist property management professionals in navigating the pandemic. This information, along with links to our past webinars and additional resources, can be found in the COVID-19 Resource Center on our chapter website. If you have not done so already, I highly encourage you to visit this resource page for up to date information here. Please feel free to join us on the Government Affairs Committee to get a first-hand look at everything BOMA is working toward – whether it’s COVID-19 related advocacy or other industry-relevant matters.
At the State level, BOMA California continues to work hard on our behalf. They recently led the effort in defeating SB 939, which would have provided businesses with a right to walk away from their leases, shifting all economic harm to landlords. At a time when responsible landlords are working with their tenants to figure out how to keep them in business to survive this crisis, this bill would have been a devastating blow to our industry. With eviction moratorium news, rent repayment measures, and the battle over split roll tax remaining on the horizon, I advise our members to keep an eye out for this information as it unfolds. The split roll tax initiative will be on the ballot this coming November and has been assigned as “Prop. 15”. This measure will seek to split the roll between residential and commercial property and re-assess commercial and industrial property to current market value every three years. This will be an incredible burden on the tenants and ownerships of our buildings, who are already struggling under the pandemic. This will also impact everyday consumers when the costs of goods and services inevitably rise, as businesses and retailers look for creative ways to recapture this property tax hike – therefore, affecting all Californians. As you can imagine, this initiative will have a tremendous impact on our industry if it passes. Please vote NO on Prop. 15 this November. I highly encourage you to educate those around you about this important ballot proposition.
No doubt, many of you are juggling the work from home balance and the demands that come with distance learning, so I thank all of our members immensely for being flexible during this time. Please know that you can continue to rely on BOMA San Diego to be your resource and strategic business partner in 2020 and beyond. Together we can adapt to the ever-changing conditions that may come our way, despite the challenge of only seeing one another virtually at the moment. Please continue to stay safe and wear a mask in public. I cannot wait to see all of you again in person, as soon as it is safe to do so.
Now more than ever before, our 2020 theme of “Future in Focus” takes on new meaning. With such uncertainty looming, it is more important than ever that the CRE community stays informed. As always, BOMA San Diego has kept its members apprised of related local and state updates and mandates. BOMA International has released a series of guidance documents to assist property management professionals in navigating the pandemic. This information, along with links to our past webinars and additional resources, can be found in the COVID-19 Resource Center on our chapter website. If you have not done so already, I highly encourage you to visit this resource page for up to date information here. Please feel free to join us on the Government Affairs Committee to get a first-hand look at everything BOMA is working toward – whether it’s COVID-19 related advocacy or other industry-relevant matters.
At the State level, BOMA California continues to work hard on our behalf. They recently led the effort in defeating SB 939, which would have provided businesses with a right to walk away from their leases, shifting all economic harm to landlords. At a time when responsible landlords are working with their tenants to figure out how to keep them in business to survive this crisis, this bill would have been a devastating blow to our industry. With eviction moratorium news, rent repayment measures, and the battle over split roll tax remaining on the horizon, I advise our members to keep an eye out for this information as it unfolds. The split roll tax initiative will be on the ballot this coming November and has been assigned as “Prop. 15”. This measure will seek to split the roll between residential and commercial property and re-assess commercial and industrial property to current market value every three years. This will be an incredible burden on the tenants and ownerships of our buildings, who are already struggling under the pandemic. This will also impact everyday consumers when the costs of goods and services inevitably rise, as businesses and retailers look for creative ways to recapture this property tax hike – therefore, affecting all Californians. As you can imagine, this initiative will have a tremendous impact on our industry if it passes. Please vote NO on Prop. 15 this November. I highly encourage you to educate those around you about this important ballot proposition.
No doubt, many of you are juggling the work from home balance and the demands that come with distance learning, so I thank all of our members immensely for being flexible during this time. Please know that you can continue to rely on BOMA San Diego to be your resource and strategic business partner in 2020 and beyond. Together we can adapt to the ever-changing conditions that may come our way, despite the challenge of only seeing one another virtually at the moment. Please continue to stay safe and wear a mask in public. I cannot wait to see all of you again in person, as soon as it is safe to do so.