This story about the Savannah Apartment Association ran in the Real Estate Section of the Savannah Morning News on Sunday, April 1, 2001. The Savannah Apartment Association was honored to be able to let such a wide audience learn about the history of our great Association, and to acknowledge the benefits of belonging to this organization.
In the sixties, the apartment industry began to realize, that with larger apartment complexes developing on the horizon they needed more knowledge and education to successfully be able to operate an apartment business. They needed to be able to entice more and more people who liked apartment living to come to Savannah to live and enjoy the many advantages that apartment living offered. They needed professionals!
The
Savannah Apartment Association began holding meetings at apartment communities
within the city of Savannah in 1978. Management companies realized that to grow
and prosper they must employ a competent work force. They realized that the more
they learned from each other, the easier it was to find solutions to the
problems they were facing in their own communities.
Experts offered different reasons for the rapid growth of the apartment
industry on the southside of Savannah. Some developers pointed to the continued
growth at Fort Stewart/Hunter, while others saw the influx of new industry as a
prime reason. Whatever the reason,
the southside of Savannah was really on the move.
On
July 5, 1979, the Savannah Apartment Association (SAA) was organized.
Recognizing the vastly increasing role of the apartment industry in
providing quality housing our local apartment owners, management companies, and
managers came together to form this Association. The group united for the
purpose of improving the services and conditions of the apartment industry, to
advance the general welfare of the rental housing industry, and it is still
going strong. Today, the apartment industry has become a major source of housing
within the city of Savannah and surrounding areas of the Coastal Empire.
Under
the Code of Ethics of this Association, its members proudly and publicly assume
the responsibility of providing adequate and desirable accommodations and
facilities for the enjoyment of apartment residents, and recognize their duty to
the public. Owners and managers are ever mindful of their obligations to all
regulations governing the free enterprise system. SAA is an affiliate member of
the National Apartment Association, and also the Georgia Apartment Association.
SAA
encourages Direct (apartment) Member managers, leasing agents, and maintenance
personnel to take advantage of the networking and educational opportunities
available through the Association by attending monthly membership meetings, and
the seminars and certification classes offered. Our Associate (vendor) Members
also have great networking capabilities when they attend the monthly membership
meetings.
SAA
sponsors an annual Food Drive to benefit America’s Second Harvest as its
primary community project. Last year our Association donated over $2600 cash and
48,000 units of food to the food bank. SAA
also sponsored a very successful golf tournament to benefit the food bank. The
2001 SAA Food Drive, “We Can Because We Care”, is underway, and will
culminate with a food drive turn-in party at the April Membership Meeting.
The Food Drive committee is still accepting cash donations and canned
goods, which can be dropped off at the Links at Georgetown. Cash donations
should be made out to America’s Second Harvest, and may be mailed to SAA Food
Drive Committee, PO Box 13247, Savannah, GA
31416.
In
the past few years there have been a number of communities, which experienced
fires that damaged units and displaced residents.
Our members pitched in and offered assistance immediately. SAA members
are always pulling together in times of crisis, and offering to do whatever is
needed to assist those in need.
In
October of each year, the SAA associate members sponsor an apartment industry
trade show, which is second only to the Atlanta Apartment Association’s in
size, within the state of Georgia. This trade show is also open to non-member
apartment communities, but only vendor members who are register with the
trade show committee are eligible to attend. Our associate members have
contributed a great deal to the success of this Association. We appreciate our
associate members, and each year in August we sponsor Vendor Appreciation Night,
to say thanks for all they do to support SAA.
With all the
growth the Savannah area is experiencing, membership in the Savannah Apartment
Association is so valuable; we urge all apartment communities to take advantage
of the benefits of belonging to the Association, which include monthly membership dinner meetings,
educational opportunities, legislative awareness and updates, a monthly
newsletter, networking, and outstanding speakers to list a few. Education
offered by the Association is always open to non-members in our community who
would benefit from the courses that we present.
Our enjoyable and informative educational seminars offered each month
help increase profits, productivity, and lessen the probability of costly
lawsuits.
We
are especially proud of the number of CAM’s (Certified Apartment Managers),
and NALP’s (National Apartment Leasing Professional) that have received their
certification through this Association. The
CAM and NALP designations, offered in conjunction with the National Apartment
Association, demonstrate to the apartment community, professionalism and
expertise in management.
The
Savannah Apartment Association works closely with the Savannah-Chatham County
Fair Housing Council here in Savannah, and has had Mr. Wayne Dawson, Jr., the
Executive Director, as guest speaker at several monthly membership meetings. SAA
also supports that organization by attending the annual luncheon, which is
hosted by the Savannah-Chatham Fair Housing Council. Mr. Dawson is currently
writing quarterly articles on Fair Housing for the SAA monthly newsletter, Apartment
News.
The
foundation of this Association can only grow stronger with continued dedication.
When reflecting upon past years, and anticipating the future of this
Association, we look forward to someday being able to boast that all apartment
communities in our area are members of the Savannah Apartment Association.
For
further information, or to become a member of SAA, please call the Association
office at (912) 920-3207, E-Mail at savaptassn@aol.com,
or visit our website at http://www.savaptassoc.org.