May 12, 2010—Utah Apartment Association (UAA) Executive Paul Smith was named National Apartment Association's (NAA) PARAGON Association Executive of the Year. The award will be presented during the 2010 NAA Education Conference & Exposition, June 24-26, in New Orleans. The awards recognize the multifamily housing industry's top communities, executives, employees and affiliate programs.
Smith has an impressive list of accomplishments that have served Utah's apartment industry, apartment residents and the UAA well.
Five years ago, city officials in Northern Utah approved a disproportional business license fee for apartment owners based on the number of services used by apartments. Smith fought the fee and convinced city officials to enact the Utah Good Landlord Program, which would allow a lower license fee for owners trained through the UAA. In its first year the program saved owners over $1.4 million.
Additionally, Smith personally assisted in curriculum development and has taught over 40 classes last year with over 1,500 owners in attendance. Since the program's inception, use of services has been reduced by 40 percent and crime on apartment properties has decreased as much as 31 percent in some cities. Smith has helped nine communities adopt the program and is working with many more.
Smith spearheaded a campaign to raise the state standard for methamphetamine contamination. After two years and two state law changes, the Department of Health finally raised the standard in July. The change is estimated to save Utah property managers hundreds of thousands of dollars in cleanup and decontamination fees. Smith also helped identify and terminate several bills that were potentially harmful to the multifamily housing industry.
In 2009, Smith led fundraising efforts for the UAA Political Action Committee, raising a record-breaking $73,000 in a depressed economy and surpassing 2008's total of approximately $30,000.
Under Smith's leadership, UAA membership has increased by more than 7 percent and income has increased by more than 5 percent.
Smith served as NAA's 2009 Association Executive Council President, a member of NAA's Board of Directors, and was co-Chair of NAA's 2009 Education Conference & Exposition.
NAA President Douglas Culkin, CAE, said, "The PARAGON awards recognize the outstanding contributions of multifamily builders, professionals and affiliated associations. By shining a light on these winning individuals, communities and organizations, all members of our industry benefit."
A list of all winners and details about each will appear in the September 2010 issue of units magazine.
For information about the Utah Apartment Association, please visit www.uaahq.org.
About NAA: The National Apartment Association (NAA) is America's leading advocate for quality rental housing. Based in Arlington, Va., NAA's mission is to serve the interests of multifamily housing owners, managers, developers and suppliers and maintain a high level of professionalism in the multifamily housing industry to better serve the rental housing needs of the public. NAA is a federation of nearly 170 state and local affiliates, comprised of more than 51,000 multifamily housing companies representing more than 5.9 million apartment homes throughout the United States and Canada. Members in good standing of any affiliated association are automatically considered members of NAA and entitled to NAA benefits.