Who Changes the Lightbulbs? The form of the “Maintenance Rider Landlord Responsibility” that is currently included with the 2021 lease and 2020 small building lease contains a surprising difference from prior maintenance riders. That is, the “Landlord Responsibility” maintenance rider makes a lessor responsible for…
Indianapolis is the site for the September 16, 2022 AUSPL Regional Meeting
The USPS OIG issued a November 20, 2020 audit report evaluating steps the USPS had taken through July 2020 to keep its employees safe through the COVID-19 outbreak. In February of 2020 the USPS reported the first positive COVID-19 test of a Postal employee. As…
February 2020 The USPS and the USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) have been focused on maintenance and repair of Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems throughout postal facilities. Tom Samra, Vice President of Facilities stressed the importance of HVAC equipment to Postal…
New Underground Storage Tank Regulations adopted in 2015 have a three-year time frame for implementation, with many taking effect October 13, 2018. If your facility has an Underground Storage Tank, make sure that it is in compliance with current regulations. For more information Click Here or call the AUSPL…
During the 2015 annual AUSPL Conference in Reno, NV, Dennis Pottenger and I gave a presentation entitled “Unraveling the Mysteries of the USPS Lease Agreement.” As members of AUSPL’s Board of Directors with many years of experience dealing with postal leases, we shared with attendees…
AUSPL Conference 2015 provided opportunities for attendees to ask questions of speakers and workshop presenters. One of the questions posed by an AUSPL member to Representative Amodei was why the US Census Bureau sends out surveys using UPS rather than the US Postal Service. Harry…
Before negotiating a lease renewal, a postal lessor should ascertain the facts about the leased facility. First, the lessor should call the postmaster or branch manager of the building. The postmaster can be a lessor’s natural ally in keeping a building occupied. Important topics to…
What Law Applies and Where Will the Case be Decided? Unlike other commercial leases with private tenants, a lease with the Postal Service is most likely not governed by a particular state’s laws. All USPS leases entered into after March 1, 1979 are automatically subject…
If you can crumble a piece of asbestos containing material in your hands, it is friable. Nonfriable asbestos is tightly bound into a material, such as in an asbestos floor tile, and can only be broken up by using tools. If disturbed, friable asbestos can get…
On June 11-12, 2014, dozens of AUSPL members, along with certain board members and AUSPL staff attended the second annual Hill Day in Washington, D.C., to discuss pending postal reform legislation and the value of the leasing program to USPS with key members of Congress.…
For owners of post office properties, potential risks of environmental liability relating to real estate portfolios may not have been a concern historically. However, in the context of widespread changes occurring within the Postal Service, it has become increasingly important for owners to properly implement…
by Karen Delamore of DRE Consulting This article mainly applies to post office facilities that are single tenant buildings and sites. In most cases, the Postal Service is responsible to provide custodial services for the grounds; however, your lease may include other provisions that are outside…
by AUSPL Board Member Gary L. Poelstra One definition of option is “the power or right of choosing”. When an option on your lease is given to the USPS you are giving them the right to lease your building at a specified price for a…
By Tom Coe and Phil Wilson of Real Estate Asset Counseling What a distasteful word –”Holdovers.” It reminds many people of the “leftovers” for lunch or dinner when we would rather enjoy the pleasure of a fresh, newly prepared meal. The correlation is not too…
by AUSPL Board Member Mark Dattel As Postal lessors we all want to ensure that our buildings are being properly maintained whether maintenance is the responsibility of the USPS, the owner or a combination of the two. It is incumbent upon us as lessors to…