Livin' Spring 2011 In This Issue: Strength 1 Spring into Action! 3 Disabilities Day Luncheon 3 Why Weight?/LV Action Team 4 Accessible Theater Update 5 Components of a Lease 5 S2L: Career Path 7 Upcoming LVCIL Events 8 S2L: the 411 9 Intern Spotlight 10 New Faces at LVCIL 11 Los componentes de... 12 Strength By: Amy Beck, Executive Director Six years ago I had a memorable interview... We were recruiting for an Advocate. Mark Piedmonte and I were meeting a number of applicants that day. One gentleman had been working in direct service provision with individuals with Autism. He loved his job, and expressed remorse that he was even considering leaving the job. He explained that he sought different work that was less physically intensive because a car had hit him a few months earlier, crushing one of his legs. Mark and I could feel this man’s strength of character and mind. He also showed an unbridled passion for disability rights, we knew immediately that we wanted to hire him. A few weeks later, the man joined LVCIL and began settling into the flow of the work. He displayed the passion and dedication every CIL director wants in an advocate. Then, one month into his position at LVCIL, his strength would be tested. His wife was coping with a significant illness and died quietly as they slept one night. Day-by-day he used his inner strength to find his way, and miraculously, he used this devastating loss as a means to become stronger and more passionate for the work at LVCIL and for all of our brothers and sisters with disabilities. His strength and determination moved a mountain of advocacy issues. He helped consumer after consumer who had experienced unnecessary discrimination to resolve their situations with an almost 100% success rate. He invested in young advocates, and made them strong and self-empowered. A few years later he had the strength to accept the role of Assistant Director. To say he showed Herculean strength in taking on a large and growing workload, is an understatement. But, somehow he managed and helped to propel LVCIL into our current growth and expansion. We were all elated when he was strong enough to do what he thought he could never do: venture back into dating. And, his strength was rewarded when he found and soon married a bright and beautiful kindred spirit. I would be remiss if I did not point out another strength he showed... He was not afraid to bring a dissenting, possibly unpopular opinion to my door when I needed to hear it. I have known this man’s strength for six years, but he has recently shown me his greatest display of strength. After months and years of dodging a neurological condition which was ever so steadily rearing its ugly head on an increasing basis, he decided to listen to his body and physicians. They were both telling him to have the strength to pay attention to his health, to rest, to find the best treatment options, and ultimately, to leave the workforce. He wrestled with the decision, and in the end showed me his true strength when he stood up for his health and decided to resign his position. Robbie, my treasured friend and colleague, you have made LVCIL stronger. Your dedication, your power, your sense of humor... All of your strengths have truly made an impact on LVCIL and the community. Thank you Robbie Graves, you will be missed! And lastly, need I say, Go Phillies! Spring into Action! By: Greg Bott The skies are clearing, the sun is smiling, and the clouds are starting to look all puffy and white again. That’s right, springtime has arrived! Time for baseball, April showers, and May flowers, but most importantly, it’s time to show your support for LVCIL! This year, LVCIL is excited to be one of 23 organizations participating in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community on Saturday, June 11, 2011 in historic downtown Bethlehem. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. with the 5K walk starting at 9:00 a.m. and a one-mile fun walk beginning at 9:15 a.m. The walk route is fully accessible and accessible rest rooms will be on site as well. If you’re thinking that the walk is just, well, a walk then let me tell you about all the fun activities planned. In addition to free parking, there will also be food, beverages, music, activities and prizes. In fact, for every $50 that you donate or raise for LVCIL you receive one raffle ticket and the chance to win prizes valued at $1,000 collectively. So, how can you register? You can either fill out the Walk Registration Form in the brochure included with this newsletter or you can register online at lvcil.dojiggy.com. Remember, if you donate or raise $25 or more for LVCIL you get your very own Highmark Walk t-shirt (while supplies last)! The walk is held rain or shine, so dress accordingly. It’s time to spring into action, so come out and join us on Saturday, June 11th at the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community. For more information, please visit www.walkforahealthycommunity.org or call Greg Bott at 610-770-9781 ext. 120. 22nd Annual Disabilities Day Luncheon By: Greg Bott On Friday, April 15, 2011 community leaders, citizens, and disability service organizations from the Lehigh Valley will once again come together at the 22nd Annual Pennsylvanians with Disabilities Day Luncheon. The luncheon will be held at the Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem and will begin with a social hour at 11:00 a.m. and lunch being served at noon. Cost is $20.00 per person and this year’s menu includes baked haddock or breast of chicken. Held each year, the luncheon honors individuals and community organizations that advocate for inclusiveness and promote disability awareness throughout the Lehigh Valley. This year’s event will honor Cora Hook & the Triumphs of Life performance group for their dedication to educating the community about the lives and assets of persons with disabilities. As the group’s facilitator, Cora Hook has 30 years experience as a performer, writer, and teacher. Through her devotion, and the unbreakable bonds created with the group’s dynamic performers, the Triumphs of Life performance has grown into a full-fledged production which has been presented at area theaters, colleges and, most recently, Air Products, Inc. Currently, the Triumphs of Life production is supported by the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living. Cora is a Speech Therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital. The Pennsylvanians with Disabilities Day Luncheon will also present a community award to Dream Come True. Founded in 1984 by local businessman Kostas Kalogeropoulos, Dream Come True strives to fulfill the dreams of children in the Lehigh Valley who are seriously, chronically, or terminally ill. The organization has helped many children with disabilities from our community embrace hope and live out their wildest dreams. Dream Come True is also active in many community events, and has realized the dreams of nearly 1,000 children. For more information on the Pennsylvanians with Disabilities Day Luncheon, or to purchase tickets for the event, please contact Tom Burns at 610-395-3877. Established in 1988 by the late Governor Casey, Pennsylvanians with Disabilities Day honors local citizens who have demonstrated and advocated for social and attitudinal changes in our community to bring about total equality and inclusion for all Pennsylvanians with all types of disabilities. Why Weight? is back! With the bad weather behind us and the nice weather approaching, Why Weight? is back! Upcoming meeting dates: April 11th, 25th; May 9th, 23rd; June 13th, 27th (all meetings held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) If you have any questions about Why Weight? or would like to participate, contact Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124 or debbierozear@lvcil.org. Lehigh Valley Action Team! Due to LVCIL’s constant growth, LVAT needs to change meeting days. The Action Team has been meeting for many years now, and if you’d like to see this program survive contact Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124 or debbierozear@lvcil.org. Accessible Theater Update By: Debbie Rozear In the last issue of Livin’ I talked to you about the efforts of making theaters more accessible in the Lehigh Valley. For those of you who haven’t read or received that newsletter, let me bring you up to speed. A few years ago, an initiative to make theaters more accessible took place in Philadelphia with great success. Since then, there has been a growing interest in implementing programs such as this throughout the state. The group from Philadelphia has started spreading the word across the state and has actually begun similar programs in several other areas. So far accessibility has sprung up in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Lancaster/York. Allentown is now the targeted area, which will encompass Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties. The group that started up locally is called the Tri-County Accessible Arts Coalition. This group will share accessibility equipment across 3 counties which will be used by area theaters, colleges, museums, exhibits, and whatever else may need more accessibility within the arts community. Accessibility features will include audio, captioning, and sign language interpreters. The group is meeting bi-monthly and we have some great news to bring to you... We are going to have our first totally accessible play presented at Muhlenberg College on June 15th at 8:00 p.m. The presentation is “Music Man.” More details will follow, but I can tell you that there will most likely be a reception before the play to meet with the people doing the audio description, who will at that time tell us a little bit about the setting and possibly let us on stage to check out the set and costumes that will be worn during the play. Please keep an eye out for more details in the coming months. If you are interested or would like more information, please call Debbie Rozear closer to the time of the play. More information should be available in the month of May. For more information, call Debbie at 610-770-9781 ext. 124 or email debbierozear@lvcil.org. The Components of a Lease By: Francisco Sainz de la Peña When preparing a lease agreement, whether you are a landlord or a tenant ready to sign a lease, you should be able to identify the critical parts of the lease agreement. Name of Tenants and Landlords. The lease must include the names of all tenants that will live in the property. This document should also have the full names, addresses, and phone numbers of the landlords and persons in charge of maintenance. Lease Term. The most common term is one year. The contract must show the beginning and end date of the lease. Rent Payment. It must clearly state the amount of rent and include a due date. This section should also mention the form of payments accepted by the landlord and the name of the person to pay. Also, it must state where rent should be paid and the penalties of submitting a late or incomplete payment. Security Deposit. In Pennsylvania, the security deposit can be up to two months of rent in the first year, and the amount of the security deposit should be clearly stated in the lease. This money is used to cover damages that may be caused by tenants; you cannot use the security deposit to pay the rent. When you move from the property, the landlord has 30 days to return the balance of the security deposit. If there are any damages more than usual wear and tear, the landlords have the right to provide you with an estimate of the work to be done and its cost. Utilities and Services. The lease should list the utilities and services that landlords and tenants agree to pay for the property. Fees, Fines, and Charges. This section must specify what charges or fees the tenants will be responsible for in case of late payment, bounced checks, city fines, court charges, etc. Responsibilities. This part details what landlords and tenants are responsible for, including to whom and when repairs are to be reported. Access to Premises. This section indicates when the landlord can enter your home (usually 24 hours notice if it is not an emergency). This applies to repairs, inspections, to show the property to potential buyers, etc. Use of the Property State. The intended use of the property, in this case as a residence. Pet Addendum. This part of the lease will mention the agreement of both parties to have pets on the property. This section should also state what kind of pet(s) are permitted, how many, and the size if they are dogs. Lead Based Paint Hazard Disclosures for Property Built Before 1978. If the property was built before 1978 the landlord should give the tenant a Lead Disclosure. Note: If you have some concerns about the content of the lease, you should seek legal advice before signing the lease agreement. For a Spanish version of this article, please see page 11. Deaf ID Cards Have a hard time communicating with police officers? Fought for your right to have an interpreter? Deaf ID cards are in the works and will be distributed in the spring. The cards will include ADA information on your right to have an interpreter as well as our logo and phone number if you should need assistance. Please contact Kadie Trauger at 610-770-9781 ext. 121 or email kadietrauger@lvcil.org if you are interested. S2L: Career Path! By: Carly Nevill We’re expanding our transition services for young adults with the addition of the S2L: Career Path program! In January 2011, LVCIL was awarded funding through the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) to begin the S2L: Career Path program for young adults with disabilities between the ages of 18-25 who would like to learn the skills needed to find and keep a job. Participants must be out of school and eligible for, or currently receiving, services through OVR. Through this program, the participants will be learning vocational and life skills through seminars on topics such as resume writing, creating a portfolio, and interviewing skills. Job coaching, job shadowing, career exploration at job sites throughout the Lehigh Valley, one-on-one support, and person-centered plans are also included with the program. The S2L: Career Path program has also added four new staff members to the LVCIL team, including a program coordinator and three vocational coaches. The program is slated to launch on Wednesday, March 16, 2011, and will include approximately 20 hours of programming per week for each participant. In addition to launching the program, S2L: Career Path staff are working hard to find members of the community, businesses, or educational facilities who would be willing to open their work site for visitations and job shadowing opportunities. Specifically, the staff would like the program participants to take part in tours of local businesses, job shadow employees (with/without a disability), and learn about the different job requirements from guest speakers, business and community leaders. Most importantly, as we seek competitive employment for our program participants, we would love your help in finding leads on potential employers! For more information on S2L: Career Path, please contact either Carly Nevill at 610-770-9781 ext. 125 (email carlynevill@lvcil.org) or Theresa McCormack at 610-770-9781 ext. 123 (email theresamccormack@lvcil.org). If you are a community leader, business, organization, or educational facility who would like to work with us in any capacity, please contact Carly Nevill or Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119. Upcoming LVCIL Events! April 4th—@ LVCIL from 1:30-2:30. First Monday Program presents “Container Gardening.” Learn how to add color to your home or grow herbs for a healthy flavor boost. There is a $2.00 charge for this event to cover the cost of potting supplies. You will take home a flower pot planted with something ready to sprout! You must RSVP for this event. For more information, call Annette Drobil at 610-770-9781 ext. 127 or email annettedrobil@lvcil.org. April 9th—@ Rascal’s Food and Fun, 6616 Ruppsville Rd., Allentown from 12:00 noon-3:00. FAN Group. Today we’re going to have lunch and an afternoon of games and fun at Rascal’s! You must bring your own money for this event. For more information on FAN Group, call Greg Bott at 610-770-9781 ext. 120 or email gregbott@lvcil.org. April 13th—@ LVCIL from 10:30-1:30. Craft class/Lehigh Valley Action Team meeting. Crafting will begin at 10:30. No experience necessary and assistance is provided. Lehigh Valley Action Team will meet from 11:00-1:30. You’re welcome to attend this free, casual gathering where people come together for peer support, activities, and guest speakers. You may bring a lunch. For more information, call Debbie Rozear at 610-770-9781 ext. 124. April 15th—@ Green Pond Country Club, Bethlehem. Pennsylvanians with Disabilities Day Luncheon. Come join us for our 22nd Annual Luncheon as we honor Cora Hook & Triumphs of Life and Dream Come True! Registration begins at 11:00 with lunch being served at noon. Lunch includes baked haddock or breast of chicken. Cost: $20. For more information, call Tom Burns at 610-395-3877. April 16th—@ LVCIL from 9:00-12:00 noon. S2L meeting (topic to be determined). For more information on the S2L program, call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. April 20th—@ LVCIL from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ASL Club Night! For more information, call Kadie Trauger at 610-770-9781 ext. 121 or email kadietrauger@lvcil.org. April 25th—@ LVCIL from 9:00-3:00. Real World: Lehigh Valley Spring Break! A day of fun, team work and activities for our S2Lers! For more information on the S2L program, call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. May 7th—Location TBA from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. S2L: Spring Gala! Come dressed up for a night of fun and dancing! For more information, please call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. May 14th—@ Old Country Buffet, Whitehall from 11:00-1:00. FAN Group. Lunch! You must bring your own money for this event. For more information on FAN Group, call Greg Bott at 610-770-9781 ext. 120 or email gregbott@lvcil.org. May 18th—More info TBA. ASL Club! For information, call Kadie Trauger at 610-770-9781 ext. 121 or email kadietrauger@lvcil.org. May 21st—@ LVCIL from 9:00-12:00 noon. S2L planning meeting for the “Real World: Lehigh Valley.” For more information, please call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. June 11th—Join LVCIL in beautiful downtown Bethlehem for the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community! Registration begins at 7:45 with the 5K walk starting at 9:00 and a one-mile fun walk beginning at 9:15. To register please visit lvcil.dojiggy.com. For more information, please call Greg Bott at 610-770-9781 ext. 120 or email gregbott@lvcil.org. June 18th—@ LVCIL from 9:00-12:00 noon. S2L parents meeting. What to expect from the “Real World: Lehigh Valley.” For more information, please call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. June 22nd—More info TBA. ASL Club! For information, call Kadie Trauger at 610-770-9781 ext. 121 or email kadietrauger@lvcil.org. July 9th—@ Parkway Bowling Lanes, Allentown. Time TBA. FAN Group. Today we’ll have an afternoon of bowling and games at Parkway! You must bring your own money for this event. For more information on FAN Group, call Greg Bott at 610-770-9781 ext. 120 or email gregbott@lvcil.org. July 20th—TBA. ASL Club! For information, call Kadie Trauger at 610-770-9781 ext. 121 or email kadietrauger@lvcil.org. July 27th—@ the Palace Center, 623 Hanover Ave., Allentown, PA 18109 from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. “We Built This CIL on ROCK & ROLL!” LVCIL’s 21st Annual Independent Living Celebration. Join LVCIL for our rockin’ celebration as the ADA and LVCIL turn 21! For more information, call Greg Bott at 610-770-9781 ext. 120 or email gregbott@lvcil.org. S2L: the 411 By: Seth Hoderewski 2011 is going to be an S2L kind of year! The great things that happened at the end of 2010 were a great precursor to 2011! And, here’s just a few things that we’ve been up to. A few S2Lers helped check coats at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem on two different evenings during the holiday season. The S2Lers learned some valuable work skills as they interacted with patrons, checked coats, and helped people in any way they could. While doing their duties the S2Lers also gave out information on the S2L program and LVCIL. The Hotel Bethlehem was also gracious enough to let us keep any tips that we received. We made over $200! We plan on setting the money aside in hopes of taking all the S2Lers and summer staff to the transition conference at State College in July. It was truly a great fundraiser and we will definitely do it again next year! In December, we hosted the “Real World: Lehigh Valley Winterfest.” It was two days of fun and facts for our S2Lers. We had seminars on character building and bullying, and we also did some great team building exercises and cooked a great lunch! We also spoke about resolutions, goal planning, and even went as far as developing goals for the S2L program for 2011! Our goal for 2011 is to have a successful trip to the Penn State transition conference! During “Winterfest” the group also stated that they want to start volunteering as a group in the community. We are currently looking for volunteer opportunities, and if you have any ideas be sure to contact me! One activity in particular that the group is doing together is the “Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser” on Saturday, March 19th. We’re hoping to get the Applebee’s on Cedar Crest jam packed, and are hoping to fill everyone up on pancakes and sausage! The S2Lers will be doing all of the greeting, seating, serving, and bussing. The best part is that we get to keep all of the proceeds, which will once again support our trip to the Penn State transition conference this summer. It should be a jam packed and very eventful Saturday morning. Stay tuned to the next newsletter for some pictures and an update on how it went! We really have a lot of other great things going! Currently, we are in the process of planning a transition conference to be held later this year. A diverse group of professionals, parents, educators, young adults, and committed people have started to come together and help shape the conference. There are many great ideas and actions flowing from the group, and we are hoping that the conference will be the launching point for systems change here in the Lehigh Valley. We are very excited about this venture! In addition to the conference, we are also in the early stages of conducting transition related, participant-driven research here in the Lehigh Valley. Dr. Christie Gilson of Moravian College has already started to meet with S2L parents to discuss the needs for parents and young adults with disabilities here in the Lehigh Valley. So far the meetings have been very empowering and informative for all. Last but not least, we are working with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) to do S2L: Career Path! We are very excited to add Carly Nevill, Theresa McCormack, and Joe Michener to the S2L and LVCIL family! For more information on S2L: Career Path, please see the article on page 6. For more information about S2L or anything related to it, please call Seth Hoderewski at 610-770-9781 ext. 119 or email at sethhoderewski@lvcil.org. Intern Spotlight My name is Lindsay Glass, and I am currently interning with the S2L program at LVCIL. At the CIL they jokingly refer to me as “Lindsay the Intern.” So far I absolutely love my internship! I am currently a senior at East Stroudsburg University where I study Rehabilitative Services. I became involved with my major because I have a disability and have always had a passion for helping others. Throughout my life I have been fortunate enough to have received services, many of which still currently help me. And, although my disability is not severe, it still causes problems here and there. If my disability were more severe I’m sure I would have benefited from many other programs and services in the Lehigh Valley when I was growing up. For example, a support group for Tourettes–which is my disability–would have been a huge help when I was younger. However, there are no local support groups that I am aware of and trying to find a group has proven very difficult; the closest one I have found is in Philadelphia. I feel that I’m too old to be in one now because the worst years are behind me. But, I still feel that a place to hang out to meet other people with disabilities would have been very beneficial to me. I got involved with S2L and the CIL last summer after leaving a job with another agency. I then started volunteering during the “Real World: Lehigh Valley” summer program and quickly fell in love with S2L and working with the young adults. I was so happy to be involved in the program, even if only as a volunteer. Although I am graduating this May, I would love to return to the CIL as a summer program staff member. But, I have to consider my other options. Although I am still on the path of discovery, and am not entirely sure what I want to do, the S2L program has really sparked my interest. Through volunteering with the summer program and my current internship, I am learning my strengths and working on the areas in which I need improvement. I am truly growing as a person and really enjoy working with young adults who are transitioning. Transitioning from school–whether it be grade school to middle school, middle school to high school, high school to college, or college to adult life–is not easy for anyone. Along the way I’ve had my struggles with teachers and peers. In grade school I never felt like I fit in, and in college I always had to explain my disability to my professors and hand in paperwork on what accommodations I needed as well. It was so different than high school. Nothing was provided for me, and I had to advocate for myself. It was scary to stick up for myself, especially for someone with low self-esteem from past experiences. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of my doctors, counselors, and the disability services office at ESU. This is why I’m so glad that the S2L program exists, because it helps young adults feel included and gives them the knowledge and resources they need to stand up for themselves. I’ve learned so much at LVCIL! The staff are caring, passionate, and truly want to help empower people with all types of disabilities. Although, my internship is coming to a close it’s been a blast! I wouldn’t change this opportunity for anything! SSI Direct Deposit? By: Mark Bacak, District Manager, Social Security Many people have heard that by 2013 people will not be able to continue receiving Social Security payments by paper check. The benefits of using direct deposit are: • It’s safe and it’s secure; • It’s convenient; • There are no checks to be lost; • You are in control of your money; and • You will get your benefits on time, even if you’re out of town, sick, or unable to get to the bank. You choose the account where your Social Security payment is deposited. If you don’t have a bank account, you can use the Direct Express prepaid debit card to receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and other Federal benefit payments. With this card, you can make purchases, pay bills, and get cash at thousands of locations nationwide. Learn more about direct deposit and Direct Express at www.godirect.gov or visit www.socialsecurity.gov New Faces at LVCIL With the addition of the new S2L: Career Path program, LVCIL is excited to add two new staff members to the CIL family: Carly Nevill and Theresa McCormack! Carly graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Elizabethtown College, where she majored in Elementary Education and minored in Child Psychology. She worked for a year and half in school districts throughout the Lehigh Valley as a substitute teacher and coached the sprinters and long-distance runners on the track team at Palisades Middle School. She started at the LVCIL as summer staff for the S2L program. While not at work, Carly enjoys vacations to Ocean City, NJ with her family and dogs, watching movies, and going to watch live music. Theresa (Teirri) comes to the LVCIL with a B.A. in Human Services and a tapestry of experience which expands across the Irish Sea. More importantly, however, she comes with a grateful heart. Teirri is grateful to a wonderful CIL community member, and friend, whom many of you knew and loved, Harold Bonte, who introduced her to the CIL many years ago. “Harold was such an inspiration to us all, and continues to be! It is because of Harold, and in honor of him, that I join the S2L: Career Path team. It is my intention to serve the community with the spirit of compassion, courage and conviction which Harold so beautifully exemplified. Thanks Harold! This one’s for you!” Los componentes de un contrato de renta By: Francisco Sainz de la Peña Si usted es propietario de una casa de renta o antes de firmar, si usted es un arrendatario, usted debe conocer las partes más importantes del contrato. Nombre de los arrendatarios y propietario de la casa de renta. El contrato debe incluir el nombre de todos los arrendatarios que van a vivir en la propiedad. También deben estar los nombres completos, direcciones y número de teléfonos del dueño de la propiedad y las personas a cargo de las reparaciones.0 Término del contrato. Usualmente el contrato de renta es por un año. Debe estar claramente estipulado en documento la fecha de inicio y término del contrato. Pago de la renta. Debe especificar la cantidad de la renta y la fecha de vencimiento, al igual que formas aceptables de pago y el nombre de la persona a quien se la va a pagar. También debe indicar el lugar donde debe ser pagado y multas a pagar en caso de pago atrasado o incompleto. Depósito en garantía. En Pennsylvania se pueden pedir hasta dos meses de depósito en garantía en el primer año de renta y debe estar estipulado en el contrato. El depósito es para el costo de posibles reparaciones de daños causados por los arrendatarios o rompimiento del contrato; dicho dinero no puede ser usado para pagar los últimos meses de renta. Si usted se muda, el propietario tiene 30 días para devolverle el balance de depósito en garantía. Si hubiera daños que no corresponden al desgaste normal de la propiedad, el propietario deberá hacerle llegar al arrendatario un estimado que incluya las reparaciones que se deben hacer y el costo de dichos trabajos. Servicios públicos. Menciona los servicios que pagarán el propietario y el arrendatario por la propiedad en renta. Pagos, multas y cargos. Esta sección debe especificar los cargos o pagos que se aplicarán a los arrendatarios en caso de pagos atrasados, cheques sin fondos, multas de la ciudad, cargos en la corte, etc. Responsabilidades. Esta parte detalla las responsabilidades de los propietarios y los arrendatarios, incluyendo a quien y cuando comunicar la necesidad de reparaciones. Acceso a la propiedad. Esta sección indica cuando los propietarios pueden entrar en propiedad, (usualmente con previo aviso de 24 horas si no es una emergencia). Esto aplica para reparaciones, inspecciones, para mostrar la casa a posibles compradores. Uso de la propiedad. Especifica el uso que se le dará a la propiedad, en este caso como residencia. Cláusula sobre mascotas. Se menciona el acuerdo de ambas partes a tener una/s macota/s en la propiedad. Debe mencionar que tipo de animal/es, cuantos y tamaños en el caso de perros. Información del peligro de pinturas a base de plomo para propiedades construidas antes del año 1978. Si la propiedad fue construida antes del 1978 el propietario les debe dar a los arrendatarios una Información sobre el plomo (Lead Disclosure). Nota: Si usted tiene alguna duda sobre el contenido del contrato de renta, usted debiera consultar con un abogado antes de firmar el documento.