Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta

Real Estate

Short and Suite: Renting Out Space for Special Events or Occasional Use

Is your nonprofit considering renting out its space for occasional events? For example, you have a great garden that could be rented out for special events or a gym that another nonprofit wants to use for after-school programming. Occasionally renting out your space can be an opportunity to collaborate with the community and raise funds for your organization, but there are some important questions to ask before handing over the keys.  Join James Reed with Morris Manning & Martin in this episode of the PBPA Podcast as he reviews those questions and more for nonprofits looking to rent out their space for one-time or limited use.

Links to additional resources referenced in this episode:

Lights, Camera, Action: Licensing Agreements with Movie Production Companies

UBIT: Four Letters Your Nonprofit Needs to Know

How to Obtain Alcohol Permits for Special Events

Episode 33 Transcript

Zoning 101: A Primer on Zoning Law for Nonprofit Leaders

Zoning laws help determine locations for specific development and facilitate community growth. Join Lisa Morchower, Of Counsel with Berman Fink VanHorn, as she provides an overview of zoning considerations for nonprofit organizations. In this webcast, she will cover such topics as:

  • How to determine what your property is zoned for;
  • What is a special use permit and variance; and
  • What to keep in mind if you go before a zoning board without an attorney

Speaker: Lisa Morchower, Of Counsel, Berman Fink VanHorn

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Webcast: Ways to Lower Your Property Taxes – Homestead Exemptions & Tax Appeals

This webinar is an overview of the two tools homeowners have to try to manage their property taxes amid rising home values. Homestead exemptions are a valuable tool for reducing taxes on primary residences and who might be eligible is a little broader than whose name appears on the deed. We will talk about who might be eligible for exemptions and what exemptions might be out there for your clients. We will also touch on the appeal process and what to consider in preparing to appeal the value in the notice of assessment.

Presenters: Stacy Reynolds, Attorney, Senior Citizens Law Project and Cari Hipp, Attorney, Pro Bono Unit, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.

View the webcast here

Ways to Lower Your Property Taxes

Ways to Lower Your Property Taxes Homestead Exemptions and Tax Appeals

Webcast: Leasing 101: It Begins and Ends with a Lease

Does your organization help participants find housing and sign leases with landlords? Could your organization use a little bit of insight on what all those lease provisions mean? This webcast is intended to walk the listener through:

– Understanding standard lease provisions
– Once it is signed, following the terms of the lease.
– The lease entered into between tenant and landlord is an enforceable contract. If you would like to guide your participants as they take this big step, then tune in!

View the webcast here.

Slides – Webcast Leasing

Slides - Leasing 101

Fall Is Property Tax Payment Season!

Does your nonprofit own real estate in Georgia? Are you paying your property taxes annually? Yes, even though your organization has a tax-exemption from the IRS, that does not mean it is exempt from paying property taxes in Georgia. All real property in Georgia in taxable, UNLESS it is specifically exempted. That means unless your nonprofit specifically applied for and was granted an exemption from property taxes for each parcel of real property it owns, then your organization owes property taxes.
Fall is property tax season

Article: Fall Is Property Tax Payment Season!

Webcast: Business and Legal Considerations for Nonprofits Selecting Office Space

For nonprofits, as for all businesses, the location where you operate plays an important role in how your organization will function and whether it will thrive. When selecting a space and deciding whether to own or lease (and under what terms), it is all too easy to dive into a deal before fully considering your needs and possible risks. In this seminar, our speakers will cover a broad range of considerations that all nonprofits should keep in mind as they make real estate decisions, including:

* Aligning your real estate decisions to support your mission
* Business and legal considerations of renting versus owning
* The legal purchasing process
* Risks of ownership unique to 501(c)(3)s
* Key terms to watch out for in commercial leases

Presenter: Mack Heller of Eversheds Sutherland and James Pitt of Kellogg Partners

Click here to view the webcast.

Selecting Office Spaces

Slides- Selecting Office Space for Nonprofits

Webcast: Slip and Fall: What Happens if Someone is Hurt at Your Facility

This webcast will provide an overview of “premises liability law” and outline the legal responsibilities of nonprofits operating facilities in Georgia, including offices, warehouses and program space. The webcast will also address common scenarios involving injuries that can happen at a facility and will provide useful insights about preserving information after an incident to reduce exposure and risk to the nonprofit.

Presenter: Dan Kingsley of Swift Currie

Please click here to view the webcast.

Slip and Fall

Slides: Slip and Fall-What Happens if Someone is Hurt in Your Facility - Dan Kingsley

Webcast: Property Tax for Nonprofits

Does your nonprofit own real property? Does it plan to purchase real property (or hope to have it donated)? If so, don’t assume that your nonprofit will not have to pay property tax. Real property owned by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization in Georgia is not automatically exempt from property tax. The property must qualify for one of the listed exemptions and the owner must apply for exemption and be approved. This webcast will cover basic information on whether a nonprofit’s owned real property is exempt from Georgia’s property tax, how to apply for property tax exemption, and best practices for maintaining that exemption.

Presenter: Madison Barnett, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP

Webcast: Thinking About Buying a Building

Your organization has grown and you now need your own building, or a bigger building, and you have the funds to buy rather than rent. You’ve bought a house before, or have at least seen people do it on TV, and it seems so simple! Surely buying a commercial building isn’t much different? Unfortunately (unless you’re a real estate lawyer!), the process of buying a commercial building can be complicated. Certain pitfalls, if not avoided, could leave you with no building (and/or no money) to show for all your hard work. So, don’t miss this informative workshop for a broad overview of:

• Reasons to buy vs. rent.
• Key issues to negotiate in your purchase contract.
• Due diligence for buying a building.
• Common pitfalls to avoid in the diligence process.
• The closing process.
• Common ownership risks and ways to avoid them.

Presenter:
David Burch, Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

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Property Tax for Georgia Nonprofits

Does your nonprofit own real property? Does it plan to purchase real property (or hope to have it donated)? If so, don’t assume that your nonprofit will not have to pay property tax. Real property owned by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization in Georgia is not automatically exempt from property tax. The property must qualify for one of the listed exemptions and the owner must apply for exemption and be approved.   This article provides basic information regarding whether a nonprofit organization’s owned real property is exempt from Georgia’s property tax, how to apply for property tax exemption, and best practices for maintaining that exemption.
Basics of Property Tax Exemption for Nonprofits in Georgia2