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Affordable HousingDevelopmentFeaturesSustainable/LEED

How Pocket Communities Can Meet Urban Redevelopment Needs, Create Public-Private Partnership Opportunities

by Lynn Peisner

Traditional, large-scale urban developments have failed to create vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods. Pocket communities represent a transformative approach that addresses those fundamental shortcomings through innovative public-private partnerships and financing mechanisms. Small-scale developments of eight to 12 homes clustered around shared common spaces are experiencing significant growth as municipalities, developers and investors recognize their superior capacity to foster community connection, financial viability and environmental sustainability. What Are Pocket Communities? Pocket neighborhoods are clustered groups of smaller residences gathered around a shared open space, such as a garden courtyard, pedestrian street or community …

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Affordable HousingArchitecture & DesignFeatures

D.C. Adaptive Reuse: Five Smart Strategies for Cost-Effective, Affordable Housing

by Lynn Peisner

In Washington, D.C., access to affordable housing remains a critical challenge. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, as of 2023, more than 54,700 extremely low-income renter households lived in the city, yet only 17,300 affordable and available rental homes were on the market at that income level.   D.C. is far from alone. Nationwide, there are only 35 affordable homes for every 100 extremely low-income renters, leaving millions without access to stable, secure housing. Renovating affordable housing, whether for refinancing, RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration) conversion or preservation, is …

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BerkadiaFeaturesFinanceInvestment SalesNews

Broadening Buyer Pool Signals Market Resilience

by Lynn Peisner

Multifamily fundamentals are showing encouraging signs for investors. CBRE reports that more than two units were absorbed for every unit completed during the second quarter of this year, lowering the national vacancy rate to 4.1 percent, down from 5.5 percent one year prior.  Year-over-year effective rent growth increased to 1.2 percent during the second quarter, the first time in two years the rate surpassed 1 percent.  CBRE estimates that multifamily construction starts at midyear were 74 percent below their 2021 peak and 30 percent below their pre-pandemic average. Yardi Matrix …

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FeaturesFinanceFrom the Magazines

What Will Move the Needle on Lending Volume?

by Lynn Peisner

By Joe Gose Compare the dynamics of the multifamily debt environment of four years ago to today, and at first glance not much appears to have changed. A wave of capital ready for deployment? Check then and check now. The same can be said for the type of lenders active in the space: Life insurance companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, private credit sources, and banks were all hungry for deals back then and have a similar appetite today. Of course, the economics have shifted dramatically. A spike in interest …

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DevelopmentFeaturesOperations

Owner-Controlled Insurance Programs Can be Cost Effective, But Only if Negotiated Smartly

by Lynn Peisner

By Max Stein and Robert Alfert For any construction project, insurance coverage is a critical factor in managing risk. In recent years, owner-controlled insurance programs (OCIPs) for large-scale commercial and residential construction projects have grown in popularity. OCIPs are mainly known for being “wrap-up policies,” which means the owner/developer pays the premium, and the policy provides coverage for all contractors and subcontractors working on the project, with the exception of some higher-risk trades, such as hazardous-materials handling or demolition. While OCIP costs can vary widely depending on project scale and …

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Shelly Peterson Smart Room Package management Multifamily quote
Content PartnerFeaturesFurniture, Fixtures & EquipmentIndustry ContentMidwestNortheastOperationsSoutheastStudent HousingTechnologyTexasWestern

Scalable Solutions for Multifamily’s Growing Package Problem

by Sarah Daniels

At too many multifamily communities today, managers spend much of their time receiving, safeguarding, retrieving and tripping over a rising tide of parcels awaiting pickup by residents. A range of cages, lockers and other systems promise to ease the package management burden, but most still require staff oversight and may not securely accommodate bulky items or seasonal surges in deliveries. “The sheer volume of packages residents are getting has increased, and that has driven a lot of frustration with package management,” says Shelly Peterson of Smart Package Room, which makes …

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Affordable HousingFeatures

How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Will Affect Affordable Housing Financing

by Lynn Peisner

By Kamara Green and Ben Nichols With the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, affordable housing experts are now assessing how to best leverage its many provisions to address America’s housing shortage. Included within its pages is an improvement to one of the most important affordable housing tools, a $16 billion expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), as well as other provisions that could help provide additional resources, facilitating a significant increase in the number of decent, affordable rental homes for families, seniors, people with disabilities …

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FeaturesOperationsTechnology

How AI Is Helping Streamline Apartment Operations

by Lynn Peisner

By Kristin Harlow Necessity has sparked innovation across the multifamily sector. Property managers are implementing new technology platforms to streamline leasing, maintenance and resident communications because of rising operating costs, says Jim Cunningham, president of Naperville, Illinois-based Marquette Management, which owns or manages nearly 16,000 units across eight states. Operating costs increased 7 percent last year, according to CBRE. Rising insurance costs are one of the primary drivers. Property managers are also embracing technology to enhance resident satisfaction. Wendy Deetjen, vice president of Habitat’s market-rate portfolio, says that today’s renters …

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FeaturesFinanceIndustry ContentMidwestNortheastOperationsSoutheastTechnologyTexasWebinarWestern

Webinar: From Sunk Costs to Strategic Savings — Risk and Insurance Plays to Strengthen Your Multifamily Portfolio

by Sarah Daniels

The August 6 webinar “From Sunk Costs to Strategic Savings — Risk and Insurance Plays to Strengthen Your Multifamily Portfolio,” sponsored by Foxen, explored practical ways for multifamily owners and operators to address one of their largest cost concerns in 2025: insurance.  Industry experts detailed the risks of tenant-caused property damage, the operational challenges of monitoring renters insurance and the benefits of structured compliance programs. Viewers learned about property damage liability waiver programs and tenant legal liability (TLL) policies in protecting owners from uninsured losses. The panel also discussed the …

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Village-Green
FeaturesMidwestOperations

The Art of Alignment: How to Balance Stakeholder Interests in Multifamily Property Management

by Lynn Peisner

By Diane Batayeh, Village Green To be successful at multifamily property management involves equal parts of communication, alignment and trust. There are several stakeholder groups to consider when making decisions about how best to operate and set up an apartment community for long-term success. Between residents, employees and owners, there are differing and sometimes conflicting objectives and perspectives to consider. In today’s quickly evolving multifamily landscape, satisfying everyone can be challenging, and it requires a delicate balance to maintain all stakeholders’ satisfaction while also achieving their respective goals. With the …

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