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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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US-Capitol
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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Foxen multifamily panel
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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fannie-mae-building
FeaturesFinance

Why GSEs Believe the Wind is at Their Back

by Lynn Peisner

By John Nelson Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are adopting a more pro-business approach when it comes to closing multifamily loans in 2025 than in recent years, when sources say they were more selective. The two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) combined to produce 33 percent more multifamily loans in first-quarter 2025 compared with first-quarter 2024. “There is definitely a ‘volume on’ mindset at both shops,” says Landon Litty, director of agency sales at BWE. “This is a real positive for borrowers.” For Fannie Mae, the volume of multifamily loans totaled $11.8 …

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Developers-Carolinas-Multifamily
Conference CoverageDevelopmentFeaturesFinanceSoutheast

Lenders Are Back in Action for Multifamily Development Deals, Says InterFace Panel

by Lynn Peisner

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In its first-quarter report, property management research firm RealPage stated that the “supply wave for multifamily was cresting” as the U.S. apartment sector set a record in terms of units absorbed (138,302), outpacing deliveries (116,092). Those figures are a sharp contrast from the first quarter of 2024 when deliveries (135,652) outstripped absorption (103,826). Will Block, partner and co-founder of Olympus Development Co., said that the flip in the U.S. apartment market’s supply-demand dynamic the past 12 months has made all the difference in terms of lenders’ perception. Editor’s …

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LaAvenida-Apartments
Affordable HousingCaliforniaDevelopmentFeaturesFinanceWestern

Specialized Financial Institutions Help Affordable Housing Developers Get Shovels in the Ground  

by Lynn Peisner

By Noni Ramos Across the country, affordable housing is facing intensifying headwinds. From Oakland to Omaha, developers are navigating rising construction costs, protracted approval processes and a funding landscape that rarely aligns with the urgency or complexity of the work. Public subsidies — while essential — are often insufficient to bring projects across the finish line. These conditions are particularly acute in high-cost regions, but they are playing out in communities of every size and type. In the face of these challenges, community development financial institutions (CDFIs) are stepping up. …

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InterFace-Carolinas-Multifamily_Operators
Conference CoverageFeaturesLeasing & MarketingOperationsSoutheast

InterFace Conference Coverage: Multifamily Operators Are Utilizing Fee Transparency, Concessions to Woo Renters

by Lynn Peisner

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The federal government has been cracking down on price gouging in recent months. In May, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) implemented a rule to ban “junk fees” from live event platforms like Ticketmaster, as well as hotels and other short-term lodging. This rule precludes the vendor or property owner/management firm from being able to charge hidden fees on the back end by requiring them to put the total cost upfront, inclusive of all mandatory fees and charges. And in January, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ), along with …

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