Argentum Leadership Summit...

It’s nearly time for the annual Argentum Senior Living Leadership Summit, a 4-day event gathering thought leaders and policy makers in senior living. This one takes place December 5-8 in Amelia Island, Florida. With a range of speakers set to host inspiring sessions, the can’t-be-missed event will spark conversations on the most pressing topics in senior living. Most importantly, leaders will discuss relevant solutions for today’s challenges. You’ll find team Yardi at the summit, too. We’re pleased to be a sponsor and we can’t wait to meet you there. Check out the details Argentum is a leading association in senior living. They’ve proudly advocated for choice, independence and quality of life for all seniors since 1990. They’re expert at bringing industry leaders together for insightful discussions, networking and learning. And this year’s summit, inviting C-suite and corporate leadership from senior living’s most influential companies, is no exception. Hosted at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, the schedule includes: The Argentum Board of Directors and member group meetings (December 5-6)The Argentum Advocacy Fund Golf Classic (December 6)The Senior Living Leadership Summit (December 7-8) Speaking sessions start December 7, covering intriguing topics such as: Tested Strategies for Driving OccupancyDemographic Strategies for the Post-COVID EraWorkforce Technology and Solutions You can check out a more detailed agenda from Argentum. For a list of event speakers, visit this page.   Meet with us at the Argentum Senior Living Leadership Summit Not only is this a stellar opportunity to convene with fellow leaders, address industry obstacles and discuss the future of senior living, it’s also a chance to explore innovative solutions built to drive your business forward. We invite you to find team Yardi to chat about our single connected solution, designed for the unique needs of senior living management. We’ll...

Creative Solutions Nov21

Creative Solutions

He said it best: “The housing market is just going gangbusters across the country, that’s a good thing for the economy, but it makes it challenging if you’re looking for a rental property.” That’s a quotation from Maj. Gen. Omar Jones, deputy commanding general of Army Installation Management Command. He voiced what many renters, including military families, are feeling this year. Fortunately, military families are receiving support in two creative ways. One person’s joy is another person’s challenge Military families face reassignment, or relocation, every 2-3 years. This year, military families have found it increasingly difficult to transition into their new assignments. The relocation challenge is threefold: The housing market is thriving, with buyers and renters both combatting high rates (and each other) for deals.High demand on movers, paired with staffing challenges, has caused scheduling delays. The industry has experienced a 25% decrease in labor and a nation-wide backlog in scheduling.If the spouse is working, the spouse must secure new employment in their field within the designated re-assignment window.On average, military families are given assignment instructions 166 days before their report date. Since the summer, that hasn’t been enough time. The delay has been so burdensome to families that Army authorities are delaying scheduled changes of station. To support families, the Army has initiated a program to help nearly 54,000 soldiers find housing. The program includes more lead-time for families to find housing and secure movers as well as an innovative agreement with Lendlease. Lendlease is an international hotel group that now specializes in privatized military housing. The organization signed an agreement that permits soldiers and their families to secure temporary housing at designated hospitality sites while continuing their search for a house. Military families will receive standard housing allowances in these cases. Additionally,...

Energy Innovation Nov20

Energy Innovation

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, which performs R&D for the U.S Department of Energy, sponsors initiatives by businesses and academic institutions to improve energy efficiency.  Here’s the latest of our periodic summaries of active ARPA-E projects. Creating a new version of wood Alternative materials creator InventWood of College Park, Md., is working to develop lightweight 3D corrugated honeycomb structures to replace metal counterparts. 3D wood has one-third the density and one-fourteenth the cost of aluminum with the same mechanical strength. And the proposal could produce a big sustainability benefit as well – a 90% reduction of CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process. Adding the human touch to energy savings About 75% of U.S. homes have smart meters, according to Smart Energy International. While giving homeowners greater access to their energy-use data is a positive step, a team Stanford University researchers believes that optimizing energy and cost savings with that information will “require an understanding of human behavior.” Using human behavior to optimize energy and cost savings could “transform the way Americans interact with our energy-use data,” the team says. A custom-built web-based platform collects historical electricity data for experiments to learn what triggers homeowners to respond. The experiments include financial incentives and a calculator that illustrates the potential savings of efficient appliances. Once completed, the platform and new behavior experiments could help homeowners save energy, improve their energy efficiency and reduce utility bills. Making the power grid cleaner ARPA-E is funding four projects to develop technology to remove sulfur hexafluoride, a gas that’s utilized as an electrical insulator and arc suppressant, from the U.S. power grid. It’s a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Proposals from the funding recipients – the University of Connecticut, Georgia Tech, GE Grid Solutions of Charleroi, Pa., and...

Post-Pandemic CRE Priorities Nov19

Post-Pandemic CRE Priorities

Canadian commercial real estate tenants and investors are becoming increasingly sophisticated in tracking their assets. Their inquiries are expanding beyond payments and quarterly reports. The overarching theme for the next six to 12 months will be environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices supported by reliable data. To remain competitive, property owners, operators and landlords must take these priorities into account. Upgrades drive ROI An emphasis on healthy workspaces will be a principal legacy of the pandemic, prompting owners and occupiers alike to prioritize such things as HVAC upgrades and touchless restrooms. Many owners are seeking WELL Building Standard™ and Fitwell® certifications, which bolsters facilities’ current status while preparing for potential future virus-related health emergencies. Significant ROI is possible by attaining one of these building certifications, with studies showing that effective rents are between 4.4% and 7.7% higher per square foot for properties that hold them. Such certifications also help satisfy health and well-being concerns among asset and fund-level stakeholders, apply to international assets and contribute to GRESB scores. Tech enables workplace flexibility, energy intelligence With almost half of working Canadians wanting a flexible work schedule and guaranteed safe return to the work environment, corporate tenants and property owners will be seeking platforms for office hoteling to aid with occupancy management. These mobile solutions help organizations streamline communication, enforce capacity limits and allows staff to reserve their desks in advance, in real time. This increased transparency can enhance the employee experience and boost workplace confidence. Similar technology on the marketplace includes ESG-related tools with energy intelligence and automation capabilities that gives operators and maintenance teams real-time access to building performance metrics. These features help staff reduce operating costs, promote efficiency and improve occupant comfort from anywhere. By monitoring HVAC investments and sending automated notifications directing staff to address potential equipment failures, such systems can produce average HVAC energy savings of 5-10%. The investor’s stake These new capabilities are as important to investors as they are to landlords and tenants, according to a  CBRE report on investor strategies. They’re weighing amenities connected to health, safety and shift flexibility more heavily in their investment decisions. ESG also carries more weight in investment decisions, with investors recognizing its impact on energy costs, insurance premiums and other operational elements. That will prompt more investments in capital needs to make buildings more resilient. Investors also increasingly expect on-demand access to key metrics, capital transactions, documents and reports. Similar to energy management platforms, investment managers can leverage a single connected suite of solutions to gain a comprehensive view of investment performance and improve collaboration among property operators and investors. Learn how Yardi solutions for flexible workspaces, energy management and investment management meet and centralize the needs of property owners, tenants and investors of today and...

Health + Home Nov18

Health + Home

Did you know that our home environment impacts how we feel? During the holidays, multifamily professionals can increase the perceived value of the property while supporting resident wellbeing and promoting resident loyalty. It all starts with decorating. Drive value while helping residents fall in love with your property again Resident retention saves time and money. Per the National Apartment Association, it costs between $1,000 to $5,000 to turn a unit. If you gained just one renewal each month, you could save $20,000 in annual expenses and about 96 hours of maintenance labor. Promote resident retention through thoughtful programming that shows residents that you care. This includes special programming to support residents who are struggling through the holiday season. Design programming can be a great place to start. Design to beat winter blues together Nearly 40 million Americans experience depression and anxiety, reports the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. The fall and winter seasons are especially challenging. The American Family Physician reports that up to 26% of Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) formerly called seasonal depression. Scientists note a correlation between less exposure to sunlight (vitamin D), decreases in serotonin and an uptick in melatonin. Those factors may exacerbate existing conditions around holiday social and financial stresses, loneliness and grief. Community managers are not clinicians. There are several resident services that community managers can offer, however, to support resident wellbeing during the holidays. Focus on fun yet effective services that turn resident homes into mental health havens. Host healthful interior design classes Consider inviting a healthy interior design expert to speak to your residents. The American Society of Interior Designers has representatives nationwide. You might also research environmental psychologists in your area. These specialists understand how our built environments can impact our...

American House

Founded in 1979, American House Senior Living Communities is continuing their legacy of care today. Their vision has been — and still is — to provide quality housing for seniors at an affordable price. American House operates over 54 communities centered in Michigan and spread throughout the Midwest, New England and Florida. This Yardi client is the gold standard for passionate resident care, which they’re currently taking to the next level. We’re proud to spotlight American House for working through SAGECare, an inspiring step toward building LGBT-inclusive communities. American House joins SAGECare What does SAGECare entail? First, let’s cover who SAGE is. Dating back to 1978, they’re a fast-moving organization with a mission to support LGBT seniors. Their advocation efforts extend across federal, state and local levels. More specifically, SAGE works to: Mobilize LGBT people and alliesEducate policy makers on LGBT aging issuesRelease original policy briefs and other key resourcesLead coalitions that include diverse seniors in policy conversationsMarch and rally with LGBT seniors, plus allies SAGECare is SAGE’s training and consulting division, which assists senior care agencies in creating LGBT-inclusive services. They’ve proudly trained over 60,000 providers across the country — all of whom earned the respected SAGECare credential. Completing the training is a purposeful mission for American House. SAGECare focuses on improving providers’ knowledge in the LGBT space, teaching them to identify bias against LGBT seniors and ultimately, helping them address prejudices that impact LGBT seniors’ quality of care. SAGECare also provides marketing materials to companies like American House, offered once the training is complete. This includes symbols for providers to highlight their earned credential, along with their commitment to LGBT seniors. They’re also listed as a credentialed provider on SAGE’s website. Learn more about SAGECare, a cultural competency training program for providers...

Maravilla Seniors

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors and their families have experienced loneliness and isolation. From enforcing strict lockdowns to limiting in-person visits, senior living communities have seen this firsthand. So how can communities work to improve seniors’ quality of life? One theory, developed by two UC Santa Barbara professors, is through virtual reality (VR). Specifically, through VR sessions with seniors and their loved ones. This theory is being put to the test with seniors at Maravilla Santa Barbara. Testing the power of VR sessions With 21 pairs of Maravilla residents and remote family members, professors Tamara Afifi and Nancy Collins began their research in 2020. Their goal remains to show the impact of VR technology on social connection — and quality of life — for seniors residing in communities. Not to mention, the impact of VR sessions on these seniors’ family members. In this highlight, Collins explains the bigger picture of the study. “The long-term goal is to find ways to use innovative technologies to reduce social isolation, strengthen family bonds and improve quality of life for older adults with varying levels of cognitive impairment,” she said. According to the pilot study findings, VR sessions reduced feelings of loneliness, improved moods and helped enhance seniors’ quality of life. For families, the VR sessions led to better moods and less caregiver guilt. “A family is a system, so when you help one person, you’re helping the whole family,” explained Afifi. “This is especially true for caregivers, who can bear a particularly heavy burden in terms of stress and guilt.” Afifi and Collins also tested how memory decline effects seniors’ engagement during VR sessions. They found that seniors with mild cognitive impairment were more kinesthetically engaged in the VR experience, whereas seniors with mild to moderate dementia...

Fresh Enhancements

We’re always working to upgrade solutions in the Yardi Senior Living Suite. We chat with clients, test new ideas and make adjustments each year — all to help senior living providers succeed. Improvements and fresh features are bundled and released for our clients to enjoy.   With that, Yardi Voyager Senior Housing 7.15 is now available. It’s packed with exciting features and enhancements. We’re here to share it with you. Explore this rundown of the latest and greatest functionality in the Yardi Senior Living Suite:  Voyager Senior Housing New amenity-based pricing featureAbility to add attachments to move-in checklist itemsPrimary payer change function for residents whose services can’t be managedFresh reports including financial move-in and move-out activity Watch the overview video RentCafe Senior CRM Prospect persona and competitors trackingAmenities and inventory matchingOption to assess residents for billing recommendations, included in the leasing workflowNew preset report filters for your end users Watch the overview video EHR Ability to set minimum and maximum durations on default care plan actionsNew service plan audit report that shows changes in care plansOption to perform assessments on a prospect’s co-occupantUpdates to alert charting that enable separate corresponding alerts Watch the overview video eMAR Prescribers Connection interface now available for U.S. pharmacies, Kroll interface now available for Canadian pharmaciesNew EPCS feature for physicians to sign orders for controlled substancesOption to chart certain interfaced orders before they’re verifiedNew physician review queue to periodically review and digitally sign residents’ order profiles  Watch the overview video In addition to watching the overview videos, you can also read our new features guides. Ready to upgrade? Get in touch and we’ll get to work. If you’re new to Yardi, check out our brand-new infographic to learn about our solutions in senior living....

Celebrating Unsung Heroes...

What comes to mind when you think of Yardi software development? Techies at their desks, typing out code? Designers creating user-friendly interfaces? Clinicians, nurses and accountants might not be first in mind, but they play an essential role in the development of our senior living software. Get a behind the scenes peek at the workings of our Clinical and Compliance teams. These specialists come from a range of backgrounds, lending their expertise to develop software that works for you. Nurses, accountants, operators, oh my! Programmers and graphic designers create software, but it takes droves of other specialists to customize program features for the unique needs of clients. That’s where the Clinical and Compliance teams work their magic. It’s a two-fold purpose: to interpret the needs of clients (and relay it to the techies) and to interpret legalities that must be considered during development and updates. Lisa Conrad, manager of Clinical and Compliance at Yardi, leads a team of medical professionals and regulatory specialists that advise on product design and content. “There could be a misconception that the team is all nurses.  Our team is comprised of members from differing professions and education. Each team member does have a healthcare background, but we cover the gamut from billing, operations, regulatory and clinical expertise.” Conrad, for example, began her career in informatics as a director of nursing for a provider in a long-term care facility. She adds, “We feel these diverse skill sets help us provide well-rounded content and solutions for the clients.” Big challenges offer big rewards for senior housing software professionals Senior wellness software is a particularly delicate field. Unlike commercial and multifamily tools, software that contains and transfers electronic health records ensures positive health outcomes. Prompt, efficient and accurate programs are more important...

Affordable Housing Nov11

Affordable Housing

Did you know that one of ten homeless Americans is a veteran? That’s more than 40,000 veterans without secure housing. The number of women among them is rising, per the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). Volunteers of America is stepping up to help vulnerable female veterans get back on their feet. Actively supporting an overlooked population Veterans make up more than a tenth of people facing housing insecurity. Among them, about 20,690 veterans rely on shelters or transitional housing. The remaining 15,366 are unsheltered, living in cars or on the streets. Per USICH, women compose about 9% of veterans who are experiencing homelessness, and women are also about 9% of the overall veteran population in the U.S. Veteran women are more than twice as likely as non-veteran women to experience homelessness. Unlike their male counterparts, more than one third of veteran women who experience homelessness were subjected to military sexual trauma. They also have lower rates of substance abuse and mental health concerns than their male peers, the USICH report states. Family activity is also a differentiator. Veteran women experiencing homelessness are likely to be an active part of a family unit. The average family size is 3.6 members. Women are expected to become 12% of all active-duty members of the armed forces by 2025. The rise in participation foreshadows an increased necessity to address the unique needs female veterans.  Judge Sarah J. Harper Village, serving women who have served America Volunteers of America (VOA) Ohio and Indiana have teamed up to support female veterans in the region. The organizations broke ground on Judge Sarah J. Harper Village, a long-term affordable housing community. The 12-unit project will have two buildings, each 3,000 square feet. Both have six fully furnished units. There are...

Home, Smart Home

Smart home technology is expanding rapidly. Renters want smart home amenities for security and convenience. Property managers are interested in its easy and productive operational management. Smart home technology is also used for risk mitigation and real-time insights to improve buildings’ sustainability as well as property managers’ understanding of their properties’ processes. RentCafe Home IQ is Yardi’s smart apartment solution for the multifamily industry. It allows for increased revenue opportunity and resident retention by offering advanced technology features and experiences. Home IQ deploys and manages a fleet of connected devices without installing custom or third-party software, making it easy to add convenience, streamline operations and manage risk. With new technology comes fresh considerations and questions. Here to help is Vice President Greg Smith. He’s been with Yardi more than 20 years and has been instrumental in the development of Home IQ. Below he shares a little insight into the smart home market, why we made Home IQ and how it compares to other products for multifamily. What is the current state of the smart home market? Smith: Smart home is hopping! And it’s not just for the techies out there. We’ve seen that renters are beginning to look for it and, in some asset classes, expect it. The good news is that smart home tech has as many (or more) benefits for the property owner and operator as it does the resident. Why is Yardi getting involved? Smith: Smart home tech is a natural expansion for Yardi. It’s easy to think of smart home as just a resident function, but the reality is that it can be a huge efficiency gain for the owners and operators. Yardi is always working on solutions to help our clients improve asset revenue and decrease risk, and smart...

Simplify Your Job Nov09

Simplify Your Job

Have you been navigating ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager on your own? There is a better way. Get to know the ENERGY STAR Benchmarking Team for simplified and improved reporting. Meet your ENERGY STAR reporting experts ENERGY STAR Benchmarking Team is located in the Yardi Atlanta and Colorado Springs offices to conveniently serve clients in different time zones. Yardi’s ENERGY STAR team consists of eight experts in all aspects of ENERGY STAR reporting and the many systems that these reports feed. The department is annually recognized as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year and received the Sustained Excellence Award in 2021. The team supports client use of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency system.  The team assists with regulatory compliance, finance and sustainability reporting requirements. They collaborate with clients to setup and maintain portfolios of properties in Portfolio Manager. This includes syncing data from ENERGY STAR with reporting systems designated for each property.  The existence of the department embodies part of the Yardi mission statement, “take care of our clients.” Randy Moss, senior team leader, CSD, has been with Yardi for nine years. He joined Yardi as part of a larger acquisition but has continued on due to company culture. “Yardi is a great place to work and encourages everyone to seek ways to better take care of our clients,” says Moss. “ENERGY STAR Benchmarking started as a client request and today serves over 4,000 properties for Yardi clients. It is very rewarding to support our clients using ENERGY STAR for reporting to all the different systems needed.” Wait, Yardi offers support for ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager? Yep! The team works synergistically with other departments within Yardi to support clients’ reporting needs. The team works with utilities, industry groups and regulators...

Energy Efficiency Day Nov09

Energy Efficiency Day...

On Oct. 6, Energy Efficiency Day addressed a topic with vast local, regional, national and global implications throughout the year. Yardi was pleased to observe the event with more than 800 local governments, universities, organizations, corporations and utilities. This year’s event coincided with the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) climate partnerships program, a collaboration between private and government organizations that has prevented more than 6 billion metrics tons of greenhouse gas emissions – more than all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions in 2019. “Energy efficiency is the cheapest, quickest way to meet our energy needs, cut consumer bills and reduce pollution. Energy efficiency is also an economic engine, supporting over two million jobs nationwide in manufacturing, construction and other fields,” according to the Energy Efficiency Day organization’s website. Energy Efficiency Day, an early-October fixture since 2016, promotes awareness by encouraging home and business energy audits, energy-saving competitions, success story sharing using the #EEDay2021 hashtag and more. Participants seek to promote easy-to-implement measures for businesses and individuals, including: Scheduling regular inspections for refrigeration equipment, furnaces, heat pumps and other equipment.Turning on computers, monitors, printers and fax machines only when they’re needed.Locating and sealing air leaks around the house. Even hidden drafts can hurt your energy efficiency.Staying cool in school. Did you know that the average 200-square-foot dorm room can generate as much greenhouse gas pollution as the tailpipe emissions of a car driven more than 2,000 miles? Consider setting rooms with individual temperature control a few degrees higher to reduce the cooling system’s energy use.Purchasing home appliances carrying the ENERGY STAR® label, which certifies adherence to strict EPA energy-efficiency standards.Turning off lights when leaving the room and consider swapping regular light bulbs for LEDs.Running ceiling fans clockwise and at low speeds during...

Innovation Prevails Nov08

Innovation Prevails

The NMHC OPTECH Conference & Expo returns as an in-person gathering Nov. 8-10 in National Harbor, Maryland. 2021 NMHC OPTECH, presented by the National Multifamily Housing Council, provides multifamily property owners and operators with tools and insight that will help them compete and prepare for emerging challenges in the pandemic’s aftermath. Yardi is a top-tier Chair’s Circle Sponsor of the conference. Booth 401 is “where success happens” for attendees, featuring demos of: REACH by RentCafe®, which improves marketing ROI with advanced digital marketing services including SEO, PPC, social media, reputation management and performance analytics.RentCafe® Home IQ, which increases revenue and efficiency with smart home automation.ScreeningWorks® Pro, which mitigates fraud risk by seamlessly incorporating credit reports, rental history, income and other publicly reportable civil or criminal data in the leasing process.The Yardi® Multifamily Suite, which drives better results with a single connected solution for property management.Yardi® Breeze Premier, an easy-to-use, all-in-one marketing, management and accounting platform. Yardi also plays a central role in several presentations, starting with the opening general session, “Here Comes the Sun! Industry Leaders Look Forward to a Brighter Future.” Richard Malpica, Yardi vice president and Eastern region general manager, will moderate a discussion with industry leaders from KETTLER, CAPREIT and RKW Residential about opportunities in 2022. Also on Tuesday, Nov. 9, Chris Lindish, director of the REACH by RentCafe digital marketing agency, will present an express session on “Marketing Data Exposed: Uncovering Metrics that Drive Results.” The day will close with a panel moderated by Michael Tuer, Yardi vice president and Central region general manager. Panelists from BH Equities LLC, Mg Properties and Draper & Kramer will discuss “How to Make Better Technology Decisions” and share their approach to evaluating new technologies and striking a balance between organizational goals and role-based...

Renting to Leaders Nov08

Renting to Leaders

Is your property ready for Gen Z renters? Gen Z has different housing expectations than any generation before them. A new study reveals their unique interests and goals. Renting to Gen Z requires appealing to their mindset. This may lead to a significant shift in how we view floor plans, services and amenities. Gen Z is already old enough to rent?! It’s true. The generation that feels like it was born 10 years ago is now entering adulthood. Members of Generation Z were born between 1996-2012 which means the earliest members are among your current prospects. This generation of 67 million people is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse to reside in the U.S. That suggests that there is a broad pool of features and amenities to keep in mind when renting to Gen Z — but there are a few unifying threads among the masses.    Gen Z: a generation of leaders In the “Meet Gen Z” infographic created by REACH by RentCafe, it cited data from Dan Schawbel which revealed that 81% of Gen Z aspire to be leaders. Specifically, 41% plan to be entrepreneurs. These data points suggest that many of your future residents will have big pursuits and their home must reflect their goals. To use this information to your advantage, think of services and amenities that cater to the entrepreneurial mindset. How might you enhance your business center? Might you transform a common space into an on-premises coworking center?Could you enter a mutually beneficial contract with a nearby coworking space?Might you build community through a local group for leaders and entrepreneurs?What events could show that you understand who they are? What local leaders or entrepreneurs might you invite to speak at events for your residents?How will your...

Change Management Nov05

Change Management

An amalgamation of several housing firms presented a unique challenge for one of Canada’s largest social housing providers. Each faction brought its own technology, workflows and data. After nearly two decades of managing disparate systems, it was time for a change. Host Tarun George, manager of Strategic Partnerships and Development, Ontario Non-profit Housing Association (ONPHA) led the Rethinking Social Housing Technology webinar. He was joined by panelists Luisa Andrews, vice president, Information Technology Services, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) and Nick Davis, vice president, Professional Services, Yardi. The group discussed the challenges of bringing outdated systems into the modern age of integration, automation and simplicity in social housing technology. United but disparate TCHC was founded in 2002 after the amalgamation of other housing organizations. To manage its 110,000 residents across more than 2,100 buildings, TCHC relied on a piecemeal arrangement of technologies. At that time, employees struggled to see an integrated picture of the new organization. Over the next 16 years, frustrations mounted over inefficiencies and inconsistencies. Andrews joined the organization in 2018. She noted, “at that time, the technologies didn’t meet our emerging needs, so TCHC worked with developers to create custom solutions. There were a few attempts at accounting upgrades but there was no application portfolio strategy.” Andrews’ mission was to bring change that would help the organization thrive. Transformation begins at TCHC TCHC intensified its search for integrated and scalable property management technology. TCHC identified Yardi Voyager Social Housing as the best fit for their accounting and operational needs across their entire organization. To simplify their energy management strategy, they selected YES Energy. Adapting RentCafe Social Housing’s tenant portal, which would meet residents’ expectations for virtual communication and rent collection, is in TCHC’s future vision “It wasn’t just a tech transformation....

Staff Recruitment Strategies

Due to the staffing shortage in senior living, providers must find new ways to recruit and retain staff. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way caregivers look at, pursue and stay committed to employment opportunities.   And the staffing shortage is causing Yardi client Life Care Services (LCS) to get creative. They’re developing effective strategies to attract and incentivize staff members across their communities. LCS’ new staffing strategies LCS manages and supports senior living communities across the nation. Currently serving 140-plus communities, having staff members to meet the needs of their seniors — over 35,000 to be exact — is critical. The 2021 staffing shortage has made this especially difficult. But LCS is rising up to the challenge. Relayed by LeadingAge, Senior Vice President Jill Sorenson explains how LCS is attracting new employees by applying the same principles used to bring in new residents. “When we’re marketing to a prospective resident who’s looking at several different retirement communities, we want to find out what’s important to them,” says Jill Sorenson. “Once we find out, we focus on how our community will address that concern.” Sorenson explains how this sparked inspiration for a new recruitment strategy, one to help LCS through the ongoing staffing shortage. Building a recruitment task force within the 13 communities she oversees, Sorenson’s team got to work. Their new tactics include:   Showcasing how specific communities will meet an employee’s needs and desiresEnsuring a rapid response time with incoming inquiries and applicantsMaintaining a maximum five-minute waiting time for interviewees upon arrivalPreparing a group of back up interviewers, in the event the main interviewer is unavailableMaintaining excellent communication with new hires  Creating a welcoming and robust orientation process Due to their success, these practices have been compiled into a recruitment toolkit, which is now in use across all LCS sites.   And they’re not stopping there. LCS is designating September as their “national recruiting month” complete with a calendar of events to discuss staffing strategies. This includes a “Tuesday tips call” that brings together executive directors, health care administrations, HR directors and recruiters to share fresh ideas. It’s inspiring to see how LCS is staying committed to their residents — working hard to navigate the staffing shortage by implementing new recruitment standards. We hope they inspire others across the industry to push forward, get creative and band together through this unprecedented time.   Read more about Life Care Services’ recruitment efforts during the staffing shortage. To discover how Yardi supports clients like LCS with integrated senior living management software, don’t hesitate to get in...

Yardi Matrix Honored Nov04

Yardi Matrix Honored

Yardi Matrix has been honored as a leading real estate analytics provider by Proptech Outlook, an industry publication that annually recognizes companies that are at the forefront of providing real estate analytics solutions and transforming business. In a forthcoming article in the Proptech Outlook magazine, Matrix vice president Jeff Adler dissects the paradigm shifts that have occurred for the real estate industry due to the pandemic and how they may influence ongoing investment. Investors need comprehensive, verified, and reliable data to make decisions that go beyond guesswork, which is why Matrix has so much value for investment professionals. “Essentially, Yardi Matrix’s function is to bring more transparency in formerly opaque markets. We exist to save time and effort for investment professionals while also ensuring that they are making the right bets at the right time,” Adler told Proptech Outlook. Using Matrix, investors can directly get the relevant insights regarding the commercial real estate market and its subsectors, and easily benchmark, predict, and compare the potential value from various investment opportunities in lesser time and with more precision. “Beyond acquisition and underwriting, the insights provided by Yardi Matrix can also be leveraged for brokerage, loan origination, portfolio management and reassessment, and even property development,” observes Proptech Outlook. Matrix clients have been able to achieve significant returns on their investments, aided by analysis based on factors like location, migration patterns, employment and more. Matrix also offers biannual live webinars that help keep industry professionals informed on the latest trends. “As the impediments of the pandemic alleviate further and investment professionals revamp their efforts, we will be ready to equip them with the latest insights regarding the property market to make more accurate investment decisions,” Adler said. Read the interview with Jeff Adler in its entirety on...

DIY SEO Nov03

DIY SEO

Search engine optimization: You know you should be doing it, but are you taking proactive steps to optimize your apartment marketing website? By now, the benefits of SEO for apartment marketing are clear. By optimizing your site, you make it more attractive in search, both to search engines and potential customers. When search engines like your website, they think it is trustworthy and answers relevant search terms. When customers like your website, they engage with it by visiting multiple pages and clicking buttons. Relevance and engagement cause your site to rise higher in search results, helping you build authority, reach more potential renters and fill more vacancies. Property management SEO may seem like an overwhelming responsibility. After all, every time there’s a significant algorithm change, new articles come out with tips and tricks designed to adapt to the changes. But what you might not realize is that SEO is intended to be more or less straightforward. If your website creates a good user experience by functioning well for all visitors and providing valuable information for your target audience, it should appear in search results. And for apartment marketers, the search results that matter are typically local ones e.g., “one-bedrooms in <city>” and “<neighborhood> apartments for rent.” With that in mind, here are a few DIY SEO tips for apartment marketing. Start making these updates today to see positive results in the long term. Optimize the metadata for every page Every page of your website should have an optimized title tag and a metadata snippet. This is what will show in search results. Google measure title lengths in pixels, not characters, but per Moz, it’s a good idea to keep your title between 50-60 characters. Meta descriptions can be any length, but Google generally truncates...

Design Preferences Nov01

Design Preferences

Say goodbye to Millennial Pink and hello to Gen Z Yellow! When it comes to Gen Z design preferences, this generation of renters has a style all their own. Check out the infographic and keep reading to learn how you can meet the visual expectations of your newest customers. Survey says REACH by RentCafe recently conducted a large-scale survey of Gen Z renters to gauge their sentiments about search, reviews, social media and design. The Gen Z design portion of the survey had 10,624 participants that answered four questions. Do you prefer bright and vibrant colors or soft and calm colors?73% prefer soft and calm colors27% prefer bright and vibrant colors Are you more attracted to lifestyle photos (of people and pets) or property photos (of buildings and outdoor spaces)?68% prefer property photos32% prefer lifestyle photos In design, do you prefer patterns and textures or clean, classic lines?70% prefer clean, classic lines30% prefer patterns and textures Which do you prefer: a website that loads quickly or a website with a lot of motion and animation?88% prefer a website that loads quickly12% prefer a website with a lot of motion and animation Other data Echoing the desire for calm colors and clean lines cited in the REACH survey, a Spotify trend survey conducted in 2019 found that 51% of Gen Z and millennial respondents think there is too much visual stimulation in the world today. Additionally, 64% believe online aesthetics have altered what their generation expects to see in the real world. What does this mean for property management brands? Your communities had better deliver on the experience promised by your website and other digital marketing channels. After all, the REACH survey found that Gen Z overwhelming preferred property photos to lifestyle photos, showing that...