As building permits increase this year and healthy competition is restored, multifamily must revisit resident retention practices. Luxury amenities, home automation technology, and quarterly vacation giveaways are unsustainable: amenities and technology quickly become outdated, requiring costly upgrades, and it’s hard to find room in the budget for grandiose vacation packages. What feature can increase tenant retention over the long term without significantly raising costs? Greenery. A series of studies suggests that renters can feel better about their communities and happier with themselves through strategic landscaping. According to a study released by Kansas State University, views of nature contribute to resident satisfaction by making residents feel happier and healthier. The lush landscaping and interactive green spaces in such residences enhance tenants’ sense of health and well-being by reducing stress and anxiety, invigorating the senses, and ameliorating urban harshness. The beneficial effects of nature apply to tenants of all ages. In “Visual Landscapes and Psychological Wellbeing ” by R.S. Ulrich, green spaces demonstrably improved students’  focus, productivity and confidence before taking tests. Greenery also decreased students’ stress levels. Housing that can offer students better academic performance and stress mitigation will be an easy sell in a competitive market. Mental Health and Function by University of Washington departments of Urban Forestry and Urban Greening Research compared seniors living in apartments with greenery to seniors without access to nature. Overall, seniors preferred greener communities. Seniors living near greenery used such spaces for recreation, exercise, and social interaction. As a result, they felt that green spaces contributed positively to their well-being, happiness, and vitality. Seniors revealed a positive correlation between greenery and a diminished sense of loneliness, fewer cases of depression, and lower mortality rates. Greenery can also improve resident retention by promoting peace between neighbors. Mental Health and...