The fifth in Yardi’s series of thought leadership Think Tanks, held in association with Property Week, brought together retail centre owners and managers to discuss their experience and opinions on how to remain successful in a competitive retail environment. London’s retail scene is arguably the best in the world, with billions of pounds spent annually in the capital’s designer stores, boutiques and big-brand outlets. But as fashions in real estate strategy change, today’s retail landlords and property managers must move with the times to keep on attracting consumers. In a series of real estate think tanks, Yardi brought together a panel of retail experts to discuss the burning issues. Jace Tyrrell, deputy chief executive, New West End Company Jordan Jeffery, head of retail management, JLL Robin Dobson, director of retail development, Hammerson Clare Harris, head of group marketing & communications, Shaftesbury Chair: Claer Barrett, Financial Times CB: Let’s start by talking about online retail – have retailers and landlords passed ‘peak disruption’? RD: If you look back 10 years, the property industry was scared; now, I think we’ve come through the eclipse. The opportunity to create the best physical stores is complimentary to the drive to online. ICSC research showed that 90% of transactions still happen in a physical location – customers may have seen the product in a store, then ordered it at home or on a screen, or they might have ordered it at home and gone into the store to collect it. John Lewis recently reported that 50% of its in-store sales are coming from ‘click and collect’. As landlords, we create the platform for others to create the theatre. JJ: Everyone has had to adapt to online changes. Today’s consumers are much more informed and do a lot more research...

Prologis, the global leader in industrial real estate, is a master of sustainable growth. With more than $56.0 billion in assets under management and 670 million square feet of real estate, the Yardi client has never been stronger. Prologis has consistently focused on delivering quality products and exemplary service to its global customer base. The company has earned international accolades for sustainable business practices, smart management and global competitiveness. I recently sat down with Arthur Nelson, VP Global Business Systems, for insight into their success. Progress on a global scale Corporate Knights Global 100 has named Prologis one of the World’s Most Sustainable Corporations for seven consecutive years. Prologis outperformed its international peers across 12 key performance indicators, demonstrating that the company’s enduring focus on sustainability is working. “We place high value on being a responsible corporate citizen,” Nelson explained. “One key element of that commitment is developing to internationally recognized sustainable building standards including LEED, BREEAM, CASBEE, HQE and DGNB, with the goal of certification.” In 2014, the company achieved sustainable building certifications for 27 new projects totaling 9 million square feet. The Prologis platform now boasts more than 53 million square feet of sustainable building certifications. Resource reductions are a consistent corporate priority. By the end of 2014, 68 percent of the company’s global operating portfolio had been upgraded to energy-efficient lighting. Prologis’ rooftop solar initiative has interconnected over 112 megawatts of renewable energy since 2007. In total, energy savings from energy-efficient lighting and renewable energy systems is equivalent to 400 million kWh. Cool roofing covers more than 31 percent of the company’s rooftops, reducing energy use by up to five percent in air conditioned spaces. In addition, Prologis has set goals to: Reduce energy consumption across the global portfolio 20 percent...

The Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference is being held in Anaheim, Calif. this week, just down the street from the Happiest Place on Earth. Yes, we’re talking about Disneyland. If you grew up in Southern California or are raising a family here, chances are you may have had occasion to visit the flagship Disney theme park a time or two. Now that I’m older and more interested in mergers and acquisitions than Minnie Mouse, Disneyland doesn’t hold the same thrall over me that it once did. But as I thought about the many memories there, the unique sense of place fostered by the park’s attractions was on my mind. Could you find a Sleeping Beauty Castle on the real estate market? How about a Tom Sawyer Island? Even a Haunted Mansion? I went looking for the comparable properties to some of my favorite Disneyland spots. Here’s what I found. Sleeping Beauty Castle Fit for a princess, Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle is like a life size Barbie dream house. When I was growing up, it wasn’t open to go inside – apparently it’s now open to visitors for walking tours, though some reviewers complain that there’s not much to do in there. Well, Sleeping Beauty was asleep, after all.. I found a castle for sale in Burgundy, France that might fit the bill of a modern princess (Kim Kardashian?). Two hours from Paris, the 9-bedroom, 7-bathroom home comes with its own lake, two guesthouses, a barn and a stables. But it wasn’t owned by a fairy tale character – French biologist Louis Pasteur, who made milk safe to store with his pasteurization technique, was the original proprietor.  Price is available from international real estate firm Moulin upon request.     Tom Sawyer Island You don’t have...

LONDON – The burgeoning demand for rental property – particularly in London – means developers of build-to-rent schemes have a captive market, but everything else from valuation to finance and planning seems to be stacked against the sector significantly expanding. What do the pioneers of this form of development have to tell us about the state
of the UK housing market and housing policy, and how are they overcoming the odds to deliver profitable schemes? Panel participants: Claer Barrett, Financial Times – Chair Dominic Martin, Operations & Strategy –Westrock Neil Young, Chief Executive – Get Living London Ryan Prince, Chief Executive and Co-Founder– Realstar Living James Scott, Chief Operating Officer –The Collective CB: There has been a lot of noise about ‘build to rent’ as a policy, but correspondingly little development in the private rented sector (PRS). Why is it so challenging financially? RP: It is uneconomic for PRS developers to compete with housebuilders. By our estimates, they can pay 30% more for a site. Then there is the time it takes persuading the planners. When you actually do the math, taking planning, construction, leasing risk and time into account, returns can actually be pretty poor. Most new PRS schemes are either government-procured PRS, where land is marketed on the basis that it will be PRS instead of homes for sale, or part of large-scale regeneration projects. If you remove those specific circumstances, you have no real meaningful, scalable policy framework to have a PRS industry in the UK. I think it gets disproportionate headlines relative to its size. DM: We still do not have clarity for PRS in the planning process. The London mayor’s supplementary planning document is starting to go in our direction, but it is still only guidance. Local authorities can do...

As a property manager, taking the time to stage your property shows prospects that you’ve got it together. You are prepared, detail-oriented, and organized. You want guests to feel welcomed and comfortable on your property. Such nonverbal marketing turns prospects into tenants. The decorating tips below will make your last-minute fall decorations quick and simple. Interior Decor Your property is likely one of a dozen that a tenant has considered. To make your property memorable, skip the obvious choice of fake pumpkins and scarecrows. Step outside of the average color palette by adding purple and gray to your autumnal arrangements. Use gray as your neutral instead of (or with) black, white, or brown. Purple is a beautiful contrast to fall’s popular reds, oranges, and yellows.   Art it Up Wall art is easy to change out with each season. Choosing art with fall colors is a subtle way to celebrate the season even if the subject of the painting does not include fall imagery. Comfy and Cozy Play with the arrangement of throws and quilts. These little touches can instantly transform a nondescript couch into a welcoming retreat. Quilts can also double as wall art.   A Savory Smell Scent creates a strong bond to memory. A few carefully placed candles or essential oil diffusers will go a long way towards creating lasting memories for visitors. Pumpkin and apple scents are always a favorite at this time of year. For a more creative touch, consider clove, anise, fennel, and other cooking spices that are common during holiday meals. Exterior Decor Exterior designs can be tough: brown grass, sparse foliage, dry–or worse, soggy–leaves on the ground. In some areas, the best thing that you can do for your property is to keep it tidy: frequently...

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The Platinum is not your typical Albuquerque apartment complex. It is four stories, expected to be LEED-Platinum certified, with city and mountain views: in other words, a modern marvel that will draw some of the city’s highest rents. It’s surrounded by Nob Hill, Albuquerque’s most walkable urban neighborhood. The area is a mix of higher education, restaurants and service businesses along Central Ave., also known as historic Route 66. “This is Albuquerque’s main street,” says Rick Goldman, developer of The Platinum and two other nearby condo and loft projects. “Usually, retail follows rooftops. But in this town, you had retail on Central, but no rooftops to speak of.” Albuquerque has sprawling single family housing tracts spread across the city. High density apartments rising above two stories tall are rare. Your typical Albuquerque apartment complex, says longtime broker Todd Clark, “was built in 1970, is two-story, brick, with a pitched roof, master-metered and originally offered furnished. It’s an island surrounded by a sea of parking.” So is the Platinum a symbol of things to come in New Mexico? Maybe. But there are challenges ahead before Albuquerque can be considered a transit-friendly, walkable urban destination. Breweries and buses How can you tell when a city is poised for an influx of millennials? CBRE’s Billy Eagle, who specializes in multifamily sales, suggests that you might want to track brewery openings. “During the last two or three years we’ve seen the breweries expand five-fold. I think there are now more than 25 in town,” says Eagle, who relocated to Albuquerque from Southern California eight years ago, when he was in his early 20’s. He talks enthusiastically about cycling around downtown, weekly farmer’s markets, new restaurant openings and Uber: all hot with Millennials. During his time...

Asset Management companies in the UK have experienced several years of growth due to foreign capital flowing into the country during the lean years. As rents stabilize, the rate of growth is clearly unsustainable. Yardi brought together several asset management experts to discuss how asset management will reinvent itself during economic recovery and prosperity. According to Richard Williams, managing director asset services UK, CBRE
, The answer boils down to the company’s country of origin. Far Eastern and Middle Eastern investors continually require traditional asset management services. “That’s where most of our team’s work has come from in the last year. Although they tend to buy trophy properties, we spend a lot of time teaching them the fundamentals of asset management. It’s impossible for them to do this from Asia where they’re based.” Locally, there is a different story. Shaun Hose, director of asset management, BNP Paribas Real Estate, explains, “Now, the market has improved to such an extent that the yield shift alone won’t meet target returns. Institutional investors are looking for assets they can intensively manage and have levers to pull. The regions are high up on the agenda for UK investors as occupier markets come back, but London markets continue to be dominated by foreign investors.” This leaves local investors seeking a select few assets that will offer the value that they need: core plus assets with both income and an angle, and doughnut assets that are inside the M25, but outside of central London. Such properties include multi-let industrial, or distribution centres, with their low vacancy rates, resilience, and growing popularity. Such centres are often occupied by online retailers, powerhouses whose bravado is far from diminishing. There is also a notable amount of obsolete properties that could use a second wind....

Large retail centers used to be revered for their prestige and variety. Getting to the 2 million-square-foot Sears and Roebuck center in Atlanta, GA was once a pilgrimage for consumers throughout the region. The days of such super-sized department stores are long gone. With the growing popularity of online shopping, brick-and-mortar stores are steadily shrinking. This trend is likely to continue but that doesn’t mean that REITS and owners will see less cash flow from their vast, existing properties. Data leasing, the new frontier, is proving to be a gold mine full of possibilities. CBL & Associates is introducing the Digital Star program at its properties. It is a set of fiber paths, routers, and related infrastructure that is made available to tenants in CBL properties. Three shopping centers are piloting Digital Star this year. “The new space for lease is all digital,” says Mike Harrison, Senior Vice President at CBL. “It’s a whole new way of thinking. It’s in high demand.” The average demand ranges from 4-10 megabytes for most retailers but there are tenants such as Microsoft and Apple that need well over 100 megabytes. To meet the growing demand, CBL has teamed up with Granite Communications to provide data management and services. Together, they offer tenants brick-and-mortar stores with a range of digital capabilities. The duo is constantly thinking on its feet. The need for data will only increase as retailers explore methods in which digital and online tools can enhance the customer experience and improve the efficiency of operations. Consumers motivate the bulk of data demands. Even when they are inside of a store, consumers continue to shop and research online for product reviews, detailed product descriptions, and offers from competitors. In addition to in-store wi-fi, consumers expect increasingly interactive...

The cat is out of the bag. Self-storage is a hot industry with hefty returns and minimal operating costs. If you haven’t explored the possibilities in this sneaky big market, you may be running out of time. Vacancy rates have gradually declined in the past seven years as rentals proved to be a more favorable option for young adults, empty nesters, and those facing financial challenges during and after the recession. Even as the economy regains its health, self-storage continues to do well as people relocate for work or for more comfortable living. By the end of 2014, self-storage occupancy reached a historic high of 90 percent. Yardi client Morningstar Properties president Dave Benson weighs in, “It’s really been strong occupancies and good demand as housing comes back, as jobs come back and people start to move around a little bit,” he says. 2015 has enjoyed a great start. Morningstar Properties exceeded its capital goal for a $75 million private-equity fund that will acquire at least 10 properties. Other Yardi clients also have ambitious plans for the year. Cubesmart has begun a 36-property acquisition from Chicago-based Harrison Capital. Ernst & Young Capital Advisors spotted LifeStorage LP with $120 million in equity to expand operations across the nation. Yet as institutional investors with diverse portfolios continue to pounce on Class A opportunities within the sector, top-notch assets have become harder to find. New developments are being built prospectively, often scooped up before being marketed. Second quarter of this year, we may see the self-storage behemoth lose its fangs, at least temporarily. Cap rates are declining and new construction is slowly forthcoming. “We were seeing stabilized assets trading at 5.5 percent cap rates, where this sector doesn’t usually see rates of less than 6 percent,” reports R....

Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1439; since then the printing industry has evolved, from printing blocks to 2D printers with the capacity of mass-producing documents in just minutes. Today,  3D printers are capable of creating pretty much anything, from mechanical parts to prosthetics to buildings. Even though it’s been 32 years since an engineer named Chuck Hull invented 3D printing, only recently the process became one of the industries of the moment for investors. From 2011 to the present day 3D printing has raised almost $4 billion, while during 1987-2010 (23 years) it raised only $300 million. Increase in interest by public investors translates into extraordinary potential and profit in the industry. 3D printing advocates say the technology will be routinely used to build homes, food, and human tissue and believe that it has the potential to revolutionize how we do everything. A good example is General Electric, which announced that it is using this technology to make the next generation LEAP airline engine that will save fuel consumption and expense. Probably the even better news is that 3D printing is no longer reserved for corporations only, but available to all. A Chinese construction firm, WinSun Decoration Design Engineering, unveiled a five-story apartment building, dubbed “the world’s tallest 3D-printed building,” along with a 11,840-square-foot neoclassical mansion, both made entirely with a giant 3D printer. The properties were built with a patented ink created from a combination of recycled construction waste. This project follows last year’s revolutionary initiative when the company built 10 affordable houses in 24 hours, each of 650 square feet at around $4,800. For the affordable project the company used four 3D printers that measure 20 feet in height, 33 feet in width, and 132 feet in length. The process is...

National multifamily rents are no longer skyrocketing at breathtaking rates. The news could cause renters to send thank you letters to the powers that be, if they knew who or what those powers were. Primarily, renters can thank a boost in multifamily development which is helping to balance supply and demand. Secondly, they can thank the competition posed by the single-family housing market. A growing demand for townhomes has increased the properties’ market share in sales. According to REALTOR.org, existing single-family home sales are up by 5.2 percent and distressed property inventory has decreased by 23 percent compared to this time last year. The recent stats demonstrate that homeownership is now more accessible for many, particularly when it comes to existing properties. New construction is also becoming more accessible. Total single-family attached construction was up 17 percent on a year-over-year basis by the fourth quarter of 2014, census data reports. Townhouses may soon constitute 11 percent of all single-family developments, inching slowly towards the most recent high of 14.6 percent of market shares last seen in early 2008. The total market share of townhouses is expected to continue its gradual rise in years to come. When looking at market trends, the growth of townhouse sales makes sense. Townhouses offer an ideal compromise between features that both Millennials and Boomers crave in rentals and single-family properties: -Townhomes fit well into urban environments, where so many Millennials and Boomers have set their sights. Single-family attached properties work well in metropolitan infill lots that are on the smallish side for apartment complexes yet are too profitable for one single-family home. -Townhouses come with less yard space than a traditional house, minimizing the amount of time and money that owners must dedicate to maintenance. -Pet owners appreciate that yard space...

The NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association recently held its second annual E.Con in Atlanta, a conference dedicated to e-commerce innovation. During the two-day event, last mile delivery stayed at the forefront of conversation. As the nation faces a shortage of 240, 000 truck drivers, e-commerce companies are actively seeking alternatives to traditional delivery methods. Panelists and attendees discussed four current trends: Unmanned vehicles The lack of CDL drivers and the high costs of employing them are leading e-commerce retailers to seek other ways of getting products from distribution centers to the homes of consumers. Removing drivers altogether could be the solution. That’s one approach that has been tried in Europe and Asia. Those programs started 10 years ago. Unmanned vehicles still haven’t caught on because studies (and many companies) suggest that automated trucks are most suitable for interstate conditions. The last mile in urban and suburban areas has risks associated with pedestrians, frequent construction and redirects, varying laws, and erratic behavior from human drivers nearby. More research and innovation will be needed to make companies and consumers comfortable with unmanned delivery vehicles in heavily populated areas. Uber-style delivery systems Independent delivery services are also popping up across the nation. Drivers for hire (those with a standard non-commercial license) can carry out deliveries from urban and suburban distribution centers to doorsteps. They do not require the pay or hours of career truck drivers. Start-ups and smaller e-commerce companies are exploring these options. They may become more prevalent in the future. There is one major problem. Currently, there is no software that coordinates product size, weight, and shipping distance with these drivers for hire. Everett Steele, CEO of Kanga says, “There is this idea, ‘I want to be the Uber for delivery,’ but one of...

For managers, collections can be the most tedious part of the job. Skips, delinquencies, bounced checks, NSF alerts—there are few pleasantries surrounding the process. Fortunately, there are several tools in place to streamline collections, resulting in hands-free, automatic transactions. Say goodbye to the antiquated practice of depositing checks and say hello to the digital future of collections. Property managers have several options when selecting a check-free payment system, each with unique benefits and challenges. Many properties have the best success by offering a combination of payment options from which residents can choose. Rent from Payroll An NAA Education Conference and Exposition study suggests that rent from payroll can decrease delinquencies and rent-related evictions by 77 percent. For managers, withdrawing rent directly from payroll assures that rent funds won’t become discretionary income for renters. The process also minimizes human error and complications during the transaction. While those points may be enough motivation to explore this option, the benefits don’t stop there. For residents, rent from payroll can take the place of traditional credit qualifications. Some properties use rent from payroll in lieu of a cash deposit, which is appealing to many renters since cash can be tight during relocation periods. The downside is that some renters will not want to enroll. 65 percent of the time, rent from payroll holds 74 percent of the next month’s rent, reports Units Magazine. Not having access to those funds could be a deterrent for renters. Automated Clearing House (ACH) More than 22 billion ACH transactions are completed each year, making it one of the most popular options for electronic bill payments. As with rent from payroll, you’re still eliminating the human-to-payment interaction, decreasing the margin of human error and freeing up time for onsite staff. The greatest difference...

This week, Commercial Property Executive unveiled this year’s Stars to Watch, 17 up-and-coming individuals and teams from across the commercial real estate industry that are sure to make more waves as they climb the career ladder. Like others recognized by this decades-long program, these 40-and-unders are exhibiting insight, creativity and dogged determination in completing deals and building businesses, often simultaneously seeking to give back by mentoring others, serving on other companies’ boards and involving themselves in their communities and social causes. Following is the list of CPE’s 2015 Stars to Watch. You’ll want to read about their accomplishments, featured in CPE’s February 2015 issue. Christopher Bellapianta, Director of Finance and Acquisitions, Advance Realty Georgia Collins, Senior Managing Director, Workplace Strategy, CBRE Group Inc. David Colman, Michael Colman, Tyler Ross, Principals, ROCO Real Estate Mathew Crosswy, President, Stonehill Strategic Capital Malcolm Davies, Principal, George Smith Partners Christine Espenshade, Vice President, Capital Markets, JLL Seth Grossman, Managing Director, Meridian Capital Group Michael Hart, Senior Managing Director, Corporate Occupier & Investor Services, Cushman & Wakefield Inc. Nicholas Hoffer, Senior Managing Director & COO, Hunt Mortgage Group L.L.C. Patrick Luther, Managing Director, Faris Lee Investments Benjamin Miller, Co-founder & CEO, and Dan Miller, Co-founder & President, Fundrise Nitin Motwani, Managing Principal,  Miami Worldcenter Associates Taylor Snoddy, Managing Director, Transwestern Robert Stamm, Executive Managing Director, Savills Studley Lauren Staniec, Sustainability Coordinator & Enhancement Project Manager, Pyramid Management Group Armand Tiberio, Senior Vice President, Investments, Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services Inc. Craig Wilson, Executive Managing Director,...

Early in his career, a well-meaning mentor suggested to David Antonelli that he might consider focusing on finance, rather than real estate, so he could easily transition between asset classes during variable economic times. “In the end, I liked real estate so much that I nodded politely and went on with my career. Twenty-five years later, I’m still in the real estate business,” said Bentall Kennedy’s executive vice president and portfolio manager for its Multi-Employer Property Trust (MEPT), the firm’s open-end commingled private equity real estate fund and one of the largest of its class. Antonelli talked to us about the high-performing MEPT and where it is focusing its investment dollars. Give us a brief synopsis of the background of the MEPT fund and its investment emphasis? Antonelli: MEPT is an open end, core private equity real estate fund that invests in institutional quality commercial real estate throughout the United States. The investment objective of the fund is to provide competitive, risk adjusted total returns throughout all real estate cycles. The fund was founded in 1982 by Bentall Kennedy and it now has over $6.8 billion in gross assets, along with 320 investors, which makes MEPT one of the largest private equity real estate funds in the U.S. What has the fund’s return rate been to date? Antonelli:  Since its inception, the fund has produced a 7.85 percent total return, and over 90 percent of that total return has come from fund income. MEPT’s total return, I think it’s important to note, exceeds most pension plans’ actuarial assumptions. The fund’s investment strategy is focused on maintaining strong and stable income, building a diversified modern portfolio, providing superior liquidity, and it’s also executed with strong commitment to the principles of responsible property investing, similarly or...

Ed. note: The third in a three-part series, our final article on the real estate realities for Detroit, Michigan, as the city emerges from a long period of decline. Read the first installments here (Part 1) and here (Part 2). Walking around downtown Detroit, at many times of day, feels like one has wandered onto a deserted movie set. Historic skyscrapers loom overhead. There are hints of change and progress: work on a new rail line, construction fences around old buildings, for rent signs in windows. What you don’t see, that feels strangest of all, are very many people. At 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., there is foot traffic as employees walk to or from their jobs. A great many of them are wearing Quicken Loan employee ID badges, identifying them as part of Dan Gilbert’s empire. Gilbert’s investment in the city, from real estate purchases – more than 50 buildings to date – in addition to centering Quicken’s headquarters downtown and funding a large portion of the M:1 RAIL line, is ubiquitous. “Dan Gilbert obviously is leading the charge in downtown real estate reinvestment. He’s acquired 52 properties in the last couple of years, for Quicken and various subsidiary companies of his own,” said John Latessa, Senior Managing Director of CBRE’s Michigan operations. The other major property accumulator, the Caesars Pizza-founding, sports team-owning Ilitch family, has been buying up lots and decaying buildings for a new hockey stadium for years. “(Gilbert and the Ilitches) are generating the interest that didn’t exist before. If they weren’t doing this stuff and couldn’t do it on their own, a lot of these other projects wouldn’t be possible,” said Scott Allen, president of Fourmidable, a Detroit-based multifamily property management firm. Rising rents for multifamily Detroit’s real estate...

No owner wants to wake up to surprise expenses or costly lawsuits. You can avoid both by staying on top of your property’s accessibility compliance standards. Across the nation, well-intentioned multifamily professionals are facing citations and fines for noncompliance. Many are surprised to discover that employing licensed architects and contractors does not automatically mean that their properties are compliant. Mark English, President at E&A Team, Inc., has specialized in accessibility compliance inspections for more than 22 years with operations in all 50 states. He has witnessed beautiful new construction with notable accessibility violations. Often times, it’s an issue of communication rather than competence. “A lot of developers are very cloak-and-dagger about where they’re going to get their money because they don’t want everyone to know. So sometimes architects, contractors, and engineers who are asked to build something may not bother to ask the question, ‘What sort of funding do we use?’ That’s a majorly important question!” These experts can’t meet stringent accessibility regulations for specific types of federally funded projects if they don’t know what type of project they’re creating. On-site staff is often completely unaware that there is a problem until a resident or employee files a complaint. Their complaints are generally followed by lawsuits so it’s better to address issues early. Throughout his career, English has witness two common violations that cause problems on many multifamily properties. The first is a lack of cane detection under stairways. “For the visually impaired, you’re required to have a minimum of 80 inches of vertical clearance along an accessible route. If you have paving or concrete under a set of stairs, that would lead a person with any visual impairment to assume that they can walk right under the stairway. The goal is to have...

Affordable Housing Finance’s readers chose their favorite projects from 34 finalists in nine categories based on innovation, community impact and creative problem solving, among other criteria.  Seven of the nine projects are from Yardi clients with diverse development specialties in green design, urban planning, senior housing, and mixed-use projects. Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) was awarded the title of overall winner for its work on Grant at Woodlawn Park in Chicago (pictured, right). The 33-units serve low- and moderate-income families and are part of POAH’s Woodlawn neighborhood revitalization initiative. In addition to being voted the overall winner, Grant at Woodlawn Park was also selected as best master-planned/mixed-use project. The Boston-based nonprofit also is providing job placement services, financial counseling, and youth programs. Mercy Housing is a national nonprofit organization that renovates existing housing and develops new affordable rental properties for low-income families, seniors and people with special needs.  Mercy Housing also builds strong foundations for its residents by providing programs such as health classes, financial literacy, employment resources, parenting and after-school programs for children. Mercy Housing took awards in the categories for family, senior and preservation projects.  Mercy Housing California developed Caroline Severance Manor, located in the Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown neighborhood in the City of Los Angeles. The five-parcel property contains 85 units of intergenerational affordable housing with one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartment homes. In Chicago’s Pullman community, Mercy Housing Lakefront preserved a historic factory and transformed it into 210 affordable units known as Pullman Wheelworks.  And in Half Moon Bay, Mercy Housing California helped bring seniors closer to critical services with the development of Coastside Senior Housing. Below its 40 affordable units, the property’s ground floor houses an adult day health center and a senior center with meal program. Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA)...

September is REALTOR Safety Month, an excellent opportunity to spread awareness about security and safety issues facing our industry.  The list below highlights seven safety tips that can keep you safe while working and networking online. Review your company’s internet policy and stick with it. We understand that policies are absolutely positively boring but they are in place for very good reasons. Rules for downloading apps and software can be particularly important as they prevent viruses and hackers from gaining easy access to your machine—and all of the sensitive data that can be accessed from it. Not even your mother deserves your passwords. It’s easy to let a co-worker or family member “borrow” your password for a quick login but resist the urge. You’re accountable for anything that happens when you’re signed in. Also, avoid using the same credentials for your personal and professional accounts. Your password should be as complicated as tax law. Each account should have a unique password with a mixture of characters (capitals, symbols, numbers). While they may be easier to remember, avoid using names and dates, which many people could figure out just by browsing your Facebook profile. Make security software updates automatic. You’ve got enough to remember as it is. Keep your machine, client data and personal data safe by maintaining updated security software at all times. Think twice about clicking links, even from coworkers. If you receive an email or chat from a coworker that seems suspicious—words and punctuation that they don’t use, topics they’d never broach—it’s probably a scam. Delete or quarantine the message immediately. If you’re uncertain, check with your peer through an alternate method to confirm that he or she is the sender. Invest in identity protection.  In our increasingly digital age, so much...