Businesses: rev your mobile engines
The automobile industry has long thrived in a world where cars were parked 95 percent of the time. But that’s changing. In October of 2016, Steve Mahan, who is legally blind, tooled around Austin,...
We can heal nation through housing
As we have seen time and time again, individuals, families and children able to afford quality shelter live better, healthier lives. Unfortunately, it is well documented that too many cannot. In 46 New York City schools...
What’s in the cards for apartments?
After seven years of rising construction, rents and occupancy, the apartment building boom is finally showing signs of flattening. The slight dip in multifamily starts in the first half of 2016 might indicate that rampant...
The power of 10
I was sitting in his office as he recounted the secret of life. It was 2005 and we spent the next two hours talking about everything from his theory of successful urban planning to...
Checks and balances
Learning to appreciate the thrill of rental applicant screening all comes down to perspective. A fascinating technology that can be adjusted for different market conditions, screening systems help leasing agents qualify renters using credit,...
Turning a page in history
A couple of months ago, former NAA CEO and President Doug Culkin stepped down and Robert Pinnegar took over leadership of the organization that is focused on educating and advocating on behalf of a...
The unexpected solution to America’s affordable housing crunch: the urban movement
The ones currently doing the kicking are the YIMBYs, a loosely allied collection of pro-development housing advocates whose name plays on the acronym NIMBY (“Not In My Backyard”), replacing the “Not” with an emphatic...
Working from the full view
For far too long multifamily operators have been hamstrung by the lack of reliable metrics on such critical issues as which prospect calls are getting answered, how well leasing agents are performing on those...
Breaking the cycle
Some supporters compare his potential to that of housing oracle Jack Kemp. Some critics dismiss him as lacking experience. Whatever the case, Dr. Ben Carson is about to take on one of the nation’s...
How to handle a colleague who’s a jerk when the boss isn’t around
You may be tempted to call out the inconsistent behavior, but before you do anything, take the time to understand why the person behaves the way they do and what can you do about...
Doing the right thing
Former U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser joined advocates and housing professionals to officially open...
The road ahead
From a national perspective, the Republican sweep and President Trump’s platform suggest prospects for tax cuts and tax reform; increased infrastructure, energy and defense spending; a reduction in the regulations affecting a number of...
Demographics love multifamily
While these statistics tend to move hand in hand, sometimes patterns emerge that show a chasm in these numbers, and demographers are keen to report how these chasms may explain more about the underlying...
Solving the affordable housing puzzle
But inside Brooklyn’s 461 Dean—the world’s tallest modular building—half of the 363 rental apartments fall well below market rate. One-bedrooms, which range from 578- to 735-sq.-ft., start at $600 a month. Developed by N.Y.-based Forest...
The rise of AI makes emotional intelligence more important
As machine learning continues to grow, we all need to develop new skills in order to differentiate ourselves. But which ones? It’s long been known that AI and automation/robotics will change markets and workforces. Self-driving...
