As economists forecast for 2020, some are already thinking past the next recession
“Economists generally expect will experience a downturn... over the course of 2020 or early 2021,” says Sam Chandan, a trained economist, an associate dean of New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate,...
Why business leaders need to understand their algorithms
One of the biggest sources of anxiety about AI is not that it will turn against us, but that we simply cannot understand how it works. The solution to rogue systems that discriminate against...
OK Boomer is just the first salvo of a larger generational showdown
The inscription (above) is reminiscent of another that, according to Newsweek, was unearthed in the Sumerian city of Ur (located in modern-day Iraq and founded in 3800 B.C.), which says, “If the unheard-of actions...
Making Disparate Impact deliver fairness
HUD’s proposed revisions to our disparate-impact rule enhance our commitment to fairness for everyone. Everyone agrees that discrimination has no place in society. But everyone also agrees that a city should be able to require...
The changing face of rentals: single-family
Second quarter data for 2019 reveal that approximately 42,000 homes were constructed as single-family built-for-rent homes over the last year—equal to the prior four quarter starts total—representing about 5 percent of single-family construction. Although...
He who lives by the crystal ball will eat shattered glass.
In times such as these who needs prognostication? Truth alone is a wonder if you’re working from facts. Here are just a few. “We are in a very favorable place, the economy is strong,” said...
Growth strategy
Today’s tight job market, the current housing crisis and concerns about the impending softening of the multifamily market are prompting property owners to look for ways to control the cost of non-revenue producing functions. RealPage...
Brave new, networked world
Apartment dwellers today expect a high level of technology services. Thanks to the growing demand for bandwidth and internet-enabled devices, managed Wi-Fi and internet connections have become valued commodities that help attract and retain...
How property managers can survive (and thrive) in the era of proptech
Rent collection: There’s an app for that. Scheduling repairs: There’s an app for that, too. Apartment showings can now be handled by a suite of software programs that allow for virtual viewings, and background...
Apartment cleaning service expands business model
Lapa Lopa is a cleaning service that leverages technology to deliver an improved experience for apartment residents. Headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., the company recently launched a new app for cleaners, targeting prospective employees, contractors...
Smart city backlash
A new phase of pause seems to have gripped the three-decades-old global movement of overstressed urban centers transitioning to so-called smart cities with innovative, technology-led promises. The latest phase is marked by scattered, local-level...
Putting sharing economy property rentals on the straight and narrow
The romanticized view of the sharing economy runs something like this. We all have assets that we can share with other people in return for small amounts of cash or payments in kind. Sharing...
More rent control in California will make the housing problem worse
Rent control is a terrible idea that just won’t die. The latest example is a new bill working its way through the California legislature that would cap annual rent increases at 5 percent for...
HUD proposes new disparate impact regulations
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a sweeping proposed rule on August 1 seeking to amend HUD’s interpretation of the Fair Housing Act’s disparate impact standard. According to HUD, the...
Unintended consequences of public housing
My grandfather was the first landlord I ever met. It was he who taught me about the business of rental housing, starting and running companies, and the intrinsic value of hard work—all without ever...
