Did you know that over the next decade, the U.S. population aged 70 and older will increase by 15 million? According to a 2025 report released by PwC and the Urban Land Institute, “This supply-demand tension sets up an environment ripe for innovation and strategic positioning for the next chapter of senior housing development.” As the 70+ population continues to grow, and the number of residents in senior living communities increase, energy consumption will be one of many issues for operators. This applies to both the construction of new buildings and the upkeep of existing ones. Energy is an area where innovation can help. Without technology built to monitor energy consumption and identify areas for improvement, senior living operators face heightened costs. Fortunately, solutions like the Yardi Energy Suite equip you to reduce costs, enhance efficiency and comply with energy benchmarking regulations. The rise of energy consumption The average building wastes roughly one-third of the energy it consumes, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This could be a result of not having the right solution in place to track consumption and identify savings opportunities. Energy matters in senior living in this time of growth. But monitoring consumption and strategizing ways to save energy and money isn’t easy without technology to help. How to save With the right solution, you can boost efficiency and save money while meeting state, county and local benchmarking regulations for your communities, and there are about 50 jurisdictions with mandatory energy benchmarking and transparency policies for existing buildings. Imagine the impact if you could monitor consumption, improve utility billing, identify conservation opportunities and measure results. But which tech solution is right for you? Achieve more with the Yardi Energy Suite Let’s take a look at the Yardi Energy Suite — our full-service...
Getting The Whole Story...
Yardi Drives Energy Insights
Across the U.S., commercial and residential property owners are required to comply with ENERGY STAR® energy benchmarking and transparency policies. In these jurisdictions, metrics ranging from electricity usage per square foot to greenhouse gas emission volumes must be reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®, the most widely used energy reporting compliance system in North America. Gathering data Gathering the volume of required energy consumption and billing data and submitting it can be daunting. This is especially true for property management staff who are short on time or energy expertise. Fortunately, clients using the Yardi Energy Suite can draw on resources at every stage of the process. “We have many creative ways to get whole building data that aren’t available from most other property management software providers,” said Christy Cannon, a solutions consultant for Yardi Energy. For example, Energy Efficiency offers a cost-effective alternative to shadow metering. This method tracks individual energy usage in multi-tenant buildings by reading tenants’ utility meters for accurate billing. The data, along with common area usage from utility bills, is pushed into Portfolio Manager and used to generate a performance score. “Along with generating a score, the data can produce some really good metrics that help building owners understand their performance,” Cannon said. Bringing clarity with meters & dashboards Yardi’s manual utility meter reading service can read resident or tenant utility meters monthly, bimonthly, quarterly or at other intervals. Monthly or bimonthly readings allow the property to apply for ENERGY STAR Building Certification. A mobile meter reading app transfers the data into a dashboard where it’s aggregated into whole building data. “This approach provides a granular look at consumption, and we can separate common areas from tenant areas for greater clarity,” Cannon said. Another approach...
Senior Living Spring Events...
Meet Team Yardi
This spring is packed with senior living events — but which ones should you prioritize, and how can providers effectively plan their calendars in 2025? With numerous trade shows offering valuable insights, we’re highlighting a few must-attend senior living events for spring 2025. These gatherings provide opportunities to network with industry experts, discover cutting-edge solutions and explore the future of senior living. The Yardi team will be at each event, connecting with attendees and answering any questions about the Yardi Senior Living Suite. Here are our top five senior living events from April to June. Which ones will you attend? 1. TALA 2025 Annual Conference & Industry Expo Meet us at the TALA Conference & Industry Expo in Round Rock, Texas. Reach out to book a meeting. Event details: Kalahari Resort, April 2-4, 2025 2. Together We Care Convention & Trade Show Join us at booth 308 during the Together We Care Convention & Trade Show in Toronto, Ontario. Contact our team to get a meeting on the calendar. Event details: Toronto Congress Centre, April 7-9, 2025 3. Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference Visit us at the Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference in Tampa, Florida, at booth 701. Schedule a meeting with us. Event details: Tampa Convention Center, May 19-21, 2025 4. BC Care Providers Association Annual Conference Connect with us at the BC Care Providers Association Annual Conference in Victoria, British Columbia, at booth 13. Contact us to book a meeting at the show. Event details: Victoria Conference Centre, June 1-3, 2025 5. CALA Spring Conference & Trade Show Let’s network at the CALA Spring Conference & Trade Show in Sacramento, California. We’re sponsoring the awards luncheon this year. Hope to see you there! Book a meeting with our team. Event details: Hyatt Regency Sacramento & SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, June 2-4, 2025 Connect with us...
RFTAs Simplified
Online RFTA explained
Request for Tenancy Approvals (RFTAs) are difficult, but they’re just part of the job. They can take some time and really slow you down when you just want to move things along. The waiting, the delays, the endless paperwork — it all adds up. But there’s a better way. Online RFTA is a tool that saves time for your staff, program participants and landlords. And it all happens electronically through RentCafe PHA. So, no more waiting months for approvals, chasing down lost emails or sifting through heaps of paper. It’s simply a faster way to get things done. How online RFTA works Each step of the RFTA process is handled digitally with Yardi Online RTFA. Agencies issue vouchers, applicants find their units, and landlords execute HAP contracts — all in one digital interface. You may be wondering, do I really need this? Well, this simple tool cuts approval times from weeks to just a few days. Imagine what you could do with the extra time. In fact, Lori McGowen of Spokane Housing Authority praises Yardi’s RFTA portal for just that reason. She says, “We’re able to lease-up in about 10 days rather than 14 to 20 days.” For your applicants, faster approvals mean they can move into homes sooner, and for landlords it could lead to improved ROI and more participation in the program. Finally for your agency, it means greater efficiency and fewer bottlenecks. Take a look at the workflow to see how seamless it is. Then vs. now Maybe spreadsheets and emails are just how you’ve done it all along. And it works. So why change what’s working? Well, think about it this way. What if the time spent on paperwork and follow-ups was time saved? Because when it comes down...
Senior Living Suite Classes ...
YASC Virtual is Free for Clients
You might have heard about the Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference (YASC). YASC Virtual, a cutting-edge conference where you can explore Yardi solutions with classes and engaging live chat rooms, is happening March 11-12, and it’s free to all Yardi clients. Did you know there are five classes specifically for the Yardi Senior Living Suite this year? Here’s a quick summary of what the senior living classes at YASC Virtual will cover. For more details, see the complete class listings. Spotlight on senior living Join us as we showcase the latest innovations in the Yardi Senior Living Suite and reveal exciting future changes planned this year. We’re always evolving our solutions to help you streamline operations and provide improved services for your community and residents. Learn about new tools and features in the Senior Living Suite that can help you achieve your goals. Increasing productivity with free senior living training resources This class outlines free training resources for senior living and how you can use them to increase productivity and confidence on your team. Maximizing the impact of EHR with interoperability & interfaces Learn how Yardi EHR interfaces connect your communities to the broader healthcare ecosystem so you can optimize care delivery and resident outcomes. Explore how this connection supports value-based care. Voyager 8: Senior CRM overview & migration basics Discover the advantages of our latest Senior CRM update on Voyager 8. This session dives into exciting new features and powerful enhancements so you can explore how upgrading can accelerate progress for your community. Get expert strategies for a seamless and powerful transition. Voyager 8: Housing overview & migration basics The next generation of Voyager Senior Housing is here! This class provides an overview of how this new simplified and intuitive user interface organizes functions...
New At SSA Spring 2025...
Storage innovations from Yardi
It’s almost time for the Self Storage Association (SSA) to host SSA Spring 2025, their biggest annual event on the East Coast. This year, Yardi is a sponsor, presenter and exhibitor — and our experts have a lot to show attendees. This is a rare opportunity on a national stage for the self storage industry to network, explore the latest tech and discover new ways to connect with customers. For those who haven’t been to an SSA event in a while, the 2025 Spring Conference & Trade Show is a great year to jump back in. For one, as an Ambassador Sponsor, it’s our job to help make the trip worth the while. We’re going to showcase our innovative facility marketing, management and market research solutions built just for the self storage industry. What Yardi offers Jeff Bailey, regional manager at Yardi, will host a roundtable to guide attendees through the process of streamlining business operations with a single connected solution. Join him on March 13 from 2:45-4 p.m. EDT. Our team will be at SSA Spring 2025 to demo and discuss four solutions attendees need to see: Yardi Storage Manager: Our leading-edge cloud-based platform for institutional self storage operators. A suite of optional add-on modules expands the functionality of the system to include advanced marketing, stored goods protection, procurement, construction, forecasting, investment management and more. Yardi Breeze Premier: Our all-in-one platform that is ideal for small- to mid-sized self storage businesses. Everything one would need for facility marketing, leasing, operations and accounting comes in one highly affordable package. Yardi Matrix: Real estate’s leading marketing intelligence tool for property-level data on over 38,000 facilities nationwide. StorageCafe: The self storage industry’s leading ILS for streamlined lead-to lease marketing tools that help find customers faster. Stop...
HOTMA Voucher Final Rule...
Impact on PHAs and HCV Programs
As you know, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is constantly keeping us on our toes and for good reason. The HOTMA voucher final rule introduces changes as part of a collective effort to enhance housing stability and address rising rents. For Public Housing Agencies (PHAs), keeping up with HUD changes is key to staying compliant and providing the best possible support to families. Gabrielle Van Horn, senior director at Yardi and an expert in PHA compliance and operations, explains, “Our goal at Yardi is to help PHAs navigate HUD’s evolving requirements. The latest changes reflect greater flexibility and responsiveness in the HCV program.” Let’s take a closer look at these recent changes and how they may impact your agency. Notice PIH 2024-34 HUD recently released Notice PIH 2024-34, which provides guidance for PHAs on Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) payment standards as part of HOTMA voucher final rule. These changes are mandated by the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization (HOTMA) Act of 2016 and are designed to increase flexibility and equity in the HCV program. Relevant changes include how PHAs manage increases and decreases in payment standards, as well as adjustments to family composition and voucher size. Payment standard increase Under the notice, PHAs are now required to implement increases in payment standards during interim reexaminations, rather than waiting until annual reexamination or when moving into a new unit. This adjustment allows families to get help faster when rents go up. If the payment standard increases for households under a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract, they will get the benefit of the new payment standard at the earliest of: A change in the gross rent or family share An interim or annual reexamination One year after the effective date of the new...
Automate Resident Screening...
For Senior Living Communities
Senior living providers, like all property managers, must carefully screen prospective residents to ensure the safety of their communities. To avoid issues and liability risks, it’s important to examine criminal history and verify income when identifying new residents. And while resident screening may sound simple, keeping track of all requirements — for each individual prospect — is challenging. That’s why an automated screening system, one tailored to senior living communities, is essential. Fortunately for Yardi clients using RentCafe Senior CRM, that exact system is integrated into the resident move-in workflow. Meet ScreeningWorks Pro, our tenant background check solution. Why use resident screening? ScreeningWorks Pro provides comprehensive reports and automated recommendations to help senior living providers select low-risk residents, ensuring a safer environment for everyone. You can access critical information in real time, and results are customized to meet your criteria. Best of all, everything is compiled in one centralized system. That’s because ScreeningWorks Pro is integrated with the Voyager leasing workflow in Senior CRM. Both Senior CRM and ScreeningWorks Pro can communicate back and forth to: Submit applicant information for screening Submit changes to existing screenings Communicate application results back into the system’s screening page Benefits of ScreeningWorks Pro What else sets ScreeningWorks Pro apart? Tailored to the needs of senior living providers, this built-in solution helps you: Obtain applicant credit histories that can be evaluated using Vantage 3.0 or your specific credit criteria Conduct comprehensive criminal record checks Examine civil court records for past landlord-tenant disputes including filings, judgements and forcible detainers Enable automatic income verification Review apartment rental payment history from Experian RentBureau Check for possible matches to the Specifically Designated National (SDN) list from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Customize your screening processes to ensure you comply with Fair Housing laws,...
Forecasting “AHA!” Moments...
Tech That Makes Them Happen
To create accurate forecasts for your CRE portfolio, a few challenges must be solved. These challenges include market volatility such as unpredictable fluctuations, data quality issues like incomplete or inaccurate data typically housed in spreadsheets and a variety of other factors such as tenant demand and vacancy rates. When you have a forecasting strategy in place that starts with clean and reliable data, you are well positioned to overcome those challenges and benefit from informed decision making, improved profitability and reduced risk. You’ll also save a lot of time (already imagining what you could do with more time?). So, how do you clear the hurdles to get there? To follow best practices, start with saying good-bye to spreadsheets and adopting a specialized software platform that combines operational and financial data across your portfolio for a single source of truth. Key aspects of CRE forecasts Data analysis: Gathering and analyzing historical data on property performance, market trends, economic indicators, lease agreements and competitor activity to build a comprehensive picture. Predictive modeling: Using statistical methods and algorithms to project future performance based on historical data and current market conditions. Sensitivity analysis: Evaluating how changes in key variables (like interest rates, vacancy rates or tenant demand) might affect future projections. Cash flow forecasting: Projecting future cash inflows and outflows from a property to assess its financial viability and potential for returns. Portfolio optimization: Using forecasts to identify opportunities to reallocate capital within a portfolio to maximize returns and mitigate risk. Benefits of software for forecast management To get to your forecasting “AHA!” moment, you need advanced tools that combine data, leverage automation and enable collaboration across teams. Yardi Forecast Manager simplifies and speeds up budgeting and forecasting. It increases accuracy by eliminating error-prone spreadsheets and inviting leasing,...
Get Ready for the Forum...
Join us April 10-11 in Nashville
The Yardi Affordable Housing and PHA Forum will bring together Yardi clients, team members and industry leaders in a group setting for discussion of challenges and technology solutions. If you are not yet signed up to attend, make plans today! The Forum is happening in Nashville on April 10-11. Get additional details and a link to register. What does the Yardi Forum offer? New this year, the Forum will host panel presentations from affordable housing and PHA industry leaders. Panels will cover topical subjects, including the state of the industry with considerations of changes to funding processes and compliance requirements, such as HOTMA. The core of the Forum agenda is in-person classroom learning. When you attend the Forum, you have a prime opportunity to increase the benefits Yardi solutions can deliver to your agency or affordable housing organization. Forum attendees can choose from 60+ classes, each covering specific Yardi products and/or industry topics. Classes are generally small, taught by Yardi employees, and are set up to encourage questions from attendees. Who should attend the Yardi Forum? As an instructional learning event, the Forum is designed for PHA and affordable housing professionals who use Yardi every day. From front office site staff to accountants and housing compliance specialists (and everyone in between), the Forum is a perfect setting to find new ways to leverage Yardi technology. What benefits will Forum attendees get? Opportunities to learn proper use of Yardi solutions at the Forum go beyond what users may get from online classes, user manuals and independent research. The Forum offers focused sessions that cover topics critical to finding efficiency in the workplace with Yardi technology. Many Yardi clients are familiar with our annual Yardi Advanced Solutions Conference (YASC). While YASC is always a big, exciting...
PHA Employee Training...
Communication Features for Success
Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) are constantly evolving, whether it’s bringing in new talent or refining the skills of seasoned employees. There’s always more to learn, and fresh perspectives can bring valuable insights to your organization. But this ambition to enhance your team comes with the challenges of keeping training materials and employee development organized. That’s exactly where Yardi Aspire steps in. With Aspire, there’s no need to juggle multiple storage systems for training resources and employee documents — it’s all housed in one centralized employee hub. Let’s look at how Aspire simplifies communication and training for PHAs. Personalized dashboards With Aspire, PHA employees get a personalized experience with: Interactive leaderboards: Motivate and engage employees with badge and point rewards Important announcements: Keep your team in the know with training recommendations and policy updates at a glance Training assignments: Assign role-specific courses and easily track progress Interactive training catalog: Provide employee access to a full catalog of PHA-specific courses to ensure compliance and growth Document management Storing and accessing PHA training materials shouldn’t be a challenge — and it shouldn’t even require many clicks or logins either! Aspire’s central hub provides a single source of truth for all essential documents, including: Policy acknowledgment: Track employee acknowledgment with eSignatures and version control Onboarding resources: Simplify new hire onboarding with centralized forms, skills and development checklists Performance reporting: Gain insights into employee performance and training progress with automated tracking Social learning and collaboration tools Collaboration is key to a thriving PHA. Aspire makes team-based learning simple with: Built-in chat tools: Foster peer coaching, group discussions and interactive online training projects. Microsoft Teams integration: Connect Aspire with Teams for a connected training and communication platform Notifications and reminders You can easily help your employees stay on...
Elite Status
Yardi Earns BBB Membership
Last year, Yardi joined a select club of businesses to whom the Better Business Bureau grants membership. The BBB accepted Yardi after completing an accreditation process that certified the company’s rigorous ethical practices in business operations, dispute resolution and data protection. The BBB, founded in 1912 and based in Arlington, Virginia, is a nonprofit organization that partners with leading companies to promote best practices in business ethics, marketplace excellence and effective industry self-regulation. More than 90 BBB chapters are active in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Benefits of BBB membership include positive visibility and credibility among consumers and other businesses. Accredited businesses can leverage online BBB advertising, marketing and media resources, along with a plaque, certificate and window decals. The membership also offers consumers a platform for resolving disputes and posting reviews. “These tools will help you to enhance your reputation and build a better business,” says Rick Copelan, president and CEO of the BBB chapter that encompasses the tri-county area around Yardi’s headquarters in Santa Barbara, California. This chapter approves only 6% of applications for certification. “Earning BBB membership helps us show our clients and the real estate markets we serve that we’re committed to delivering high-quality products and services while upholding the highest standard of ethical conduct,” says Arnold Brier, senior vice president and general counsel for...
Season of Love
Yardi Senior Living Clients
Happy February! Our senior living clients shared stories of warmth and love this winter, captured on social media and blogs. Embrace the spirit of love in senior living communities with vibrant flowers, the beauty of art, delightful dining experiences and cherished wedding anniversaries. Nature’s love letters Maplewood Senior Living shared a flower-arranging activity from Maplewood at Darien, an event to encourage the power of creativity to enrich the lives of residents. Maplewood shared that arranging flowers “not only brought out their artistic flair but also fostered a sense of accomplishment and joy.” Celebrating February as HEART month, Maplewood also shared about raising money for the HEART Foundation and highlighted inspiring stories of love in Maplewood communities. Cooking up memories and sweet treats Special food and cooking events are popular activities at many of our clients’ communities. The Bristal Assisted Living shared a gathering of the Foodie Club at The Bristal at Lake Grove where residents made strawberry shortcake. Brandywine by Monarch shared pictures from Princeton by Monarch, where the community warmed up a cold day by surprising residents who signed up for the “mystery ride” activity with a stop for hot chocolate and sweet treats. The Turning Point restaurant served specialties like the s’mores heavenly hot chocolate. Northbridge shared an intergenerational cooking demonstration at Stroudwater Lodge with students from Acton Academy in Kennebunkport, Maine. Merrill Gardens shared a blog post about Bridges Bistro, a special event where residents at the Murano Senior Living community served meals, in collaboration with the University of Washington’s Memory Hub community center. “Bridges Bistro was more than a dining experience,” wrote the Team at Merril Gardens. “It was a bridge between the dementia community and the wider world. By showcasing the strengths and resilience of individuals living with...
Bowling with Yardi
Special Olympics Georgia
Special Olympics Georgia provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Please keep reading to learn more about a recent volunteer opportunity our Atlanta office had to support this worthy cause. About Special Olympics Georgia Special Olympics Georgia invests in people with intellectual disabilities, helping them develop athletic skills while also promoting the athletes’ abilities off the field. In achieving this goal through sports, they show the world that every person counts and can be something good when we work together. The organization provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. When the athletes succeed, attitudes change, communities grow, self-esteem builds, and the eyes of the world focus on all that is good, hopeful and positive. Athletes gain skills for employment and learn to be independent while forming relationships and helping the public understand their incredible capabilities despite the health issues they experience daily. #TeamYardi Atlanta volunteers Last month, the Atlanta team volunteered at AMF Lanes in Woodstock with Special Olympics Georgia. The place was packed with athletes and volunteers, and all 40 lanes were occupied. Coaches and family cheered from the sidelines as the athletes scored strikes, spares and plenty of high fives and hugs. Yardi volunteers assisted the athletes, making sure they were bowling when it was their turn and being their biggest cheerleaders. After three games were played, scores were tallied, and volunteers guided their group to the awards room. Each player was awarded a ribbon, bronze, silver or gold metal. It was a day filled with joy and fun for all, leaving everyone with a sense of inspiration and upliftment! Feeling inspired? If our story inspires you, we encourage you to support Special Olympics Georgia and explore our...
PHA Maintenance
A Simple Solution
As public housing professionals, we’re in the business of providing safe and affordable housing. Part of this promise means tackling PHA maintenance issues head-on, whether it’s emergency repairs or various inspections. And with the right software, you can respond to issues as they happen and make life easier for your residents! Here’s how Yardi Maintenance IQ helps you tackle common maintenance challenges: Spike seasons Every public housing authority deals with seasonal maintenance spikes. Whether it’s heating or HVAC repairs, the demand can quickly add up. Maintenance IQ eases the strain of peak seasons by anticipating these demands and helping you allocate resources efficiently. Automated work orders ensure priority request are handles promptly Smart scheduling helps maintenance staff balance workloads and reduce delays With a robust PHA maintenance solution, you can stay ahead of these spike seasons and ensure your residents are taken care of in a timely manner. Emergency repairs Burst pipes, power outages and HVAC failures require immediate attention. And the more time you delay your response, the more costly damages are and the more you are putting residents at risk. With Maintenance IQ, you can streamline repair requests: Tenant submits service requests via in person, by phone or directly from RentCafe Maintenance team receives instant notifications on their mobile device Technicians update work orders, upload photos and complete tasks The difference? Faster response times and improved resident satisfaction! Severe weather events Major weather events have been exacerbated all over the country, and they pose serious challenges for PHAs. Property damage and repairs can truly overrun your maintenance teams, but you can manage this with a robust solution that helps you prepare and respond quickly. Track maintenance trends using data analytics to anticipate weather-related repairs Text functionality keeps tenants updated about work order...
New OneStep Interface...
Take a Giant Step for Value-Based Care
As senior living communities navigate ways to adopt value-based care approaches that improve resident health outcomes and increase operational returns, proactive technology solutions can make a big difference. What if you could track residents’ mobility and prevent falls using motion analysis from smartphone sensors? OneStep, a leader in AI-powered digital care technology, is now partnering with us to provide an interface with Yardi EHR that generates clinical insights from residents’ everyday movements. Empowering proactive resident monitoring OneStep’s advanced motion analysis and monitoring tools connect with Yardi EHR to add a reliable, data-driven way to enhance resident well-being. How does it work? OneStep uses motion intelligence from smartphones for gait analysis. A resident’s gait is a leading indicator of health, and senior living providers and other clinicians can use data from the smartphone sensors — without any special wearable devices — for remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM). With actionable data to assess, treat and monitor residents, providers can deliver precise and proactive care to improve mobility and enhance resident engagement. This informed care can prevent falls and reduce functional declines. A big step for value-based care Through this collaboration, Yardi EHR clients gain easy access to motion insights from OneStep. These insights equip senior care providers with proactive strategies for resident monitoring, particularly beneficial for communities that are transitioning to value-based care. Robust fall prevention and resident health monitoring are essential to achieving improved outcomes and reduced costs. “We’re excited to partner with Yardi to make our mobility and falls prevention technology accessible to senior living communities,” says Pat Tarnowski, chief commercial officer of OneStep. “Being listed among Yardi’s trusted vendors adds to the accessibility and visibility of OneStep’s technology, allowing more facilities to benefit from innovative, data-driven care solutions that elevate resident safety and quality...
Austin Child Guidance Center...
Fostering a Healthier Community
Mental health issues have taken a toll on today’s youth, especially in Travis County, Texas. According to a CDC report, 57% of teen girls, 27% of teen boys, and 70% of LGBTQ+ youth have reported increased sadness and hopelessness, with over 30% of them considering suicide. Austin Child Guidance Center (ACGC) is a Yardi-supported nonprofit established in 1951 in Austin, TX. It is dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality mental health services to children and their families in the ten-county central Texas area. “We envision a world where every family’s mental health needs are seen and met. We focus on families living at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, living in regions heavily impacted by adverse social determinants of health, and underserved by current mental health systems,” said Leah Piassick, senior director of grants and contract compliance for ACGC. ACGC accepts private and public insurance, offers a sliding fee scale and provides no-cost therapy for qualifying families. Their team includes licensed therapists and administrative staff, many of whom are bilingual. ACGC tailors mental health care to meet each child’s unique needs using evidence-based practices like cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, ensuring effective treatment. Mental health care and treatment are customized for each child and family, including individual/family therapy, walk-in clinic services, group therapy, psychological assessment, the tandem teen prenatal & parenting program, and workshops. Mental Health Consultation (Infant & Early Childhood Services), designed for early childhood care centers and parents/guardians/caregivers, offers specialized teacher consultation and social-emotional learning training and parent/guardian/caregiver workshops and skill-building training on child development and social-emotional learning, and ensures children (ages 0-6) are “school-ready.” “We offer services in person or via a HIPAA-compliant teletherapy platform, except for Psychological Assessments, which must be conducted in person. This flexibility ensures...
Reaching a Peak
New Matrix Affordable Housing Report
Affordable housing completions are set to peak this year, then fall in 2026, according to a new national report from Yardi Matrix. The 78,377 units of affordable housing deliveries projected for this year would exceed by 12.6% the 69,596 registered in 2024. However, deliveries in 2026 could total no more than 64,745 units, according to the report. Factors driving the anticipated decline include the costs of land, labor and materials; rising insurance premiums; labor shortages; and delays in entitlements. “As costs rise, the same amount of subsidies produces fewer units. And the longer it takes to build, the fewer units get delivered,” the report notes. “The need for affordable housing has accelerated in recent years, and that is not likely to change as interest rates remain high and construction of for-sale housing lags historical levels. Despite that demand, the decline in starts signals fewer affordable multifamily deliveries in the years following 2025,” adds Paul Fiorilla, director of research for Yardi Matrix. The report also notes that with market rate apartment starts registering their lowest number since 2013, affordable multifamily construction is increasing as a share of all multifamily development activity. California, Texas and Florida lead the nation in affordable multifamily stock and development. Yardi Matrix’s affordable database encompasses more than 25,000 fully affordable properties comprising more than 3.3 million units. See the new national affordable housing report for more about key trends in the...
Stirling Carers Centre...
Emotional Support for Carers
Being a caregiver is a long-term commitment that can significantly impact carers’ health and finances. In such challenging times, the Stirling Carers Centre, supported by Yardi, provides much-needed relief to unpaid carers. Stirling Carers Centre was established in 1992 in Stirling, Scotland and provides free and confidential support to local unpaid carers. Unpaid carers are people who support a friend or family member who couldn’t cope without them due to illness, disability, frailty, addiction or mental health conditions. Stirling Carers services include one-on-one practical and emotional support, advice and information, peer support groups, respite activities and a dedicated Young Carers Service for carers aged seven through seventeen. Stirling Carers Centre is committed to supporting unpaid carers in ways that meet their individual needs and offers practical and emotional support to help them continue to care for their loved ones. “We will ensure that the voices of the carers are at the heart of what we do and are heard at a local and national level and that they have opportunities to take a break from caring,” explained Keri Moore, acting CEO of Stirling Carers Centre. She continued, “Early intervention is vital, so we will also focus on identifying hidden Carers by improving communication and upskilling professionals to be ‘Carer Aware’.” Thanks to the generous funding from Yardi, the Stirling Carers Centre can provide much-needed relief to unpaid carers, inspiring hope and resilience. This funding enables the Centre to expand its reach, reaching more carers needing support and making a significant difference in their lives. “We are very grateful to receive unrestricted funding from Yardi. This means we can use the funds to give Carers a break that best suits their needs without constraint on what this looks like. This is really important to ensure...
Energy Tech Disruption...
ARPA-E Projects Update
Here’s the latest of our periodic updates on projects sponsored by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which calls itself “the disruption wing of the U.S. Department of Energy that funds and directs the discovery of outlier energy technologies that are strategic to America’s energy security.” Recently announced projects include: Enhancing grid resilience Thirty million dollars in ARPA-E grants announced in January will go toward developing technologies designed to enhance the reliability of America’s power grid. The Grid Reliability with Automatic Damping and Inertia for Electrical Networks and Transmission Systems (GRADIENTS) program aims to develop hardware and software technologies, such as power electronics controls, intelligent relays and optimization algorithms, for balancing energy consumption and production. “GRADIENTS technologies will help incorporate a variety of generation sources and stabilize the grid to prevent cascading failures that can lead to dangerous and costly blackouts,” said Evelyn N. Wang, director of ARPA-E, who added that the projects will “enable better grid coordination, protection and real-time control.” Hot new power source Also in January, ARPA-E announced funding to spur geothermal power production. Geothermal baseload production in the U.S. is limited to 4 gigawatts (GW). The Stimulate Utilization of Plentiful Energy in Rocks through High-temperature Original Technologies (SUPERHOT) project aims to provide access to superhot reservoirs deep within the Earth that are capable of producing up to 20 GW of reliable baseload power. Research will center around developing designing systems and materials capable of surviving superhot conditions. “Geothermal is a reliable and secure baseload power source, but today we are only able to access a fraction of the energy it can provide,” Wang said. “SUPERHOT projects can change that and allow access to hotter reservoirs to create more domestic flow of energy onto America’s grid.” Making the most of waste...