Think Outside the Box Nov29

Think Outside the Box...

Unconventional resident events can add a fresh and exciting dimension to a property management company’s community-building effort. The benefits of stepping outside the traditional event model will help to retain residents and attract new ones. Unique gatherings can strengthen the sense of community among residents. Here are some types of think-outside-the-box events to explore over the holiday season. Spice up the community with Escape Room Challenges or Mystery Dinners. Transform common areas or vacant units into escape rooms where residents work together to solve puzzles and mysteries. Include a mystery dinner to solve the crime during the meal, then have residents go out and explore around the building. Add a scavenger hunt and have prizes at the end for the winners. Plants and Pets. Plants are so good for the environment and cleanse the air around them. Arrange a gardening event where residents exchange plants, seeds or gardening tips. Microgardening is popular in smaller apartments, so maybe provide a small basil plant to start residents out with. Don’t forget about the four-legged residents. Look for a local pet mobile photographer for the holidays so residents can get their holiday cards made. Culinary Adventures. Delve into the world of cooking classes as a resident event. Cooking classes can enhance residents’ culinary skills, foster connections and offer a fun and educational experience. Find a local chef or culinary expert to lead the classes and provide some sample recipes or themes for these classes. For example, set up some spaces in the common area to learn how to make fresh homemade pasta, which can be a romantic date night for those during Valentine’s Day. Another example would be to decorate holiday cookies together. Provide the cookies already baked, then have various colors of icing in pipping bags...

Mastering Document Management

Affordable housing providers and public housing agencies face unique and significant challenges in managing documents across their organizations. These challenges are intrinsic to the industry given the number of files and documents required to remain in compliance with subsidy programs. But, with the right technology and document management strategies, these challenges can be overcome. For example, Microsoft SharePoint can make it easy to set up a system to store applicant and resident compliance files along with lease documents using date and naming conventions. It can simplify how users to manage and search for a move-in certification, a full resident recert file, or an individual verification document by property, resident name or date. And, as regulatory agencies, investors and auditors generally request more electronic file reviews than paper files, Yardi Document Management for SharePoint helps to deliver these documents efficiently. If your organization is lacking this type of document management oversight and is seeking technology to help, consider the following features. Five features to look for in affordable housing document management 1: Searchability Finding documents using native SharePoint functions is even more effective when coupled with AI meta data tagging. Adding OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities that convert images of text into a machine-readable text format will make your search for elusive documents even more powerful, giving you the ability to look for keywords within a document. 2: Findability Organization for your documents is key. Implement a taxonomy with a uniform structure that makes it supremely easy to locate documents. Automation will ensure consistency and maintenance of your folder structures. Just as going to a big box store at any location in any state will give you the same layout and experience, a taxonomy that consistently organizes your documents to ensure a familiar experience makes information easy to find. 3: Scalability Without a document management system, managing information across an organization is a laborious undertaking. With an automated solution, it’s easy to maintain taxonomy and security for your documents on a large scale. Automation organizes your documents within hours, and when integrated with Yardi Voyager, you can access documents from a single source of truth. 4: Integration With seamless integration of your document management system with your Voyager property management system and other Yardi platforms (including RentCafe, Procure to Pay, Aspire) it’s easier for approved users inside and outside your organization to upload files. Security is managed in Voyager. Depending on the outside user, such as a vendor, when they upload documents they will not be aware that the files are stored in SharePoint behind the scenes. Inside your organization, users will be able to interact with the files in a SharePoint setting where they can leverage all of its features. 5: Compliance Laws and regulations are changing to require less paper and accept more digital documents. Maintaining compliance and security in this evolving digital environment is a necessity. Document management in SharePoint has many features for compliance including retention policies, workflows and the ability to integrate with third-party tools such as DocuSign to meet regulations. The Key to Streamlining Document Management The five features described above are all part of Yardi Document Management for SharePoint. Implementing this solution helps housing providers boost efficiency, increase data security and enables cloud-based access and sharing. It also helps organizations maintain consistent folder structures, manage security and permissions, integrate content and users, locate documents quickly and track multiple versions over time. Ready to achieve greater efficiency and functionality in content management across your organization? Yardi has a solution that enables you to take advantage of all the great features listed above. Join a Yardi Document Management for SharePoint...

From Cell to Smart

Consumers are agog over the Samsung Galaxy, Motorola Razr, Apple iPhone, Google Pixel and other advanced smartphone models. These devices can make calls, send texts, take photos, respond to verbal instructions, provide a games platform, access digital assistants, navigate routes, generate budgets – the list of capabilities gets longer just about every day. Starting in 1908, when a U.S. patent for a wireless telephone was granted, mobile phone capability evolved into two-way radios and networks with very powerful base stations that covered wide areas; signals weren’t passed among cells. Motorola prototype A major milestone came in 1973, when Motorola mass-produced the first handheld mobile phone. This was 0G of the 5G technology progression. Motorola engineer Martin Cooper initiated the first handheld cellular phone call in New York City on April 3 of that year using a 2-1/2 pound prototype nearly the size of a shoebox. “I’m calling you on a personal, handheld, portable cell phone,” Cooper told the call’s recipient, an executive at Motorola competitor Bell Labs. Motorola launched commercial cell phone service 10 years later with its 2-pound DynaTAC 8000x, which retailed for $3,500—$4,000. In the 1990s the modern cell phone took shape with much smaller and more user-friendly products. “Roughly every ten years since 1979, each newer generation has changed how we communicate, further improving our way of life,” says CENGN, a coalition of Canadian technology interests. As of 2021, 97% of Americans owned some type of cell phone, Pew Research Center reported. Smartphones take off Between 2004-06, “smartphone” entered the vernacular. That’s when, according to British IT services provider Air IT, “phones began to seriously bridge the gap between something you used to make calls and send text messages, to something altogether more useful.” The 50-year progression of cellular technology generations,...

Student Housing Nov21

Student Housing

The fall semester may just be coming to a close, but preleasing for the 2024-2025 school year is already underway and off to a strong start, states the latest Yardi Matrix student housing report. Advance leasing for next school year started off extremely strong, reaching 25.2 percent for the Yardi 200 in October, well ahead of the previous record 10.4 percent preleased in October 2022. Preleasing this year is indicative of solid renewal activity early on and high demand for housing at many major universities, with 14 schools already more than 40 percent preleased. As for this year, final occupancy for the Yardi 200 markets for the fall 2023 semester settled at 94.6 percent in September 2023, compared to 96.2 percent in September 2022. Lower occupancy this year can be partly attributed to new properties that delivered late or struggled with preleasing. Properties that were completed in 2023 only reached 81.7 percent occupancy for the fall 2023 semester. Last month, average asking rent per bed was $854 among the Yardi 200 markets for the 2024- 2025 school year, slightly higher than where it ended the 2023 preleasing season in September 2023 and 6.6 percent higher than October 2022. “Some of the schools with the fastest preleasing are already seeing rents up 15-25 percent year-over-year, as operators take advantage of the surge in demand,” states the report. Read more findings from the latest student housing report. Yardi Matrix offers the industry’s most comprehensive market intelligence tool for investment professionals, equity investors, lenders and property managers who underwrite and manage investments in commercial real estate. Yardi Matrix covers multifamily, student housing, vacant land, industrial, office, retail and self storage property types. Email [email protected], call 480-663-1149 or visit yardimatrix.com to learn...

Webinar Recap

To help professionals across senior living prep for industry changes ahead, we joined Senior Housing News (SHN) last month to host an insightful roundtable webinar — Senior Living in Flux: C-Suite Changemakers Discuss a Transforming Industry! Featuring experts Sarabeth Hanson of Harbor Retirement Associates (HRA), Earl Parker of Commonwealth Senior Living, Sevy Petras of Priority Life Care and Yardi Director of Healthcare Solutions Fil Southerland, the conversation offered tangible ways to navigate change expected for 2024. Read on to discover the webinar’s key takeaways on topics crucial to senior living today: Major ways the senior living industry is changing The importance of the middle market How to meet the needs of a new consumer Key ways technology is shaping the industry’s future 2023 Changemakers + Yardi expert share advice and insights When asked where they see the industry changing, the panelists shared a range of answers. Sevy focused on the power of technology and data, stating the two will push the industry forward come 2024. For Sarabeth, change is centered around serving a new consumer — baby boomers — as well as senior living staff, who now have different expectations than years prior. Earl brought the conversation back to technology, emphasizing the small margin for error in today’s industry and how that’s driving a focus on data. He spoke to Commonwealth’s success with Yardi Senior IQ — our business intelligence powerhouse — in harnessing real-time data to make sharper, informed decisions. Fil relayed Yardi’s focus on digital transformations and accelerating complex workflows to meet the needs of today’s communities. Sarabeth chimed in to share more positive experiences with Yardi’s evolving solutions, focusing on the benefit of using fully integrated tools that unite on a single platform. Shifting gears to speaking on the middle market,...

Page Youth Center Nov20

Page Youth Center

In 2022, Yardi offices supported more than 350 nonprofits worldwide. For the remainder of the year, we will bring you the stories of those organizations and insight into how they aid their communities. Today, we introduce Page Youth Center (PYC), founded in 1984 in Santa Barbara, Calif., a youth center for children with a broad range of sports, fitness, wellness and recreational activities, all for a reasonable cost. The youth center is a safe and friendly environment for children and their families. They also offer recreational programs for adults in the morning and evening, including badminton, pickleball, jazzercise, open gym, and adult basketball leagues. PYC focuses on providing an excellent Blenders Basketball experience to 1000 youth participants and continues to grow and expand its Spring volleyball program for both boys and girls. The center also plans to offer Summer Sports Camps throughout the Summer break and provide scholarships to those in need, specifically for those in Old Town Goleta. In March 2024, PYC will have its annual gala to raise awareness and funds for these programs. Funding from Yardi helps to keep its program costs as low as possible and provides excellent programming to the youth in the community. Donations are used in various ways through operations, facility upgrades and scholarship funds. “Thank you for the continued support of the Page Youth Center and our Mission to Build Character Through Youth Sports,” said Aaron Martinez, executive director of Page Youth Center. “Your generosity is greatly appreciated and assists us in offering the best programs we can for our community’s youth!” Blenders Basketball League With 1,000 youth participating this season and over 250 volunteers, the Page Youth Center prides itself on the Blenders Basketball League program. Volunteers help with coaching, scorekeeping and team parents. Over...

Changing Lives Nov17

Changing Lives

Yardi Dubai supports the Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities as part of the company’s global program of philanthropic support for nonprofits and NGOs. Established in 1981, Al Noor provides special education, care and services to those with neurodivergent challenges such as Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy or a combination of conditions. Among its successes, Al Noor has prepared up to 100 students for work placement in the community. Al Noor staff have developed a curriculum for students that significantly impacts lives and helps them be independent members of the community. Al Noor plans to establish additional training and services that will enhance and develop the lives of its students. “We wish to work closely with corporations like Yardi .. to partner with us on our various projects,” said Apple Castaneda, senior sustainability and community relations executive for Al Noor.   Al Noor charges subsidized fees to parents or, in some cases, the total tuition fees for parents who cannot afford to pay the fees. They have a no-rejection policy. “We do a holistic approach to giving our students the maximum quality of training and education to maximize their potential,” said Castaneda. Funding from Yardi helps Al Noor obtain resources through financial support, ensuring the organization can maximize potential care to students. Yardi has consistently provided sustainable financial contributions to the center, enabling the organization to expand its educational programs for children with determination. This has enhanced individuals’ learning experience and skill development under Al Noor’s care. “The Centre is very thankful for the continued support of Yardi, as it is helping us fulfill our mission of giving an equal opportunity to our students of determination and being out there in the community,” shared Castaneda. #TeamYardi and Celebrating World Cerebral Palsy Day Yardi employees...

Demand Still Sluggish Nov16

Demand Still Sluggish...

Slowed demand for self storage continues to drive street rates lower, reports the new Self Storage National Report from Yardi Matrix. Annual street rate growth stayed negative in October. The average annualized same-store asking rate per square foot for the main unit types and sizes averaged $16.77 nationally last month, marking a 4.2 percent drop from the average recorded in October 2022. Street rates also remained negative on an annual basis in October in nearly all of the top metros. Combined same-store rates for non-climate-controlled units fell in all but one of the markets tracked by Matrix year over year, while asking rates for same-store climate-controlled units decreased in all of the top metros. “Elevated residential mortgage rates have slowed home sales, reducing population mobility, a major driver of storage demand. As a result, storage operators continue to lower asking rates to drive new rental demand,” states the report. In-place storage rents continue to trend upwards, supported by existing customer demand, helping bolster rental income for operators. In addition, the labor market remains relatively strong and inflation is slowing, which will benefit the sector as it helps boost the financial confidence of new and existing customers. Nationally, Yardi Matrix tracks a total of 5,006 self storage properties in various stages of development, including 864 under construction, 1,940 planned, 673 prospective, 1,457 abandoned and 72 deferred properties. Yardi Matrix also maintains operational profiles for 29,234 completed self storage facilities in the U.S., bringing the total data set to 34,240. Gain more insight on self storage performance. Yardi Matrix offers the industry’s most comprehensive market intelligence tool for investment professionals, equity investors, lenders and property managers who underwrite and manage investments in commercial real estate. Yardi Matrix covers multifamily, student housing, vacant land, industrial, office, retail and self storage...

Operation Kindness Nov15

Operation Kindness

Today’s featured nonprofit is Operation Kindness, from Carrollton, Texas, founded in 1976. Operation Kindness is an animal welfare organization making the world a kinder place for animals and people who love them. This September, Operation Kindness expanded and opened the Lifesaving Partnerships Hub. Funding from Yardi fund Operation Kindness’s mission to serve animals in Texas and where the help is needed most. “Operation Kindness is so happy to have support from partners like Yardi. Your support makes our work possible,” said Lilly Watson, marketing manager of brand and communications for Operation Kindness. Thriving Pups Last summer, Operation Kindness took ten dogs surrendered to the Human Society of the United States in an animal cruelty case. All dogs were highly malnourished, gravely underweight and suffering from life-threatening heartworm disease. A year later, after the help and care of Operation Kindness, their staff and volunteers, these dogs are thriving, happy and healthy with their new owners. Read about Jazz, Jay and Bruce and their stories and testimonies from their owners.  Yardi Dallas and Irving Office Gathering #TeamYardi of the Dallas and Irving offices gathered recently for a puppy and kitten-loving fun-filled day. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, but that didn’t stop them. The office made a slight adjustment and hosted the fur babies inside. Each kitten and puppy were given much love and attention that day. A few employees are now in the adoption application process, hoping to have a new friend for the holiday season. To spread some joy this holiday season, consider donations to Operation Kindness. You can make a tax-deductible gift online here. Find future non-profit profiles...

OPTECH 2023 Nov14

OPTECH 2023

From Nov. 1-3, NMHC OPTECH brought together the brightest minds and the latest innovations in the multifamily industry. Las Vegas was the hub of important conversations surrounding the present and future of real estate technology. Here’s a quick recap of the event, including more information about the new AI-driven, human-centered solutions we recently announced.  Meet your maestro, Yardi Virtuoso Whether you went in person or were staying updated from the sidelines, one innovation stood out amidst the bustle of the conference: Yardi Virtuoso. By weaving artificial intelligence across the Yardi platform, you’re not just streamlining your processes — you’re transforming workflows. Virtuoso is your gateway to a more efficient future. It offers an AI-powered agent that seamlessly integrates with Yardi solutions, revolutionizing your workflow through the power of generative AI. This new tech also leverages machine learning, natural language processing and more powerful capabilities to help solve problems in your day-to-day and drive your business forward: Tap into the power of an AI-powered assistant to do more with less – effortlessly track tasks, generate reports and more with a simple voice command Significantly reduce invoice processing time and cost Improve prospect and resident communications with a bot that can chat, text, email and call It’s the future of AI in real estate. Virtuoso doesn’t just analyze, it harmonizes — bringing together disparate, manual parts of your workflow and creating an AI-powered, human-centered symphony. Stay updated. A medley of insights Yardi leaders contributed to pivotal discussions at the event, delivering insights on technology’s evolving role within the industry through the following sessions: Yardi Vice President Michael Tuer participated in the “Multifamily Technology Spending and Staffing” panel, offering insights on necessary adjustments the industry must make to navigate an increasingly tech-centric future. In “Operationalizing Resident Fee...

Meet Grant Burnham Nov13

Meet Grant Burnham

The PHA industry is special. There’s a level of caring and personal commitment to helping others that rises a notch in comparison with other real estate verticals. Exhibit A: Grant Burnham. Grant joined Yardi a few years ago. He not only brought with him decades’ of PHA and affordable housing finance experience but also a positive attitude and a genuine appreciation for the work PHAs do for their communities Let’s find out more about Grant, Yardi’s PHA clients and the company’s solutions. Grant, where do you call home? GB: Hello! I am a Colorado native, and my home base is Yardi’s Denver office. What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time? GB: I am an avid pool player. I have been playing in leagues for almost 15 years and even got to participate in team world championship tournaments three separate times in Las Vegas. I’m always up for a game or two (or more) whenever I get a chance! How long have you been with Yardi? What is your current position? GB: I’ve been with Yardi since February 2020. My role is a team leader and solutions consultant. That means I work with a great group of sales professionals dedicated to helping housing agencies solve challenges and serve their residents, landlords and participants with innovative Yardi technology. How did you get started in the PHA/affordable housing industry? GB: My journey in the housing industry began in 2008 when I joined a local PHA in the Denver area. I was there for about three years before I accepted a position with the Colorado Housing and Finance Agency in 2011. I remained with CHFA until 2020 when I began working at Yardi. Throughout my career, my roles in the housing industry have included Occupancy Specialist,...

Care and Share Nov12

Care and Share

Yardi is committed to supporting the community in every city where our offices are housed. Each year, the company distributes philanthropic aid to organizations selected by its employees. In 2022, Yardi offices supported more than 350 nonprofits worldwide. We hope you enjoy the stories of those organizations and insight into how they aid their communities. Food banks differ from food pantries, soup kitchens or emergency shelters because they supply the food to these organizations and then distribute it directly to those in need. Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado was founded in 1978 in Colorado Springs. Care and Share provides food to 291 partner pantries, shelters and schools throughout Southern Colorado, allowing these partners to stretch their dollars for their best work, such as job training, housing assistance, medical care and other critical services. Over 23 million pounds of food was provided to the community seeking support in the past year. Care and Share is an affiliate of Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger relief organization. Despite five other Feeding America food banks in Colorado, Care and Share is the only food bank dedicated to serving the state’s southern half. During the height of the pandemic, the generosity of the southern Colorado community bolstered Care and Share to serve those needing food assistance for the first time. “Care and Share is now dealing with the after-effects of the pandemic and is seeing even more need than we saw during the pandemic,” said Joan Selman, director of major gifts at Care and Share. The following areas are the most significant causes of increased need: Economic Conditions: Though inflation numbers have decreased, food prices are still at an all-time high. This affects low-income households whose food costs typically compromise a third of their income....

Supply Forecast Nov10

Supply Forecast

Multifamily construction starts increased slightly in Q3 2023, and should have a positive impact on future deliveries, states the latest Multifamily Supply Forecast from Yardi Matrix.  Construction starts remained relatively robust in the first half of 2023, and the under-construction pipeline increased 7.6 percent in the third quarter. As a result, the Q4 2023 supply forecast update has increased forecast completions 5.8 percent for 2024 and 6.2 percent for 2025. For multifamily markets tracked by Yardi Matrix, there are currently 1,223,601 units in the under-construction pipeline. Of these units, 479,634 are currently in lease-up, roughly in line with the trailing six-month average of 483,000 units but some 15.9 percent above year-ago levels. Most of these units will be completed this year or in the first half of 2024. Multifamily construction starts held at a relatively high level through the first half of 2023. As a result, the number of under-construction units not in lease-up continues to increase. Currently there are 743,967 units, a 16.2 percent quarterly increase and a 35.3 percent increase over year-ago levels. These units will most likely be completed in 2024 or 2025. Find more insights on forthcoming multifamily supply from Yardi Matrix. Yardi Matrix offers the industry’s most comprehensive market intelligence tool for investment professionals, equity investors, lenders and property managers who underwrite and manage investments in commercial real estate. Yardi Matrix covers multifamily, student housing, vacant land, industrial, office, retail and self storage property types. Email [email protected], call 480-663-1149 or visit yardimatrix.com to learn...

Helping Clients Shine Nov09

Helping Clients Shine

Congratulations to Blake Cole, senior account manager for the RightSource client success team in Yardi’s Minneapolis office, who was recently named 2023 STAR performer by ALCO Management. Affordable housing client ALCO hosts an annual seminar for team members and vendors to celebrate success and train on industry-related topics such as Compliance, Fair Housing, and Physical Property Inspection. This is the second year ALCO has invited Yardi staff to participate, after onboarding with the RightSource software in the summer of 2021. Due to the RightSource integration, ALCO invites a member from each team to present information that is relevant to stakeholders. This year, they highlighted: Navigating the Top File Findings: A presentation where Cole identified the top five file findings found on ALCO’s uploaded certifications in RightSource over the last 12 months and detailed how to avoid these findings. Also highlighted was ALCO’s move-in certification performance. The quicker the certification can be approved, the faster ALCO can provide quality, affordable housing to those who need it. As of the date of this presentation, ALCO’s metrics exceeded the national average of all RightSource clients, coming in at four days and nine hours for approval (national average: five days, 16 hours). Stephen Kearns, senior team lead of client services for the Voyager/RCAH Team, presented upcoming changes to RCAH that will enhance the site staff’s software utilization. Lisa Furbush, manager of full compliance services for RightSource, presented the highly anticipated HOTMA changes that are forthcoming and how they may affect ALCO’s current processes. Joel Smith, team lead of the RightSource Client Success Team, presented awards to the site staff and properties who were high achievers according to RightSource metrics over the past 12 months (i.e., awards provided for properties who processed the most Special Claims, properties who most improved on completing their past due certifications, properties who had their MIs approved the fastest, etc.) The award Cole received was a surprise since ALCO typically honors their company site staff for outstanding achievement. “The next thing I see is this video playing that had me all in my feelings,” shared Cole. Cole’s history with ALCO dates back to their onboarding with RightSource, where he was the team lead for the Auditing Team. In May 2023, Cole was promoted to the RightSource Client Success Team as a senior account manager. Due to his great relationship and history with ALCO, he has been able to retain them as one of his clients. “This explains the purpose of the Captain America helmet I wore during the introduction of my presentation,” said Cole. (See photo at right.) “They are very familiar with this, but for those who were not, I reminded them that the “A” on the helmet stood for Captain...

New Beginnings Nov08

New Beginnings

Yardi is committed to supporting the community in every city where our offices are housed. Each year, the company distributes philanthropic aid to organizations selected by its employees. In 2022, Yardi offices supported more than 350 nonprofits worldwide. For the remainder of the year, we will bring you the stories of those organizations and insight into how they aid their communities. New Beginnings is a nonprofit founded in Santa Barbara in 2000, continuing the work of the Santa Barbara Counseling Center. This organization provides psychological counseling and housing assistance services to people experiencing homelessness, as well as low-income individuals and families throughout Santa Barbara County. New Beginnings serves over 2000 people each year with various programs and centers: Counseling Center The Safe Parking Shelter and Rapid Rehousing Program The Supportive Services for Veterans Families Program The Life Skills Parenting and Education Program. “In the spring of this year, we underwent a major transition and moved into a fabulous new space. The new space has allowed for all four programs to be housed under one roof, improving the client experience by streamlining inter-agency collaboration and strengthening our wraparound services,” said Shana Hill, community engagement and programs specialist for New Beginnings.   New Beginnings plans to expand telehealth services with improved marketing and outreach efforts. They are working to expand the Safe Parking Program throughout the county and increase the number of lots in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria and Lompoc. In addition, they are working on publishing a second edition of the Safe Parking Program manual to take steps toward establishing the Safe Parking Program model as an evidence-based practice. It will also work to expand the number of community partners for the Life Skills Parenting and Education program and increase community involvement for houses for...

Sy Pham Nov07

Sy Pham

Yardi’s global offices make essential contributions to property management and investors worldwide. Today, meet Sy Pham, associate technical manager on the Voyager Client success team out of the Santa Ana office. Meet Sy Pham Sy Pham just marked his first anniversary at Yardi in August. He has a passion for problem-solving and working with clients, so he’s greatly enjoyed this role. Pham wanted to work for a company where he could tackle complex problems but work with clients using Yardi’s products so he could see the impact he was making. “The last year with Yardi has been everything I’ve been looking for in a company,” says Pham. Pham spends his hours on client calls and training. When not on calls, he is researching questions that came up or preparing for the next call. He also regularly meets with his team to strategize on problems or do team-building exercises, making his experience at Yardi remarkable. Problem-solving Skills Working with commercial clients has been a challenge for Pham yet rewarding. He enjoys the people at Yardi, both internally and client-facing. He finds Yardi as a workplace that challenges him with tough problems, but the people he has met along the way make it all worth it. “I have never experienced a work culture so dedicated to helping clients and each other. It’s been fun collaborating with individuals from different teams and being able to solve problems together. I love how I can introduce myself to anyone and ask if they can lend a second opinion on a difficult case. The overwhelming support I always receive is inspiring. I hope one day I can lend a hand to the new folks that join like others has done for me,” said Pham. In his personal and work life,...

Measure The Benefits

When you lack efficient leasing tools, turning senior living prospects into residents can be challenging. But how do you identify the best tools? Which solutions are built to last? Paper-based processes aren’t optimal due to the risk of manual errors and lost documents. Not to mention, they can be costly. Electronic leasing tools are much more efficient, especially when you opt for a fully integrated solution likes ours. With tools across the Yardi Senior Living Suite connecting on a single platform, you’re set to simplify move-in workflows, reduce expenses and make the prospect-to-resident journey seamless. To show you just how valuable electronic leasing tools are, we have a helpful cost analysis checklist in store. Learn more and get a glimpse at what the checklist offers below. What is electronic leasing? As part of an overall set of leasing tools, electronic leases are a digital version of the rental contract you already know. They replace paper leases and ancillary forms with secure, digitally stored files. But keep in mind that with the Yardi Senior Living Suite, you access more than just digital documents. We offer integrated electronic leasing tools that streamline every step of the move-in process. In short, you can easily generate custom leases in RentCafe Senior CRM, mark them for electronic signatures in RentCafe Senior Living Portal and automatically store completed documents in Voyager Senior Housing. Without electronic leases and an integrated workflow, on the other hand, you face: Perpetual operational costs Hours spent generating leases and ancillary documents Lost prospects who wish to sign forms remotely A halted sales cycle and decreased move-ins And more How to compare costs with our checklist Now that you know more about electronic leasing, we invite you to review our cost analysis checklist! It’s an intuitive...

Friends of the Children Utah Nov02

Friends of the Children Utah

Yardi is committed to supporting the community in every city where our offices are housed. Each year, the company distributes philanthropic aid to organizations selected by its employees. In 2022, Yardi offices supported more than 350 nonprofits worldwide. For the remainder of the year, we will bring you the stories of those organizations and insight into how they aid their communities. Today, we introduce Friends of the Children Utah, founded in 1993 in Kearns, Utah. Its mission is to impact generational change by empowering youth facing the most significant obstacles through consistent and holistically supportive relationships with professional mentors. “Our innovative approach has been proven to help children facing the greatest barriers improve their well-being across multiple domains and achieve educational and life success,” says Keili Bell, development director of Friends of the Children Utah. The children in the organization’s programs experience intergenerational poverty. They have been exposed to multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and are impacted by the foster care system. Services for children from kindergarten to high school include long-term, intensive, holistic, one-on-one professional mentoring. Friends of the Children Utah is working to grow the GEM Giving Circle (Give Every Month) program to sustain services for youth and families. “By becoming a GEM, you provide consistent and reliable support to the children in our program. Our vision is to see each child graduate with the skills they need to achieve self-sufficiency and break the cycle of generational poverty. To do this, we apply trauma-informed practices that help youth cultivate the resilience needed to overcome barriers and build a strong foundation for adulthood,” Bell shares. In the three decades, Friends of the Children Utah has accomplished rigorous internal and external evaluations for long-term impact and the ability to break generational cycles: 83% of program graduates earn a high school degree or GED, unlike 60% of their parents. 93% remain free from the juvenile justice system, yet 50% have a parent impacted by the criminal justice system. 98% wait to parent until after teenage years, though 85% were born to a teen parent. 92% go on to enroll in post-secondary education, enlist in the military or find a living-wage employment. Funding from Yardi provides holistic, intensive support services for youth and families facing the most significant challenges. The investment strengthens youth, families and friends’ mental health and wellness support. This contribution ensures that the youth and families they serve have safe, stable and supportive home environments. While mentors have the support, they need to maintain health and wellness and effectively support the community. “Thank you so much to Yardi for your investment in our work. We are on a mission to end generational poverty, one child at a time. We cannot do this work without the support of companies and donors like you,” Bell shares. Watch this video for a glimpse of the miraculous miracles Friends of the Children Utah is accomplishing. Volunteer Opportunities Friends of the Children Utah offers Cards with Friends program, where employees can create handwritten cards for youth and family members. Your support creates hope and belonging for the child in its program. Contact development director Keili Bell for more details at [email protected]. Find future non-profit profiles...

Visit Booth 1219

It’s almost time for the LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo, a one-of-a-kind senior living conference. Each year, the event offers an opportunity to network with likeminded professionals, gain fresh perspectives and discover innovative technology solutions shaping the industry’s future. Team Yardi is excited to attend, we invite you to visit booth 1219 to connect with us! We’ll show you the latest advancements in the Yardi Senior Living Suite, our single connected solution designed for the unique needs of senior living. We also have a special giveaway in store (spoiler alert, it involves delicious, Chicago-style popcorn). Get the details below — we hope to see you there. About LeadingAge 2023 Hosted at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, this year’s LeadingAge Meeting and Expo is a can’t-be-missed experience packed with informative sessions. Focused on topics most relevant to the industry today, the sessions will offer impactful takeaways delivered by senior living experts. As LeadingAge puts it, it’s an event crafted to fuel your mission. The conference will span from November 5-8. If you’d like to explore what’s planned, preview the LeadingAge 2023 schedule. Meet with team Yardi & grab some gourmet popcorn Interested to see the newest innovations in the Yardi Senior Living Suite? Have questions for us? Wanting to simply come say hello? All are welcome at booth 1219 — we’ll be stationed there throughout the conference. If you’d like to schedule a specific time to meet, contact us and we’ll get something on the books. As mentioned, we’ve planned a neat surprise for our booth: gourmet popcorn! But it’s not just any popcorn — we’ll be offering snack bags from Garrett Popcorn Shops, a Chicago favorite. You can expect a combination of their staple flavors including CaramelCrisp, CheeseCorn, Buttery and Garrett Mix. Anyone who stops by is welcome to a snack bag, but we encourage you to stick around for a quick activity, too. We’ll have post-its available for you to write a short message sharing what you love about Yardi (plus a popcorn-themed board to stick your message to). If you’re new to Yardi solutions, you can also share what you love about the senior living industry — or what excites you about technology looking ahead. We hope you’ll pop in and participate! The popcorn and post-its will be available all hours the show floor is open on November 6 and 7. See you next week We’re looking forward to seeing you at LeadingAge 2023. If you’d like to get familiar with our dynamic senior living software before the conference, join an on-demand...

Seasonal Spirit Oct30

Seasonal Spirit

#TeamYardi had a wicked good time celebrating Fall and spooky season this year. The Atlanta office festivities started with a costume contest. The winners of the contest were as follows: Best: Static Shock costume, Amber Brown Funniest: Burger costume, Jonathan Singleton Scariest: Dr. Facilier costume, Gerald Valentine Most Creative: Frida Kahlo costume, RheaAnn Koppelman Best Group: Mario Party costume, Ciro Vellino, Tyler Edwards and Spencer Hardiman Those who participated brought some fun to the office and turned a typical Wednesday into an enchanted Wednesday. For lunch, three food trucks were provided with various foods for the office—Yaardie Eats, The Mad Greek and The Loaded Taco. Games were provided, and even a special guest was in attendance after making his rounds at the Atlanta HBCU scholarship programs Yardi supports. Jay Shobe, senior vice president, was impressed with Georgia’s southern hospitality. At headquarters in Santa Barbara, the office had a Fall Fest for Yardi employees and their families. The afternoon consisted of a pumpkin carving contest with pizza and gelato. The kids got dressed up and enjoyed a corn maze with trick or treating. What fun office collaborations for the end of...