Focusing on Your Residents' Needs

Student Housing is a different breed of apartment leasing. Students rent sight unseen based solely on what a leasing consultant or “community assistant” tells them and puts in emails. They and their roommates are assigned a unit (not necessarily based on their preferences but on what works for the property at the time the assignment is made, or even on the whim of the leasing consultant.) In my experience in this market, at renewal time, many will ask for a transfer to a preferred location. Our communities actually have achieved as high as a 37% renewal rate consistently. The number one reason for this is the close proximity to the campus. 

Would love to say it is because of the great customer service and devotion of the teams, but truly, students can be a fickle crowd even when the team exceeds expectations. While at these properties, we have expressed the concept I personally ascribe to: “Make It Happen.”

In the midst of the renewal process during the closing month of the properties’ sale, I noticed that one of the residents was approved for a transfer by incoming ownership. I ask the consultant why he assigned that particular unit to the person transferring. Having already spoken to the student’s mother on a few occasions and offering the option to transfer at the lease expiration period, I wasn’t surprised by the request at all and had passed along the special circumstances surrounding the request to the onsite team, since the expressed reason for the transfer from the UPSTAIRS 2 bedroom apartment to a DOWNSTAIRS one bedroom apartment at our sister property was to accommodate a wheelchair access entry,  

“He asked for a 1-bedroom so that’s what I gave him,” he replied.

“Yes, but do you know where this 1-bedroom is?” I asked.

“Yeah, I know. Why do you ask?”

The unit he assigned is located up a flight of concrete STAIRS. Yes, it is technically on the first floor of the building but the building is located on a hill. “How is the wheelchair supposed to go up the steps?” I asked. The leasing consultant shrugged his shoulders and said, “Oh? Well, he asked for a 1-bedroom and that’s what I gave him. I guess that’s his problem to figure out.”

If you have someone on your team whose attitude is this callous and uncaring, is your team’s approach ever going to be customer centric? (Not to mention the wasted time of training and teaching ADA compliance.)  You can teach skill (usually) but you cannot teach or train for attitude.

The Welfare Check

The call came in at 3:18 pm. The roommate was calling because she hadn’t heard from her roommate since Monday. It was now Wednesday of the Spring Break week. I’ve responded to at least a hundred welfare calls over the years, with the majority occurring in Student Housing. I phoned the roommate’s parents and asked them if they had spoken to their child in the last couple of days. Her mother didn’t answer so I called her father who answered the home phone. He said his daughter should be in a nearby city participating in an activity but since he hadn’t spoken to her, he would appreciate it if I did go and do a quick check. I told him I’d call him back in about 5-10 minutes and hung up.

I always take someone with me, usually a police officer, especially if it is after business hours, but many times a Maintenance Supervisor goes, too, instead of an officer. The girls’ apartment was dark, no sound. I walked in calling for her and not hearing any response turned to the Maintenance Supervisor and walked down the hallway, turning on the hall light as I went. All the doors were closed. An odd feeling came over me. Since we had no idea whose room was whose, I took one door, opened it, no one there, and went to the next. While the MS opened his, he said, “No one is here.” I opened my door.

I immediately saw in the dim light of the hallway, there was someone in the bed, so I called her name very loudly. I expected her to jump up and tell me to get the heck out. I pushed open the door and turned on the light. I could see immediately that I was too late. The MS walked quickly to the apartment door as I dialed 911. 

It was too late. I could do nothing for her. At that moment all I could think of was that this vibrant, lovely girl was gone and no matter how awful this day was for me, it did not compare to how awful it will be for her mother and father, brothers and sisters, her roommate … the survivors. I know, too, that I will remember every single detail of this event and how I whispered to the 911 Operator who told me to get her on the floor and start CPR that "I can’t."

 “Why not?” she asked. "Because. Because she is not alive any more," I whispered. Then I started crying.

Obviously, this is a traumatic event. Playing it over and over in my mind, I have to believe that if we implemented a Red Dot Policy, perhaps we could be more prepared that this type of medical emergency could be prevented from becoming life threatening. After all, as on site professionals, what do we really know about our residents? Would it not make sense to initiate something as simple as adding a form to the move in process asking residents/Guarantors for permission to know if there is any known health condition that could become life threatening? Couldn’t that Red Dot could be placed on the file and added to the property management software in some way? Would it not make sense for onsite personnel to know whether or not those on the Red Dot List will be staying home alone during break periods when the campus closes? I can’t help thinking that had I known she had a medical condition and was staying behind alone for an entire week, our community could have checked in with her each day simple as a safety procedure.

Can accidents like this ever be prevented?

Redecorating?

The Interior Designer is arriving on Thursday and will be at the properties on Friday. It’s exciting to think of how a Designer might view changes in the Clubhouse(s) and Models. I doubt my input will be sought, but I am still excited to think of the possibilities. And just in case, he/she asks me, here are my thoughts.

1.       Murphy beds in the Studios (Wouldn’t it be a great space expander to have this option in our 225 square foot units????

2.       Forget the USB chargers – how about installing wifi charging stations on tabletops like bedside tables or coffee tables?

3.       How about stand-up desks instead of regular student desks in bedrooms? Or, even better, build a workstation in treadmills in first floor units (and charge a premium for being on the first floor? Everyone worries about being on the first floor here because of a possible break-in, so maybe this would be an incentive!)

4.       Online leasing kiosks in the Clubhouse? I would love that. I honestly think in student housing there is no reason to have a boatload of community assistants and part time leasing consultants.

5.       Install Bike Lockers!!!! Need them so much at the property that is only minutes away from the other community and campus but the students could ride bikes instead of always driving to campus.

6.       As always – parcel lockers! Now that we have worked out a more acceptable arrangement with the local post office, we do not really need the Package Room if we could get those lockers.

7.       Definitely install the plank flooring we started installing when I arrived. The kids like it; the parents like it and they are way more durable. 

8.       Install a real community kitchen in the Clubhouse where the kids can cook together if they want.

9.       Choose furnishings that offers flexibility: comfy chairs instead of couches in the common areas. I never understood how you can roommate match people and only have a couch in the living area. What if you need personal space?

That’s my two cents worth ….