Portland Rocks: May 2010

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Baby Announcement

Please welcome the newest addition to one of our families.

Koen James Braman was born this morning weighing in at 10lbs 2 oz and 21 inches long. Both baby and mom are doing well.

We wish you all the joy the new addition will bring to your family Keith.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Please welcome Trisha Harlan

Please welcome Trisha Harlan to the Portland Portfolio!

Trisha comes to us with much experience in property management and is very excited about her new role as an Assistant Manager here at Club at the Green. We are excited to have Trisha as a newest member of our team and wish her all the best in her new career with Equity.

Country Gables First Annual Garage Sale

Country Gables hosted its first annual Spring Cleaning Community Sale with outstanding resident participation on Saturday, May 15. The office team posted ads on Craig's List and signs with balloons around the neighborhood. The residents were very excited and we received great feedback from all of our very satisfied residents. Including the following email:

"Thank you....this is a great idea. The kids are having a blast."

Volunteers from our maintenance team conveniently collected unsold items residents did not want to keep and donated everything to our local Goodwill. This was a great way for our residents to socialize, meet their neighbors and make a little cash! We hope to host this event again next spring!

Stars of the Week May 18, 2010

Highest Occupancy:

CenterPointe with 96.58%
Club @ the Green with 96.46%
Country Gables with 96.17%
Palladia with 96.17%

Lowest Left to Lease:

Country Gables with 4.53%
CenterPointe with 4.94%
Palladia with 5.04%
Cove @ Fishers Landing with 5.16%

Best Make Ready

Club @ Tanasbourne with 92.86%
Club @ the Green with 77.78%
Cove @ Fishers Landing with 69.23%
CenterPointe with 66.67%

Express Service:

Club @ the Green with 100%
LaSalle with 95%
Meadowcreek with 94%
CenterPointe with 88%

Expired Insurance Items:

Club @ Tanasbourne with 2%
Meadowcreek with 3%
Country Gables with 3%
Tanasbourne Terrace with 3%

Quickest Turn Time

Meadowcreek with 100% and 5.3 Days
Club @ the Green with 100% and 6.4 Days
Cove @ Fishers Landing with 83% and 7.8 Days
Country Gables with 80% and 7.8 Days

E Lead Compliance:

Palladia with 52.1%
Cove @ Fishers Landing with 51.6%
Tanasbourne Terrace with 49.4%
Meadowcreek with 49.3%

Top Leasers:

Chai Mintz with 11
Hope Martin with 10
Cassandra Cuty with 6
Ashley Crews with 6
Alisha Batchelor with 6

Lowest Delinquency:

Tanasbourne Terrace with 1.55%
Club @ Tanasbourne with 1.71%
LaSalle with 2.08%
Palladia with 2.09%

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Champion of Diversity Award - 2010 - Hector Diaz

Champion of Diversity Award - Hector Diaz

The Champion of Diversity award recognizes those individual who have demonstrated through their hiring, managing and/or positive interactions with others, a respect and value for different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicity's and points of view. These winners can be nominated by anyone in the company and everyone is eligible to be recognized.

This Supervisor has commitment not only to his on site team but to Equity as a whole. He leads a large team that has many members of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Early in his leadership he had made a commitment to understand how each member communicates and processes in order to create a high productive and engaged team. He listens and respects the perspectives and experiences of his team members.

What makes him stand out is the fact that he had to embrace challenging factors of his hon before getting to a position of leadership himself. he recognized areas of his communication, reactions, and non-verbal behaviors that did not cause a positive and productive team. He made a decision to work on these areas until he came to a point where he took responsibility to learn about the human process and how oppressions work in everyday life.

When you look at different cultures and ethnicity you find different perceptions as well as communication styles. In order to create a cohesive and engaged work environment it takes dedication, observation, and action to create the right environment. He has embraced a consistent process of not only completing diversity exercises to understand the best communication style as well understanding backgrounds he also is consistent on meeting with his team and working through any bumps along the way. This has helped to pull this team together and act as a teacher to help in the promotion and growth in their positions. Another part of the process that he has recognized as important is describing his style of communication as well. It takes one person to coordinate and pull all cultures of a team together. He gains an understanding of each individuals Strengths and coordinates them to complement one another to best fit the property. In addition to crating a strong and respectful environment in the maintenance field he is able to also pull that and combine it with the working of the office.

He really has the attitude that everyone on our team can make our company a better place to work and grow. You can learn from each individual if you take the time to understand what each has to give. He is conscious of not only his own property but our entire portfolio as he serves as mentor and teacher to many. Hector has a strong work ethic and consistent smile that inspires many, that combined with the desire to embrace different points of view makes himself and his team strong and well rounded.

Award of Excellence CLS - 2010 - Palladia

Award of Excellence CLS: - Palladia:

Palladia has a tremendous team that is dedicated to delivering exceptional service to their customers. This team had a 36.6% Customer Loyalty score to end the year in 2009. They are creative in their approach to ensure a strong sense of community by holding a number of resident events as well as providing resources that keep their residents connected to the community and town events. They dedicate themselves to providing an incomparable living experience with a well maintained asset and most of all a place our customers feel proud to call home.

Community of the Year - Palladia! - 2010

Community of the Year! - To be considered for Community of the Year, both the manager & maintenance supervisor must meet the entire criteria of the individual Award of Excellence for the Manager & Maintenance Supervisor. In addition, this team must demonstrate a 10 Ways to Be A Winner attitude, adapt well to change & be flexible enough to help out at other Equity Properties.

Each member of this team has a strong commitment to our Equity values. They always do the right thing and deliver an exceptional experience to their residents as well as co-workers. Not only has the property consistently maintained a high occupancy and low left to lease through 2009 they also are ranked in the top 20% of Jim's portfolio for CLS. In additional each member is a team player for supporting our sister properties. This Property has had a number of their members reach out and lend help to our sister property when in need - have it be staffing or training. They have a can do attitude ready to embrace change and truly make a difference to each other, our residents and shareholders.

Both the Manager and Maintenance Supervisor are mentors and facilitators in the region. Total of 5 team members at Palladia are mentors for our new hire experience. They have a commitment to excellence in developing their teams and achieving phenomenal results. When all these items line up and each member has a true pride of ownership we are able to have great success. Please join me in congratulating Palladia for Community of the Year! - Hector Diaz and Tim Jellum

10 Ways to be a winner - Mykola Vygivskyy

10 Ways to be a Winner: Mykola Vygivskyy

This individual embodies our Values each and everyday. They are an individual that is quiet and not one to make a lot of noise; however, their leadership and results can not go unseen. They hold the bar high in every facet of leadership, holding a high standard for their product, employees, and residents. He continues to test his limits to produce only the highest results. With consistent high scores in his EMI, GWO, C&F as well as average make ready of high 90's throughout 2009 he shines in curb appeal, RMPI's, expense control and employee engagement. He is a team player and has a passion and commitment to his job! Without hesitation he is willing to send help to any of the properties in the portfolio without expecting anything in return. He leads his team by example and champions change, being willing to embrace anything that comes his way with a smile on his face! I feel very fortunate to have this individual on our team! Please join me in congratulating Nick Vygivskyy on this award!

10 ways to be a winner - Daphne Tappert

Here one of the Winners from the Leadership Summit. Each AVP has 5 awards for their portfolio. Jim Klein has Coloroado and Portland - therefore there is a lot of competition and a great honor to be recognized for one of these awards. Congratulations!!!

10 ways to be a winner: Daphne Tappert

This individual encompasses the 10 ways to be a winner not only on an individual or site level but for the entire portfolio. There is not a resident that she doesn't know by first name and takes a true interest in. Her genuine approach to her position and the grace she does it with is inspiring. She heads up the mentor/new hire program for the Portland Region ensuring we have the right people in place and trained to deliver a superior new hire experience. Additionally she reaches out to plan quarterly maintenance rallies with team building activities as well as portfolio involvements. She is always quick to take on additional activities in order to build the engagement of our teams - have it be (catering a lunch for the recognized leasing agents for the quarter's results or building confidence and engagement with the Assistant Managers is a monthly book reading.) This individual goes above and beyond in her passion and desire to succeed and see others. Along with all her commitments she makes to our portfolio she continues to produce results at her property level. She is in tune with her expense management, EMI results, financial numbers, EMC elite team 4th qtr 2009, and success of her team member's personal growth. She holds the bar high and continues to deliver. Her engagement and leadership truly makes her shine. Please join me in presenting this award to Daphne Tappert.

CLS Comments

Here are what some of your residents/prospects have said about you last month.

"The office staff have gone above and beyond to make sure we are happy and comfortable. (Especially Daphne, the property Manager)." - Amy

"I would like to say that Betsie at the leasing office is awesome she is so helpful and professional." - Vincent

"Kelly Arendell was very friendly and very professional, I was blown away with her service and smile...Its because of her that I'm strongly leaning on renting from your property than any other place. A= service A= Smile and personality." - Patrick

"Bill in maintenance deserves particular kudos, he's prompt, responsive and very easygoing." - Jeffrey

"Erin Fraser did an outstanding job as my agent. She was very professional and personable at the same time." - Daniel

"Chai is wonderful and friendly." - Susan

"Erica was really sweet, she was understanding with my restless toddler." - Lisa

"Schentel was excellent. She was very helpful and seem generally interested in me and my needs." - Charlene

"Tovia was amazingly helpful and friendly. She took a genuine interest in us and what we wanted, something we didn't see at the other properties." - Brynn

"Ryan was very helpful and remembered us from last summer when we walked in the door" - Nichole

"I love Sami in the office. I try to go to the office when she is there. My kids love her! She is lovely!!!" - Ami

Stars of the Week - May 10, 2010

Highest Occupancy
Tanasbourne Terrace with 96.51%
Club @ the Green with 96.46%
Club @ Tanasbourne with 96.31%

Lowest Left to Lease

Country Gables with 3.83%
CenterPointe with 4.18%
Cove @ Fishers Landing with 5.16%

Best Make Ready

Club @ Tanasbourne with 76.92%
Country Gables with 75.00%
LaSalle with 68.75%

Express Service

Club @ the Green with 91%
CenterPointe with 88%
LaSalle with 87%

Expired Insurance Items

Meadowcreek with 2%
Palladia with 3%
Country Gables with 3%
Tanasbourne Terrace with 3%

Quickest Turn Time by Days

Club @ the Green with 100% and 4.5 Days
CenterPointe with 100% and 5.3 Days
Country Gables with 100% and 5.7 Days

E Lead Compliance

Cove @ Fishers Landing with 52.7%
Palladia with 51.6%
Tanasbourne Terrace with 49.5%

Top Gross Leases

Chai Mintz with 8
Hope Martin with 7
Cassandra Cuty with 5
Ashley Crews with 4
Alisha Batchelor with 4

Top CLS Score

Palladia with 36.36%
CenterPointe with 33.56%
Club @ Tanasbourne with 29.82%
Tanasbourne Terrace with 26.79%

Lowest Delinquency

Club @ Tanasbourne with 3.40%
Palladia with 4.34%
CenterPointe with 4.72%
Tanasbourne Terrace with 5.85%

Monday, May 3, 2010

Please Congratulate Erica Lee on Her Promotion

Please join me in congratulating Erica Lee on her recent promotion to Assistant Manager at Centerpointe. Erica started with us as a Leasing Consultant and was soon on the role of Leasing Director at Palladia. Erica has more than proven her leadership and management skills with her current team. She is now ready to master a different facet of our business in the Assistant manager position. With her education, customer service, and dedication to success, I know Erica will have great success as she steps into her next challenge!

Congratulations Erica!

Letter of Praise - Mike from Palladia

Mike -

Thank you for your kindness in helping me! I don't know what I would have done with out your help - you did so much in a caring way.

God Bless you

JoAnne

Stars of the Week 5/3/2010