Management Diaries: Rebuilding the Multifamily Maintenance Workforce | Cerwin Thompson & Avery Rouse
The Management Diaries episode spotlights a growing crisis in multifamily maintenance: an aging, retiring cohort and a new generation that often lacks the technical chops or work ethic needed for today’s increasingly complex properties. Hosts Kerwin Thompson, VP of Facilities at RPM Living, and Avery Rouse, Regional Maintenance Director at Breeden, explain how the talent gap is forcing operators to rethink hiring, training, and retention strategies. Both leaders emphasize proactive sourcing. Thompson’s team partners with trade schools, county workforce programs, and Goodwill to funnel EPA‑certified electricians and HVAC‑trained workers into the sector, while Rouse leans on high‑school job fairs and community outreach to demystify multifamily maintenance as a viable career. They stress that simply adding headcount isn’t enough; cultivating the right attitude and providing clear pathways for skill development are essential. A recurring theme is mentorship and relatability. Rouse describes creating a regional “buddy” system, group chats, and on‑site ticket‑focused training sessions that empower technicians to ask for help without stigma. Thompson adds that competitive wages, transparent pay bands, and visible promotion routes—such as moving from technician to supervisor to VP—help curb the historically high turnover rates. The discussion signals that property owners must invest in education pipelines, fair compensation, and a culture that values continuous learning. Failure to do so risks longer response times, resident dissatisfaction, and escalating operational costs, while firms that master these levers can secure a more resilient, high‑performing maintenance workforce.
Mission Success: Why Mission Requires Courage—And Capital | Rochelle Mills & Laura Valean
Rochelle Mills, CEO of Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO), reflects on two decades of transforming a single‑asset nonprofit into an award‑winning affordable‑housing developer. She frames housing as a catalyst for thriving, high‑performing communities rather than merely units and beds. The conversation...
Bipartisan Housing Package Passes House Vote, Mesirow Buys Boston Community for $218M and More!
The House approved the bipartisan Housing for the 21st Century Act, a sweeping legislative package designed to increase housing supply and address the nation’s affordability crisis as it heads to the Senate. The bill includes incentives for new construction, funding for...
Creative Financing Becomes Essential to Moving Deals Forward - Read About It in MHN's February Issue
Multi-Housing News reports the multifamily market may be exiting its Groundhog Day-like stagnation, with Lasalle research forecasting a slow, steady recovery rather than a sharp rebound. New construction remains constrained because current rent levels don’t justify widespread development, even as...