When it comes to optimizing the performance of your affordable housing communities, you really don’t have the time or resources to experiment. That’s why this session zeroes right in on only strategies that are proven to be successful, including real-world lessons learned, and techniques for effectively handling the unique challenges affordable housing presents. You’ll learn the latest best practices for attracting qualified, low-income residents; managing tax credit certification and recertification; training your team to handle the unique challenges and intricacies of affordable administration; overcoming the “low rent” stigma; and much more. If you’re responsible for one or several affordable housing communities, this is one session you can’t afford to miss!
Session Details
- Date: Thursday, September 16,2010
- Time: 4:15 – 5:30 pm
- Room: Dallas A3
- Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Track: Management/Marketing
Lia Nichole Smith
Director of Marketing and Training, SPM Property Management
Lia Nichole Smith is the Director of Marketing and Training for SPM Property Management, based in Birmingham, Alabama. She has over eleven years experience in property management, marketing, and training. Lia began her career in property management as a Leasing Associate and steadily moved up the ranks. It is in these experiences where she has found the most value in being able to relate to both onsite and corporate employees. Since coming to SPM in 2006, Lia has established the SPM Academy, a source of learning for all employees. The mission of the Academy is to provide quality, professional education in an environment which encourages learning, fosters creativity, and enables our team members to succeed at any level of the industry. Those who participate in Lia’s classes always walk away with valuable and practical knowledge. Comments from recent training include: “Lia is one of the best speakers I have ever heard. You can tell she loves what she is doing and is very natural in front of people. I always look forward to her classes-she has some of the best ideas.” Lia has presented at several industry events on topics related to affordable, conventional, and tax credit communities. Currently responsible for the marketing and training needs of 131 affordable and 18 conventional/tax credit communities, what Lia has found to be synonymous with all community types are value, quality and service, things every resident deserves. You can follow Lia on her blog, The Property Management Think Tank at http://propmgmtthinktank.blogspot.com
Rick Ellis
President, Ellis Consulting
Rick Ellis, CPM, is a 55-year-old teenager who has been intimately involved in
the apartment business for over 29 years. Starting as an onsite assistant manager and leasing consultant, Rick directed a fast growing apartment portfolio from two properties in the Dallas area to over 6000 units in four states. In 1984, he founded ELLIS Consulting Group in Irving, Texas. Now the name ELLIS has become synonymous with the finest market consulting, training, and contract leasing to the multi-family industry. Rick also founded the largest apartment mystery shopping company in the United States. Visit our website for a complete list of Rick’s training offering and presentations dates at www.ellisconsulting.com Rick continues to practice and excel in property management through his management company, ELLIS HomeSource. This company specializes in “offsite” management handling a sizable portfolio of single-family homes, duplexes, and condominiums throughout the Dallas/Ft.Worth Metroplex. Finally, Rick is the broker and owner/operator of J. Ellis Apartment Locators with three offices in the Dallas/Forth Worth area. Rick lives in Coppell, Texas with sons, J.R. (19) and Phillip (16). Rick is a graduate of Abilene Christian University receiving a BA in 1977 and a Masters in Theology in 1979. He holds a Texas Real Estate Broker’s license and is an Eagle Scout.
