April 7, 2025

Welcome to People and Properties, the Cohen-Esrey newsletter where we celebrate the successes of our team members and keep you informed about what is happening in the Cohen-Esrey world. If you have something you would like to share or an achievement that you would like to celebrate, please send it to Lee Harris at lharris@cohenesrey.com. If you are on a property, please print and distribute this newsletter to each member of your property team. You can also find People and Properties on KnowledgeNet. Click here to view previous editions.

Brand Spanking New!

It’s with great pleasure that the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) announces the opening of the Loma Vista Lofts in San Antonio, TX. The 212-unit affordable community has been leasing quickly and many residents have taken occupancy. The total project cost was $43.8 million and used affordable housing tax credits as a source of funds. Loma Vista features a resort style pool (under construction), a community room, playground, picnic and barbecue area, children’s indoor play space, parcel lockers, bicycle racks, courtyard area with outside seating, and a business center. Apartments have nine-foot ceilings, kitchen islands in select units, a kitchen pantry, washer/dryer hookups, ceiling fans, and walk-in closets. One-bedroom units are 650 to 750 square feet and rent for $923 to $932 per month. Two-bedroom apartments are 906 to 1,096 square feet and rent for $1,090 to $1,101 per month.

Loma Vista is the second affordable community that CEDG has developed in the San Antonio market. The first is the 200-unit Lofts at Ventura. CEDG is also developing the 301-unit Lofts at Creekview which is projected to deliver the first buildings in December 2025. Cohen-Esrey Apartment Investors (CEAI) partnerships own two market-rate properties in San Antonio including the 320-unit Loretto at Creekside and the 276-unit Preserve at Westover Hills.

Yasmeen Gasper (2024) is the Property Manager and Karen Crouch (2019), Managing Director, is the interim Regional Manager. Jennifer Fields (2024) is the Property Accountant and Lana Frank (2022) is the Accounting Assistant. Our Mobile Leasing Team has been spearheading the lease-up including Tiffany McCarty (2024), Mabel Haro (2024), Cierra Brown (2024), and Naomi Sedberry (2024).

We welcome the following new team members to Cohen-Esrey and the Nexus 5 Group.

Charles Harris – Robison Terrace, Texarkana, TX – Lead Maintenance Technician
Christina Walters – Corporate – Regulatory Compliance Specialist
Heather Sauerwein – Corporate – Mobile Leasing Consultant – Rehire
Misty White – Corporate – Mobile Leasing Consultant
Michael Morse – Corporate – Roving Maintenance Technician
Reinaldo Aguilera – Lakes at North Port, North Port, FL – Make Ready Technician
Cynthia Soto – Lakes at North Port, North Port, FL – Property Manager
William Threadgill – Oaks at Rosehill, Texarkana, TX – Make Ready Technician
Ernest Calhoun – Elmhurst Terrace, Elmhurst, IL – Maintenance Technician
Glenn Black – Renaissance Plaza, Texarkana, TX – Make Ready Technician

Meet the Windsor Court Team

Meet the Windsor Court team. Saul Delgado (2024) Maintenance Technician and Annie Jett (2024) Property Manager.

Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) manages the 79-unit Windsor Court Apartments, an affordable community in Arkansas City, KS, for a third-party client.

Transformational Construction

Construction continues at Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) future communities.

Finishing the common area drywall at The Launchpad in Colorado Springs, CO.

Already building the third story at the Lofts at Creekview in San Antonio, TX.

Here’s the newly finished office at Lewis Lofts in Mankato, MN. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy was received on March 28. The project was completed 39 days ahead of schedule.

Clubhouse renovations continue at Village Park in Amarillo, TX.

The clubhouse interior is taking shape at the Heritage at Cottonwood Creek in San Marcos, TX.

Here is a terrific aerial view of Overlook 157 in Asheville, NC, and the massive retaining walls that are being constructed. The apartments will be built above the wall where the various vehicles are situated.

Welcome Christina!

David Catlett (2024), Director of Compliance for Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC), has announced the hiring of Christina Walters as a Regulatory Compliance Specialist.

Christina brings a wealth of experience in affordable housing, having been in the industry since 2011. She started her career on-site, gaining hands-on knowledge and experience, before transitioning into the corporate setting. Christina's journey saw her advance from Assistant Manager to Property Manager, and eventually into the Compliance Department, where she has built a strong reputation.

She has a skill set in organizational management, a deep understanding of OneSite leasing and rents, and strong communication abilities. Christina has consistently been a lifeline for on-site teams. She is particularly proud of a major accomplishment early in her career. When she was assigned to a property that had been without a Property Manager for two years, and where recertifications were two to three years overdue, Christina demonstrated considerable effort (even while pregnant!) to bring all recertifications up to date, a feat she considers one of her greatest achievements. More recently, she earned her HCCP (Housing Credit Certified Professional) designation in 2024, further solidifying her expertise in the affordable housing field.

When she’s not working, Christina enjoys spending time with her children, especially outdoors. They love riding four-wheelers and enjoying the water together. She also has a talent for crocheting, which she enjoys as a fun side hobby.

In her role as a Regulatory Compliance Specialist, her duties include:

Assigning, training, coaching and mentoring new Regional Managers.
Completing and tracking Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans (AFHMP).
Completing preparation of all required regulatory forms for submission to the requisite agency.
Completing the firm’s delivery of overall compliance processing.
Complying with TSP, qualifications, income limits, rent schedules, UA’s and policies and procedures.
Developing and maintaining regulatory agency relationships.
Ensuring appropriate training materials are developed and training is provided.
Liaison with RealPage.
Monitoring and ensuring HOTMA Compliance and implementation.
Reporting and meeting the requirements of tax credits to assure no financial loss.
Reviewing and executing all required regulatory forms.
Serving as 504 Coordinator.
Tracking AFHMP’s and working with Regional Managers to ensure these are completed timely (when needed, or coming up on expiring).
Tracking of EIV expiring Cyber awareness certificates in conjunction with the Director of Compliance.

Welcome to Cohen-Esrey, Christina!

A Sneak Peek . . .

The Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG), has several new projects that will be starting soon. Here’s a sneak peek at a few of them.

St. Columba – Louisville, KY

Paragon Place – Denver, CO

Canyon Vista – Glenwood Springs, CO

Golden Triangle Senior Living – Fort Worth, TX

Heritage at Waco – Waco, TX

Victoria Commons – San Antonio, TX

Eastwood – Wellington, KS

Lofts at Creston Hills – Oklahoma City, OK

Justin Place – Kansas City, MO

Lofts at the Triangle – Mobile, AL

Core Value of the Month

A Healthy Tip

By Sara Antar (2002), Payroll Administrator

April is “Move More Month”

Every April, the American Heart Association promotes Move More Month. Its aim is to encourage all Americans to take part in more physical activity and to endeavor to do so on a more regular basis incorporating it into your daily routines.

In previous years, the campaign was known as National Walking Day but was expanded to highlight the importance of physical activity over a longer period, thus raising more awareness of the health benefits and risks associated with inactivity and poor physical health. Even if you have not participated in physical activity for a long time, the month-long awareness campaign encourages people to take the first steps back to fitness or for those of you (not me) who enjoy regular exercise, it encourages you to do more and assist others to get involved.

Some tips to get you started:

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
Make time and plan- be consistent with your approach.
Don’t aim too high.
Get back on track – don’t be disheartened if you can’t stick to your plan. Try again!
Celebrate your success!

With information on the official website about getting active and more importantly staying motivated, this is a fantastic opportunity to meet people, raise awareness and funds but most importantly get a little bit fitter!

Find some quick 5-minute exercises to do during a quick break at work. Check out this link for Fierce 5-Minute Movement Breaks

Orange Theory Fitness proudly supports the American Heart Association. Consult your doctor before starting an exercise regimen and for modifications that best meet your individual needs.

You can become involved on your own or as part of your community, school, business or organization. Let us all try and be #healthyforgood and quite simply MOVE MORE!

Harvesters – A Most Worthy Community Impact Project

By Lisa Moore (2021), Draw Specialist

Cohen-Esrey has been supporting the Harvesters Community Food Network in Kansas City for several years. Harvesters provides food and related household products to more than 900 nonprofit agencies including emergency food pantries, community kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes and others. We also offer education programs to increase community awareness of hunger and teach about good nutrition.

Recently, several members of the Cohen-Esrey team spent an afternoon at the Harvesters warehouse including:

Ryan Rupert (2018), IT Infrastructure Manager
Garrett Cook (2022), Corporate Accountant
Emily Fletcher (2022), Property Accounting Assistant – Supervisor
Mike Gioia (2020), Senior Property Accountant
Nicole Zoller (2024), Accounts Payable Specialist
Lisa Moore (2021), Draw Specialist

First, we dismantled retail displays containing boxed cornbread mix and recycled the boxes. This involved handling a pallet containing eight large display units.

Next, we sorted and re-boxed four pallets of unlabeled canned goods in various conditions. Some cans were missing labels, others had minor dents, and some were deemed unsuitable for redistribution. During the process, we cross-referenced the codes on these unlabeled cans to assign new, accurate labels, ensuring that each can was properly marked with its contents. We’ve honestly never seen so many cans of corn and peas in our lives!

The four pallets were large produce display boxes, typically used for watermelons and pumpkins at the front of stores. As a result, there were many cans packed in these large boxes.

Thanks to all who participated in this Community Impact project!

The Revenue Growth Champions!

By Michele Rollo-Burns (2018), Director of Revenue

Each month we recognize communities that have realized stellar year-over-year (YOY) revenue growth. For the month of March 2025, here are the standouts with positive rent growth. Congratulations to each team for the progress made! Eleven properties are on the list this month.

Win the Dang Day: How Small Daily Wins Create Big NPS Gains

By Kipp Keffel (2024), Director of Training & Customer Fulfillment

When taking over the Kansas State University football program in 2019, Coach Chris Klieman famously inspired his players with the mantra, “Win the Dang Day.” It’s a simple yet powerful mindset that’s not just for football – it applies to nearly every area of life and business. When it comes to customer satisfaction and Net Promoter Score (NPS), the concept of focusing on small, daily victories can drive transformative results over time. NPS, which measures customer loyalty by subtracting the percentage of Detractors (those who score 0-6) from Promoters (those who score 9-10), is often seen as a big-picture metric. But the key to meaningful improvement lies in focusing on the smallest denominator: each day. By winning each day, a company can create momentum, improve customer satisfaction, and achieve dramatic results, as demonstrated in the following story.

The first three quarters of the 2024 fiscal year saw the following NPS results (broken down by surveys that occurred during just that quarter):

These results caused the overall score to dip into the negatives for the first time, hitting a low of -7.

October marked the beginning of the focus on winning the day. As part of that process each day was tracked and broken down into if it was a win (positive NPS score for the day), a loss (a negative NPS score for the day), a tie (promoters and detractors cancelled each other out for the previous day) or No Survey (meaning that no surveys were received portfolio wide for that day and this resulted in the following data for the time period of October, 2024 until March of 2025:

The data shows a shift and growth in the daily winning percentage, now these metrics alone tell part of the story, but to get the full picture of the turnaround, we need to look at the NPS Monthly scores to grasp the correlation between winning the day, and long term results. Below is a table depicting the results for the last six months of NPS surveys:

The increase in the number of daily wins, directly correlated to improved NPS results, with growth occurring every single month, month over month, for the last half of the year. To put this run of good form into context, For the prior six months (April 2024 until September 2024) we ended one month with a positive NPS score.

The overall score for the final quarter of 2024 was a 3.98 NPS, which was our first positive quarter of the year and a sign of things to come. To quote Lou Brown from the film Major League “OK, we won a game yesterday, if we win today, it’s called two in a row, and if we win again tomorrow, it’s called a winning streak.” Needless to say, we ended the year on a winning streak and would continue that streak to end the first quarter of the new year. For the first quarter of 2025, our quarterly NPS score was 19.34! Comparing Q1 of 2024 to Q1 of 2025 we see an improvement of 37.25 NPS points, which is a significant improvement!

While these numbers may seem modest in isolation, it represents a stunning reversal from earlier quarters, demonstrating how small, daily victories can create significant overall gains. The snowball effect was undeniable: each day that the team focused on improving customer interactions has contributed to the success of the individual properties, and Cohen-Esrey as a whole.

The lesson from this data is clear: big changes come from small, intentional actions. In business, as in football, the path to success lies not in overnight transformations but in the steady accumulation of daily wins. Each interaction with a resident is a chance to improve loyalty, build trust, and move the needle on NPS which will in turn improve occupancy, retention, and overall resident satisfaction. By embracing the mindset of winning the day, we can turn challenges into opportunities and create a positive snowball effect that drives lasting success. Chris Klieman’s words remind us that greatness is built one day at a time.

The challenge now? Go out there and win today. Because when you focus on winning the dang day, those small victories will add up to something truly extraordinary.

An Empowerment Story

By Yolanda McDuffie (2024), Property Manager – Big Chair Lofts

Yolanda McDuffie, (2024), is the Property Manager for the Big Chair Lofts in Thomasville, NC. Here is what she has to say about her Empowerment:

“My story began with Cohen-Esrey in September 2024 as the Property Manager for Big Chair Lofts in Thomasville NC, and I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to be part of the Cohen-Esrey team.

I have been in property management for over a decade and have worked for various organizations and from the Executive Leadership Team to the maintenance staff, Cohen-Esrey is the first company that truly embodies their Core Values. They want their team members to succeed and offer the necessary tools and resources to do so. Having these tools and resources available are vital to the Empowerment of every team member. Executive Team members, fellow Property Managers, Compliance, and Accounting team members are always willing to advise and offer their expertise.

My regional manager Cassie Colston (2004), Regional Vice President, is amazing, a wealth of knowledge, and exemplifies Commitment to her team members. She always makes herself available for questions and concerns and offers feedback and solutions to ensure that information received is accurate and beneficial. I feel more heard, supported and encouraged to succeed by Cassie than I ever have.

I am so excited to be a part of making Big Chair Lofts a community that our residents and town are proud of. Offering affordable housing opportunities and housing stability in our area is crucial to the overall success of our town and I am humbled and grateful that Cohen-Esrey has Empowered me to be a part of the solution and to be part of the Community Impact in my town.

In my personal life, my children and grandchildren are the beats of my heart and make life worth living. My team at Big Chair Lofts has become my work family and they along with the residents, make the job worth doing.

I look forward to more years of learning and growth with Cohen-Esrey.”

A Fun Photo!

Here’s a photo for the splash page of the first Cohen-Esrey website. Jeanette Jayne (1996), Executive Vice-President and Managing Director of Cohen-Esrey, LLC, designed and built this website in the late 1990s. It was very much state-of-the-art at the time.

NPS Leaderboards

The three NPS Leaderboards have been updated as of April 4, 2025, and the leaders remain the same. In the 50-Units or Less category Willow Point (Concordia, MO) maintained the lead with a score of +83.87. In the Properties 51 to 120-Units category, Pam Apartments (Pampa, TX) continues as the leader with an NPS of +86.21. And in the Properties of More than 120-Units category, The Boulevard (Springfield, IL), stayed in first place with an NPS of +90.57. There are 20 properties on Leaderboards – one less than last month.