January 27, 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.

On Mount Rushmore’s Doorstep . . .

Built in 1927, the West Park Apartments offers 81-units of affordable housing in a six-story building. The property is located in Rapid City, SD, and Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) manages it for a third-party client. One-bedroom apartments 600 square feet and rent for $1,092 per month. Qualified residents can receive rental subsidies that allow them to pay 30% of their monthly income as rent with a Housing Assistance Payment contract covering the balance. The property is available to citizens 62 years of age or older and persons with a disability. The building is served by an elevator and has laundry facilities, a courtyard, picnic area, and community room. Apartments are equipped with high-speed Internet access and Wi-Fi.

Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County and the second most populous city in the state, after Sioux Falls. It is located on the eastern slope of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and was named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed. The metro population is approximately 156,000, and Rapid City is home to Ellsworth Air Force Base, from which the 28th Bomb Wing flies B-1B long-range bombers. Tourism constitutes a major portion of the Rapid City economy due the proximity of Mount Rushmore, Sturgis (home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally), Deadwood, and other attractions in the Black Hills.

Echoe Johnson (2024) is the Property Manager and Kamari Welch (2024), is the Regional Manager. Jennifer Fields (2024) is the Property Accountant and Lana Frank (2022) is the Accounting Assistant.

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

Courtney Bell – Clay Hall Senior Residences, Enid, OK – Property Manager
Milton Brayboy – South Pointe, Dallas, TX – Maintenance Supervisor
Keylin Barr – South Pointe, Dallas, TX – Leasing Agent
Brandon Turner – Park at Forest Hill – Memphis, TN – Groundskeeper
Aubrie Moran – Perry 81 – Overland Park, KS – Leasing Agent
Kevin Conway – Lofts at the Grim, Texarkana, TX – Maintenance Technician
William Ostrander – Libertad Des Moines, Des Moines, IA – Maintenance Technician
Seerat Imtiaz – Corporate Office – Property Accounting Assistant

Meet the Jefferson on the Lake Team

Meet the Jefferson on the Lake team. (L to R – Seated) Sorea Herr (2024), Leasing Agent; Chanda Lutz (2023), Property Manager; Yazmin Flores Rivas (2024), Leasing Agent; (L to R – Standing) Fred Williams (2024), Groundskeeper; Tracy Williams (2022), Lead Maintenance Technician; Kendrick Sams (2024), Assistant Property Manager; and Jonathan Morris (2024), Maintenance Supervisor.

Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) manages the 352-unit Jefferson on the Lake, a market-rate community in Olathe, KS, for a Cohen-Esrey Apartment Investors (CEAI) partnership.

Transformational Construction

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

Bicycle storage at Panorama Heights in Colorado Springs, CO.

Gypcrete has been poured on the second floor corridor at The Launchpad in Colorado Springs, CO.

An aerial view from the back of the property at the Loma Vista Lofts in San Antonio, TX. Notice the massive retaining wall.

Three underground storage tanks are to be removed the Lofts at Creekview in San Antonio, TX, as framing is ready to start

Kitchens are taking shape at Lewis Lofts in Mankato, MN.

New exterior lights are being installed at Village Park in Amarillo, TX.

Framing continues at the Heritage at Cottonwood Creek in San Marcos, TX.

Concrete poured for stem wall footer at Overlook 157 in Asheville, NC.

Cohen-Esrey Welcomes Kayla Oler

Kayla Oler is Cohen-Esrey’s new Customer Fulfillment Advocate at the Corporate Office. Originally from Edmonton, Canada, Kayla has lived in many different states across the country throughout her life. She graduated with a degree in Sociology from BYU-Idaho and is driven by a passion to understand others and their needs. Her professional highlights include years in customer service roles, as well as supporting underserved youth in the non-profit sector. When not at work, she enjoys exploring nature and spending time with her two dogs. She is happiest when she provides great customer service with a Dr Pepper in hand!

In her role as a Customer Fulfillment Advocate, Kayla’s Roles and Accountabilities will include but are not limited to:

Advocating for the customer while adhering to Cohen-Esrey policy.
Analyzing, identifying, and communicating resident trends or extreme situations to appropriate channels.
Communicating with customers and vendors in an empathetic and professional manner.
Communicating with property teams to clarify customer issues.
Coordinating with Regional Managers to resolve issues that require financial resolution.
Identifying the root cause of situations through effective active listening.
Obtaining all necessary information to support an in-depth analysis of issues.
Problem-solving a resolution that will be mutually beneficial for the customer and the company.
Reporting quarterly to appropriate channels with a property-specific analysis.
Researching financial activity specific to vendor inquiries and escalating issues to the appropriate channel, when necessary.
Staying well informed of all Fair Housing and Landlord/Tenant Laws applicable to Section 42, Section 8, and Market Rate operations.
Tracking all issues in the caller escalation platform.
Verifying issues through the property software system, OneSite

Welcome to Cohen-Esrey, Kayla!

Jack Brenton Promoted to Development Director

Jon Atlas (2015), Managing Director for the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG), has announced the promotion of Jack Brenton (2018), from Development Manager to Development Director. For the past six years, Jack has been instrumental in the creation of over 1,000 affordable housing units nationwide showcasing his dedication to addressing housing shortages and promoting equitable opportunities for communities in need. One of the most notable is the Lofts at the Grim in Texarkana, TX. Jack was able to procure numerous sources of funds to make this development a success.

As a Development Director, Jack will be working on projects in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. Initially, he will be involved with converting an existing Section 8 property in Wellington, KS, into a 4% LIHTC deal and potentially adding more units; a new construction project in Lawrence, KS; the re-syndication of an existing LIHTC project in Kansas City, MO; and will be sourcing new development opportunities in Iowa and Nebraska.

Jack earned a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning with a concentration in Housing from the University of Kansas. His educational background and unwavering passion for affordable housing have shaped his career trajectory and continue to guide his work.

Congratulations, Jack, on this well-deserved promotion.

Random and Not So Random . . .

Cohen-Esrey has a rich and storied history. Here are some interesting facts, numbers, and other randomness.

The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) consisting of Lee Harris (1975), Jeanette Jayne (1996), Mark Fletcher (2008), John Hinman (2011), Marcie Teenor (2013), Jon Atlas (2015), Matt von Ende (2017), Jennifer Turner (2018), Karen Crouch (2019), and Phil Melton (2022), have collectively been with Cohen-Esrey for a total of 156 years. Add Bob Esrey into the mix and that brings the total to 211 years!
The value of the Cohen-Esrey 401(k) was $4,937,356.75 as of December 31, 2024.
Across all business units, Cohen-Esrey has 203 team members participating in the 401(k).
Cohen-Esrey has 414 team members across all business units with another 56 open positions for a total of 470 team positions.
In December 2024, Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) was managing 115 properties totaling 12,243 units. Additional third-party assignments and properties being developed by CEDG bring that total to 15,116 units in 136 assets.
Of the 136 properties managed currently and prospectively, 25 are market-rate (5,916-units) and 111 are affordable/workforce (9,200-units)
A rough estimate of value for the 136-property portfolio is nearly $2.25 billion.
Cohen-Esrey manages apartments in 73 different markets – this combines metro suburban markets and counts them as one.
The HR Team onboarded 426 new team members during 2024.
The largest multi-family property ever managed by Cohen-Esrey was 1,385 units in Brentwood, MO (St. Louis suburb).
Since its founding in 1970, Cohen-Esrey has managed more than 82,000 units in 644 properties across 24 states.
Cohen-Esrey Capital Partners (CECP) has syndicated more than $546 million in state and federal tax credits.
The Cohen-Esrey Financial Services Department processes approximately 73,000 invoices annually.

Matt von Ende Becomes Chair of PreservingUS, Inc.

The Board of Directors for the non-profit, PreservingUS, Inc. (PUI), has elected Matt von Ende (2017), as the new Board Chair. Matt will continue to serve in his role as the Managing Director for Cohen-Esrey Apartment Investors (CEAI).

PUI was launched in 2009 and was initially sponsored by principals of Cohen-Esrey. The entity is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to rehabilitating historic buildings, providing affordable housing to families and seniors, and supporting residents with additional services to help them thrive. Over the years, PUI has been involved with several properties developed by the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) including:

8th and Main Historic Residences – Independence, KS
Brewery Lofts – Hastings, NE
Clay Hall Senior Residences – Enid, OK
Gold Dust Senior Residences – Fredonia, KS
Grant Historic Residences – Goodland, KS
Maple Senior Residences – Hiawatha, KS
Marquette Hall – Dubuque, IA
Marshalltown Senior Residences – Marshalltown, IA
Sinclair Flats – Mankato, MN
St. Thomas Historic Residences – Colby, KS
Village on Main – Waunakee, WI
Washington Senior Residences – Independence, KS
Waverly Historic Lofts – Waverly, IA
Walnut Street Flats – Reedsburg, WI
Woodson Historic Residences – Yates Center, KS

PUI has a strong history of providing a wide range of resident services. The organization recognizes that because some residents may have other challenges to overcome before they can truly thrive, PUI connects them to additional resources to address those issues. Importantly, PUI doesn’t dictate the services residents receive. Instead, they partner with residents to determine the assistance and activities they need most, while also meeting the requirements tied to a property’s funding sources.

Services may include:

Financial literacy classes.
Public benefits enrollment assistance.
Preventive health check-ups.
Back-to-school events.
Fresh produce delivery.
Creation of community gardens.

Thank you for your leadership, Matt!

Sonya Shifflett-Bly New Executive Director for PUI

Sonya Shifflett-Bly (2018), longtime Development Manager for the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG), has been named the new Executive Director for PreservingUS, Inc. (PUI). PUI works closely with CEDG, and Sonya’s experience in the development world as well as her previous experience with non-profits, will be extremely valuable as the two entities continue to collaborate to develop affordable and workforce housing.

Sonya was a market analyst at Novogradac traveling the country preparing market reports. Before that, she was a program coordinator for the Westside Housing Organization, a local housing non-profit. She is a Kansas City native and graduated from Park University cum laude with a dual major in Spanish and Psychology. In 2022, she earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) designation through the Project Management Institute.

As the new Executive Director, Sonya will work with CEDG and Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) to optimize the performance of affordable housing in which PUI has an ownership interest. She will write grant requests and continue the process of providing resident services to CEC properties as well as assets outside the Cohen-Esrey portfolio.

Congratulations, Sonya, on your new role with PUI!

Congratulations, Alexis!

Alexis Cruz (2024), Human Resources Coordinator, has only been with Cohen-Esrey for eight months and she is already a shining star! She has been working hard behind the scenes by taking a night class to prepare for her SHRM-CP certification and studying in her free hours outside of her full-time employment with the company.

Recently, Alexis earned one of the highest certifications from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). She can now display her certification letters behind her name as SHRM-CP. This is a premier Human Resources certification. Please congratulate Alexis on this phenomenal achievement of being a SHRM Certified Professional. The HR Team is so proud of her!

A Year in Review – 2024 – Part 2

IT Infrastructure

In the last issue of People and Properties, we shared Part 1 of A Year in Review – 2024. This is the second installment.

Implemented a major security upgrade with a 24/7 security operations center, new firewall, new VPN, and new advanced email security.
Deployed remote software management software, enabling IT to support 50+ additional properties and 100+ new team members without increasing staff.
Upgraded all corporate PCs to Windows 11.
Implementation of Call Center software for lease-up teams.

Inter-entity Operations

Facilitated CEDG and CEC in development of lease-up tools and processes for remote lease-up teams.
Facilitated CEDG and CEC in the development of pro-forma creation tools and processes.
Facilitated the merging of Regional Manager and Corporate KPIs to ensure consistent incentives.
Facilitated CEC and Financial Services in the development of tools and processes for bringing invoices in-house.
Facilitated CECP and Financial Services in the development of tools and processes for tracking the Tax Credit Pipeline.

Financial Services

Began piloting the new Spend Request System (as a step to bringing all property invoices in house).
Piloted and launched a new payment program through RealPage (third-party company that processes all vendor payments helps reduce postage, check stock and manpower in the accounting department).
Reduced the amount of fraud by setting up Positive Pay on four properties.
Began performing touchpoint meetings for new property managers as part of the new team member onboarding system (F16).
Converted our investor portal from Juniper Square to Agora.
Got all accounting processes documented which help in training new team members.
By the numbers:
- 199 draws funded for a total of $6,547,034 drawn with an average time to fund 19 days.
- 4,709 bank reconciliations completed.
- 4,318 Help Desk Tickets completed.
- 1,504 Financial Statements prepared.
- Helped 49 new properties onboard which included 540 new utility accounts to set up.

Human Resources

The HR Team onboarded 426 team members in 2024!
Due to volume of new properties that were onboarded, we added two additional Team Members – Alexis Cruz (2024), HR Coordinator and Val Quezada (2024), Recruiter.
Researched and made the decision to move health care provider from Blue Cross Blue Shield to United Healthcare in 2025. Also added Surest plan for 2025.
Researched and made the decision to move from One America to T Rowe Price for 401(k) recordkeeper during first quarter of 2025.
HR met KPI’s 100% each quarter.
Lunch and Learn Series consisted of:
- PreservingUS (January)
- Communication Style Inventory Workshop (April)
- Marketing (June)
- Our Smart Home: A “Best B” (August)
- Mariner Wealth Advisors – Investing and Budgeting
- Staffed eight new Mobile Leasing positions in short order!

Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC)

New Management Assignments – During 2024, CEC assumed management of one CEAI market-rate asset; three new CEDG affordable assets; and 49 new third-party assignments.
Introduction of Two New Regional Vice-President Positions – 2024 marked a pivotal year with the addition of two Regional Vice President (RVP) roles, tailored to enhance oversight and expertise in the affordable housing sector:
- Cassie Colston’s Leadership: Cassie Colston (2004) was appointed to oversee the Public Housing Agency (PHA) portfolio, bringing specialized attention and expertise to this critical area. Additionally, Cassie took on the role of Compliance oversight, adding an additional layer of expertise in the complex world of compliance.
- CEDG Portfolio Leadership: A second RVP role is being sourced to manage all CEDG properties, with a specialized emphasis on lease-ups. This initiative provides comprehensive support for new builds generated by CEDG, ensuring smooth transitions and operational excellence.
Expansion of Affordable Property Regional Managers – Recognizing the demands of a growing portfolio, multiple Regional Manager positions were added to ensure manageable portfolio sizes and support sustained success:
- Third-Party Portfolio Oversight: Kamari Welch (2024) and Christy Dilks (2024) now manage these roles, enhancing the third-party portfolio.
- PHA Portfolio Oversight: Kotarra Rone (2024) was appointed to lead this critical area.
- CEDG Property Oversight: An additional position was created to support the growing numbers of CEDG properties.

Enhanced Compliance Oversight – With the surge in affordable properties, the Compliance Department underwent significant enhancements:
- David Catlett (2024) as Director of Compliance: This dedicated leadership role ensures the compliance team receives robust support and guidance, fostering efficiency and adherence to regulatory standards.
- Affordable Housing Specialist: To address the complexities of compliance across diverse states, a new Affordable Housing Specialist will soon join the team, bolstering its capacity to provide tailored, state-specific expertise.
Mobile Leasing Team Expansion – To meet the aggressive deadlines associated with tax credit delivery, construction loan conversions, and permanent loan optimizations, a Mobile Leasing Team comprising eight members was established. This dynamic team drives operational success across all CEDG lease-up properties, ensuring financial objectives are achieved and projects stay on track. Current team members include:
- Cierra Brown, Gina Dickerson, Mabel Haro, Mandi Pfeffer, Naomi Sedberry, Sherry McGee, and Tiffany McCarty, with Trisha Parsons soon to be added.

Nexus 5 Group (N5)

209 Construction Projects
1,707 Multi-Family Service Projects
21 Commercial Mechanical Projects

Notable Projects

Team Aero Air Jet Hangar
Red Bridge Grocery Renovation
CBRE Kansas City Corporate Offices
Zillow Offices, Kansas City
American Century Towers – Several Projects Completed
Beacon Behavioral Health – Several Projects
Pandi Capital / Patterson Family Foundation
Stone Manor Event Space
Agilix Electrical Supply Kansas City Offices
AMP Aero
Spirit Fitness Distribution
Core Bank
Hunter Law
Ridgeview Heights – Fire Restoration
Avanti Residential – Several Projects
JVM Realty – Several Projects

An Empowerment Story

By Sara Antar (2002), Payroll Administrator

Sara Antar, (2002), is the Payroll Administrator Cohen-Esrey. Here is what she has to say about her Empowerment:

Sara at age one!

“When I was asked to write a short story about how Cohen-Esrey has Empowered Me to Thrive, I thought it would be good to start by looking up the meaning of Empowerment:

To empower someone means to give them the means to achieve something, for example, to become stronger or more successful.

I joined Cohen-Esrey in 2002 as a Payroll Assistant. At that time, payroll was part of the Financial Services group. In addition to assisting with payroll, I was trained in accounts payable and accounts receivable. I also worked with Pam Oakes (1984), RealPage System Administrator, learned Yardi (the company software used then), and helped her review multi-family leases and Yardi reports. At that time, we also had commercial properties, and I was asked to handle the broker commissions. I had the opportunity to wear many hats and explore most areas of financial services. With each new phase, I had help and support from many people in the department. This was a great opportunity for me to find my strengths. In 2007, I was transitioned from the Financial Services department to Human Resources. Again, I had the opportunity to learn many new areas.

Recognition and reward are an important part of Empowerment. Cohen-Esrey has always recognized and rewarded achievements on many occasions and for many reasons. Their Executive Leadership Team is amazingly approachable. They know everyone by name and have a hands-on approach.

In my personal life, I find strength in my family. It is my family that motivates me to succeed. In my professional life, Cohen-Esrey is my family. They have consistently supported and motivated me to be a the best I can be and succeed in any area I chose.

I am proud and grateful to be a part of the Cohen-Esrey family.”

A Historical Photo!

A photo of Roger Cohen from a Cohen & Company Corporate Awards Ceremony sometime in the 1970s or early 1980s. This was before the Cohen Company and the Esrey Company merged in 1987 to form Cohen-Esrey. Roger passed away unexpectedly in December 2002.

NPS Leaderboards

The three NPS Leaderboards have been updated as of January 24, 2025, and there are two new leaders – kind of. In the 50-Units or Less category Willow Point (Concordia, MO) is the new leader with a score of +86.11. The “kind of” is the fact that it replaces Rankin Mills which is managed by the same team as Willow Point. In the Properties 51 to 120-Units category, Pam Apartments (Pampa, TX) has vaulted into first place with an NPS of +81.82. And in the Properties of More than 120-Units category, The Boulevard (Springfield, IL), continued its unbroken string of first place finishes with an NPS of +95.83. There are 18 properties on Leaderboards – two less than last month.