As COVID cases continue to impact Southern California, The Management Works is staying vigilant and taking all possible precautions through the coming winter months. There are many different measures that The Management Works has implemented since the start of the pandemic to keep residents and team members as safe as possible. All CDC guidelines are followed when interacting with current residents, prospective residents, and vendors. One tool which was previously in place for the convenience of residents turned out to be extremely helpful once the virus hit the United States. The Managements Works utilizes an online portal where residents and owners can easily access online statements, update renter’s insurance, and pay rent. Important maintenance work is also able to be effortlessly requested on the website. All leasing offices are closed to the public to minimize in-person contact, so we have increased our online and phone communication to stay responsive and helpful to residents. To protect our staff and eliminate unnecessary exposure for residents, we have confined our maintenance work to emergency requests only. When our staff does need to enter a unit, a PPE (personal protective equipment) is worn for the entire duration of the project. All maintenance work is completed with the utmost care and precaution. Before entering a unit to begin work, managers will check with residents to ensure they are feeling well and have not been in contact with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19. Work orders can always be rescheduled if necessary. Maintenance work areas are sanitized, and new sanitizing equipment is provided regularly to employees. Face coverings are worn by our staff for the entire workday, both inside and outside, to protect residents and team members. Prospective residents still need to be able to view potential apartments before deciding, so we have many 3D virtual tours available in an attempt to limit the need for in-person viewings. If someone still requests an in-person tour, we provide a lock box code which is changed daily. All units are also disinfected between viewings.
At the Management Works, our biggest priority is ensuring that our residents are happy with their homes. We seek to improve wherever we can and foster an environment of open communication with everyone living in a property we manage. One way we facilitate this is by surveying our residents after they move in, after they move out, and following maintenance visits. Using our online platform, residents can easily give a star rating out of 5 and answer a few questions. This provides a straightforward way to track how our residents feel after each important interaction, while simultaneously allowing us to see where we might improve. By providing an almost effortless way for residents to give feedback, we find they are more likely to respond and offer constructive comments. Property managers read through these surveys and track progress over time. We often reach out to individual residents following the surveys if they were not satisfied with any part of the moving or maintenance work process to ensure we fully understand their concerns.
The Management Works is proud to announce a new partnership with United Way in their effort to battle homelessness in Orange County. United Way is a registered non-profit charity, and part of its mission is to reduce homelessness by working with property management companies and other community partners. By collaborating with top business leaders, governmental organizations, and other non-profits, United Way aims to reduce the number of those living on the streets of Orange County. They are uniting with the Orange County Commission to End Homelessness and Continuum of Care Board to achieve the goals laid out by the United to End Homelessness initiative. The Management Works is excited about participating in this program partnership which will help make affordable housing more accessible for members of the community while providing other valuable resources. This section 8 housing designation allows for those who are receiving housing vouchers to secure single and family housing in one of The Management Works’ lovely property locations in Southern California. United Way Orange County is also extending a similar program to veterans and homeless youth who are at least 18 years old. By partnering with Orange County United Way, The Management Works is gaining an intentional partner for aligning their company philanthropy with their business goals. The Section 8 Housing Program, also known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is a federally funded assistance program that the United States government enacted with the intent to assist low-income families in finding homes to rent. In order to reach this goal, the low income housing program incentivizes apartment owners to offer reduced rents to the tenants in need. Prospective tenants can use United Way’s resources to furnish their new apartments, if necessary, helping to overcome one barrier for those needing to make a move with limited funds. United Way partners with other organizations to provide new residents with budgeting, tenant education, and other services to support the transition from homelessness. The HUD (US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) Section 8 program performs background checks on potential tenants, and United Way additionally vets incoming renters in order to ensure they are a good fit for the program and apartment unit. The Management Works is incredibly excited about this partnership and contributing to working solutions to aid in the goal of ending homelessness in Orange County. They are thankful to be a part of United Way’s advocacy to raise hope and reduce homelessness in Orange County through assisting families in finding stable, permanent housing. To those looking to make a positive change and move into one of the Management Works’ apartments, welcome home. To learn more about United Way Orange County and program specifics please visit: unitedtoendhomelessness.org.
