Resident events are a great way to create a sense of community, which in turn can lead to increased renewals for current renters and good word of mouth for potential ones. However, if you’re doing the same old thing all the time, people are going to lose interest. Need inspiration or new ideas? The MHN Executive Council shares some of their coolest events.
Pet Friendly
Over the years, we have found the most successful and meaningful resident events are those that focus on family, pets and bringing residents together. These events tend to get the greatest response and participation across our multifamily properties.
Many of our residents have pets, and we hold various events focused on our furry cat and dog friends, such as events with animal organizations such as ASPCA, including pet adoption, pet grooming and chip installation events.
Residents with children really enjoy the family-focused events we hold, including family photo sessions with holiday décor. We have held events with local police for child safety training and finger printing. Our parent’s night out is a great event that features crafts and a story time for kids.
A unique event for other residents is our 12 Strangers Dinner, which is a quarterly dinner hosted with 12 residents who do not know each other. Another favorite and unique event each year is Resident Appreciation Week, where we host outdoor sports events and a marathon for all ages. —Diana Pittro, Executive Vice President, RMK Management
Business Sense
Our teams prioritize involving nearby businesses in our resident events. As a family-owned company with deep roots in the communities where our properties operate, we feel a responsibility to be a good neighbor while creating more value for our residents. These partnerships both support local businesses and connect our residents to the area they call home.
This past year we had enormous success inviting the team from the neighborhood chiropractor office to provide complimentary sessions and breakfast to our residents! While it’s been common to partner with eateries and food trucks, we have gotten some of the most positive feedback introducing our residents to a variety of unique services and businesses. Following the event, we even received the below 5-star review confirming that through this event, one of our residents found their new chiropractic provider just .3 miles from our property and the business received a new customer!
“… the events that the office throws are really nice! Laly has been leading those and doing such a good job. When I bumped into her, she mentioned that there was one spot left for a chiropractic care event that Lyric was hosting. Who doesn’t like a good adjustment!? So I filled that. Now I’ve been going to this chiropractor for weeks now and have Laly to thank…” —Diana Norbury, Senior Vice President, Pillar Properties
All Inclusive
Unique resident events start with the right kind of planning. Just like a host plans a party tailored to specific guests, so should events be tailored to the resident base. In general people at events love to participate. My favorite events have done an excellent job of anchoring events in creative activities that engage residents with each other and the space.
They bring the uniqueness of the neighborhood in, which gives residents a greater sense of belonging as well as an up-close introduction to what makes their particular community tick. With a micro-brewery across the street, one multifamily community invited the owners in to host a tasting. For another, a chef from a local restaurant came and gave a cooking lesson where residents made something off the menu.
For another residence made up of mostly commuters, a special event featured a chef’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon that was set up for them to make unique lunches for the week. Movie nights on the lawn or events held poolside always draw a crowd. Tapping into residents’ expertise and hobbies is another winning strategy. Do you have musicians in the house? Let them play in the lobby. Baristas? Let them make special brews.
The important thing is to make the event as inclusive as possible. And remember that residents have a variety of work schedules. So “grab and go” items go a long way in making residents who can’t attend feel like they’re still a part of the event. —Mary Cook, President, Mary Cook Associates
Flower Power
This past summer, we had a fantastic flower event at The Bottling Plant, our historical redevelopment project in Frederick, Maryland. Calluna Flowers arrived just as we finished setting up all the buckets of flowers in the truck bed. A storm blew in, and it started to pour! We brought all the buckets inside to the lobby and held the event there. It created such an inviting, colorful scene when you walked in—I think we had even more participants. Residents created their own bouquet and received a discount voucher from us; they paid the rest. Men and women both loved it! —K David Meit, Principal, Oculus Realty
