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January 12, 2026
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.
A Great Family Environment in Oklahoma City
The Woodcrest Apartments in Oklahoma City were constructed in 1976, and are managed for a third-party client by Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC). This 88-unit property is 2.3 miles from Rose State College and is also near the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center. A family-friendly community, children attend the Del City Elementary School, Del Crest Middle School, and Del City High School. The property has a large playground and unit interiors include good-sized walk-in closets. Residents can choose from studio units of 416 square feet renting for $720 per month; one-bedroom apartments of 545 square feet renting for $803 per month; two-bedroom apartments of 750 square feet renting for $758 - $948 per month; and three-bedroom apartments of 920 square feet renting for $1,093 per month. This affordable community offers Section 8 rental assistance to qualified residents. Woodcrest is located on the east side of Oklahoma City near Interstate 40. Restaurants, convenience stores, and other commercial establishments are within walking distance.
Oklahoma City is a thriving city of nearly 1.5 million in the heart of Oklahoma. The city’s thriving economy is complemented by its exciting nightlife and entertainment options. Downtown is home to the Myriad Botanical Gardens and the Oklahoma City Zoo, two extremely popular family-friendly attractions. The Myriad Gardens also include the Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park production at the Water Stage.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA team) has built a dedicated fan base, and things always get pretty wild around the Chesapeake Arena on game days. The arts community is quite active with galleries, museums, theater productions, and a music scene incorporating everything from underground alternative bands to the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. The city has been expanding in recent years, and Oklahoma City proper is much easier to get around with public transportation than most other cities in the region, including rail service. Covering 607 square miles, Oklahoma City is the second largest major U.S. city in terms of land mass behind Jacksonville, FL.
Ladasia Milton (2024), is the Property Manager, and Alisha Brooks (2017), is the Regional Manager. Patricia Livingston (2025), is the Property Accountant, and Kylie Brunette (2025), is the Accounting Assistant.
We welcome the following new team members to Cohen-Esrey and the Nexus 5 Group.
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Paula Clements – Walnut Street Flats, Reedsburg, WI – Property Manager
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Anna Baker – Stepping Stone, South Sioux City, NE – Custodian
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Jose Valdez-Raygoza – Libertad, Des Moines, IA – Maintenance Technician
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John Willis – Bastion I, New Orleans, LA – Leasing Agent
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Naomi Taylor – Blue Valley Court Townhomes, Kansas City, MO – Property Manager
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Autumn Johnson – Sundance Tonganoxie, Tonganoxie, KS – Property Manager
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Tommy Hicks – Sundance Tonganoxie, Tonganoxie, KS – Maintenance Technician
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Dante Hill – Trails at Lehow, Englewood, CO – Maintenance Technician
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KieErra Barfield – Jefferson on the Lake, Olathe, KS – Leasing Agent
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Evangela Burse – Pam Apartments, Pampa, TX – Property Manager
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Jermarri Turner – Lofts at Ventura, San Antonio, TX – Assistant Property Manager
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Eric Clark – Northwoods, Kansas City, MO – Maintenance Technician
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Isiah Magitt – Justin Place, Kansas City, MO – Make-Ready Technician
Meet the Western Heights Team
Meet the Western Heights team. (L to R) Dawn Wojciechowski (2025), HUD Service Coordinator; Denene Haafke (2024), Property Manager; and Gus Vasquez (2025), Maintenance Technician.
Western Heights is an 80-unit affordable community located in Sioux Falls, SD, and managed by Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) for a third-party client.
Transformational Construction
Construction continues at Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) future communities.
The Lofts at Creekview in San Antonio, TX, will soon be home to 301 new residents.
The Heritage at Cottonwood Creek in San Marcos, TX, is almost ready to welcome its first residents!
Roof deck installation has begun at Overlook 157 in Asheville, NC.
A Healthy Tip
By Gina Long (2022), Human Resources Business Partner
🎄 Healthy Post-Holiday Baking: A Lighter Way to Celebrate After the Holidays
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean we need to stop baking. In fact, Post-Holiday Baking can help prolong the holiday season and its cozy gatherings, sparkling lights, and irresistible treats. With creative ingredient swaps and smart baking techniques, you can make festive sweets that taste amazing and support your well-being.
✨ Why Make Your Post-Holiday Baking Healthier?
Choosing healthier baking options can help you:
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Maintain steady energy during the busy season
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Balance out heavier meals
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Offer allergy-friendly or special-diet treats
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Introduce new, flavorful holiday ingredients
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Enjoy sweets without the sugar crash
🍯 Smart Ingredient Swaps for Better Holiday Treats
1. Choose Natural Sweeteners
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Maple syrup
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Honey
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Coconut sugar
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Mashed bananas or applesauce
These offer sweetness plus extra moisture and flavor.
2. Use Wholesome Flours
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Whole wheat pastry flour
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Oat flour
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Almond flour
Each adds fiber and nutrients while keeping treats soft and delicious.
3. Bake with Better Fats
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Greek yogurt
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Coconut oil
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Mashed avocado
These lighten up recipes while maintaining texture and richness.
4. Add Holiday Superfoods
Boost nutrition with:
Cranberries, dark chocolate, nuts, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
🍪 Festive & Healthy Treat Ideas
Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Bright, citrusy, and made with oats and almond flour.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
High-cacao dark chocolate topped with crushed peppermint or pistachios.
Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
Gluten allergy friendly and perfect for decorating with light yogurt icing.
🎁 Tips for a Healthier Baking Tradition
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Focus on flavor—use spices, citrus zest, and vanilla.
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Choose smaller cookie cutters.
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DIY post-holiday spice blends or baking mixes.
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Bake with family and make it part of your seasonal tradition.
Historic Buildings of Cohen-Esrey
Cohen-Esrey has a long history of developing and/or managing some really cool historic buildings. In this series, we feature one such building in each issue.
Oneida Mill Lofts
The original Oneida Mill in Graham, NC – the historic textile mill that was later redeveloped into Oneida Mill Lofts – dates back to the late 19th century. The complex includes buildings constructed beginning in 1882, when the Scott and Donnell Mill was built, and expanded over time through around 1931 as part of the Oneida Cotton Mills and Scott-Mebane Manufacturing Company Complex. Historical records note that work on the mill buildings occurred in phases starting in 1882, with additional construction around 1898, circa 1900, and in 1931.
Another source indicates that the property’s roots go back to at least 1882 when James Sidney Scott and W. Calvin Donnell built the town’s first cotton mill, which was later purchased in 1887 and renamed Oneida Cotton Mill.
In 2017, the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) in partnership with Third Wave Housing, completed the conversion of this property into 133 affordable apartments using federal historic and state mill tax credits and federal affordable housing tax credits. The total cost to purchase and renovate the Oneida Mill Lofts was $16.6 million.
CECP Launches Another Federal Historic Tax Credit Fund
Cohen-Esrey Capital Partners (CECP) is pleased to announce the launch of the Heartland Historic Preservation Fund IX (HHPF-IX), a proprietary fund designed to invest in federal historic tax credits (HTC) generated in the state of Kansas. The fund is for the benefit of a Kansas-based bank and will invest in smaller projects generating $500,000 to $1.5 million in federal HTC. The total capacity for the fund is approximately $6.4 million in federal HTC. Most projects will also produce Kansas state HTC totaling approximately $12.8 million. The types of historic properties will include commercial structures, hotels, apartments, and office buildings.
CECP has a long history of investing in federal HTC through a series of tax credit funds – both multi-investor and proprietary single-investor funds. The company also makes a market in state HTC. Mike Marsh, CPA, (2021), Director of Federal Credits, is leading the fund launch. Carol Lowe (2011), Director of State Credits, is working with Mike to secure projects and to place the state HTC. Charity Trotter (2023) is the Fund Administrator, and Garrett Cook (2022), is the Fund Accountant.
Core Value of the Month
2026 Team Member Handbook
By Jennifer Miller (2025), Director of Human Resources
Happy New Year, Cohen-Esrey team! We are pleased to share that the revised 2026 Team Member Handbook is now available for your review. All team members are required to review and acknowledge the 2026 Team Member Handbook. Beginning January 1, 2026, KNET is showing a bell icon in the upper right corner of KNET if you haven't signed it and will send weekly reminders until your acknowledgement is completed. The deadline to complete your review and acknowledgement is January 31, 2026. Please take time to carefully review the Handbook, as it contains important information regarding company policies, expectations, and resources.
Key updates in the 2026 Team Member Handbook include:
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Addition of an At-Will Employment section.
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Updates to the Reasonable Accommodation section.
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Addition of a Religious Accommodation section.
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Addition of an Open-Door Policy section.
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Addition of Direct Deposit and Pay Deductions sections.
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Addition of an Employment Authorization Verification section.
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Revisions to the Workplace Violence section.
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Revisions to the Dress Code Policy.
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Addition of a Social Media Policy.
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Revisions to the Appropriate Conduct section.
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Addition of a Workplace Privacy section.
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Addition of state-specific Handbook Addendums for Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas.
Thank you for your timely attention to this important requirement. If you have questions regarding the Handbook, please contact the Human Resources team. We appreciate your continued commitment to Cohen-Esrey and wish you a safe and happy 2026.
Some Really Ugly Sweaters . . .
The pre-Christmas Ugly Sweater Day revealed that some team members have really ugly sweaters in their closets. In the 1950s – 1970s, Christmas sweaters were marketed as wholesome, cheerful holiday wear. They featured snowflakes, reindeer, Santas, and winter scenes – and were worn sincerely at family gatherings. By the 1980s and 1990s, those sweaters came to be seen as tacky, outdated, or over-the-top, especially compared to minimalist fashion trends. What was once cozy became kitschy.
In the early 2000s, wearing ugly sweaters became an ironic joke – people leaned into the bad taste on purpose. Pop culture helped – Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), sitcoms and holiday specials, and celebrities wearing intentionally awful sweaters at parties. Ugly sweater parties became popular in the mid-2000s. Ugly Sweater Day emerged in workplaces and schools as a lighthearted December tradition.
Several members of the HR Team.
Brittney Herd from Tower Village.
Dez Simcoe from The Launchpad.
Aminga Burton and Monty Clark from Alhaven.
Nexus 5 Project Engineers and Nancy Lewis from Corporate.
Welcome, Rich! Congratulations, Becky!
Jayme Deal (2024), Regional Vice-President, invites you to welcome Rich Barone, as a Regional Manager in the Affordable Division. Rich has extensive experience in the property management industry having been a District Manager for a management firm in Iowa, and more recently as a regional vice-president for a Texas-based management group. He brings to his new role a strong track record in reducing vacancies and bad debt, as well as reducing team member turnover on the 22 multi-family properties he was overseeing across 13 states. Rich is based in Cedar Rapids, IA, and will be responsible for a portfolio of HUD assets in Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois.
Jayme also is pleased to announce the promotion of Becky Rexach (2025), from Operations Support Manager to Area Manager in the Affordable Division. Becky also has extensive property management experience starting with her position as a community manager in Oklahoma City beginning in 2015. She also held multiple positions for another property management group including Compliance Assistant, Property Manager, and Property Management Director. She joined Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) in July 2025 and has used her Certified Occupancy Specialist Training to assist on several HUD properties managed by CEC. In her new role as an Area Manager, Becky’s portfolio will include properties in Nebraska, and Texas.
Way to Go, Panorama Heights!
Congratulations to the Panorama Heights team for being named as one of the top apartment communities in Colorado Springs for 2025. This award is based upon verified data from Google Reviews, as analyzed and certified by BusinessRate, a business intelligence platform that ranks local businesses based on customer reviews. This is evidence that Panorama Heights is delivering outstanding Customer Fulfillment. The team – Jade Leak (2025), Property Manager, Ophelia Eslinger (2025), Assistant Property Manager, and Blake Burgard (2025), Maintenance Technician – is doing its part to “WOW” the customer at this 133-unit affordable property that opened earlier in 2025. The year-to-date Net Promoter Score (NPS) for Panorama Heights is +66.67. It will be on the NPS Leaderboard once more survey responses are generated – something Jade will be pushing in the coming year.
Panorama Heights was developed by the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG), and was the first of two affordable communities delivered in Colorado Springs. The recently-opened Launchpad is the second.
The Revenue Growth Champions!
By Michele Rollo-Burns (2018), Director of Leasing and Revenue
Each month we recognize communities that have realized stellar year-over-year (YOY) revenue growth. For the month of December 2025, here are the standouts with positive rent growth. Congratulations to each team for the progress made! Four properties are on the list this month.
Cities of Cohen-Esrey
Thomasville, NC: Chair City
Thomasville, NC, is a small city of nearly 28,000 people in Davidson County with a history shaped by craftsmanship, railroads, and community pride. Long known as the “Chair City,” Thomasville earned its nickname through its pivotal role in the American furniture industry, which flourished there from the late nineteenth century through much of the twentieth. Factories, showrooms, and skilled workers helped define the local economy and identity, and traces of that legacy remain visible today.
Downtown Thomasville reflects a blend of tradition and renewal. Historic brick buildings line Main Street, while local shops, restaurants, and community events give the area fresh energy. The city’s iconic Big Chair, a towering tribute to its furniture-making past, stands as both a landmark and a symbol of resilience. Nearby parks and greenways offer residents and visitors places to walk, gather, and enjoy the outdoors.
Thomasville also benefits from its location in the Piedmont Triad, positioned between larger cities like Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This proximity provides access to regional jobs, universities, and cultural attractions while allowing Thomasville to maintain a quieter, close-knit atmosphere. Schools, churches, and civic organizations play a strong role in daily life, reinforcing a sense of connection among neighbors.
Today, Thomasville continues to evolve. Efforts to revitalize downtown, attract new businesses, and preserve historic character reflect a community looking forward without forgetting its roots. With its blend of history, location, and hometown spirit, Thomasville offers a distinctive example of small-city life in central North Carolina. Seasonal festivals, local sports, and family traditions add warmth to everyday routines, making the city welcoming for newcomers while remaining deeply familiar to generations who have long called it home together each year.
Cohen-Esrey manages a 139-unit affordable apartment community – the Big Chair Lofts – in Thomasville, developed by a partnership of the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) and Third Wave Housing.
An Empowerment Story
By Tracey Frashure (2024), Property Manager – Owensboro Historic Residences
Tracey Frashure (2024), is the Property Manager for the Owensboro Historic Residences in Owensboro, KY. Here is what she has to say about her Empowerment:
About 25 years ago, I stumbled into the world of property management by accident. A friend needed help at a property she had managed for many years, and I volunteered. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I loved what I was learning. Later, after moving to Owensboro, KY, I found myself assisting another property manager; a wonderful lady who taught me the ropes. I showed apartments, took work orders, scheduled maintenance, accepted rent, and even handwrote ledgers and deposits. That experience helped me realize this was more than just a job; it was what I wanted to do when I “grew up.”
Life took me in different directions for a while. I stayed home to raise my daughter and worked various retail jobs, but I always wanted more; something meaningful. That opportunity came when I joined Cohen-Esrey as the Property Manager for Owensboro Historic. My papa always said, “Do what you love and call it work,” and now I understand what he meant. Since joining this company, I’ve found my career, my confidence, and a community that Empowers me every day.
Being a Property Manager comes with a lot of responsibility, but it’s incredibly rewarding. There’s nothing like handing someone the keys to their new home; a safe place where they can cook dinner, watch movies, raise their kids, and just be home. At Cohen-Esrey, “home sweet home” truly means something. I’m growing into my natural strengths and discovering new ones I didn’t know I had. No matter what challenges come my way, I know I have support, just a Teams call or an email away. This company Empowers me through its people: Empowering owners, Empowering leaders, Empowering team members, and Empowering residents. Together, we build more than homes; we build hope and community.
A Fun Photo!
Halloween pictures are always the best! Here’s Sara Antar (2002), Payroll Administrator, from Halloween 2011.
NPS Leaderboards
The three NPS Leaderboards have been updated as of January 9, 2026. In the 50-Units or Less category, Mills Crossing (Salem, IL) has vaulted into first place with an NPS of +100. Amazing! In the Properties 51 to 120-Units category, Pam Apartments (Pampa, TX) remained in the lead with an NPS of +97.44. And in the Properties of More than 120-Units category, the leader is now the Falstaff Apartments (New Orleans, LA), with an NPS of +66.67. There are 22 properties on Leaderboards – the same as last month. Our overall NPS has remained strong and currently stands at +38!
