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February 24, 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.
Another New Property in the Portfolio
Built in 1972, the nine-story Skyline Apartments consists of 92 units of affordable housing in Norfolk, NE. A major renovation was begun in 2017 and completed in early 2019. Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) recently assumed management for a third-party client. Studio apartments are 360 square feet and rent for $538 per month. One-bedroom apartments are 426-520 square feet and rent for $1,030 to $1,075 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 smoke-free building is served by an elevator and has laundry facilities, a large patio and picnic area, a community garden, and community room. The renovated apartment interiors have black appliances, new counters and cabinets, and plank-style flooring.
Norfolk is the seventh most populous city in the state of Nebraska, located 113 miles northwest of Omaha and 76 miles southwest of Sioux City, IA in the northeastern part of the state. With a population of more than 26,000, it serves as a regional hub for commerce, healthcare, and education. Norfolk is known for its welcoming community, excellent schools, and strong economy, driven by agriculture, manufacturing, and retail. The city offers various recreational opportunities, including parks, trails, and the scenic Elkhorn River. It is also home to Northeast Community College. Norfolk has a rich history, with connections to Johnny Carson, the famous talk show host. The city blends small-town charm with modern amenities, making it a great place to live and visit. Nucor employes approximately 1,200 people manufacturing steel products at four locations in Norfolk. Covidien makes syringes and other medical supplies, employing 440. Continental makes high-pressure and hydraulic hoses, employing 350.
Kimberly Lewis (2025) is the Property Manager and Christy Dilks (2024), is the Regional Manager. Mike Gioia (2020) is the Senior Property Accountant and Nancy Lewis (2021) is the Accounting Assistant.
We welcome the following new team members to Cohen-Esrey and the Nexus 5 Group.
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Samantha De Hoyos – Preserve at Westover Hills, San Antonio, TX – Property Manager
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Marcus LaRocca – Preserve at Westover Hills, San Antonio, TX – Maintenance Technician
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Brittany Robinson – Park at Forest Hill, Memphis, TN – Leasing Agent
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Charlie Covington – Tiger Island Senior, Morgan City, LA – Maintenance Technician
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Nathan Duncan – Park Edge, Lenexa, KS – Property Manager
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Bailey Myers – Park Edge, Lenexa, KS – Leasing Agent
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Jacob Bridwell – Pam Apartments, Pampa, TX – Maintenance Technician
Meet the Morning Hills Team
Meet the Morning Hills team. (L to R) Christian Toth (2024) Maintenance Technician; Robert Gilbert (2024) Maintenance Technician; Jennifer Jefferies (2024) Property Manager; and Nina Turner (2024) Assistant Property Manager.
Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) manages the 92-unit Morning Hills Apartments, an affordable community in Sioux City, IA, for a third-party client. The Morning Hills team also manages the 37-unit Southview Apartments in Sioux City. CEC manages eight affordable properties totaling 532 units in the Sioux City metro.
Transformational Construction
Construction continues at Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) future communities.
The community room is ready at Panorama Heights in Colorado Springs, CO.
The Launchpad in Colorado Springs, CO, is scheduled to open later in the spring.
Residents are moving in to newly completed units at the Loma Vista Lofts in San Antonio, TX.
Framing is well underway at Lofts at Creekview in San Antonio, TX.
Corridors are nearing completion at Lewis Lofts in Mankato, MN.
New exterior doors are being installed at Village Park in Amarillo, TX.
Despite inclement weather, framing continues at the Heritage at Cottonwood Creek in San Marcos, TX.
Because part of this property is situated on a severe slope a serious retaining wall is necessary at Overlook 157 in Asheville, NC.
Cohen-Esrey Welcomes Chris Keef
Chris Keef joins Cohen-Esrey as our Systems Product Supervisor with an extensive background in property management software, bringing 19 years of experience supporting RealPage products. Having previously worked at RealPage, Chris has collaborated with property management companies, gaining valuable insights into optimizing their operations.
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Chris began his journey with RealPage in 2005 while working for a property management company with a diverse portfolio, including conventional, affordable, and tax credit properties. He later joined RealPage as a Senior Trainer, where he played a key role in training clients on various OneSite versions, including those for conventional, HUD, tax credit, student housing, senior living,
In his role as Systems Product Supervisor, Chris’s Roles and Accountabilities will include but are not limited to:
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Collaborating with RealPage representatives and internal customers to coordinate and manage product testing efforts.
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Collaborating with the Knowledge Vertical (KV) leaders and Customer Fulfillment Director to ensure training and supportive resources are effective.
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Creating and overseeing the development of resources and materials to support field team members in effectively using RealPage products
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Identifying and addressing pain points experienced by field team members to improve product usability and satisfaction.
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Overseeing and supporting the management of RealPage settings to ensure optimal configuration and performance.
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Overseeing and supporting the onboarding and offboarding processes for all properties, ensuring seamless transitions.
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Overseeing the implementation and use of all RealPage software programs, ensuring they meet the organization’s needs and standards.
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Partnering, negotiating pricing, advocating for product availability, and serving as the company representative with RealPage representatives.
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Providing training for new hires and existing team members to enhance their proficiency with RealPage products.
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Supporting the resolution of all Help Desk tickets related to RealPage products, ensuring timely and effective solutions.
Welcome to Cohen-Esrey, Chris!
commercial, and military housing. Known for his exceptional knowledge of ActiveBuilding, RealPage Payments, Document Management, LeasingDesk, Insurance, and numerous other RealPage products, Chris is an industry veteran. His expertise has earned him recognition as a nationally sought-after speaker on RealPage solutions.
Based in Tampa, Florida, Chris enjoys coaching youth soccer, playing pickleball, and spending quality time with his son, Alex. As a former RealPage trainer, he is eager to share his expertise, tips, and best practices with the Cohen-Esrey team to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Alanna Johnson Promoted to Affordable Housing Compliance Specialist
Dave Catlett (2024), Director of Compliance, has announced the promotion of Alanna Johnson (2020) from her former role as Property Manager of Rankin Mill and Willow Point to our newest Affordable Housing Compliance Specialist.
Alanna has been an invaluable member of the Cohen-Esrey team since joining the firm in 2020, consistently demonstrating operational excellence and embodying our Core Values. During her time managing both properties, Alanna consistently exceeded expectations, achieving an average of 80%+ of KPIs, with both sites maintaining the #1 and #2 spots on the NPS Leaderboard. Her dedication to Team Member Fulfillment has earned her numerous shout-outs from team members, as well as multiple Core Value awards and ACE awards for property performance at our annual leadership conferences.
Her positive attitude, and genuine desire to support her team have made Alanna a trusted leader within our organization. Her commitment to growth is also evident in her continued interest in affordable housing, having earned her TCS designation in 2023. She has actively supported not only our property management teams across multiple states and portfolios, but also the Compliance Department. She has been assisting the Compliance team with help desk tickets and site support. She completed 393 tickets in the 4th quarter alone!
Please join us in congratulating Alanna on her well-deserved promotion! We look forward to seeing all that she will accomplish in her new role.
Cohen-Esrey Assumes New Management Assignments
A third-party client has retained Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) to manage five affordable apartment properties totaling 366 units in Nebraska. The properties include:
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Centennial Park – Kearney, NE – 50-units
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Fairfield West Townhomes – Lincoln, NE – 50-units
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Glenbrook Townhomes – Lincoln, NE – 90-units
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Skyline Apartments – Norfolk, NE – 92-units
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Yorkshire Manor – Fremont, NE – 84-units
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CEC now manages 14 properties in Nebraska totaling 863 units and spanning eight cities and towns. Kristina Viera (2017), Senior Regional Vice-President, is overseeing the portfolio.
Glenbrook Townhomes
Yorkshire Manor
Lydia Kinkade is Chair-Elect for the K-State Alumni Association
Congratulations to Lydia Kinkade (2013), iiM Managing Director, on her election as Chair-Elect for the Kansas State University Alumni Association Board of Directors. She has been serving on the alumni board of directors for the past five years and ran in a contested election for the Chair position. Her term as Chair-Elect begins in June 2025, and her term as Chair will begin in June 2026.
Politicking is not new to Lydia. In 2009, she was elected Student Body President at Kansas State University, so it’s only natural that she would decide to give back to her alma mater through her involvement with the Alumni Association.
Lydia graduated from K-State with a degree in Education and taught math at an inner-city school in Washington, D.C. through the Teach for America program. After joining Cohen-Esrey in 2013, she was instrumental in launching Innovation in Motion (iiM), a funding platform for early-stage companies in agriculture, animal health, and human health. In addition, Lydia managed three apartment acquisition funds for Cohen-Esrey Apartment Investors (CEAI). She has three young children and husband Kyle, is an executive for Zurich Insurance.
Congratulations, Lydia – the K-State Alumni Association is fortunate to benefit from your leadership!
​Core Value of the Month
Resident Services Make a Difference
Sue Hartwell (2024), HUD Service Coordinator at Century II in Sioux City, IA, provided some interesting facts regarding resident services at her property. Sue is a Professional Service Coordinator (PSC) and recently calculated the total cost savings to residents. Cost savings is defined as an occurrence of financial savings to a resident due to the intervention or action of a Service Coordinator. Through the assistance of the Service Coordination program, 96 residents at Century II were assisted a minimum of one time by the Service Coordinator to remain independent, self-sufficient, and happy in their home during 2024. Here are the numbers.
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Benefits/Entitlements/Insurance - $335,574
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Health Care/Services - $17,655
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Home Management - $2,962
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Homemaker - $11,869
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Meals - $89,628
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Miscellaneous - $4,020
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Total Cost Savings - $461,708
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Sue reported that by partnering with the Food Bank of Siouxland, she distributed 11,381 pounds of food during 2024. The residents of Century II along with the maintenance staff planted a vegetable garden that included a variety of tomatoes, peppers, squash, jalapeno peppers, brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, and squash. The homegrown vegetables were harvested and placed in the community room for all residents to enjoy. Sue worked with the Iowa State Extension Service to provide classes that taught residents how to cook using the homegrown vegetables and items available through the Siouxland Food Bank. Examples included lentil tacos, lentil soup, navy bean soup, eggplant lasagna, and plant-based burgers.
Great work, Sue. These resident services are making a real difference in people’s lives!
The Revenue Growth Champions!
Each month we recognize communities that have realized stellar year-over-year (YOY) revenue growth. For the month of January 2025, here are the standouts with positive rent growth. Congratulations to each team for the progress made! Fourteen properties are on the list this month.
An Empowerment Story
By Jack Brenton (2018), CEDG Development Director
Jack Brenton, (2018), is a Development Director for the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG). Here is what he has to say about his Empowerment:
"Cohen-Esrey has truly Empowered Me to Thrive in both my personal and professional growth. When I first joined the Cohen-Esrey Development Group (CEDG) in 2018, the company looked very different than it does today. At the time, our development team was small — just about seven team members — and we were closing only one or two deals per year. But even then, I could see the potential for something bigger. I still remember my initial interview for the Financial Analyst position with Jon Atlas (2015), Managing Director. He told me, ‘CEDG is growing fast, and we are going to be very busy.’ That statement stuck with me. I saw the same potential that Jon saw, and I wanted to be part of a growing development company. When I was offered the Financial Analyst position, I was thrilled. I saw an opportunity not just to take a job, but to build a career. I knew that Cohen-Esrey was the right place to challenge myself, expand my skills, and grow into my full potential.
From that moment on, I committed myself to learning everything I could. As a Financial Analyst, I worked diligently to understand deal structures, financing strategies, and the intricate details of tax credit developments. That hard work paid off when I was promoted to Development Manager, and more recently, to Development Director. Each step of the way, Cohen-Esrey has supported my professional growth – not just by providing opportunities for advancement, but by fostering an environment where I could develop leadership skills, take on new challenges, and contribute in meaningful ways.
Beyond my personal career path, what makes Cohen-Esrey truly special is our unwavering commitment to the Core Values. Integrity, Commitment, and Community Impact are at the heart of everything we do. These principles guide us in our mission to create high-quality developments that serve residents and strengthen communities. That Commitment has Empowered Me to Thrive at Cohen-Esrey.”
A Fun Photo!
This goes way back to 1996. Yours truly (Lee Harris) in the Cohen-Esrey offices at One Main Plaza along with Debbie Van Dyne (1987) standing next to Bob Galamba, one of our former commercial brokers. And that’s Jeanette Jayne (1996) seated, right after she started with the company.
This is How It’s Done . . .
By Arley Hoskin (2022), Leasing Performance Strategist
During 2024, Pam Apartments Property Manager Erin Hamel (2023) increased the property’s occupancy from 62% to 98% with no prior property management experience. "I love it,” Hamel said. “I’ve been telling people that I found my niche. This is where I should have been all along.”
In December 2023, Cohen-Esrey Communities (CEC) began managing the Pam Apartments in Pampa, TX. Hamel started as Property Manager during the takeover and had her work cut out for her. “This property was a little rough and the stigma within the community was not positive,” she said. “This was known as where the drug addicts live and where the bed bugs are.”
Hamel came to her role as Property Manager with a solutions-oriented attitude and started chipping away at Pam’s obstacles from day one. “She’s very goal-oriented and she meets her goals,” Regional Manager Jayme Dannen-Deal (2024) said. “Anything she sets her mind to she’s going to accomplish it.”
When Hamel has to evict residents she successfully fills out the eviction paper work herself. “She has not lost a single eviction this year,” Dannen-Deal said. Hamel started clean-up for the property by evicting residents who didn’t meet their lease requirements. “There were several people who lived here who hadn’t been held accountable,” she said. “There were some people who hadn’t paid rent for a year.”
Hamel worked on eliminating the bed bugs as well. “It was very challenging,” she said. “I went through four different companies before I found the one that I’m using.”
Pam Apartments is an affordable property that provides housing to senior citizens and disabled people. Once Hamel got Pam cleaned up she began to reach out to eligible residents, filling the 96-unit property. She raised the occupancy to 95% by June 2024, just six months after Cohen-Esrey’s take over. Hamel also transformed Pam’s reputation in the community. “Now people want to live there,” Dannen-Deal said. “She’s not an absent manager. She’s very present at the property.”
Hamel isn’t just present to her residents, she’s also hand-on with her staff. She works with a Service Coordinator and two Maintenance Technicians. “I would never ask someone to do something that I wouldn’t do myself,” she said. “I’m a very hands on person.” When Hamel’s maintenance team did some work on the roof she climbed up and walked them through it, having previously worked as a operations manager for a roofing company.
Pam Apartments currently ranks first on the NPS Leaderboard for properties with 51 to 120 units with a score of +83.33. And the property has a delinquency rate of less than 2%. Hamel also excels at resident referrals, bringing in 18 such referrals since the program started last March. “She’s a good leader for her team,” Dannen-Deal said. “She just does her job. And she does it well. She’s so professional.”
For 2025, Hamel said she wants to focus on keeping her occupancy up and reaching her KPI goals. She has advice for any Property Managers who are new to the industry. “For me the biggest thing is never be afraid to ask a question, because you will have a million questions and if you don’t ask you aren’t going to know,” she said.
