ULC and Brothers team up for a compassionate approach to apartment management
Management with a mission. That’s how Brothers Property Management approaches its work at affordable housing sites across the Denver metro area.
“We’re always going to answer the phone when people call because we want to keep people housed,” said Tiffani Thomas, director of property management at Brothers. “I relate to the experience of residents. It brings me joy when I know I am housing someone who would have otherwise been somewhere less desirable or even homeless.”
At the beginning of 2024, Urban Land Conservancy (ULC) brought in the mission-based, community-oriented, local team at Brothers Property Management to manage three ULC-owned apartments: Dahlia Apartments in Northeast Park Hill; Santa Fe Ten in La Alma/Lincoln Park; and the Villas at Wadsworth in Lakewood. Brothers will also manage 102 homes at ULC’s newest development, The Irving at Mile High Vista, beginning in 2025.
In Brothers, ULC found a property management partner that aligns with ULC’s mission. For both, it felt like a perfect partnership that would support residents and give them opportunities to live happy, healthy lives in homes that are affordable.
As a nonprofit, Brothers brings a compassionate approach that may not be a priority for for-profit companies. For example, the team at Brothers knows affordable housing can be confusing to navigate, so they walk residents through the process of applying for rental assistance or other programs that allow them to stay in their homes.
“Brothers has been working with our residents and guiding them to resources for rental assistance,” said Autumn Brennan, asset management analyst at ULC. “Brothers’ years of experience and mission mindset make a big difference when residents have to discuss something vulnerable and scary, like falling behind on payments.”
Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. was founded in 1971. The nonprofit has offered a broad spectrum of housing-related services to hundreds of thousands of clients across Colorado. Brothers promotes, develops, and preserves sustainable, affordable housing – seeing affordable housing as the most impactful way to fulfill its mission. Among its services, it provides rental and mortgage assistance, housing counseling and workshops, and home modification and remodeling services for older adults and people with disabilities.
Over the years, Brothers Redevelopment’s leaders recognized a market need, so they founded Brothers Property Management.
ULC and Brothers have teamed up to meaningfully engage with residents, including hosting social events and listening sessions at each property. Some projects – including upgrades to the laundry facilities at Dahlia Apartments – were underway before residents identified the need. For other needs, Brothers has followed up to make improvements at each site, ensuring that repairs are done quickly and effectively.
Jeff Martinez, president of Brothers Property Management, says his team is happy to be collaborating with ULC.
“Not all clients develop [properties] with the same passion and compassion, and it is heartwarming to match and align what both organizations are doing,” he said. “We’ve been looking for that opportunity to work in a meaningful way for a long time, and we’re glad this is how we get to do that.”
To learn more, visit brotherspropertymanagement.org.
