FROM THE PRESIDENT
JANELLE FRENCH | MISSION ROCK RESIDENTIAL
250,000 Apartment Homes , How Sweet It Is …
In April of 2011 , with then AAMD President Cherie
Shaw , AAMD created a multifaceted vision to improve member value and to strengthen the organization through membership growth and retention . Cherie and senior AAMD staff led the Board to establish something new , powerful and ambitions . It was called “ S . U . G . A . R .”
The “ S . U . G . A . R .” - or “ Strategic Unit Growth And Retention ” plan had a multitude of metrics , benchmarks , and advancement in member value ; but the plan also included a Ten-year goal of reaching 250,000 apartment homes within the AAMD Membership by April 2021 .
This was such an important goal because the Association ’ s number one strength is in its numbers . The 2011 Board understood how our industry ’ s success would rely on the Association ; and how the Association would rely on the industry . With growth and retention as the focus , the leadership team then and ever since - has been relentless about achieving the quarter million-unit milestone . We are currently sitting just under 900 units shy of this number and plan on surpassing it before the end of 2020 !
250,000 apartment homes makes AAMD the 5th largest apartment association in the nation ( not counting state organizations ). By contrast , the Denver metro area is the 19th largest populated metro area in the U . S .
We celebrate this accomplishment with all of our loyal members who contribute so much to AAMD and to our great local industry . AAMD greatly appreciates how all our members are true ambassadors of the Association and have spread the word on our value to the industry .
When SUGAR was born , AAMD had an estimated market penetration rate of 50 % in its membership , meaning half of the apartment homes were not members . Today the penetration rate is closer to 70 %! Which is excellent , but also tells us there is still work to be done . 30 % of the units and their teams are not getting the education , professional growth , legislative information , networking opportunities and all what AAMD has to offer .
When AAMD is representing the multifamily industry across local government jurisdictions and at the State Capital with CAA , our numbers are what help the legislators hear how large our voice is … they understand how professional our industry is , and how broad scoped the services are for the residents of Colorado . The dues that are generated from the AAMD unit count drives our Legislative advocacy , which in the past ten years have proven to be very important . It is estimated since 2011 , AAMD & CAA have saved the industry over $ 1.2 Billion !
Our Valued Supplier members should be very excited about AAMD hitting this milestone in membership . The increased access created by the larger data base will help Supplier members reach their target audience . This in turn will help grow business and set members up for success .
In this very special double issue - the largest Apartment Trends issue that has ever been published - you ’ ll find fifty new apartment communities profiled : 25 that have already opened , and 25 that will be opening in the next couple of years . This is a great representation and sample of the current state of multifamily development in Denver . Shout out to the team at Apartment Appraisers & Consultants for their work in compiling the data and pictures for this milestone 25th edition of Denver Rising !
On behalf of the AAMD Board , leadership team and staff , I wish everyone a Happy Holiday season !
6 | TRENDS NOV / DEC 2020 www . aamdhq . org