The weather events of 2024 have put the best of multifamily teams, resources, and infrastructure to a significant test. The recent hurricanes in Florida—Helene and then Milton—demonstrate the fact that mother nature is unpredictable. According to The Associated Press, both monstrous hurricanes are estimated to cost $50 billion or more in damages, joining the ranks of the most costly storms in the United States.
For apartment residents, what helps them stay afloat during these natural disasters is something fundamental—communication, compassion, and support from on-site teams. Guided by a multichannel, proactive approach, Lantower Residential, with multiple properties affected by these storms, achieved a 98% response rate with an average response time of just under four minutes. How did they achieve this?
Susan Goff, Lantower Residential’s vice president of marketing, details the company’s well-coordinated response strategy to both events. “During Hurricane Milton, our severe weather support response showcased our team’s agility, resilience, and compassion. With only 10 Central Business Team associates rotating shifts, we recognized an opportunity to provide unwavering support to our residents and team members affected by the storm,” says Goff.
What Won Residents’ Hearts?
“Daily reports, showing up to the office, encouraging and maintaining a calm atmosphere, handing out supplies to our community, and showing compassion even though they were facing personal struggles with their homes as well.”
Many positive hurricane-related reviews reflected some companies’ compassionate and well-planned approach to crisis management. Similar compliments came up again and again:Prompt service by the maintenance team, especially with fixing the air conditioning.
- Proactive thinking—maintenance crew going around in golf carts to reset the garage from emergency mode back to normal mode without needing a work order.
- Quick cleanup—maintenance was out cleaning the debris the same day
- Going above and beyond to help residents in need and fulfilling their maintenance concerns even during the hurricane.
What Disappointed Residents?
In reviewing multiple online stories—reviews from apartment residents across companies—following the two hurricanes, lack of support and an uncaring attitude from the management, poor communication, pressure to pay rent, and lack of proper planning were the recurring themes in negative reviews. Below are some top complaints expressed in these reviews:
Senseless and heartless management. Across reviews, residents echoed that the “staff doesn’t care.” They expressed feeling pressured by management to pay rent on time, even without power and internet. Some residents shared they were asked to move out with no assistance and were told to reapply to reside in the apartments again. A reviewer said that no one from the property team called to check on the elderly or the sick residents, though they had time to send an email stating that the office would be closed.
Prior issues get worse, and, when you complain, nothing gets done. In the aftermath of the hurricane, residents expressed their frustration with longstanding, unresolved service requests that became even more troublesome. They complained of management’s inability to deal with clogged drainpipes, trash in the hallways, piles of dog waste in dog parks, package lockers malfunctioning, mold in apartments, prior leaks, malfunctioning gates, no emergency maintenance on-site—all these issues hurt the residents even more during the storms.
A longer wait for amenities, questioning the “value for money.” In some reviews, residents mentioned that the opening of amenities that had already been delayed by a few months would get further delayed as the management now had an “excuse,” making them question the value for money given the recent rent increase.
Stop spending time on social media and do your job. Residents shared frustration over management’s inaction to address prior issues such as flooding, and they were quick to point out that management is prompt at sending emails about rent payments or spends too much time on Instagram rather than resolving and communicating about the problem at hand, such as flooding.
Lack of an action plan to deal with the aftermath. Residents have shared their anguish over management’s inability to have a well-thought action plan to deal with the aftermath of the hurricane. Complaints ranged from having no plan to manage water damage or pest invasions, not leaving the community gates open, and no plan to clean up the sidewalks two or three weeks after the hurricane. Additionally, the residents voiced that maintenance requests related to mold due to flooding were closed without any proper investigation.
Absence of proactive measures. If you are in a hurricane-prone location, residents question the absence of storm windows, especially with rent increases. “Makes me think about the possibility of moving into a complex with hurricane windows,” commented one resident. In some reviews, residents spoke about “a luxury” community not having backup generators, leaving residents without utilities for extended periods.
Maintenance and management need more resources. On the bright side, in some reviews, residents went all out to compliment the on-site and maintenance teams for doing everything possible to comfort the residents. Still, they questioned the support they were receiving from the corporate team. “Maintenance and management have been on-site daily working to make the situation a little better, but they need more resources than they appear to be receiving,” mentioned a resident.
Following Lantower’s Lead
In contrast to the above negative sentiments expressed in reviews, the team at Lantower Residential used the tools of centralization, technology, teamwork, communication, and compassion to support each other and their residents.
A multichannel communication network to facilitate the continuous flow of information to residents. Lantower established a 24/7 multichannel communication network using Microsoft Teams as its external call center, supported by email, a hotline, and social media, ensuring residents were continuously informed. Internally, dedicated Teams channels allowed the company to coordinate seamlessly in real time, keeping everyone connected and synchronized as they navigated this critical situation. “Our commitment to our residents and team members was steadfast, reassuring everyone they were valued and cared for,” adds Goff.
A proactive, coordinated approach encompassing multiple channels to achieve a 98% response rate. Over the course of three days, the Lantower team managed over 1,100 incoming and outgoing interactions, including emails, calls, direct messages, and SMS messages across multiple platforms.
The company achieved an impressive 98% response rate, with an average response time of just under four minutes. This coordinated, proactive approach included automated notifications, updates on its website and resident portal, internal project tracking for property-specific issues, customer relationship management, and structured Outlook categorization, all of which minimized delays and streamlined communication. “This setup allowed associates in the hardest-hit areas to focus on their families, confident that their teammates supported them,” Goff says.
Emphasizing the importance of unity and resilience to overcome overwhelming challenges, Goff explains, “Our team’s effort exemplified our commitment to our residents and underscored our drive to care for our people, especially in times of need. Together, we delivered peace of mind and created a remarkable example of community support and care.”
