ASSET is highlighting the good work of businesses across the Lone Star State that are stepping up to serve their communities and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of our #TXBusinessCares series. Thanks to ASSET coalition member Texas Apartment Association for sharing stories from their members.
Residential property companies across the Lone Star State have been working hard to serve their communities during the pandemic, from helping staff and residents access meals to waiving late fees for rent. With more than four million Texans living in apartments, these facilities are focused on keeping their residents and staff safe while finding ways to give back.
For example, the Busboom Group in Tarrant County has been providing lunches to its team members, which both supports local businesses and ensures their employees have food on the table. In addition to providing PPE to team members, they have been working through scheduling to help the team home school their children, and started a home schooling tutor/teacher at a property to give some of the team members’ children extra help with school. They’ve also implemented a special extended PTO policy for team members who are infected by COVID-19 or have family members infected by the virus.
Lubbock-based Madera Residential, which operates properties in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas, quickly created an Infectious Disease Outbreak Plan that was distributed to all employees, and has worked with a local supplier to purchase face masks for all frontline employees. On the resident side, they have frozen rental rates for all renewals through July 15, and are waiving late fees for the month of April and likely for the foreseeable future.
An Alpha-Barnes Residential property in Snyder, TX, has assembled 150 face masks for local hospital workers, and worked with the local school district to coordinate lunch delivery for students in need on the property. They are also contacting residents by phone weekly to do a well-check and assist with community resources as needed.
Aside from shelter, food is one of our most basic needs as humans. To help those experiencing difficulty obtaining food during the pandemic, El Paso-based Tropicana Properties partnered with the El Pasoans Fighting Hunger food bank to feed over 150 families on their properties. Additionally, without the state’s school lunch program, many Texas school children face food insecurity. Panhandle-based Tigris Real Estate partnered with Canyon ISD to provide lunch pick-up locations at various properties for local students in need living on-site.
These are just some of the ways residential property companies have been working to help their fellow Texans.