Multifamily Florida - Summer 2020 - 25

Think about how your residents felt two months ago
compared to how they are feeling today. You want
to have them feel like, in spite of all of these changes,
they are still connected to the community."
For more ideas, download a recording of Building a
Sense of Community Remotely with Lia Nicole Smith at
faahq.org/recorded-webinars. You will need to log in
as an FAA member.

FA A H Q.O R G

"There was a virtual Easter egg hunt where we
delivered the baskets to residents' doors, a virtual trivia
night where the winners received a free pizza, and a
virtual workout session," Williams said. "On Mother's
Day, we delivered Mother's Day baskets to the first
three residents who submitted a photo of themselves
with a loved one."
Lantower recognizes that community building
means supporting one another and lending a helping
hand to the larger community whenever possible.
Residents with food to spare can donate to a food
pantry to benefit those in need, and the community
has delivered pizza to Brandon Regional Hospital
as a sign of appreciation for the healthcare workers,
Williams said.
Social media has been a resource for property
managers to connect with residents as well. TikTok,
the video-sharing social media platform, has been
popular for making funny videos that entertain residents. Both the Lantower and ContraVest teams use
TikTok for sharing videos on certain days like "Wacky
Wednesday" and "TikTok Tuesday." The videos range
from catchy songs that introduce the staff while
they're working, to trends that show what people do
when they are bored in their home.
Smith also shared ideas for using social media.
Instagram, for example, has a "Stories" section with
templates to create polls or ask fill-in-the-blanks or
"would you rather" questions. It's a simple and fun
way to communicate with residents and can make
deciding what movie to stream or virtual game to play
even easier.
"You can still connect with residents in light of
social distancing. Even though they can't see you or
talk to you in person, there are still ways to keep that
connection going because it's so important," Smith
said. "If there is a decline in the sense of community,
it will really impact how your residents cope throughout this process. It's important to make sure they stay
engaged and that the sense of community is strong.

http://thinkonsight.com http://faahq.com http://www.faahq.org/recorded-webinars

Multifamily Florida - Summer 2020

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