ABODE April 2026 by HAA Publishing

AWAITS

CENTURY A/C SUPPLY

SINGLE SYSTEM INSTALLS

Turn-key, next day installations are available.

HANDS ON REPAIRS

Need some HVAC expertise on a system repair? We can help!

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

Count on us for your preventive maintenance & due diligence needs.

PROPERTY REHABS

From budgeting and planning to completing the installs, we do it all!

HVAC EMERGENCIES

Need a service today? Same-day emergency services are available.

TWICE A DAY DELIVERIES

Need a delivery today? Free same day delivery within our service area!

Need to place an order, schedule service, or set up an install? Call 281-776-1900 today!

April 2026

ON THE COVER

37

Your Adventure Awaits! –

Follow that Star! Each month in ABODE, our hidden Membership Star will pop up somewhere in the online magazine and you could win! See Page 37 for all the details.

And don’t miss photos from the Winter Business Exchange, NEXT, ACES and much more, plus, see our first Success Strategy video from Dr. Debbie, all in this month’s ABODE.

Membership Star created by Jim Martensen, Epic Multifamily Construction, and the HAA Membership Committee

FEATURES & PHOTOS

18 On the Scene – Photos from the ACES Luncheon.

24 On the Scene – Photos from the NEXT Young Professionals Breakfast.

26 On the Scene – Photos from the HAA PAC Luncheon.

28 On the Scene – Photos from the Winter Business Exchange and State of the Industry Luncheon.

34 NEW VIDEO! 12 Success Strategies with Dr. Debbie – Don’t miss the first Success Strategy video with Dr. Debbie Phillips.

36 The Zero Click Lease – Learn why your website traffic numbers are lying to you.

37 ABODE Adventures – Find the Membership Star.

38 On Site with ABODE – Take a closer look at three Honors Awards winning properties.

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES

7 Letter from the President –Spring is here and so are some great networking opportunities.

8 Exclusive Supplier Member of the Month – Meet and support Lowe’s Pro Supply.

9 Legislative Update – Learn the latest from HAA’s Legislative Chair and Government Affairs team.

11 It’s The Law – Know your judge.

14 Resident Relations – Learn from a case mediated by the HAA Resident Relations Committee.

20 Calendar – HAA’s schedule of events for the coming months.

42 Go-Getters – Empower membership by recruiting.

44 Welcome Mat – Find out about the newest HAA members.

46 The Ambassador ONE Society –Learn more about the HAA’s supplier network.

50 Portfolio Changes – Property updates from our members.

54 Index of Advertisers – See the supplier members who support this publication.

55 Market Report – The latest area market numbers.

56 Back Page – Join us for the All Stars Sport Challenge fundraiser benefiting the YMCA Houston.

We welcome your comments. Email us at comm@haaonline.org

OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP

MONICA GRACIA President-Elect

RYAN TERRELL President

HOWARD BOOKSTAFF

MELISSA FRIEND Secretary/Treasurer

General Counsel

MANU GUPTA

Vice President at Large

KAREN HEFNER

Vice President at Large

CASEY WATTS MORGAN

CEO

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mack Armstrong

Julie Batche

Kristen Becker

John Boriack

Michelle Bridges

Kyle Brown

Tina Cavaco

Terri Clifton

Michelle Croasmun

Deborah DeRouen

Derek DeVries

Scott Douglas

Gina Erwin

Melissa Friend

Monica Gracia

Stephanie Graves

Billy Griffin

Manu Gupta

Karen Hefner

Clay Hicks

Sara Hinson

Deborah Holcombe

Crystal Jackson

Nathan Kelley

Debra Knight

Valerie Lacy

Stacey Lastovica

Liz Levins

David Lindley

Betsy Marshall

Kristin McLaughlin

Joe Melton

Candis Mohr

Kathy Motis

Katy Myrick

David Nargang

Jenifer Paneral

Mark Park

Velissa Parmer

Michelle Pawelek

Ryan Raser

Ruth Reyes

Kelly Robinson

Christy Rodriguez

Joseph Rodriguez

Ingrid Shultz

Corri Smith

Blaise Spitaleri

Debbie Sulzer

Ryan Terrell

Lindsay Torres-Smith

Starla Turnbo

Richard Wall

Shelley Watson

Richard Whatcott

Tracie Yoder

PRODUCT SERVICE COUNCIL OFFICERS

BLAISE SPITALERI, CAS

President Rasa Floors

VALERIE LACY

Vice President at Large

DEBRA KNIGHT, CAS

Secretary Comm-Fit

DIRECTORS EMERITUS

Josh Allen

Gary Blumberg

Ken Bohan

Roger Camp

Kathy Clem

Jack Dinerstein

Diane Gilbert

Jenard Gross

Darlene Guidry

Alison Hall

David Hargrove

Larry Hill

Hap Hunnicutt

Stacy Hunt

David Jones

Mel Kieke

Mike Koch

Dick LaMarche

Cesar Lima

Bruce McClenny

Tim Myers

P David Onanian

Jackie Rhone

John Ridgway

Kim Small

Eileen Subinsky

Steve Sweet

Kirk Tate

Suan Tinsley

H J Tollett, Jr.

Pat Tollett

Vic Vacek, Jr.

Beth Van Winkle

Tony Whitaker

Jerry Winograd

ADVISORY DIRECTORS

Marsha Baker

Jeff Blevins

Karen Briggs Gwin

Caroline Erck

Emily Frost

Nitin Garg

Izzy Garza

Jacob Kunath

Laura Lestus

Beth Levine

Cari Luetge

Monica Morales

Arely Pena

Paola Rodriguez

Jake Slosburg

Alan Yu

GENERAL COUNSEL

EMERITUS

Joe Bax

DAVID NARGANG

Vice President at Large

LIZ LEVINS, CAS EMERITUS

Treasurer Gemstar Construction

SHELLEY WATSON

Immediate Past President

HONORARY

LIFE MEMBERS

Claude Arnold

Kenn Brown

Tina Cavaco

Terri Clifton

Kevin Fenn

Diane Gilbert

Anita Harrison

Dwayne Henson

Mike Koch

Merry Mount

Monette Reynolds

Sherry Stevenson

Kirk Tate

Suan Tinsley

Sonny Unverzagt

Del Walmsley

Nancé Wells

H.P. Paul Young

Jeanne Marie

Zublin Dicks

PATRON MEMBERS

1968

Century A/C Supply

1978

Houston Planned Energy Systems

1982

Cotton Commercial

USA Inc.

1984

AAA Plumbers

1985

Gemstar Construction

Development

1986

Craven Carpet

1987

Dixie Interiors

1993

Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search

1994

Camp Facility Services

1997

Apartments.com

1999

FSI Construction Inc.

2006

Lowe’s Pro Supply

DEBORAH DEROUEN, CAS

Immediate Past President

Clutch City Consulting

PRODUCT SERVICE COUNCIL MEMBERS

Grant Almquist, CAS, Texas Apartment Pool Services

Susan Alvarado, CAS, Chadwell Supply

Chris Bell, CAS, Century A/C Supply

Marivel Bownds, CAS, Chadwell Supply

Tammy Broadway, CAS, American Fire Systems

Carina Bryars, Valet Living

Shaun Callaway, CAS, Earthworks

Brandon Coleman, CAS, Chadwell Supply

Neal Conant, CAS, Gemstar Construction

Sean Cunningham, CAS, Impact Property Solutions

Deborah DeRouen, CAS, Clutch City Consulting

Giovanna Gone, CAS, Century A/C Supply

Bo Hang, Redi Carpet Sales

Dan James, CAS, Redevelopment Services

Debra Knight, CAS, Comm-Fit

Stephanie Krop, CAS, Emeritus, Poolsure

Liz Levins, CAS Emeritus, Gemstar Construction

Jim Martensen, CAS, Epic Multifamily Construction

Tracey Moore, CAS, Flooring Warehouse

Karen Nelsen, CAS, Best Plumbing

Arely Pena, CAS, The Liberty Group

Xochitl Sheffield, Church Foundation & Pool Services

Blaise Spitaleri, CAS, Rasa Floors

Auri Verser

Sherwin Williams

Ryan Weis, Crestmark Construction Services

ABODE

APRIL 2026 I VOLUME 49, ISSUE 4

Chief Executive Officer and Publisher

CASEY WATTS MORGAN, MPP cmorgan@haaonline.org

EDITORIAL AND DESIGN STAFF

Director of Publications and Design DEBORAH NIX dnix@haaonline.org

ADVERTISING

Vice President of Membership Development RANDA DICK, CAPS randa@haaonline.org

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Chief Operating Officer AMANDA SHERBONDY, CAE asherbondy@haaonline.org

Chief Financial Officer TREY WIMBERLY, CPA twimberly@haaonline.org

Vice President of Education LAUREN RAGIN, CMP lragin@haaonline.org

Vice President of Facility Management/RCR TINA DEFIORE tdefiore@haaonline.org

Vice President of Government Affairs BEN MCPHAUL bmcphaul@haaonline.org

Events and Meetings Director KASAUNDRA WRIGHT kwright@haaonline.org

Director of Resident Relations MATILDE LUNA mluna@haaonline.org

Director of IT WILL ALFARO walfaro@haaonline.org

Government Affairs Manager ALEX CHADWELL achadwell@haaonline.org

Strategic Outreach Manager MORGAN WATERMAN mwaterman@haaonline.org

Education and Events Manager BIANCA REYNA breyna@haaonline.org

Member Services Manager JAKKI POSADA jposada@haaonline.org

Member Services Assistant SYDNEY CHANSAMOUTH schansamouth@haaonline.org

PRINTER TGI PRINTED www.tgiprinted.com

HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES

COMMITTEE CHAIR

Executive Ryan Terrell

Nominating

Fair Housing

Ethics

Finance

Past Presidents Council

Legislative

Political Action

Golf

Century Club

Education Advisory

Independent Rental

Owners Connection

NEXT Young Professionals

Leadership Development

Community Outreach

Product Service Council

Expo Exhibitor

Membership

Ambassador ONE Society

Resident Relations A

Shelley Watson

Howard Bookstaff

Michelle Pawelek

Gary Blumberg

John Boriack

Monica Gracia

Stacy Hunt

Starla Turnbo

Liz Levins

Lori Latham

Alan Yu

Emily Frost

Arely Pena

Clay Hicks

Melissa Friend

Blaise Spitaleri

Nikki Sekunda

Deborah DeRouen

Sara Hinson

Xochitl Sheffield

Jim Martensen

Michele Swilley

Resident Relations B Ryan Raser

Resident Relations Appeals

HAF Chili Fundraiser

Honors Property Awards

Darlene Guidry

Joey Rodriguez

Kathy Motis

Karen Hefner

Ruha Vohra

Honors Individual Awards Joe Melton

STAFF ADVISOR

Casey Morgan

Alex Chadwell

Lauren Ragin

Amanda Sherbondy

Randa Dick

Matti Luna

Kasaundra Wright

Amanda Sherbondy

HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MISSION AND VISION: HAA is the leading advocate, resource and community partner for quality rental housing providers in the Houston and surrounding area. HAA develops leadership in the multifamily industry by engaging broadly diverse membership, embracing effective technology and advocating for a geographically inclusive association. ABODE IS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HOUSTON APARTMENT ASSOCIATION serving the multihousing industry in Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Waller and Wharton counties.

ABODE, APRIL 2026, VOLUME 49, ISSUE 4

ABODE (USPS 024-962) is published monthly by the Houston Multi Housing Corporation. Publishing, editorial and advertising offices are located at 4810 Westway Park Blvd., Houston, Texas 77041. Telephone 713-595-0300. The $50 annual ABODE subscription rate is included in all member dues and additional subscriptions are available. The annual subscription rate is $50 for members, $65 for non-members. Advertising rates are available upon request. Contributed material does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Houston Apartment Association. Copyright © 2026 by HAA.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Houston, Texas.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ABODE, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., Houston, Texas 77041.

Works!

Comprehensive applicant screening tools available today can uncover important background information. Proper screening can also reveal identity fraud issues, including stolen and fabricated identities, which may result in costly problems. Comprehensive screening using Rental Credit Reporting can also tell you who hasn’t paid rent, who has broken leases and who has received their deposit refund.

RCR provides Houston’s apartment industry with the most effective rental credit reporting tool available. RCR gives your leasing staff immediate access to information about which prospects have fulfilled their leases and who have been residents in good standing. RCR also tells you who hasn’t paid rent, who has broken leases and who has received their deposit refund.

Rental Credit Reporting • A Service of the Houston Apartment Association 4810 Westway Park Blvd. Houston, Texas 77041 713-595-0300 • www.haaonline.org a service of in partnership with

EXECUTIVE SUPPLIER MEMBERS

These companies have generously supported the Houston Apartment Association with their Executive Supplier Membership. Please give them careful consideration, whenever possible, in your business.

2020 Exhibits

3BeeGuys Bee Removal

A+ Aquatic Services

A1 Property Construction

AAA Staffing Ltd

Achilles Security Services LLC

ACT Security Group

Action Window Coverings Inc

ACTIV Answer

Adobe Floors Inc

Adventure Playground Systems Inc

Advocate Construction Inc

Affinity Waste Solutions

Air Express Construction and Plumbing

ALD Outdoors

Alexander-Rose Associates Inc

All American Mailboxes of Houston Inc

All Power Solutions

ALN Apartment Data

Alonso Service Co.

Ambassador Services LLC

American Fire Systems Inc

American Wheel & Tire #2 Ltd

Ameristar Screen & Glass

Apartment Services Group

ARC Glass LLC

ARR Commercial Services

& Sheet Metal

Artisent Floors

ASAP Personnel Inc

Asurety Dryer Vent & Fireplace Inspections

B&G Construction

Bar-B-Clean Southwest Houston

Belfor Property Restoration

Bend Construction

Berkeley Outside Services

Bettencourt Tax Advisors LLC

Beyond Blue Pools

BGE Inc/aka Brown & Gay

Engineers Inc

Binswanger Glass

BioTechs Crime & Trauma

Scene Cleaning

Blue Marlin Maintenance Air Conditioning and Renovation

Blue Stream Fiber

BluSky Restoration Contractors

Brady Chapman Holland & Assoc

Brazos Commercial Roofing

Brown & Brown Insurance Services Inc

BSI

ByteTime Computing Inc

Cabinet Door Usa

Cameras Onsite LLC

Capital Disaster Solutions

Catalyst Construction

Centex Construction

CEP Construction Services LLC

Chadwell Supply

Chesapeake Finishing

Childress Electric

ClaimsMate Adjusters

Classic Same Day Blinds

Code Red Security Systems PLLC

Commercial Fire Protection

Contractors Inc

Core Distributing

Corey Construction Commercial & Multi-Family Roofing

CORT Furniture Rental

CoverAll Pests

CRE Business Solutions LLC

Create Landscape Services LLC

Crisis Care

Crossroads Insurance

Recovery Advocates

Crowned Eagle Construction

CSC ServiceworksAppliance Warehouse

Cypress Landscaping & Irrigation Inc

Decorative Flooring

DeNyse Companies

Designs by Holmes

Diamond Services LLC

DNM Contracting Inc

DoodyCalls

Double Oak Erosion

Dry Force Corp

DVF Company

ECC Exteriors

EDT Construction Services

Elite Roofing LLC

Emersyn Electrical Services LLC

Empire Fire and Safety

Encore Services TX

EnviroSmart Multifamily

Pest Solutions

Epic Multifamily Construction

EPremium Insurance Agency

Exo Edge

Exterior Inspections

Ezee Fiber

Fantastic Floors

Featherston Sign Partners, LLC

Fiat Construction LLC

Fire Reconstruction Inc

Flavor Finish Resurfacing

FlipLok

Floor Merchant

Foundation Check Inc

Frontier Waste Solutions

FSD Protection

FSI Construction fun abounds

Gambit Construction

Garland Law Firm

Glass Doctor of Greater

South Houston

GMR Electrical

Go Painting of N. Houston

Go-Staff Inc

Golden Armor Security and Investigations LLC

Good Landscaping

GQ Landscaping

Grace Painting and Remodeling

Great American Business Products

Greater Houston Pool Management

Green City Security LLC

Green Garbology

Green Leaf Pro

Green Pride Landscaping

Greenlogic

Grindstone General Contracting

GSR Construction Group

H&R Operator Services Inc

Hallmark Hardwoods

Hamilton-Steele Outdoor Accents

Hive Technology

Hoover Slovacek LLP

Houston Cleaning Crew LLC

Houston Granite Marble Center

Houston Home and Patio

Houston Roofing & Construction LLC

Houston Strong Roofing Company

Hut Services LLC

Hybrilux LLC

Ideal Parking Management

Infinity Power Partners

Innovative Environments

Innovative Recovery

Insurica

InterSolutions Property Management Staffing

Its Bugs or Us

J G Amador Construction

J National Contractors

J Turner Research

Jacobson Insurance & Risk Management

Johnstone Supply

JOR Construction & Property

Investments LLC

Junk Shot and Doorstep Details of Houston

Landing

Lanyard Construction Services

Laser Answering Service LLC

Lee & Barrier Builders LLC

Lincoln Jacob Construction

Lineups

Lithotech Printed Products/ Forms Center

LMC Embark Landscape and Tree Care

Long Point Roofing

Lopez Carpet Care & Painting

LP Building Solutions

Major Piles

Matrix Construction Services

Minol USA

MNM Fire Systems LLC

Mueller Water Conditioning Inc

Multifamily Access Control

Nailed It Roofing Pros

Nationwide Energy Partners

NEI General Contracting

Nelson Painting and Construction LLC

Norman Roofing and Construction

Northwest Construction Group

Optima General Contractor LLC

Pace Mechanical Services LLC

Pacific Coast Landscape and Design

Parking Management Company/ PMC Towing Partners

Pasadena Insurance Agency Inc

Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Houston

Penco Access Control LLC dba

Penco Gate and Fence

Platinum Pool and Spa LLC

Power Services of Texas

Precision Appliance Leasing

Premium Improvements

Pro-Shield Commercial Roofing LLC

Pro-Tex Contracting Group LLC

Professional Resurface LLC

Properteese

Property Guardians LLC

Pura Flo Corporation

Quality Construction Concepts

Quick Protection Inc

Qwikkit

R&L Global Inc

R3BUILD Construction Services LLC

RAM Construction

Ram Jack Foundation Solutions

Real Floors Inc

Redevelopment Services

Redux Construction

Reliable Paving, Inc

Reliable Roofing of Texas Inc

Reliant

RENCON LLC

Renova Appliance Center LTD

Renova One

REVS (Refuel Electric

Vehicle Solutions)

Richmond & Associates

Landscaping-Houston, LTD

Riverway Title

Robles Roofing & More LLC

Roof Top Innovations

Rose Paving

Roto-Rooter Services Co

Rotolo Consultants Inc (RCI)

Royalty Landscape

SafeRent Solutions

SEAL Security Solutions LLC

Secure Insurance

Service Concepts Inc

ServiceMaster Recovery

Management

Servpro Friendswood Pearland

Servpro Team Shaw

Sherwin Williams

Sign-Ups & Banners

Signal of Houston

Southern Star Building LLC

Southwest A/C Supply, Inc

Spartan Fire Protection

Spire Roofing Solutions

SSC Glass LLC

Stealth Renovations

Steward Trash Valet Service

Stormwater Professionals Group

Strata Roofing and Construction LLC

Strickland Law Firm PLLC

Superscapes Landscape and Irrigation

Surface Experts

Surface Experts of Katy/ West Houston

Swain & Baldwin Insurance & Risk Management

Tejas Softwash

Tex-Air Filters

Texan Landscaping Rivera

Texas Apartment Pool Services

Texas Concrete Professional Company

Texas GroundWorks Management

Texas Pressure Washing

Texas Southwest Floors Inc

Texas Window Cleaning Co Inc

TextByChoice

The Apartments Concierge

The Katy Plumbing Company

The Liberty Group

Three Amigos Texas LLC

THS National

Tidal Electrical Services Inc

Top Choice Roofing & Restoration GC

Tower Steel Services

Trash Butler

Trash Concierge Houston

Tree Care USA LLC

Tri County Specialties LLC

TurboPass

Two Dots

Unified Disaster Resources

United Protective Services

Urban Design Constructors

Urban Outreach, Inc

Urban Value Corner Store

Valet Living

Walton Residential Services

Warren Kalyan PLLC

Waste Transfer Partners

Watermark Restoration Inc

Webb Pest Control

Whitman's Contracting and Roofing

XXL Construction Inc

Yellowstone Landscape

Letter from the President

SPRING IS HERE AND WE’VE GOT MORE GREAT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU!

As our active HAA volunteers already know, I’m a big proponent of reaching out, shaking hands and getting involved. If you are looking for your “in” for our industry, HAA has some great events and opportunities for you this month and beyond.

Join “The Power of Us”

As we go online with this issue, our biggest event of the year is just days away – the 2026 HAA Education Conference & Expo. If you are a management professional looking for the most bang for your buck and time investment, make sure you are at NRG on April 1. We will have great education offerings, new products to explore and smiling faces waiting for you, including mine. And, as always, the Expo show floor is free to attend. As the quote goes, “With great power comes great responsibility”– and it all starts with Us. Visit www.haaexpo.org for all the details.

Maintenance for Maniacs

HAA and HD Supply’s Maintenance Mania is back in action, and we’ve moved up this year’s competition to Wednesday, April 29. Grab your onsite teams and head to Sam Houston Race Park for this hands-on competition event dedicated to the celebration of HAA's maintenance and service professionals. Show off your skills and compete against your favorite maintenance or management team members – or cheer them on! Grab your wheels, build your cars and get ready to race! See Page 17 and www.haaonline.org/events (or the QR Code at right) for more.

Come to the Tropics

Grab that Hawaiian shirt and your finest tropical attire and join us at Houston’s premiere golf entertainment complex, TopGolf, for a fun-filled afternoon supporting the Houston Apartment Association Political Action Committee – your local PAC for the apartment industry. The theme is a “Tropical Tee-Off,” and we will be there competing for trophies and bragging rights. Will you win best or worst? Will you be the most spirited team? Come find out on May 14. See Page 16 for more.

We’ve got it on Video

I hope you have checked out the great video editions to the online ABODE and there’s even more this month. One of our industry’s top facilitators, Dr. Debbie Phillips, has joined ABODE for a new video series, “Dr. Debbie’s Dozen.” Each month, she will have a new success strategy for enhancing your career. Don’t miss the first strategy on Page 34.

But wait! There’s more! Look inside this issue to see what’s been happening with NEXT, ACES and the Winter Business Exchange in our event coverage, and don’t miss all the upcoming opportunities to connect with HAA. Check it all out by visiting www.haaonline.org/events or the QR code at right.

Come on out, shake some hands and make connections with me and HAA!

These companies have generously supported the Houston Apartment Association with their exclusive membership. Please give them careful consideration, whenever possible, in your business.

Houston Planned Energy Systems HAA Member since 1978

Cotton Commercial USA Inc. HAA Member since 1982

Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search HAA Member since 1993

Lowe’s Pro Supply HAA Member since 2006

Craven Carpet HAA Member since 1986

Camp Facilty Services HAA Member since 1994

This Month's Exclusive Supplier Member

Member since 1997

Gemstar Construction Development Inc. HAA Member since 1985

AAA Plumbers HAA Member since 1984

FSI Construction Inc. HAA Member since 1999

Dixie Interiors HAA Member since 1987 Century A/C Supply HAA Member since 1968

By MONICA GRACIA, HAA

PRIMARY ELECTION RECAP

Below is a brief recap of some important races.

VOTERS IN BOTH the Republican and Democratic parties headed to the polls on March 3rd to select their candidates for the November general election. Below is a brief recap of some races that HAA was monitoring and/or engaged in that will have an impact on our region/industry. Please note that there are races not listed. If you have a particular race you are interested in, you can check the Texas Secretary of State website, click HERE

U.S. Senate (RUNOFF)

✅ John Cornyn (I): 41.9%

✅ Ken Paxton: 40.7%

Harris County

Congressional District 2:

❌ Dan Crenshaw (I): 40.6%

✅ Steve Toth: 55.8%

Congressional District 9 (RUNOFF):

✅ Briscoe Cain: 31.31%

✅ Alex Mealer: 35.86%

Congressional District 18 (RUNOFF):

✅ Christian Menefee: 46.1%

✅ Al Green (I): 44.2%

Congressional District 29:

✅ Sylvia Garcia (I): 58.23%

❌ Jarvis Johnson: 35.71%

Congressional District 38 (RUNOFF):

✅ Shelly DeZevallos: 18.82%

✅ Jon Bonck: 46.84%

Senate District 11:

HAA Position: Supported Dennis Paul

✅ Dennis Paul (Uncontested)

House District 126:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral (RUNOFF)

✅ Stan Stanart: 49.3%

✅ Kelly Peterson: 29.4%

House District 128:

HAA Position: Supported Tom Butler

✅ Tom Butler (Uncontested)

House District 129:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Scott Bowen: 71.6%

❌ Bob Mitchell: 28.4%

House District 138:

HAA Position: Supported Lacy Hull (I)

✅ Lacey Hull (I): 71%

❌ Josh Flynn: 18.6%

❌ Natalie Blasingame: 10.4%

County Judge GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral (RUNOFF)

✅ Orlando Sanchez: 26.5%

✅ Warren Howell: 20.8%

Note: Marty Lancton narrowly missed runoff with 20.6%.

County Judge Dem Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral (RUNOFF)

✅ Annise Parker: 46.6%

✅ Letitia Plummer: 37.3%

County Attorney, Dem Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Abbie Kamin: 50.55%

❌ Audrie Lawton- Evans: 49.45%

County Court at Law #2, Dem Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Jim Kovach

❌ Jim Kovach (I): 33.5%

✅ Ebony Williams: 66.35

Note: Ebony Williams will face former Harris County JP Israel Garcia in the November election.

County Court at Law #3, Dem Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ LaShawn Williams (I): 72.29%

❌ Miroslava Mendiola: 27.71%

JP 2, Place 2, Dem Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Dolores Lozano (I): 70.83%

❌ Oscar Salazar: 29.17%

JP 5, Place 2, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Bob Wolfe

❌ Bob Wolfe (I): 46.22%

✅ Mark Fury: 53.78

JP 6, Place 2, Dem Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Angela Rodriguez (I): 65.56%

❌ Luis Garza: 34.44%

JP 7, Place 2, Dem Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Sharon Burney (I) (RUNOFF)

✅ Sharon Burney (I): 30.11%

❌ Markia Bordeaux: 27.21%

✅ Melanie Miles: 42.68

Montgomery County Congressional District 2:

❌ Dan Crenshaw (I): 40.6%

✅ Steve Toth: 55.8%

Senate District 3, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Trent Ashby

✅ Trent Ashby (I): 62.3

❌ Rhonda Ward: 37.7%

Senate District 4, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Brett Ligon

✅ Brett Ligon: 74.5%

❌ Charlie Miller: 25.5%

House District 3, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Cecil Bell (I)

❌ Cecil Bell (I): 44.9%

✅ Kristen Plaisance: 55.1%

House District 15, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Brad Bailey (Uncontested)

✅ Brad Bailey

Chair, with BEN MCPHAUL, Vice President of

KNOW YOUR JUDGE

Learn the importance of getting to know your Justice of the Peace for the eviction process.

EVICTION CASES ARE filed in a Justice Court and decided by a Justice of the Peace – aka, the judge. Evictions are intended to be simple so parties in an eviction can appear in court without the assistance of a lawyer.

But, the courtroom can be an intimidating place, regardless of whether you are a firsttime manager or a seasoned veteran. This is especially true when you’ve heard so much about new laws and new rules that pertain to the eviction process. The chaos does not end with the new laws and rules. The election season is upon us, which means that you may soon have a new judge enforcing the new laws! In this article we will discuss the importance of getting to know your judge and provide a few other tips that may help in the courtroom and beyond.

Which Justice Court should I use?

You delivered a pre-suit notice (either a ‘Notice to Vacate’ or a ‘Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate’) to a resident and that notice period is now expired. The next decision you must make is where to file your eviction.

Each county in Texas is divided into Precincts. You must file your eviction in the Precinct in which your property is located. Each Precinct has either one or two Justice Courts and an elected Justice of the Peace presides over each Justice Court.

Some counties, such as Harris, Fort Bend, and Brazoria, have two Justice Courts (also called “Places”) per Precinct, and there is a different judge in each Place. For example:

- Harris County has eight (8) Precincts, each of which has two (2) Places, for a total of 16 different judges.

- Brazoria County has four (4) Precincts, each of which has two (2) Places, for a total of 8 different judges.

- Fort Bend County has four (4) Precincts and Precincts # 1 through 3 each has two (2) Places, while Precinct # 4 only has 1 Place. This

gives Fort Bend County a total of seven (7) different judges.

If you are in a Precinct that has multiple Places, selecting which Place to file in could be the most important decision you make during the eviction process. Likewise, if your Precinct only has one judge, getting to know that particular judge’s tendencies and preferences could be the difference between frustration and success in court.

The balancing act between law and equity can be viewed as a spectrum. On one end you have strict adherence to the law and on the other end you have principles of equity. Some judges adhere to the letter of the law and rarely resort to principles of equity, while others may be more frequently guided by equitable principles and less frequently bound by a strict application of the law.

I am in a county where there are two judges per Precinct, how do I know which judge to use?

All judges are sworn to uphold and enforce the Constitution and laws of the United States and Texas. At the same time, judges often apply principles of “equity” such as fairness, justice, and conscience when the law is vague or where strict adherence to the law would result in what the judge perceives to be unjust.

Here are some tips for identifying which judge may work best for you:

1. Research the judge (and/or the judicial candidates).

a. Most current judges have a biography on the County’s official webpage. If your Precinct and/or Place is up for election, the candidates will likely have an active campaign website that contains useful information about the judge (or candidate).

b. You should look for the individual’s training, education, professional background, and policy initiatives.

2. Follow the campaigns of the judicial candidates.

a. Pay attention to the policies and priorities that the judicial candidates express while campaigning.

b. See if any organizations or associations (such as the Houston Apartment Association) have endorsed that judicial candidate.

c. You may want to look for a judge who has committed to following the law.

3. Ask around. If you are new to the Houston area or this is your first time filing an eviction, seek advice from colleagues within your organization or peers within the industry who may have experience before your judge.

4. If all else fails, learn from your own personal experiences in court.

a. You may not like the way the judge runs his or her court or gave you an adverse ruling you didn’t understand.

b. You could consider filing in a different Place, if you have that option, but it is imperative that you learn from the experience and take steps to avoid the same outcome whether it is before that judge or a different judge. This could mean:

i. Making appropriate adjustments to your practices (such as adjusting your delivery method for the pre-suit notice); or ii. Being better prepared to show the judge the lease provisions which were violated or which give you the right to do what you did; or iii. Being better prepared to articulate the equitable reasons for strict adherence to the lease.

After you file your eviction, here are some tips for the courtroom (Four P’s). Over time, the judge will begin to remember you and your community. You need to build credibility and trust with the Judge. Be Prompt. Be Prepared. Be Polite. Be Persuasive. Be Prompt: Pay attention to the date and trial of time. Be on time to court. If you fail to appear in court on the day of trial, your case will likely be dismissed. Likewise, being late could also result in dismissal, as some judges do not accept late arrivals.

Be Prepared: At trial, you will need to be prepared to present your evidence. In most nonpayment of rent cases, you should be prepared to present your lease, identify the delinquency and present your pre-suit notice.

You should also be prepared to explain whether your pre-suit notice was a Notice to Vacate or a Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate. If you gave a Notice to Vacate, you should be ready to explain why a Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate was not required. Often, bringing a ledger will help you show a history of late payments or that the delinquency consists of items other than rent (either of which would explain why a Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate was not required).

If your case is related to non-monetary defaults such as threatening or criminal conduct, you should be prepared to show the judge which provisions of the lease were violated. You will need to bring proof of the conduct, which may include incident reports, photographs, or extra witnesses such as management personnel, maintenance personnel, or security personnel who have firsthand knowledge of the default. If your evidence involves photographs or videos, have a plan for how you want to show them to the judge and do NOT count on being able to show your phone to the judge.

Be Polite: Always refer to the judge as “Ma’am,” “Sir,” or “Your Honor.” Remain respectful, even if a judge makes a decision that

you disagree with. Remember that you could be back in front of the same judge next month. Show respect to the resident as well. In many situations, a resident is facing a personal or financial hardship that has resulted in their failure to pay rent. Try to show consideration and sympathy for the resident’s situation while at the same time expressing your obligation to remain firm and consistent when it comes to enforcing the lease. If your judge sees you treating the resident with respect, you will build trust with the judge that will pay off over time.

Be Persuasive: Remember that you are in court for a reason. Don’t be afraid to respectfully advocate for your position. As mentioned above, you may need to actually show the judge the lease and draw their attention to the relevant lease provisions. You may also need to satisfy the judge’s desire for equity. You should be prepared to tell your story as to why your action is fair and that your approach is consistently applied to all residents.

For example, if your judge appears hesitant to grant an eviction because late or partial payments were offered by the resident, you should be prepared to show them the exact

lease provision that allows you to refuse late and partial payments. Be prepared to also explain the importance of paying rent in full and on time and that the owner has fair housing obligations which require you to be consistent in your approach toward enforcing the rental obligation and that making individualized exceptions would be unfair to the others who are paying rent timely.

Or, if your eviction is based upon a resident’s conduct and the judge feels that an eviction may be too harsh, you may need to explain the impact that the conduct poses to the other residents of your community.

What should I do if my judge dismisses my case or if I didn’t like the decision?

Of course, you have a right to appeal that specific case, but often the larger issue is how to avoid similar outcomes next month, and the month after that.

First, try to understand why the judge made the decision and be willing to learn from that experience. Hopefully, it was a simple mistake

that can easily be avoided in the future.

If your precinct only has one Place (aka, one judge), you should tailor your approach to avoid past pitfalls and maximize your chances of success with future cases. If it requires you to change your processes or preparation level, then you should implement those changes.

If you are in a Precinct that has two Places, you could consider filing in a different Place next month, especially if you feel the law was misapplied, the changes necessary to avoid the same outcome would be too burdensome or impractical, or you have had repeated issues with the same judge. Of course, before making a change, do your research on the other judge!

What should I do if my judge changes after the next election?

Judges are elected for four (4) year terms. Your favorite judge may not be running for reelection or may not win re-election. If you have a new judge taking the bench, your

learning process starts all over.

While you are learning about your new judge, it is important to also remember that judges are learning also. They may be getting familiar with new areas of law and acquiring their judicial temperament. Also remember that a judge may refine their approach as they become more experienced in a new role. Remember the Four P’s and understand that you may need to be more deliberate or explanatory in the presentation of your case.

Preparation will be the key to minimizing issues at court and getting to know your judge. If you have multiple judges in your Precinct, careful consideration should be given to selecting which judge you prefer to use. If you have only one judge in your Precinct, or if you are unsure about the other judge in your Precinct, you must be willing to learn from each courtroom experience in order to maximize the chance of future success.

Good Luck!

CHARGES DISPUTED

From the Archives: One resident breaks his lease, another leaves the unit requiring extra repair expenditures.

This month, we take a look back at Resident Relations cases from the ABODE archives.

A RESIDENT FILED a complaint with HAA to dispute charges, stating that he moved into an unprepared apartment and, after a few weeks, the building’s sewage started coming up through his kitchen sink. He also stated that the top section of his lease stated that the lease, signed in March 2009, is not valid if signed after January 1, 2008. Management responded to HAA and provided copies of the lease, deposit account statement and application.

The committee decided in favor of management and recommended that adjustments be made. Management did not use the most current lease contract, rendering the provided lease invalid; however, the resident did acknowledge that he stayed in the apartment. He moved in March 3 and moved out July 14. The committee decided that the resident should be charged $204.95 – $186.20 for rent and $18.75 for the final water bill. After deducting the $150 security deposit from the charges, the resident owes the property $54.95 and may wish to pursue this complaint in small claims court.

TAA’s all-new

Resident leaves behind significant odor

A resident filed a complaint with HAA to dispute charges, stating that he cleaned the apartment as much as possible and that he was billed two months after he moved out.

Management responded to HAA with an explanation that, at the time of move-out, the apartment had an extreme cigarette smoke and pet odor. After sealing and painting the entire unit and installing an ozone machine for two days, the smell was still very strong – so strong that the new resident asked to be transferred to another unit. Management was forced to install the ozone machine for another four days as suggested by their contractor to try to remove the strong odor.

Management did not provide the invoice for the odor removal charge but did provide the proposal. Management believed that the resident was charged accordingly. Enclosed were copies of the lease, move-out statement, move-in/move out condition form, resident’s notice of intent to move out and application.

The committee decided in favor of management and noted that management does not have the right to charge the resident be-

REDBOOK Seminar

Series unpacks the biggest legal and operational updates affecting your business. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the rental real-estate industry, REDBOOK 2026 gives you the knowledge, forms, and confidence to stay compliant and effective. Each seminar will include a dual-module program and will be eligible for 7 CEC.

Module 1 – SB 38 & Evictions:

Learn what changed, why it matters, and how to protect your property under the state’s streamlined eviction process.

Module 2 – Operational & Landlord-Tenant Essentials: Dive into the real-world issues that shape property management —from screening to lease completion, fair-housing requests, repairs, and beyond.

yond the 30-day notice to vacate required by the TAA lease. The committee believed the original charges were justified. The resident owes the property $466.30 and may wish to pursue this complaint in small claims court.

The HAA Resident Relations Committees provide an impartial review of resident complaints using the documentation provided by both the resident and management. When the committee finds in favor of the resident, we appreciate a direct response from the property to the resident within two weeks and a copy of the payment sent to HAA for our records. When the committee finds in favor of the resident, management may file an appeal. When the committee finds in favor of the property owner, the decision is final.

If you are a manager with a resident relations issue, call HAA at 713-595-0300 for direct assistance. Renters can be referred to HAA to speak to a trained consultant, fluent in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residents can also be directed online to www.haaonline.org/renters

Upcoming dates and locations:

April 7 - Houston

HAA Education Center, 4810 Westway Park Blvd.

April 28 - Pearland

Golfcrest Country Club, 2509 Country Club Drive, Pearland.

Program Details:

8:30 a.m. - Registration & Breakfast

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Program

Lunch will be provided during a midday break.

Material is the same at both locations.

Course Fee: $140

Thursday, May 14

It’s back on a new date!

Wednesday, April 29

Sam Houston Race Park 7575 North Sam Houston Pkway

Thank you to our Local Sponsors:

Breakfast American Fire Systems Good Landscaping Stealth Renovations

Swag Bags

BluSky Restoration Contractors

Century A/C Supply

Car Race Lane #1 Ameristar Screen & Glass

Car Race Lane #2 Chadwell Supply

People's Choice Race Car Award AOG Living

Wristbands Hanover Company

Memory Mash Up Station Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search

Plunger Launch Station AAA Plumbers

Balance the Scales Station Cline Construction

Trivia Disc Drop Station Stealth Renovations

Puzzle Plank Station ClaimsMate Adjusters

Key Match Station Best Plumbing

Closing Ceremony Morgan Group

A hands-on competition event dedicated to the celebration of HAA's maintenance and service professionals. Show off your skills and com pete against your favorite maintenance or management team members –- or cheer them on!

Event Schedule:

7:30 a.m. - Registration and Breakfast

9 a.m. - Skills-Based Competition Begins 11:30 a.m. - Awards Presentation/Closing Ceremony

Maintenance Mania Competitor - $70

Entry fee for competition and breakfast Maintenance & Management welcome to compete.

Maintenance Mania Spectator - $60

Access to spectate competition and breakfast Suppliers and all partners welcome to spectate.

Prizes for contestants!

The top participant in each game will be awarded in addition to the top three fastest cars in the racetrack competition!

Attendees will compete against other Maintenance Professionals in a series of skill-based competitions that challenges them to exhibit talents used on the job every day.

Balance the Scales: Solve the problem with the correct product mix to make the scales balance!

Trivia Disc Drop: Answer maintenance-related trivia questions based on chance, Plinko-style!

Memory Mashup: Remember & match featured products and services!

Plank Puzzle Quest: Solve & assemble a puzzle made of flooring planks!

Key Match Mania: Match keys to locks and reveal the code for the combination deadbolt!

Plunger Launch: Toss plungers into a target made of buckets!

Race Track: Players get a chance to make their own race car to compete for the fastest time on the track!

Competitors, please pick up the required wheels from the HAA office to complete your race car! Visit www.haaonline.org for assembly instructions. Register at ww.haaonline.org/events

ACES Spring Luncheon

Sponsored by Apartments.com and Best Plumbing

Thursday, March 5 at McCormick & Schmick’s Uptown

The Apartment Community Executives & Supervisors

Spring Luncheon featured “Keep the Hive Alive – Building High Performing Teams Through Personal Accountability” with guest speaker Dr. Debbie Phillips. Learn more from Dr. Debbie with her first Success Strategy video on Page 34.

APRIL

Featured Event

2026 HAA Education Conference & Expo

Wednesday, April 1

NRG Center, Hall B

Join us for the Power of Us 2026 HAA Education Conference and Expo at NRG Center. Property management professionals and exhibitors only. Visit www.haaexpo.org for details.

3

HAA Offices Closed

Friday, April 3

The HAA Offices will be closed in observance of Good Friday.

7

2026 Redbook Seminar at HAA

Tuesday, April 7

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager. Learn about TAA lease updates and much more. Register at www.haaonline.org/events.

Resident Relations Committee B

Wednesday, April 8

2 p.m.

Closed committee meeting Via Zoom

New Supplier Orientation

Wednesday, April 8

2:30 p.m.

Kirby Ice House Memorial

All new supplier members or representatives can attend this in person orientation. Learn how to get involved and take advantage of member benefits. Email members@haaonline.org for details.

9

2026 Ambassador ONE Society

Crawfish Boil

Thursday, April 9

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Frio Hill Country Grill & The Barn

Join us for the HAA Ambassador ONE Society Crawfish Boil Fundraiser. We’re raising funds and collecting donations for Entryway, an organization that provides employment, housing and career training opportunities to homeless individuals and families. Your ticket includes one Singo-Bingo card, two pounds of crawfish with potato and corn and one drink ticket. You are able to add on additional crawfish if you want more. We will collect much-needed household items such as socks, undergarments, paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, dish sponges, dish towels, hand soap, or $25 gift cards to Walmart. If you bring a donation, we’ll enter you into a drawing to win a Crawfish “Fun” Basket!

22

HAA Membership 101

Wednesday, April 22

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Via Zoom

Whether you work at the corporate office or on-site, this helpful webinar is for all HAA management members and their teams. We will review all HAA benefits available to get engaged and involved. Whether you're new to HAA or have been around and want to get more involved, learn something that will help you enhance your career. Visit www.haaonline.org/events to register.

Sponsored by Texas Apartment Pool Services

24

2026 All Stars Sports Challenge Benefiting YMCA Houston

Friday, April 24

8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bear Creek Soccer Fields Teams will compete in six events with the top three teams awarded

1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals after the competition. Please contact Amanda at 713-595-0316 or email at asherbondy@haaonlineorg for more information, See Page 56 for sponsors and more details.

28

2026 Redbook Seminar in Pearland

Tuesday, April 28

Golfcrest Country Club

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sharpen your knowledge of your legal rights and responsibilities as a rental housing owner or manager. Learn about TAA lease updates and much more. Register at www.haaonline.org/events.

MAY

Industry Math

Tuesday, May 5

8:30 a.m. to Noon

NEW Industry Math course to help management professionals understand common industry terms, their calculations, and how to transform them into action. If you are overwhelmed or scared of your numbers, this is the perfect session for you. To catapult your career, it’s important to understand common industry terms, their calculations, and how to transform them into action. This hands-on session breaks down Practical Property Management Calculations. Visit www.haaonline.org/events for more information and to register.

6

IROC Breakfast

Wednesday, May 6

8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The Independent Rental Owners' Connection (IROC) offers customized education and networking programs for independent owners and their teams.

7

Avenues: Leadership Lane 1

Thursday, May 7

8:30 a.m. to Noon

The Avenues series features nationally-acclaimed speakers in the multifamily industry across various topics geared toward every level of multifamily professional. See Page 22 for details.

13

Mental Health Seminar

Wednesday, May 13

8:30 a.m. to Noon

Mental health affects everyone - residents, on-site teams, corporate professionals and executive leadership. This new seminar will feature a multi-faceted mental health training led by a panel of experts from Avenue 360.

Visit www.haaonline.org/events for more information and to register. Sponsored by Unleased

2026 Resident Relations Committee A

Wednesday, May 13

2 p.m.

Closed committee meeting Via Zoom

Featured Event

2026 TopGolf HAA PAC Fundraiser

Thursday, May 14

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join us at Houston's premiere golf entertainment complex for a funfilled afternoon while supporting our HAA Political Action Committee (PAC) for the multifamily industry. See Page 16 for sponsors and more details.

19-20

Leasing 101

Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. to Noon on Wednesday From Fair Housing and the TAA lease, to industry terminology and techniques, the Leasing 101 Course educates students on the basics of the apartment management indus-

try. Great course for prospective and new leasing professionals. Visit www.haaonline.org/events for more information and to register.

21

NEXT Casino Night Fundraiser

Thursday, May 21

Join the NEXT Committee as they host a Casino Night fundraiser! All members are welcome to participate in the fundraiser benefitting Avenue 360. See Page 25 for sponsor and details. Visit www.haaonline.org/events for more information and to register.

HAA Offices Closed

Monday, May 25

The HAA Offices will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.

It's the Law Breakfast

Wednesday, May 27

8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Start your day the legal way! Join HAA's Legal Counsel, Howard Bookstaff, for breakfast and a legal discussion.

Sponsored by Green, Klein, Wood & Jones and ServPro Team Shaw

Avenues: Marketing Place 2

Thursday, May 28

8:30 a.m. to Noon

The Avenues series features nationally-acclaimed speakers in the multifamily industry across various topics geared toward every level of multifamily professional. See Page 22 for details.

Discover the Ultimate Roadmap to Success with new speakers for 2026

What is Avenues?

A series of seminars presenting nationally-acclaimed speakers who are experts in their fields, with sessions for every level of multifamily professional.

How can I attend?

We offer two subscription options:

• Annual Property Subscription

• based on the number of units.

• Annual Individual Subscription You can also register for each individual session.

What does this get me?

Once you sign up, you receive access to 13 education sessions throughout the year. All you need to do is respond to the reminder email to confirm attendance.

Pricing:

Annual Property Subscription:

• Less than 200 units: $230

• 200-349 units: $440

• 350-449 units: $550

• 450 units or more: $600

Annual Individual Subscription: Corporate or Supplier Individual: $230

Individual sessions: $70/person

Three (3) CEC credits awarded per session.

View the series schedule and register online at www.haaonline.org. Contact the HAA Education Department at education@haaonline.org.

VIDEO CLICK HERE

Video by MADISON O’BAR, Mobar Media

NEXT Young Professionals Breakfast Thursday, February 19 at the HAF Education Center

Sponsored by Century A/C Supply and GoPainting of Bayou City

The HAA NEXT Committee hosted speaker Kevin Karschnik for “Positivity Under Pressure: Foster Optimism & Cultivate Resilience.”

MEET THE NEXT GENERATION OF HAA LEADERSHIP. This niche group within HAA is dedicated to the networking and professional development needs of HAA’s young professionals. Network with your peers and grow your career together among the next generation of HAA leadership! To Learn how to become involved with NEXT, see online at www.haaonline.org/next.

HAA PAC Luncheon

Tuesday, February 3

at the HAF Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center

GOVERNMENT

Threats from government are coming at the apartment industry at a rapid pace. The HAA PAC, the political action committee of the Houston Apartment Association, needs your help to fight bad legislation. HAA members can participate in the PAC on several levels. Committee application forms are available. To join, renew or learn how to become involved with the PAC, see online at www.haaonline.org/haapac or contact govaffairs@haaonline.org.

The Houston Apartment Association Political Action Committee is the PAC of the Houston Apartment Association, a non-profit trade association representing the area apartment industry. Without political capital, our industry would not be as successful in representing you or your clients’ interests, and thus, your financial well-being. The HAAPAC participates in local and state political campaigns, helping candidates who support the apartment industry and its supplier businesses. You can participate in the HAAPAC on several levels.

For more on HAAPAC, visit www.haaonline.org/haapac

Winter Business Exchange and State of the Industry Luncheon

Tuesday, February 10 at the Omni Houston Hotel Winter Business Exchange sponsored by: Blue Stream Fiber

Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Exchange State of the Industry sponsored by: Brandt Electrical, A/C & Roofing Services

Chadwell Supply

HAA members started their day with networking during HAA’s reverse trade show, the Winter Business Exchange. Then, following the Exchange, attendees joined us for lunch and a lively discussion of the latest industry and market news with guest speakers Dr. Mark G. Dotzour, real estate economist and former chief economist of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, and Dr. Holly Heard, Senior Vice President of Research at the Greater Houston Partnership.

On the Scene

Join Dr. Debbie for a powerful dose of motivation in her Success Series. In this first video, she shares simple, practical strategies to help you get unstuck and move your success forward.

With energy, passion, and a proven track record, Dr. Debbie has devoted her career to developing leaders. Management is what we do—leadership is who we are. Put yourself at the top of your list, apply these strategies, and watch your performance shift into a higher gear.

Success Strategy

Successful Shifts For Personal Growth

TheZero-Click Lease

Why your website traffic numbers are lying to you.

By ASHLEY TYNDALL, Criterion.B

For 15 years, the apartment industry has worshipped at the altar of the session. We built our marketing budgets around driving traffic to the property website, under the assumption that a click was the first mandatory step of the renter journey. We optimized for bounce rate, obsessing over how long prospects lingered on the gallery page.

In 2026, that map of the world is broken. We have entered the era of the zero-click lease. This is a phenomenon in which a prospect discovers your property, vets your amenities, compares your floor plans, and verifies your reputation without ever setting foot on your property. They are not Googling a list of links; they are asking an AI for a recommendation. When the AI returns a synthesized summary of your property — complete with a direct call or schedule button — the website becomes a redundant middleman. If you are still judging your marketing success by website traffic, you are measuring the shadow of a brand, not the brand itself.

The Collapse of the Discovery Click

The traditional search funnel relied on the discovery click. This was the moment a prospect clicked your link to see if you had what they needed.

In 2026, generative AI has effectively eliminated this step.

When a user asks a mobile AI assistant or a search-integrated LLM for a recommendation, the machine performs the discovery on their behalf. It crawls the web in milliseconds, pulls your real-time pricing from a secondary directory, scrapes your latest reviews from a map listing, and presents a summarized truth.

The prospect receives everything they need to make a high-intent decision within the chat interface. If they call your leasing office directly from that summary, your legacy attribution software (like Google Analytics 4) will likely categorize that lead as direct or offline. You will see your website traffic dipping and panic, even as your tour-to-lease velocity increases. This is the attribution ghost: your most qualified leads are now invisible to your website tracking.

Why High Traffic Is Often a False Signal

In this new environment, high website traffic can actually be a negative indicator. If your site is flooded with sessions but your lead volume is stagnant, it often means your digital data is so poorly structured that the AI cannot synthesize it.

The machine is forced to send the user to your site because it couldn't

ABODE ADVENTURES

Click on the Star ✨ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel ✨ Email us to enter! FIND THIS STAR

Follow that Star! Each month in ABODE, our hidden Membership Star will pop up somewhere in the online magazine.

Your adventure is simple:

Find the Star, click, subscribe to @HAATV and email your Star name to members@haaonline.org to enter!

Help Us Name

Our Star

Our adventurous little Star needs a name! When you find the Star, submit your name idea along with your entry. If your name is chosen, we’ll reveal it in a future issue of ABODE and on social media.

One lucky winner each month will receive:

�� $50 Prize

�� Your photo featured in the next ABODE magazine

�� Your company highlighted

�� Recognition across HAA social media

Bonus for Supplier Winners:

Supplier winners will also receive:

��$200 toward a Full Page ABODE Ad

�� Clickable website link included �� Option to include a video

It’s a fun way to explore the magazine, discover new content, and maybe even see yourself featured in the next issue of ABODE.

So start searching… Where in the Digital ABODE will our Star appear this month?

Note: Properties are listed with owner/management at time of the award.

2222 SMITH STREET

Built 2000-2009 Garden Property of the Year

Property: 2222 Smith Street

Owner/Management: The Morgan Group

Location: 2222 Smith Street Units: 152

Web: https://www.2222smithstreet.com/

Photos from 2222 Smith Street

2222 Smith's standout features that enhance both functionality and aesthetics areas are the leasing/business center, which offers a long table that fosters collaboration among residents and serves as a space where staff meetings come together. The green eclectic decor inside of the leasing center and the stunning red brick that defines the property’s exterior gives 2222 Smith a distinctive and timeless appearance, setting it apart in the neighborhood. Additionally, the property’s garage, located within the Specs parking lot, offers five floors of parking, providing ample space for residents and guests. With a 3rd floor connecting sky bridge, this convenient and well-thought-out setup enhances the overall living experience, making 2222 Smith an exceptional place to call home.

The property boasts a beautifully maintained pool surrounded by vibrant flowers, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere. The courtyard offers two grills beneath a charming pergola, along with a fire pit, perfect for cozy fall nights. Residents also enjoy convenient package lockers, a well-equipped business area with complimentary coffee and water machines, fostering a sense of community and comfort. Additionally, the state-of-the-art fitness center, featuring top-of-the-line elliptical equipment, provides an excellent space for health and wellness. These outstanding features make 2222 Smith a truly exceptional property.

The leasing office staff consistently goes above and beyond to foster and maintain strong relationships with future, current, and past residents. Even though the leasing staff is housed at another property, they take great pride in sending thoughtful gestures, such as cookies for renewing residents and creating personalized move-in gift bags for new residents. The team also organizes engaging events and raffles to create a sense of community and make residents feel truly valued. Their commitment to providing pristine customer service and building meaningful connections is what truly sets 2222 Smith apart as a standout property in the area.

Each month, On Site with ABODE takes a closer look at winning HAA Honors Awards properties. This month, we visit three of our 15 award recipients for 2025. See future ABODEs for more.

RETREAT AT THE WOODLANDS

Property: The Retreat at The Woodlands

Owner/Management: CBRE/Greystar

Location: 4400 College Park Drive, The Woodlands Units: 240 Web: https://www.retreatatthewoodlands.com/

Photos from The Retreat at The Woodlands

The Retreat at The Woodlands is nestled in a tucked away neighborhood in The Woodlands connected to a nature preserve, making it ideal for peace and quiet in a busy area of town. Though built in 2012, interior renovations in select units, as well as painting, began in 2023 for a fresh, upgraded look. The exterior is well kept by the team and has a beautiful colonial appeal to it to feels very serene. The interiors are spacious one, two and three bedrooms allowing for any size household in The Woodlands.

The Retreat offers an adorable children’s playroom inside the fitness center, fully equipped with kid’s games and books that is used often as parents work out in our updated gym. They also offer a certified Bee Sanctuary designed to provide food, shelter and water for bees, promoting their well-being and encouraging biodiversity.

Apartment amenities include gourmet open island kitchens, 42-inch custom wood kitchen cabinetry, granite countertops, double vanity sinks, decorative crown molding, garden tubs, stand up showers, stainless steel energy efficient appliances, nine foot ceilings, large walk-in closets, private patios and balconies, in unit washers and dryers, two inch slat window blinds, USB charging ports, LED lighting and more.

Community amenities include a 24-hour health and fitness center, beach entry pool with tanning island, pool side splash pad, cabana with outdoor gas grills, spacious conference room and business center, rentable covered parking, spa inspired clubhouse with gourmet coffee bar, gated community with controlled access, resident lounge with billiards and multi-media center, private garages available, package receiving, dog park and electric car charging station.

Note:

PRESERVE AT BAYWOOD

Built 2016-2023 Garden Property of the Year

Property: Preserve at Baywood

Owner/Management: Venterra Realty

Location: 8300 Redbluff Road, Pasadena Units: 528

Web: https://venterraliving.com/apartments/preserve-at-baywood/ Photos from Preserve at Baywood

The Preserve at Baywood spans over 30 acres and backs up to a beautiful nature preserve, offering many apartment homes with expansive views and breathtaking sunsets. There are two phases: one built in 2009 and the other in 2016, providing varied interior finishes and upgrades to suit any lifestyle.

For furry residents, the property features two large dog parks. Additionally, they offer a pet spa with a dog wash station where everything is supplied but the pup, ensuring that pet owners have a convenient and enjoyable way to care for their pets. Fitness enthusiasts appreciate two fitness centers, open 24/7, including free weights, cardio equipment, weight machines, and a TRX station, catering to all workout preferences and schedules. The spacious clubroom is available for rental, allowing residents to host events and gatherings in a comfortable and stylish setting. There is also a game room that is open during office hours, providing a fun space for residents to unwind and socialize. For those who need to work from home or require a quiet place to focus, two business centers equipped with everything needed to stay productive are provided.

The Preserve at Baywood offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee to all new residents. If they are not completely satisfied, the property will refund rent and deposits, minus any applicable charges, with no penalty. They guarantee a 48-hour response time for routine maintenance requests and prioritize new move-in requests within 24 hours. If residents face discomfort due to AC or heating issues, hotel accommodations are provided. Handyman services are available to help with tasks like hanging curtains, TV mounts, and pictures after move-in.

One of the standout features of Venterra and The Preserve at Baywood is their WOW program. With a budget of $1.25 per door per month, they create WOW moments for residents. For example, when a resident had a baby arrive weeks early and didn't have a crib, one was purchased, delivered, and assembled one for them.

EMPOWER MEMBERSHIP!

TOGETHER

WE SHINE! Recruit and network with HAA!

2026 Chairs:

Join us this year and recruit for HAA, you could win big!

Be a Star! Every new member recruited this year earns a chance to draw for gift cards and other prizes. There will be a $250 Cash prize awarded to the top recruiter each quarter and a $1,000 drawing at the end of the year for everyone who recruits at least one new member this year!

Go-Getter Meetings are from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Cottonwood, 3422 N Shepherd Drive.

Meeting dates: July 9, September 17 and December 10

2026 Committee Members:

Karen Hefner, Asset Living

Brandon Coleman, Chadwell Supply

Paola Rodriquez, Foresight Management

Dana Dovell, Adara Communities

Ryan Raser, GWR Management

Patti Melendy, Asset Living

Jim Martensen, Epic Construction

Xochitl Sheffield, Church Pool Services

Emily Frost, SYNC Residential

Alisha Cain, Greystar

Necole Steward, Rivergate KW Residential

Dan James, Redevelopment Services

Visit www.haaonline.org/gogetters for more information.

THE GO-GETTERS ARE THE BACKBONE of the Houston Apartment Association. By recruiting new members, the Go-Getter Club helps both new management and supplier companies and the association grow for the future. To join the club and get going on recruitment, see online at www.haaonline.org or contact the Membership Department at members@haaonline.org.

Sara Hinson AOG Living

Deborah DeRouen ClutchCity Consulting

The Go-Getters First Quarter Meet & Greet at Cottonwood Sponsored by Dixie Interiors and Stealth Renovations

Congratulations to all of our star recruiters for a successful start to 2026! The top recruiters for the first quarter of the year were in a two-way tie: Terri Clifton, Better World Properties, and Candis Mohr, AAA Plumbers. Thank you everyone and keep on shining!

OWNERS

Bk Verde LLC

Yahira Duran

206 Plaza Verde Dr #C10

Houston, TX 77038 (713) 382-7379

Plaza Verde Condominiums

Broussard's Real Estate

Investments Inc

Wilfred J. Broussard 11811 East Fwy #326 Houston, TX 77029 (713) 455-2701

Lucille Plaza Apts East Lockwood Plaza Apts

Class A Management

Makayla Stephens

108 Lunday Ln

Burleson, TX 76028-2822 (936) 202-8037

The Grove on Gladstell

Kington Condos, LLC

Jimbob Kington PO Box 2448

Conroe, TX 77305 (936) 703-3805

Ashley Court Bayou Drive Apts

Laramar Management

Services

John Homer PO Box 460129

Denver, CO 80246-0129 (303) 991-6509

Stonehaven

Pan Am Equities Inc

Melissa Broadway 777 Preston St Houston, TX 77002 (713) 777-7000

Market Square Tower

Pontis Property Management

Brittany Diggs 1 Executive Blvd Suffern, NY 10901 (212) 201-8055

The Laurel at Vintage Park

Residents First

Property Management

Richard Bullen PO Box 871

Pelham, NH 03076 (913) 602-4773

The Place at Baytown

Slay Properties, LLC

Chris Slay 8819 Aberdeen Park Dr Houston, TX 77095 (972) 955-5893

Cedar Creek Navasota

Sweeny Kington Properties, LLC

Amanda Barnett PO Box 2448

Conroe, TX 77305 (936) 703-3805

River Oaks

Transwestern Development Company

Jason Schlanger 1900 W Loop S #1300 Houston, TX 77027 (713) 272-1212

SUPPLIERS

Alonso Service Co.

Meshach Alonso P O Box 33998

San Antonio, TX 78265 (210) 355-7211

Plumbing Contractors, Plumbing Drain/Sewer Cleaning, Concrete Contractors, Concrete Repair

Bayou City 360

Jeff Djaya 5610 Darnell St Houston, TX 77096 (713) 962-7552

Virtual Tours, Photographers

Referred by Marivel Bownds, CAS

BrightView Landscape LLC

Nathan Stiles 11999 FM 529 Houston, TX 77041 (281) 578-2078

Lawn Maintenance, Landscape Designers

Cline Construction and Renovation

Deanna Friedrich 8990 Kirby Dr #220 Houston, TX 77054 (832) 454-7874

Remodeling & RepairBuilding Contractors, General Contractors, Masonry Contractor, Drywall Contractors, Painting Contractors

Create Landscape Services LLC

Jamey Goss PO Box 107 Wallisville, TX 77597 (936) 223-6951

Lawn Maintenance, Landscape Contractors, Irrigation Systems & Equipment

CUA Pools

Juan Franco 2717 N Elm St Denton, TX 76210 (940) 337-4252

Swimming Pool Chemicals, Swimming Pool Contractors, Swimming Pool Equipment & Supply, Swimming Pool Repair & Resurfacing, Swimming Pool Service & Maintenance

Decorative Flooring

Jason He 12733 Stafford Rd #100 Stafford, TX 77477 (281) 969-8337

Cabinets, Floor Materials, Kitchen Cabinets, Vinyl Flooring

Good Landscaping

Carlos Ramirez 39 N Brokenfern Dr Spring, TX 77380 (832) 250-4711

Lawn Maintenance, Landscape Contractors

Its Bugs or Us

Calvin Thigpen

7302 Senate Ave #104 Houston, TX 77040 (713) 955-2847

Pest Control Services, Termite Treatment

Jacobson Insurance & Risk Management

Matt Ueckert 9894 Bissonnet St #340 Houston, TX 77036 (713) 995-0305

Insurance Consultants, Risk Management

LMC Embark Landscape and Tree Care

Bill Frere PO Box 55504 Houston, TX 77255 (713) 688-2435

Lawn Maintenance, Landscape Contractors, Arborists, Tree Services Referred by Dana Dovell

Long Point Roofing

Larry D. Kolb, II 7807 Long Point Rd #323 Houston, TX 77055 (713) 540-6778

Roofing Contractors, Roofing Consultants

Make Ready Central of North Texas

Ryan Henochowicz 6847 Topsfield Dr Dallas, TX 75231 (972) 944-5226

Make Ready, Paint Referred by Max Sousa

Pet Waste Pros

Justin Brock

13500 W Airport Blvd #B

Sugar Land, TX 77498 (281) 900-7214

Pet Waste Removal, Waste Reduction/ Disposal/Recycling

Precision Fencing

Eloy Bustos PO Box 123 Channelview, TX 77530-0123 (832) 620-4505

Electrical Contractors, Welding

Pro Masters Roofing & Gutters

Jovana Vasquez 5707 Addicks Satsuma Rd Houston, TX 77084 (832) 582-9210

Gutters & Downspouts, Roofing Contractors

Reliable Paving, Inc

Daniel Cazares 1903 Peyco Dr N #100 Arlington, TX 76001 (817) 467-0779

Asphalt & Asphalt Products, Concrete Contractors

Return Valets

Stephanie Nordhaus 1901 Resaca Blvd Austin, TX 78738 (310) 977-8231

Ancillary Revenue Providers, Amenities

Service Concepts Inc

Alton Davenport 12395 Lake Vista Dr Willis, TX 77318-5242 (281) 330-2637

Make Ready, Building Maintenance

Solar Screening Solutions

David Polmeiro 18935 Kuykendahl Rd Spring, TX 77379 (281) 380-7519

Irrigation Systems & Equipment, Screens - Door & Window

Texana Construction Services

Will Cavanaugh 1770 Saint James Pl Ste 111 Houston, TX 77056-3405 (832) 491-2182

General Contractors, Roofing Contractors Referred by Candis Mohr, CAS

The Right Construction Adolfo Luna 22207 Beckendorff Rd Katy, TX 77449 (346) 558-6960

Drywall Contractors, Framing Contractors

Three Amigos Texas LLC

Baldemar Bravo 193 Grammar Rd Houston, TX 77047-6002 (281) 988-6683

Carpet Cleaning, Painting Contractors, Plumbing Contractors, Roofing Contractors

THS National

Kimberly Mcneil 1050 Classic Rd #100 Apex, NC 27539 (984) 332-6082

Painting Contractors, Roofing Contractors

Unified Disaster Resources

Ketley Patton 8413 E Baseline Rd Mesa, AZ 85209 (847) 553-1267

Construction MgmtConsultants, Remodeling & Repair-Building Contractors

Voda Cleaning & Restoration of Houston

Thomas Wray 6830 N Eldridge Pkwy #208 Houston, TX 77041 (281) 717-6511

Fire/Water Damage Restoration, Air Duct Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning Referred by Donna Farthing

Warren Kalyan PLLC

Hari Nathan Kalyan 1501 E 4th St Bldg B #150 Austin, TX 78702 (512) 347-8777

Eviction Service, Legal Services

Get in the know with these FREE informative online orientation sessions. Learn about member beneﬁts and how to get involved with your HAA. Get out there this year! Shake some hands, make some connections! EMPOWER MEMBERSHIP!

Join HAA and HAA Past President John Boriack for Membership 101

via Zoom

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• April 22

• July 15

• October 14

Visit www.haaonline.org/events for details.

THE SUPPLIER NETWORK

HAA’s Ambassadors celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with outreach to our members.

Special Event: Don’t miss the Crawfish Fundraiser

April 9 at The Barn at Frio Grill in Cypress

Mark your calendars and join us for our meetings held on the first Wednesday of the month:

May 6, June 3, July 1, August 5, September 2, October 7, November 4, no December meeting

The meeting spot is Kirby Ice House, 1015 Gessner Road, Houston, Texas 77055. at 3:30 p.m

Top Producers for March:

1. Juana Reyes, Renova One100 points

2. Jennifer Coleman, Fire Reconstruction, Inc. - 80 points

3. Kevin Camese, Sundek of Houston - 62 points

Team photo totals for March, photos at left, from top:

First place – Power Partners - 360 points

Second place – Game ChangHAAs - 243 points

Third place – Maroon MHAAdness - 227 points

Do you really know your applicant?

Comprehensive applicant screening tools available today can uncover financial and criminal background information. Proper screening can also reveal identity fraud issues, including stolen and fabricated identities, which may result in costly problems. Comprehensive screening using Rental Credit Reporting can also tell you who hasn’t paid rent, who has broken leases and who has received their deposit refund.

RCR provides Houston’s apartment industry with the most effective rental credit reporting tool available. RCR was established in 1977 to solve screening problems HAA founders felt plagued the local apartment industry. RCR has unsurpassed data on resident rental histories in the Houston region and gives your leasing staff immediate access to information about which prospects have fulfilled their leases and who have been residents in good standing.

Portfolio Changes

The following owner/management companies have added the listed properties to their portfolios:

• Aaron Bielish: 1718 Mills Creek Ct, one unit at 1718 Mills Creek Ct in Kingwood.

• Advanced Asset Management: Vivo Willowbrook, 139 units at 13223 Champions Plaza Dr.

• Arise Equity Management: Magnolia Terrace, 328 units at 3939 Synott Rd.

• Barvin: University Green, 194 units at 1620 Bay Area Blvd.

• BH Management Services LLC: Westmount at Copper Mill, 235 units at 15910 FM 529 Rd, and Westmount at London Park, 257 units at 14545 Bammel North Houston Rd.

• Centra Partners LLC: Elm Creek, 168 units at 2911 Sycamore Springs Dr in Kingwood; Serena, 236 units at 411 Highland Cross Dr ; and Solace, 252 units at 2331 Bammelwood Dr.

• Elysian Residential LLC: Terra at Park Row Apts, 280 units at 19606 Park Row Dr.

• Falls Management/NMJ Inc: Summerset Landing, 16 units at 6161 Reims Rd.

• FDI Management Group LLC: Somerset, 120 units at 8506 Hempstead Rd.

• Fogelman Multifamily Investments and Management: Inkwell Greenhouse, 301 units at 2218 Greenhouse Rd.

• Graywood Properties LLC: Aria at Burke, 200 units at 5045 Burke Rd in Pasadena.

• Greystar: Vie at the Medical Center, 192 units at 8300 El Mundo St; Plaza at the Medical Center, 66 units at 2700 Holly Hall St; Elle at the Medical Center, 212 units at 8181 El Mundo St; and Elite 99 West, 360 units at 23400 Kingsland Blvd in Katy.

• Guardstone Property Management: Aspen Forest, 144 units at 10200 Carter Rd.

• Integrated Property Management: Ennova Fulshear, 343 units at 7021 FM 359 Rd S in Fulshear.

• JC Properties LLC: Bell Street, six units at 315 W Bell St, and Banks Street, four units at 1214 Banks St.

• Kairoi Residential: Discovery at Kingwood, 324 units at 150 Northpark Plz in Kingwood.

• Keener Management LLC: Diamante, 572 units at 6700 S Dairy Ashford Rd.

• Kington Condos, LLC: Ashley Court, 44 units at 301 E Ashley Wilson Rd in Sweeny, and Bayou Drive Apts, 20 units at 601 E Coombs St in Alvin.

• Laramar Management Services: Stonehaven, 192 units at 15301 Northwest Fwy.

• The Lynd Company: Falls of Chelsea Lane, 208 units at 8039 Boone Rd; Falls of Kirkwood, 254 units at 11735 S Glen Dr; and Falls of Braeburn, 292 units at 9707 Braeburn Glen Blvd.

• Oak Leaf Mgmt Co: Villas at Goosecreek, 30 units at 1900 W Texas Ave in Baytown.

• Oddfellow Investments, LLC: Tanglewood, 30 units at 1510 Odd Fellow St in Conroe.

• ParaWest Management: Paraiso at Nordings, 72 units at 7319 Nordling Rd.

• Passco Companies: Enclave at Woodland Lakes, 340 units at 300 Enclave Dr in Conroe.; Sapphire Bay, 384 units at 99 W Cedar Bayou Lynchburg Rd in Baytown; and The Grayson, 330 units at 4115 Louetta Rd in Spring.

• Pegasus Residential: Summer House, 120 units at 4 Stadium Dr in Angleton.

• Portico Property Management: Aspire at 610, 282 units at 8900 Lakes at 610 Dr.

• Prosperity Management Services: Pecan Villas, 20 units at 7617 Pecan Villas Dr; 3121 Isabella, eight units at 3121 Isabella St; 221 Caylor, 36 units at 221 Caylor St; and 7065 Bellfort, 23 units at 7065 Bellfort St.

• Residents First Property Management: The Place at Baytown, 158 units at 301 Tri City Beach Rd in Baytown.

• RPM Living: The Canopy at Springwoods Village, 332 units at 1800 Spring Stuebner Rd in Spring; Ascend at the Parkway, 343 units at 3615 Texas Heritage Pkwy in Katy; Ascend at the Parkway, 343 units at 3615 Texas Heritage Pkwy in Katy; and Heights on Katy, 387 units at 7105 Old Katy Rd.

• RTR Assets: Court at Oak Forest, 68 units at 4102 Mangum Rd.

• Seldin Company: Landmark 301, 47 units at 301 S 1st St in Conroe.

• Slay Properties, LLC: Cedar Creek Navasota, 26 units at 1208 Victoria Ave.

• Sweeny Kington Properties, LLC: River Oaks, 120 units at 1000 W Ashley Wilson Rd in Sweeny.

• Tarantino Properties Inc: Falls of Deer Park, 442 units at 7201 Spencer Hwy in Pasadena; The Coop at The Med Center, 200 units at 7110 Main St; and Arbor Gate II, 258 units at 9851 Meadowglen Ln.

• TriArc Living LLC: Dismuke, 48 units at 1907 Dismuke St.

• Wilhoit Properties Inc: Knightsbridge, 120 units at 3455 FM 1960 Rd W in Humble.

• Willow Asset Management LLC: Willow at Marvida, 234 units at 21054 Montego Breeze Ln in Cypress.

• ZRS Management LLC: Lenox Grand West, 388 units at 750 W Grand Parkway S in Katy.

Have something to report from your company or for yourself? Email us your news at comm@haaonline.org.

In this new environment, high website traffic can actually be a negative indicator. If your site is flooded with sessions but your lead volume is stagnant, it often means your digital data is so poorly structured that the AI cannot synthesize it.

Zero Click, continued from Page 36

find a definitive answer to their query. You are winning the click, but you are losing the trust. The AI is essentially saying, "I don’t know the answer; go look for yourself." This creates friction.

Conversely, a "Low Traffic, High Lease" scenario suggests that your brand has achieved high interpretability. The AI understands your entity so clearly that it can confidently sell your property within its own interface. The lack of a click is a sign of a frictionless transaction.

Measuring Brand Impact When the Click Is Gone

If the session is no longer the primary metric of success, how do we justify marketing spend to ownership? We must pivot toward metrics that track brand authority and entity health rather than just pixel fires.

1. Citation Share and AI Sentiment

In 2026, your rank is actually your citation share. You must track how often your property appears as a primary recommendation in generative summaries for specific localized queries. Furthermore, you must monitor the sentiment of these summaries. AI doesn't just list your facts; it interprets your reputation. If the summary says, "This property is highly rated for its quiet work-from-home environment," that is a measurable brand win that a website session could never quantify.

2. Entity Clarity and Confidence Scores

AI models assign a confidence score to the data they find. If your pricing on your website contradicts your pricing on a third-party listing, the AI’s confidence in your brand drops. You are skipped. Measuring the consistency of your data across the web (your entity clarity) is now a more accurate predictor of revenue than your SEO keyword rankings.

3. The Direct-to-Lead Ratio

Marketing directors must begin tracking the delta between website sessions and total lead volume. If your direct lead sources are growing while your organic search traffic is shrinking, it is a strong indicator that you are winning the zero-click battle. Your brand is being synthesized and delivered as an answer, bypassing the need for a site visit.

The Cost of Low Interpretability

The intelligence gap — the space between your raw data and the AI’s synthesized answer — is where your marketing ROI goes to die. Most multifamily marketing teams are still focused on "fluff" content. They write long-form blogs filled with generic adjectives like "luxury" and "modern." To an AI agent, this is low-signal noise. It doesn't help the machine understand whether you have a 50lb weight limit for dogs or whether your coworking space has high-speed fiber.

If your marketing strategy does not provide the machine with structured, verifiable data, you remain invisible to the answer engine. The

AI will not interpret your vibe from a pretty picture alone; it will interpret it from the technical clarity of your text and the corroboration of your claims across the digital landscape.

Mastering the Synthesis Path

To win the zero-click lease, your property must adopt a verifiabilityfirst mindset. This requires three strategic shifts:

• From Keywords to Context: Stop targeting "Apartments in Denver." Start by ensuring your data reflects the specific lifestyle nuances prospects are looking for, such as "soundproofed walls for remote workers" or "EV charging availability."

• From Pages to Structured Data: Your website should be a data source, not just a brochure. Every amenity, fee, and floor plan must be marked up with a schema that allows an AI to ingest it as ground truth.

• From Visibility to Authority: Building brand authority now requires a multi-node strategy. Your reputation on Reddit, your accuracy on local maps, and your citations in industry publications all feed the AI's Trust Score for your brand.

Owning the Answer

The funnel is not shrinking; it is becoming more precise. The zeroclick lease is the ultimate goal of a modern resident journey — a journey without the friction of browsing.

For the multifamily industry, the challenge is psychological. We have spent years using website traffic as a security blanket to prove our worth. We must now have the courage to let go of the click and focus on the answer.

The organizations that provide the most accurate, structured, and authoritative information to the machine will win the resident’s heart long before they ever see a “Schedule a Tour” button on a website. In 2026, if you are not the answer, you are obsolete.

As Criterion.B’s Director of Client Service, Ashley Tyndall leads the corporate communications, public relations, and media relations efforts for the agency. She was formerly Director of Marketing and Business Development for Canonball Creative Inc. She has more than 20 years of agency experience in marketing and account direction roles supporting a diverse industry base. She is an advertising and graphic design graduate of The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Visit https://criterionb.com and https://beswifty.com for more information.

continued from Page 9

House District 16, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Will Metcalf (I)

✅ Will Metcalf (I): 65.9%

❌ Jon Bouche: 34.1%

County Judge, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Mark Keough (I): 51%

❌ Wayne Mack Sanders :49%

Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Brittany Gable Hale: 52.18%

❌ Jay Mack Sanders (I): 47.82%

Brazoria County

County Judge, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Rob Giesecke: 64.82%

❌ Kevin Cole: 35.18%

Fort Bend County

County Judge, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ Daniel Wong: 54.06%

County Judge, DEM Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral (RUNOFF)

✅ Dexter McCoy: 40.42%

✅ Rachelle Carter: 18.93%

House District 85, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Supported Stan Kitzman (I)

❌ Kitzman (I): 42.8%

✅ Geesaman: 57.2%

JP 3, Place 3, GOP Primary:

HAA Position: Remained Neutral

✅ William Ferguson: 60.85%

❌ John Placette: 33.26%

Note: This seat is currently held by a Democrat, but the district was redrawn recently and now leans Republican. William Ferguson will face incumbent Democrat Sonia Rash in November.

Apartment Inspection Ordinance

In late February and early March, Houston City Council, in conjunction with several city departments, conducted community outreach meetings to discuss the proposed apartment inspection ordinance. HAA VP of Government Affairs, Ben McPhaul, attended on behalf of the Association and highlighted several points that HAA has flagged as concerns with the current proposed ordinance.

Ben was able to speak with Fox 26 about the ordinance, the video of that brief interview can be found on Fox 26 website at this link or click HERE or on the image below:

The ordinance will now undergo more changes with the input provided and be brought back to a joint committee meeting to be held on March 30th. Stay tuned for more information and any potential call to action for HAA members.

Houston Open Space Ordinance

The Houston City Council Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee heard presentations on the existing Open Space Ordinance that has been on the books in Houston since 2007. The existing ordinance requires a $700 per unit fee, or park space dedicated in lieu of the fee, for all new multi-family developments in the City of Houston. Currently, the revenue generated from the fee must be allocated to the park sector in which the development resides (there are 21 of them). Revisions of this ordinance aim to change the allocation to allow 30% of the funds to be used on a project-prioritybasis in any park sector, not only the one where the development is being built. Vonn Tran, Director of Planning & Development for the City of Houston, said in her public comments that increasing the fee was not in their proposed recommendations; however, Council Member Sallie Alcorn voiced her desire to consider a fee increase. More information and a proposed timeline for this process can be found HERE.

For legislative concerns, call the HAA main line at 713-595-0300 and ask for Government Affairs. If a particular code requirement or issue concerns you, let us know by emailing bmcphaul@haaonline.org. For more on the HAA PAC, visit www.haaonline.org/haapac. The Houston Apartment Association Political Action Committee is the PAC of the Houston Apartment Association, a non-profit trade association representing the area apartment industry. Without political capital, our industry would not be as successful in representing you or your clients’ interests, and thus, your financial well-being. The HAAPAC participates in local and state political campaigns, helping candidates who support the apartment industry and its supplier businesses. You can participate in the HAAPAC on several levels. For more on HAAPAC, visit www.haaonline.org/haapac

Index of Advertisers By

A/C Supplies

Century A/C Supply 2 281-530-2859 www.centuryac.com

Electric Contractors

Brandt Electrical A/C & Heating Services 15 281-693-3383 www.brandtelectrical.com

Foundation Repair

Church Foundation Repair 10 713-468-8400 www.churchfoundationrepair.com

General Contractors

MultiFamily Services 50 713-266-9100

RENCON Inside Front Cover, Inside Back Cover 713-666-3636 www.rencon.com

TiCon Texas Construction Services 32-33 281-932-8521 www.ticontexas.com

Glass – Plate, Window, Etc.

Ameristar Screen and Glass 21 713-683-6767 www.ameristarglass.com

Paint

Behr Paint 41 800-431-3000 www.homedepot/proxtra.com

Personnel Agency

ASAP Personnel 51 972-432-6667 www.asapdo.com

Plumbing Contractors

AAA Plumbers 19 713-462-4753 www.aaaplumbers.com

Air Express Construction & Plumbing 1 713-498-7751 www.airexpressconstructionandplumbing.com

Screens

Ameristar Screen and Glass 51 713-683-6767 www.ameristarglass.com

Swimming Pool Service

Poolsure 12 800-858-POOL www.poolsure.com

HAA Products & Services

Rental Credit Reporting 5, 49 713-595-0300 www.haaonline.org/rcr

HAA reserves the right to reject any advertising if its content is inappropriate or inconsistent with HAA’s standards for publication or HAA’s business interests, in HAA’s sole opinion.

CINDI REED

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Based on the best combination of rental rate growth and absorption over the past 3 months. There are a total of 42 submarkets in the Houston

CONCESSIONS

Concessions are generally represented by three types of specials: move-in, months free, or 昀oorplan. These specials are prorated over a lease term to arrive at a percentage reduction in market or street rents.

DALLAS/FT WORTH

SAN ANTONIO

881 sf

AUSTIN

Benefiting YMCA Houston!

This great outdoor event is perfect team building fun! Each team consists of three men and three women. Each team will compete in six field activities. In case of inclement weather, the challenge will not be rescheduled.

Friday, April 24

Bear Creek Soccer Fields, 3535 War Memorial Drive

Team fee: $400 (includes lunch)

Spectator fee: $35 (includes lunch)

Registration: 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Tug of War/Kick Off: 9:30 a.m.

Tug-O-War will be a competition between suppliers and property management players

Field Activities: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lunch: 1 p.m.

Medal Presentation: 1:30 p.m.

Top team (1st, 2nd 3rd place) presentation of medals. The top 3 scoring teams are based on the field events performance.

Ameristar Screen and Glass Giant Pong - All 6 team members will throw 5 large plastic balls into large trash can size containers.

Triumph Construction Football Toss - All 6 team members will throw 5 footballs at a target with a hole.

AAA Plumbers Buddy Walk - All 6 team members will walk in unison 10 yards forward and 10 yards backward on a pair of wooden tracks with strap handles.

Encore Services Soccer Ball Blitz - All 6 team members will kick 5 soccer balls into a goal.

Encore Services Putting Green - All 6 team members will have 5 balls to putt into the hole.

Core Distributing Tug of War - Competition between suppliers and property management players.

Apple Termite & Pest Control Lunch Sponsor

Precision Appliance Leasing Medal Sponsor

Good Landscaping Wristband Sponsor

fun abounds Equipment Sponsor

Claimsmate Adjusters and Sherwin Williams Breakfast Sponsors

Thanks to our 2026 Sponsors: Dixie Interiors Corn Hole - All 6 team members will have six chances to throw the bag in the hole.

Assistant

Leasing

ABODE April 2026

AWAITS

CENTURY A/C SUPPLY

CONTENTS

April 2026

ON THE COVER

37

FEATURES & PHOTOS

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES

OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP

ABODE

Works!

EXECUTIVE SUPPLIER MEMBERS

Letter from the President

SPRING IS HERE AND WE’VE GOT MORE GREAT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU!

Join “The Power of Us”

Maintenance for Maniacs

Come to the Tropics

This Month's Exclusive Supplier Member

PRIMARY ELECTION RECAP

KNOW YOUR JUDGE

CHARGES DISPUTED

Resident leaves behind significant odor

REDBOOK Seminar

APRIL

3

7

9

22

24

28

MAY

6

7

13

19-20

21

Discover the Ultimate Roadmap to Success with new speakers for 2026

What is Avenues?

How can I attend?

What does this get me?

Pricing:

VIDEO CLICK HERE

GOVERNMENT

On the Scene

Success Strategy

Successful Shifts For Personal Growth

TheZero-Click Lease

Why your website traffic numbers are lying to you.

The Collapse of the Discovery Click

Why High Traffic Is Often a False Signal

ABODE ADVENTURES

Help Us Name

Our Star

Bonus for Supplier Winners:

2222 SMITH STREET

RETREAT AT THE WOODLANDS

PRESERVE AT BAYWOOD

Built 2016-2023 Garden Property of the Year

EMPOWER MEMBERSHIP!

TOGETHER

OWNERS

SUPPLIERS

THE SUPPLIER NETWORK

Do you really know your applicant?

Portfolio Changes

Measuring Brand Impact When the Click Is Gone

The Cost of Low Interpretability

Mastering the Synthesis Path

Owning the Answer

JP 3, Place 3, GOP Primary:

Apartment Inspection Ordinance

Houston Open Space Ordinance

Index of Advertisers By

MARKET SNAPSHOT

CONCESSIONS

DALLAS/FT WORTH

SAN ANTONIO

AUSTIN

Benefiting YMCA Houston!