ABODE August 2026 by HAA Publishing

Congratulations to the HAA

Honors Award Recipients

August 2026

ON THE COVER

Thank you to our cover sponsor Encore Services.

Cover image provided by © Encore Services www.encoreservicestx.com

2026 Honors Awards –

In this month’s ABODE, we recognize our Honors Awards nominees and recipients with photos from the event and introduce the management and corporate office recipients. Stay tuned next month for Part 2, with our maintenance and supplier recipients.

FEATURES & PHOTOS

16 On the Scene – Photos from the HAA Sponsorship Auction.

24 On Site with ABODE – Take a closer look at the first of our 14 HAA 2026 Honors Award-winning communities.

26 On the Scene – Photos from the 2026 Honors Awards.

34 Meet the Honorees – Meet the best of the best in apartment management for the 2026 Honors Awards.

40 Honors Individual Nominees and Property Finalists – Here is the list of all the nominees and finalists for 2026.

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES

7 President’s Corner – Our Honors Awards coverage is here and please support our Supplier Partners.

8 Patron of the Month – Meet and support AAA Plumbers.

9 Legislative Update – The latest news from HAA Government Affairs Department.

11 It’s The Law – What to know as Hurricane Season makes landfall.

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

44 Welcome Mat – A list of HAA’s newest members.

46 The Ambassador ONE Society –Meet HAA’s supplier network.

50 Portfolio Changes and In the News – Property updates and news updates from our members.

52 Go-Getters – Learn how to become a Go-Getter and recruit for HAA.

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

55 Marketline – The latest area market numbers.

56 Back Page – The HAA Blood Drive exceeds its goal.

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

OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP

MONICA GRACIA President-Elect

RYAN TERRELL President

MELISSA FRIEND Secretary/Treasurer

HOWARD BOOKSTAFF 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

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS

1968

Century A/C Supply

1978

Houston Planned

Energy Systems

1982

Cotton Commercial

USA Inc.

1984

AAA Plumbers

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, Redi Carpet Sales

Xochitl Sheffield, Camp Facility Services

Blaise Spitaleri, CAS, Rasa Floors

Auri Verser

Sherwin Williams

Ryan Weis, Crestmark Construction Services

ABODE

AUGUST 2026 I VOLUME 49, ISSUE 8

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

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 STAFF ADVISOR

Executive Ryan Terrell

Nominating

Fair Housing

Ethics

Finance

Past Presidents Council

Legislative

Political Action

Golf

Century Club

Shelley Watson

Howard Bookstaff

Michelle Pawelek

Gary Blumberg

John Boriack

Monica Gracia

Stacy Hunt

Starla Turnbo

Liz Levins

Education Advisory Lori Latham

Independent Rental

Owners Connection

NEXT Young Professionals

Leadership Development

Community Outreach

Product Service Council

Expo Exhibitor

Membership

Ambassador ONE Society

Resident Relations A

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

Honors Individual Awards

Darlene Guidry

Joey Rodriguez

Kathy Motis

Karen Hefner

Ruha Vohra

Joe Melton

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, AUGUST 2026, VOLUME 49, ISSUE 8

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.

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

A1 Property Construction

A1 Wrecker LLC

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

America's Smart Home and Businesses

American Fire Systems Inc

American Wheel & Tire #2 Ltd

Ameristar Screen & Glass

Apartment Services Group

ARC Glass LLC

Artisent Floors

ASAP Personnel Inc

Asurety Dryer Vent & Fireplace Inspections

Bang It Services Inc

Bar-B-Clean Southwest Houston

Belfor Property Restoration

Berkeley Outside Services

Bettencourt Tax Advisors LLC

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

BrightView Landscape ServicesThe Woodlands

Brown & Brown Insurance Services Inc

BSI

Butler Plus

Cabinet Door Usa

Callaway Services

Capital Disaster Solutions

Cardboard Cowboys

Cardinal Foundation Services

Catalyst Construction

Centex Construction

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

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

ECC Exteriors

EDT Construction Services

Elevated Retail

Elite Roofing LLC

Emersyn Electrical Services LLC

Empire Fire and Safety

Encore Services TX

EnviroSmart Multifamily Pest Solutions

Epic Multifamily Construction

EPremium Insurance Agency

Exterior Inspections

Faith J Construction Inc

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

Gemstar Construction

Glass Doctor of Greater

South Houston

Gleam Clean

GMR Electrical

Go Painting of N. Houston

Go-Staff Inc

Good Landscaping

GQ Landscaping

Great American Business Products

Greater Houston Pool Management

Green City Security LLC

Green Garbology

Green Pride Landscaping

Greenlogic

Grindstone General Contracting

GSR Construction Group

Hallmark Hardwoods

Hamilton-Steele Outdoor Accents

Hive Technology

Hoover Slovacek LLP

Houston Home and Patio

Houston Roofing & Construction LLC

Houston Strong Roofing Company

Hut Services LLC

Ideal Parking Management

Incentivefox

Infinity Power Partners

Innovative Environments

Innovative Recovery

Insurica

InterSolutions Property Management Staffing

Its Bugs or Us

Ivory Property Restoration

J National Contractors

J Turner Research

Jacobson Insurance & Risk Management

JC's General Contractor LLC

Johnstone Supply

JOR Construction &

Property Investments LLC

Junk Shot and Doorstep Details of Houston

Landing

Lanyard Construction Services

Laser Answering Service LLC

LCBI Construction, 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

MeterNet

Michel Rogers & Maloney

Minol USA

MNM Fire Systems LLC

Mobiledumps Houston

Mueller Water Conditioning Inc

Nailed It Roofing Pros

Nationwide Energy Partners

Native Smart Properties

NEI General Contracting

Nelson Painting and Construction LLC

Norman Roofing and Construction

Northwest Construction Group

Odor-Defence

Optima General Contractor LLC

Pace Mechanical Services LLC

Pacific Coast Landscape and Design

Pasadena Insurance Agency Inc

Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Houston

Penco Access Control LLC dba

Penco Gate and Fence

Platinum Pool and Spa LLC

Polywood

Precision Appliance Leasing

Premium Improvements

Pro-Shield Commercial Roofing LLC

Pro-Tex Contracting Group LLC

Professional Resurface LLC

Property Guardians LLC

Pura Flo Corporation

Pure Green Landscaping

Quality Construction Concepts

Quick Protection Inc

Qwikkit

R3BUILD Construction Services LLC

RAM Construction

Ram Jack Foundation Solutions

Real Floors Inc

Red Nova Construction

Redevelopment Services

Redux Construction

Reliable Paving, Inc

Reliable Roofing of Texas Inc

Reliant

RENCON LLC

Renova Appliance Center LTD

Renova One

Richmond & Associates

Landscaping-Houston, LTD

Riverway Title

Robles Roofing & More LLC

Rose Paving

Roto-Rooter Services Co

Rotolo Consultants Inc (RCI)

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

Silversand Services

Southwest A/C Supply, Inc

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

Tell Construction & Projects LLC

Tex-Air Filters

Texas Access Works

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 Katy Plumbing Company

The Liberty Group

Three Amigos Texas LLC

THS National

Tidal Electrical Services Inc

Trash Concierge Houston

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

Yellowstone Landscape

Letter from the President

By RYAN TERRELL

CATCH ALL THE FIREWORKS AS OUR HONORS AWARDS COVERAGE STARTS HERE

As promised, we are back in print for Part 1 of our coverage of the 2026 Honors Awards A sold-out crowd of more than 1,100 multifamily professionals celebrated the best in the industry on June 11 at the Hilton Americas with emcee Joel Zeff. Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees listed on Pages 42 and 43.

Photos from the event start on Page 26 with more available at the QR code at the right. We take a closer look at the first of our 14 property winners on Page 24, with more to come in each month’s issue of ABODE. We also have profiles of our management category individual winners starting on Page 34, with our maintenance and supplier profiles, Rising Star and Go-Getter of the Year coming up in the September issue. So read on and stay tuned for even more.

Join Me in Thanking and Supporting Those Who Support Us

I have a favor to ask of our property management supervisors and executives: HAA and the supplier partners we rely on need our support.

First up, please check out the generous suppliers who ponied up the big bucks in support of HAA during the Sponsorship Auction starting on Page 16. Then join me in thanking them in person at the HAA Summer Business Exchange on Thursday, August 13. This is a great opportunity to learn about the latest industry products and services in a controlled environment, while supporting your association and showing our appreciation to suppliers. All the details are on Page 23.

Show Your Star Maintenance Professionals Some Appreciation

Next up is an easy way to reward your hard working team: Let HAA give your maintenance staff the grand-slam treatment for a Maintenance Appreciation Night with the Houston Astros! It’s all about the VIP experience on Thursday, August 20 with attendees receiving exclusive access to the designated HAA section to watch the game and a monetary food/beverage credit via gift card upon checking in at the HAA gate. See Page 14 for details and register at www.haaonline.org/events.

Grab Your ABODE and Visit Us Online for More

So, sit down, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join me in flipping through this month’s issue, either in print or online. Don’t forget, there’s even more in our online issues, with video recaps from our big events and educational offerings. ABODE links are always available 24/7 on our home page at www.haaonline.org.

And don’t fall victim to FOMO: Check out the HAA calendar printed in this issue and online. I want to see you and your best and brightest industry peers at our next event. As always, I’ll be ready and waiting to shake your hand.

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

This

Month's

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

Exclusive Supplier Member

Camp Facilty Services

HAA Member since 1994

Apartments.com

HAA Member since 1997

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 Legislative Chair, with BEN MCPHAUL, Vice President of Government Affairs

Cold Comfort

Changes to A/C requirements in Houston rental properties.

HOUSTON CITY Councilwoman

Alejandra Salinas announced her intention to propose changes to the Houston Code of Ordinances related to A/C requirements in multi-family and single-family rental properties in the City of Houston. Below is an outline of the current ordinance as well as the proposed revisions, and how the Houston ordinance compares to other Texas cities.

Current Code in Houston:

Currently in the City of Houston, property owners must provide air conditioning at both single and multi-family rental properties unless window screens are provided. Under the existing ordinance, property owners must provide and maintain good operating condition refrigerated air equipment capable of maintaining a maximum inside temperature of 20 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the outside temperature or 80 degrees, whichever is warmer. Current code provides the following:

Sec. 10-363. - Responsibilities of owner.

(d) Utility standards. An owner of property shall:

(8) In each habitable space, if screens are not provided as required in subsection (e)(2) of this section, provide and maintain in good operating condition refrigerated air equipment capable of maintaining a maximum inside temperature 20 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the outside temperature 80 degrees Fahrenheit, whichever is warmer

Council Member Salinas’ Proposal:

The revised ordinance removes the screen exemption language and slightly alters temperature requirements so that the air conditioning equipment must be capable of maintaining the temperature 20 degrees lower than the outside temperature or no higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Her proposed revisions are as follows:

Sec. 10-363. - Responsibilities of owner.

(d) Utility standards. An owner of property shall:

(8) In each habitable space, provide and maintain in good operating condition refrigerated air equipment capable of maintaining a maximum inside temperature 20 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the outside temperature or no higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit; (h) An owner of property shall comply with subsection (d)(8) of this section no later than the 90th day after the passage and approval of an ordinance adopting any amendments to subsection (d)(8). Before that date, an owner shall make reasonable and continuous progress toward providing and maintaining refrigerated air equipment capable of complying with subsection (d)(8).

NOTE: Subsection (h) itself is not a new requirement; properties that currently do not provide A/C as stated in subsection (d) have 90 days to comply and provide the required air conditioning. This is less stringent than the existing re-

quirement in Chapter 92 of the Texas Property Code for repairs to be made in a "reasonable" amount of time, or 7 days in most cases.

Other Major Texas Cities Requirements:

Dallas - “an owner shall provide and maintain in operating condition, refrigerated air equipment capable of maintaining a room temperature of at least 15 degrees cooler than the outside temperature, but in no event higher than 85°F in each habitable room.”

Austin - “an owner shall provide and maintain, in operating condition, refrigerated air equipment capable of maintaining a room temperature of at least 15 degrees cooler than the outside temperature, but in no event higher than 85°F in each habitable room.”

San Antonio - No A/C requirements exist in San Antonio currently unless A/C is listed in the lease or rental agreement as a provided amenity.

For legislative concerns, call the HAA main line at 713-595-0300 and ask for Government Affairs or email bmcphaul@haaonline.org.

visit www.haaonline.org/haapac

Steering through the Storm

What to know as hurricane season makes landfall.

HURRICANE SEASON

is officially here. A few weeks ago, Houston (and Freeport) had the distinct honor and misfortune of greeting the very first named storm of 2026 – Tropical Storm Arthur. Being the first is not always best.

We should prepare for more as, statistically, the months of August and September are the busiest months for tropical storms and hurricanes on the Texas Gulf Coast.

TRIGGER WARNING: Houston has a track record – Allison, Rita, Katrina, Ike, Harvey, Imelda and Beryl. With this history, we have a great deal of experience that can help us prepare for the operational and legal impacts that hurricanes can bring.

To be prepared for the hurricane season, you should anticipate and review the issues that may affect your apartment community and residents. Here are 10 tips based upon past experiences that may help you weather the storm:

1. Do I have adequate insurance to cover losses?

Over the past few years, you have likely seen your insurance costs increase dramatically. We’ve also seen a number of insurance carriers entirely refuse to insure the Texas market. This is partly due to hurricanes and tropical storms, and also due in part to other extreme weather events that have recently rocked our state such as derechos, floods and catastrophic freezes.

The basic questions to consider are whether you have sufficient coverage, what the deductible will be and whether you will receive insurance payments in a timely fashion.

You should confer with your insurance agent to be sure that you have adequate property coverage in the event that the storm damages your roof and the interior of the community sustains water damage. You should determine what your deductible is

and make arrangements to be able to fund the deductible. You should also look at what loss of business interruption insurance you have to determine whether you will be covered in the event that you are unable to receive rents for a lengthy period of time.

The timeliness of payments may depend upon whether there is a coverage dispute or contractor problems. However, you should at least have the discussion with your agent as to what information will be required to be given to the carrier after a loss has occurred and when you might expect to receive payments.

2. If we experience a hurricane (or any other major weather event), can I enter units to check for storm damage?

YES, you may and you should. If you use a standard TAA lease, Section 14 provides that repairers, servicers, contractors or the owner’s representatives may enter peacefully and at reasonable times. Section 14 further provides that if nobody is in the apartment, such persons may enter peacefully and at reasonable times (including by breaking a window or other means when necessary) so long as notice of the entry is left in a conspicuous place in the apartment immediately after entry.

Your inspection after a hurricane or other casualty event will help you decide what repairs are required, whether to file an insurance claim, and whether to exercise potential termination rights.

3. If my property has substantial damage, do I have the right to terminate leases?

YES. Pursuant to section 92.054(b) of the Texas Property Code, if after a casualty loss the rental premises are as a practical matter totally unusable for residential purposes, either the landlord or the tenant may terminate the lease by giving a written notice to the other at any time before the repairs are completed.

Section 16 of the TAA lease provides that if, in the owner’s sole judgment, damages to the unit or building are significant or performance of needed repairs poses a danger to the resident, the owner may terminate the lease and the resident’s right to possession by giving the resident at least seven (7) days written notice. If part of your community is undamaged and you want to transfer an existing resident, be aware that Section 92.062 of the Texas Property Code states that you may not “require the tenant to execute a lease for a term longer than the term remaining on the tenant's lease on the date the premises was rendered unusable as a result of the natural disaster.”

4. If I terminate leases, do I have to refund rent and security deposits?

YES. Section 16 of the TAA lease also states that if the lease is terminated, the owner will refund prorated rent and all deposits, minus lawful deductions. Since the property would have been substantially damaged due to no fault of the resident, chances are that most, if not all, of the security deposit would be refunded.

5. If the owner does not believe that the damage warrants the termination of the lease, does the resident still have the right to terminate the lease?

POSSIBLY. Pursuant to section 92.054(b) of the Texas Property Code, if after a casualty loss the rental premises are as a practical matter totally unusable for residential purposes, either the owner or the resident may terminate the lease by giving written notice to the other any time before repairs are completed. If the lease is terminated, the resident is entitled to a pro rata refund of rent from the date the resident moves out and to a refund of any security deposit otherwise required by law. Of course, the question is whether the loss rendered the rental premises “totally unusable for residential purposes.” This will de-

pend upon a number of factors, including the type of damage, whether someone can live in the unit while repairs are being made and how long repairs will take. If you have damage that will take a couple of days to repair, the argument that the unit was totally unusable for residential purposes would probably not carry much weight. If, however, the unit could not be lived in for a period of three weeks or more, the resident might have a better argument that the unit is totally unusable for residential purposes.

6. If the unit is partially unusable, is the resident entitled to a rent abatement?

PROBABLY NOT. Section 15.4 of the lease states that the owner will act with customary diligence to make repairs and reconnections, taking into consideration when casualty proceeds are received and that “rent will not abate in whole or in part.”

Section 92.054(c) of the Texas Property Code states that if after a casualty loss the rental premises are partially unusable for residential purposes, the resident is entitled to reduction in rent in an amount proportionate to the extent the premises are unusable be-

cause of the casualty, but only on judgment of a county or district court. The time and expense of proceeding to County or District court and judicial order may reduce the likelihood of a rent abatement or reduction.

7. Can the resident terminate the lease only because the community lost power?

NO. Although an argument could be made that the resident would have the right to terminate the lease if the loss of power rendered the unit “totally unusable for residential purposes,” section 24 of the lease states that the owner is not liable to any resident, guest or occupant for personal injury or damage, loss of personal property or business or personal income from any cause including interruption of utilities. Additionally, section 92.052(c) of the Texas Property Code provides that this subchapter does not require an owner to furnish utilities from a utility company if as a practical matter the utility lines of the company are not reasonably available.

8. If I lost power, do I have the right to remove perishable items from the refrigerator?

Yes. Section 14 of the lease allows entry into a unit for reasonable business purposes, and Section 16 states that the owner may remove and dispose of the resident’s personal property if, in the owner’s sole judgment, it causes a health and safety hazard or impedes repairs. If you do so, you should anticipate that the resident will question that decision. You should either inventory the items removed or take a picture before and after removing the items so that you have a record of what items were removed. Of course, proper notice should be left pursuant to section 14 of the lease if you enter while nobody is present.

9. If my community is up and running and I want to offer leases to residents displaced from other properties, how much rent can I charge?

Owners cannot “price gouge” in the wake of a storm. The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act provides it is unlawful to take advantage of a disaster by selling or leasing fuel, food, medicine, or another necessity at an exorbitant or excessive price or demanding an exorbitant or excessive price in connection with the sale or lease

of fuel, food, medicine, or another necessity. The Attorney General’s Office has taken the position that it considers housing and lodging to be a “necessity.” You should be aware of your pre-disaster market rent and whether you are now seeking an amount that substantially higher.

10. How long do I have to make repairs?

There is not a clear answer to this question. Section 92.056(b) of the Texas Property Code provides that, once certain notice requirements are met, an owner must make a diligent effort to repair a condition within “a reasonable time after receiving notice.”

In determining whether a period of time is a “reasonable time” to repair or remedy a condition, there is a rebuttable presumption that seven (7) days is a reasonable time. To rebut the presumption, the date on which the owner received the resident’s notice, the severity and nature of the condition and the reasonable availability of materials and labor and of utilities from a utility company must be considered.

Section 92.054(a) provides that if a condition results for an insured casualty loss, the

period for repair does not begin until the owner receives the insurance proceeds. After a natural disaster, it is plausible to think that the period of time may be impacted by the availability of labor and materials, the availability of necessary utilities, and the receipt of insurance proceeds. That said, you should still endeavor to repair conditions which pose a threat to the health and safety of ordinary residents as quickly as possible.

Hopefully, we won’t have any storms hit the Gulf Coast this year. However, if history is any indication of what will happen, we may not be so lucky. Although you can’t prevent storms from occurring, you can be as prepared as possible with respect to the issues that may affect your communities and residents. The goal is to make any recovery process go as smoothly as possible to minimize the time in which you and your residents can get back to a sense of normalcy. Good Luck!

Want more Howard?

Want more “It’s the Law”? See current and previous issues of ABODE online at http://issuu.com/haa_abode.

Maintenance Appreciation NIGHT Celebrate Our star Maintenance professionals with the Astros

Step up to the plate and give your maintenance team the grand-slam treatment: a night with the Houston Astros!

It's all about the VIP experience!

Thursday, August 20

Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Angels

Check-in begins @ 6 p.m., Game @ 7:10 p.m.

(Attendees are welcome to arrive as early as 5 p.m.)

Daikin Park - 501 Crawford Street

$65/person

All attendees will have exclusive access to the designated HAA section to watch the game and receive a monetary food/beverage credit gift card for concessions upon checking in at the HAA gate. No electronic or physical tickets will be allocated prior to game day.

This event is open to management, maintenance professionals and sponsors only.

Visit www.haaonline.org/events for details and to register.

On the Scene

HAA Sponsorship Auction

Wednesday, June 24 at the HAF Education Center

HAA supplier partners met their marketing “goals” during our June Auction. Thanks to our generous sponsors, more than $244,000 was raised for HAA’s education, events and meetings.

Big thanks to our auctioneer “referees”

Billy Griffin and HAA President Ryan Terrell! For more photos, see the QR code at bottom right.

Thank you sponsors!

Reliant

CAMP Facility Services

Chadwell Supply

Apartments.com

Affinity Waste Solutions

Core Distributing

Stealth Renovations

Century A/C Supply

Guardian Construction

AAA Plumbers

Triumph Construction Group

Valet Living

Indigo Construction

BluSky Restoration

Epic Multifamily

Ferguson Facilities

Native Smart Properties

ServPro Memorial West/N.W. Houston

Northwest Construction Group

Cline Construction

American Fire Systems

Sherwin Williams

Best Plumbing

Flooring Warehouse

Massey Services

Lincoln Jacob Construction

Q10 Property Advisors

The Urban Foresters

Ameristar Screen & Glass

Appliance Warehouse

Precision Appliance

Jacobson Insurance & Risk Management

Blue Stream Fiber

Redevelopment Services

TiCon Texas Construction Services

Earthworks

Nailed It Roofing Pros

Steward Trash Valet

Ally Waste Services

Core Landscape Group

Go Painting of North Houston

Greystar

Cotton Commercial

Dayrise Residential

Furniture Options

Knight Commercial

ServPro Team Olson

Superscapes Landscape & Irrigation

fun abounds

Hire Priority Staffing & Executive Search

InterSolutions Staffing

Proforma-Angelini & Associates

Houston Roofing & Construction

AUGUST

NEW: Credential Breakfast

Tuesday, August 4

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

Join us for a NEW breakfast program hosted exclusively for NAA Credential Holders. The program will feature a panel discussion and networking among CAM, CALP, CAPS, CAS, IROP and CAMT professionals. Visit www.haaonline.org/events for details and to register.

Sponsored by Affinity Waste Solutions and Native Smart Properties

New Supplier Orientation

Wednesday, August 5

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.

Ambassador ONE Society

Wednesday, August 5

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

Kirby Ice House Memorial Supplier partners can join this committee to find out how to promote HAA Events, contact properties to survey them on benefits, and network with other supplier partners. See Page 46 for more.

Avenues: Leadership Lane 2

Thursday, August 6

9 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.

19

Avenues: Marketing Place 2

Wednesday, August 19

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.

25

HAA PAC Luncheon

Tuesday, August 25 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Contact govaffairs@haaonline.org for details.

26-27

Leasing 101

Wednesday and Thursday, August 26–27

8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to Noon Thursday

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 industry. Great course for prospective and new leasing professionals. Visit www.haaonline.org/events for details and to register. Non-members welcome.

NEXT Summer Social

August 27

5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

This niche group within HAA is dedicated to the networking and professional development needs of HAA members aged 39 and under. Network with your peers at this low-cost social. Visit www.haaonline.org/events for details and to register.

Sponsored by Century A/C Supply and Core Distributing

SEPTEMBER

It’s the Law Breakfast

Wednesday, September 2 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 TiCon Construction and Nailed It Roofing Pros

New Supplier Orientation Wednesday, September 2 2:30 p.m.

Ambassador ONE Society

Wednesday, September 2

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

Avenues: Main Street 4

Thursday, September 3

9 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.

9

ACES Luncheon

Wednesday, September 9

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Willie G’s ACES (Apartment Community Executives and Supervisors) is an exclusive program for multifamily management executives. Lunch

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, all events meet at our Dinerstein Reed Prokop Education Center, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., second floor, in either the Direct Energy and Liberty Personnel & Executive Search or the Camden and Michael Stevens Interests Room. Meetings located at the HAA Offices, 4810 Westway Park Blvd., first floor, will be held in the Redi Carpet and Winograd Families/Judwin Properties Conference Room. See www.haaonline.org/events for an interactive calendar.

programs are hosted at local venues and feature a guest speaker. Sponsored by Apartments,.com and Chadwell Supply

Resident Relations

Committee A

Wednesday, September 9

2 p.m.

Closed committee meeting Via Zoom

10

2026 Forty Under 40 Celebration

5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday, September 10

Haywire

The Houston Apartment Association invites you to a special celebration honoring the industry's top 40 professionals under the age of 40. Members of all ages are welcome. Sponsored by Epic Multifamily, Core Distributing and Triumph Construction Group

16-17

CPO: Certified Pool Operator

Course in English and Spanish

Tuesday and Wednesday, September 16-17

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Certified Pool Operator certification is a 5-year national certification issued by the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and is required by the state of Texas. Course offered in both English & Spanish. Sponsored by Poolsure and Sherwin Williams

17

Go-Getter Meet & Greet

Thursday, September 17

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Join the Go-Getter Club! You can help strengthen your association with new members and increase engagement. New & prospective members are welcome to attend to meet current members to build their network and build lasting connections.

Sponsored by Best Plumbing and Houston Roofing & Construction

22

Featured Event

Dinerstein Memorial Golf Tournament

Tuesday, September 22

Highland Pines Golf Club

Join us for the 47th annual HAA Bill Dinerstein Memorial Golf Tournament benefiting the HAA PAC. Visit www.haaonline.org/events to register and for a list of sponsors.

23

Fair Housing for Maintenance in Spanish

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

This comprehensive and interactive seminar is packed with Fair Housing compliance information to help maintenance & on-site team members stay proactive, not reactive.

Sponsored by Century A/C Supply and Sherwin Williams

29

Avenues: Maintenance Blvd 3

Tuesday, September 29, 9 a.m. to Noon

Golf Tournament

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

30-October 13

CAMT: Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technician Course

September 30 – October 13, 2026

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

Furthers the technical, business and personal development skills of today’s multifamily maintenance technician, resulting in improved on-the-job performance and a heightened awareness of customer service and responsibility.

Sponsored by AAA Plumbers, Best Plumbing, Century A/C Supply, Flooring Warehouse, Go Painting of North Houston, Precision Appliance Leasing and Stealth Restorations

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.

Summer Business Exchange Connect 4

Property management supervisors and executives:

Network and support our industry by registering. Your entry is complimentary.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn about the latest industry products and services in a controlled environment. Find supplier partners that can help with your needs with CapEx projects, renovations, staffing, amenity add ons, technology and more! The Business Exchange is a forum where property management leaders are seated at tables while supplier representatives move around the room, selecting the individuals they wish to visit. Each visit has a four minute limit. Supplier companies pay for this opportunity and your attendance makes this possible and supports our industry.

NEW! Business & Bingo game! Mark off Suppliers as they visit you to win one of three bingo prizes! Plus, decorate your table for a chance to win "Best Table" recognition.

Suppliers:

Network with industry leaders while supporting HAA with your registration fees.

The Business Exchange is a forum where property management leaders are seated at tables while supplier representatives move around the room, selecting the individuals they wish to visit. Each visit has a four minute limit. Supplier companies pay for this opportunity and your registration fees financially supports our industry. Each supplier company may only register two supplier participants at $425 PER PERSON, with an option for a third participant at $450.

Management Register Here

Suppliers Register Here

Whatcott Spitaleri

Join HAA and our event chairs Richard Whatcott, Camden, and PSC President Blaise Spitaleri, Rasa Floors, for the 20th annual HAA Summer Business Exchange.

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

Each month, On Site with ABODE takes a closer look at winning HAA Honors Awards properties. This month, we visit the first of our 15 award recipients for 2026. See future ABODEs for more.

Briarstone

Less than 100 Units Property of the Year

Property: Briarstone Owner/Management: Mosaic Residential

Location: 4719 Reading Road, Rosenberg Units: 96

Web: https://www.briarstoneliving.com/

Photos from Briarstone

Briarstone stands out more for its location, affordability, and traditional apartment layout, making it appealing for residents who want simple, convenient living in central Rosenberg. Residents enjoy the comfort of a welcoming community where residents appreciate a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere, offering the perfect balance between privacy and connection. Thoughtfully designed one- and two-bedroom floor plans provide open living spaces and practical layouts that make everyday living comfortable and convenient. With convenient access to major roadways, commuting to nearby Richmond, Sugar Land, and surrounding areas is quick and easy.

Amenities include: modern kitchens with black appliances, including a range, dishwasher, and disposal; eat-in dining areas suitable for everyday meals or entertaining; carpeted bedrooms with spacious closets for storage; ceiling fans and central air conditioning for comfort; private patios or balconies for outdoor space at home; fitness center with cardio, strength, and mobility equipment; swimming pool and courtyard area for relaxation and socializing; on-site laundry; covered parking for resident vehicles; on-site management and maintenance teams for support and service; and package receiving services for convenient delivery handling.

Overall, Briarstone offers amenities focused on wellness, convenience, and community living.

The property team delivers execellent customer service to both internal and external customers by prioritizing clear communication, professionalism, and timely responses. Maintenance requests are handled quickly and promptly, while residents are kept informed throughout the process. The team listens to concerns with empathy, provides solutions, and follows up to ensure resident satisfaction.

By maintaining clean, safe, and well-kept grounds and amenities, the team demonstrates pride in the community and helps create a welcoming environment for residents, prospects, and visitors. Briarstone offers comfortable living spaces with functional features designed for convenience and everyday living.

On the Scene Photos by

HIEBERT PHOTOGRAPHY

2026 Honors Awards

Thursday, June 11 at the Hilton Americas

More than a thousand attendees honored the best of 2026 in multifamily, with our emcee for the evening Joel Zeff presenting the awards. Want to see more? Visit the QR code and link at right, or see visit the photo galleries at www.haaonline.org.

1. Go-Getter of the Year Ryan Raser 2. On-Site Manager of the Year, 200-299 Units, Griselda Vasquez 3. Rising Star Supplier Mason Storrs 4. Independent Rental Owner of the Year John Boriack 5. Corporate Support Professional of the Year Joslin Philley 6. On-Site Manager of the Year, 1-199 Units, Martha Harris 7. Maintenance Support of the Year Ana Contreras de Rosales

Leasing Professional of the Year Katie Jackson 9. On-Site Manager of the Year, 300-399 Units, Vania Thompson 10. Portfolio Supervisor of the Year Valerie Lacy 11. Assistant Managers of the Year Yara Arias and Ray Gallegos

Thank you to our generous sponsors Emcee sponsored by

Champagne Celebration sponsored by

Individual Awards sponsored by

Property Awards sponsored by

Reception sponsored by

The Best of the Best in On-site Management

The HAA Honors Awards recognizes members for their commitment to their communities and the apartment industry. Here is the first group of 2026 Houston Apartment Association Honors Award recipients. See next month’s issue for our maintenance and supplier award winners.

Leasing Professional of the Year

Katie Jackson, Francis Property Managment

Katie Jackson is a leasing consultant for Francis Property Management’s The Woodlands Lodge, a 15-year-old property with 300 units. She has been in the multifamily industry and with Francis for four years.

Katie’s extensive knowledge of the industry and the property consistently stands out. She is widely recognized for being helpful, professional, friendly, and welcoming in every interaction.

Lenora Holiday stated in Katie’s nomination, “Katie is an exceptional member of our team whose contributions consistently elevate both our performance and culture. Her depth of knowledge, combined with her unwavering professionalism, makes her a trusted resource for prospects, residents, and colleagues alike. She approaches every interaction with confidence and care, ensuring that each person she engages with feels valued and understood.”

“In every sense, Katie embodies what it means to be a model Leasing Agent. Her dedication, positivity, and drive make her truly deserving of recognition, and her contributions leave a lasting impact on everyone she works with.”

Katie’s closing ratio is 87% with a 10/10 shopping score. She holds the National Apartment Association Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP) credential.

Katie is active with the HAA Food Drive (winning first place in the 2024 Food Drive Display Contest) and the Camp Hope Adopt A Family Toy Drive. She personally organizes food drives for natural disasters in the community and organizes local school supply drives annually.

Congratulations, Katie!

On-Site Manager (1-199 Units) of

the Year

Martha Harris, Banyan Equity Management

Martha Harris is manager of Banyan Equity Management’s Aero On Upper Bay, winner of this year’s Built Before 1980 Property of the Year. The 125-unit property is 58 years old with a 94.6% occupancy rate. Martha has been in the multifamily industry for 15 years and has been in her current role for 10 years.

Martha operates successfully in a competitive market, where the property competes with newer communities offering large concessions. Through exceptional service and personalized resident experiences, concessions were kept minimal at just 1% of total revenue. Despite a challenging market, the property booked only 1.2% in bad debt write-offs and filed just five evictions for the year, demonstrating strong operational control and resident engagement.

Harris leads a high-performing team, where superior service has resulted in only 32.8% turnover and an impressive 80% renewal capture rate in 2025, reflecting strong resident satisfaction and retention. She implements a proactive resident outreach program, where the team contacts 88 residents each month and recognizes 10 residents with surprise gifts, and builds a vibrant community culture through consistent resident engagement. She protects and enhances the property through proactive asset management, preparing monthly project lists with vendor bids to address preventative maintenance and improvements, including exterior repairs and the signature “Hug a Building Monthly” initiative dedicated to routine building cleanups.

Martha holds the NAA Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) credential.

Congratulations, Martha!

On-Site Manager (200-299 Units) of the Year

Griselda Vasquez, Banyan Equity Management

Griselda Vasquez is manager of Banyan Equity Management’s Banyon Shores Apartments, a 208-unit property built in 1979 with a 97.63% occupancy rate. Griselda has been in the multifamily industry for 17 years and has been in her current role for two years.

Griselda maintained a more than 97% occupancy and under 1% delinquency despite significant challenges. During a year with 46.6% turnover, Griselda demonstrated outstanding resilience and strategic leadership. By focusing on “closing the back door” through strong sales techniques, proactive leasing strategies, and meaningful resident engagement, she ensured vacancies were quickly filled and financial performance remained stable. While competing with newlyacquired properties offering major upgrades, she achieved $1.45 price per square ft.

Griselda was named Banyan’s Manager of the Year/Most Improved Property/#1 Property in the Banyan Portfolio for six months out of 12.

Griselda has built a culture of growth and opportunity within her team, successfully positioning three assistant managers for promotion to property manager roles and two leasing agents for advancement to assistant manager positions. Beyond her property, Griselda is a true team player for the region. She regularly supports regional managers in preparing for companywide trainings and initiatives. Her willingness to step in wherever needed reflects her commitment not only to her community but to the entire organization.

Griselda is currently awaiting final testing toward earning her CAM credential. Congratulations, Griselda!

On-Site Manager (300-399 Units) of the Year

Vania Thompson, Greystar

Vani Thompson is manager of Greystar’s Prose at Hardy Yards, a 384-unit property built in 2022. Vania has been in the multifamily industry for more than 10 years and with Greystar for more than five years.

Due to major storms, Prose at Hardy Yards had numerous down units in 2024. Vania successfully raised occupancy from 84% in January to 95.4% for 2025 and increased resident retention from 39.9% to 48.3% through monthly engagement events and consistent communication.

Through her strategic approach working closely with marketing and proactive engagement, she was able to elevate occupancy in seven months while overseeing capital projects, including the rebuilding of units. From day one, Vania made an immediate positive impression to the asset manager.

Vania prioritizes resident engagement which has helped foster a sense of community within the property. In addition to her engagement initiatives, she maintains consistent and proactive communication with residents to ensure service needs are addressed in a timely and professional manner. She demonstrates strong performance engagment and operational awareness. She leads by example, maintains a high professional standard, which encouraging accountability and collaboration with the team. She is exceptionally organized, detail-oriented, and highly effective at building rapport with both her team and residents. Her leadership style encourages collaboration, accountability, and a shared commitment to excellence.

Vania was named a Greystar Property Manager of the Year and holds the NAA CAM credential. Congratulations, Vania!

On-Site Manager (More than 400 Units) of the Year

Jakelin Jaimez, BH Management

Jakelin Jaimez is property manager of BH Management’s Old Farm Apartments, a 734-unit property built in 1996. Jakelin has been in the multifamily industry for nine years and in her current role for three years.

Jakelin is an outstanding team member who consistently demonstrates professionalism, initiative, and a genuine commitment to the industry and helping others succeed. She approaches her work with enthusiasm and purpose and strives to meet ownership goals all while remaining positive and motivating her entire team. As community manager, Jakelin held a stable occupancy of 95.78% for 2025 and had an outstanding occupancy of 96.30% for Q1 through Q2.

One of Jakelin’s greatest strengths as a community manager is her passion for helping others learn and grow within their roles. She takes pride in supporting her teammates, offering encouragement, and sharing her expertise in a way that empowers others. Her positive and supportive nature creates a welcoming environment, especially for new team members, and helps set them up for long-term success.

In 2025, her leadership was instrumental in earning seven prestigious awards, highlighting exceptional resident satisfaction, operational efficiency, and financial performance. These achievements not only elevated Old Farm's success but also led to her being named a BH Management Rise Mentor in 2026. In this role, she now has the opportunity to mentor and train Property Managers across the company, sharing her expertise and fostering the next generation of leaders.

Congratulations, Jakelin!

Corporate Support Professional of the Year

Joslin Philley, TDC-The Dinerstein Cos.

Joslin Philley is the Director of Company Experience for TDC-The Dinerstein Companies. She has been in the multifamily industry for more than 15 years and with TDC for more than 13 years. She started her career at TDC as a leasing agent. Through performance, grit, leadership, and an undeniable commitment to excellence, she worked her way up.

Today, she leads TDC’s Human Resources function, but what she has built goes far beyond traditional HR. Joslin has been instrumental in shaping an award‑winning company culture. A true team player and unwavering advocate for others, her care and consistency have made her a cornerstone of the TDC employee experience. When TDC unexpectedly lost its HR manager, Joslin stepped in without hesitation, taking on the full responsibilities of the role in addition to her own. In an impressively short period of time, she not only mastered the position but elevated HR operations, making the department more efficient, more compliant, and more welcoming to employees across the organization.

Joslin brings a rare combination of operational understanding, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. She can sit in a boardroom discussing organizational structure and talent strategy, and in the same day coach a community manager through a difficult operational issue with empathy and clarity. She holds the standard while protecting the culture.

Joslin’s awards include: Leasing Excellence2014; Going Above and Beyond - 2018; 212 Award (highest award for customer service)2021; and 212 Award - 2025.

Congratulations, Joslin!

Marketing Professional of the Year

Shelby Dovell, SYNC Residential

Shelby Dovell is Marketing Specialist for SYNC Residential. She has been in the multifamily industry for more than five years and with SYNC for more than two years.

Shelby began her career as a leasing consultant before pivoting to marketing after joining SYNC in 2023.

Shelby has completed multiple property takeovers and a rebranding for SYNC. She created new marketing training with monthly workshops for maximizing new trends and platforms; assisted on-site with struggling assets for lease up and improved Google ratings; led a company wide “review o'rama”; and implemented NFC tag keychains for easy navigation to review sites, which led to an average improvement of 0.4 increase of Google rating across the portfolio.

Shelby is experienced in developing and executing integrated campaigns across digital, print, and events that drive occupancy, increasing conversions and strengthening retention. She is skilled at building scalable marketing systems, leading training initiatives, and translating on-site operational insights into effective corporate marketing solutions.

She was SYNC’s leadership conference co-chair for 2025 and 2026 and CORE Value Award Recipient for 2024.

Shelby holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies from The University of Texas at San Antonio and she is a member of the Phi Mu Alumna Society, 20212026. She is an active HAA volunteer and is a member of the NEXT Young Professionals Committee, Chilli Cook-Off Committee, and is a member of the HAA Leadership Lyceum Class of 2026.

Congratulations, Shelby!

Assistant Manager of the Year

Yara

Arias, Judwin Properties

Yara Arias is an assistant manager for Judwin Properties’ Edgebrook Apartments, along with her brother Ray Gallegos. They have been presented the 2026 HAA Honors Award as a team. Yara has been in the multifamily industry and with Judwin for 20 years. Edgebrook is a 450unit, 54-year-old property.

Yara has successfully navigated significant challenges at the property, including periods where she was short-staffed and managed resident delinquencies. Through her dedication, organization, and proactive approach, she ensured that operations continued smoothly.

Yara exemplifies leadership and professionalism in every aspect of her role. As a dedicated team player, she has faced challenges and handled them with resilience and efficiency. Her ability to support her team, maintain high performance standards, and ensure operational excellence has been instrumental in the success of the property and the company as a whole.

Yara is actively engaged in the multifamily industry beyond her property responsibilities. She regularly attends HAA education classes, staying current on industry trends, best practices, and innovations. Her participation reflects a strong commitment to professional growth and continuous learning, allowing her to bring valuable insights back to her team and enhance property operations.

Yara is actively involved in supporting families and children with special needs. She regularly attends weekly coffee chats at her son’s school to offer guidance and support, and she has served on the school board for special needs programs.

Yara holds the NAA CALP credential. Congratulations, Yara!

Assistant Manager of the Year Ray Gallegos, Judwin Properties

Ray Gallegos is an assistant manager for Judwin Properties’ Edgebrook Apartments, along with his sister Yara Arias. They have been presented the 2026 HAA Honors Award as a team. Roy has been in the multifamily industry and with Judwin for five years. Edgebrook is a 450-unit, 54-year-old property.

Ray overcame operational challenges with professionalism and dedication. Although he had been transferred to a sister community with Judwin, he did not hesitate to return when the property required additional leadership and support.

Ray received recognition from the property after being elected as the Marketing Ambassador, a role that highlights his leadership, professionalism, and commitment to the success of the community.

Like his sister, Ray is actively engaged in the multifamily industry beyond their property responsibilities.

He brings valuable insights to the Edgebrook team and enhances property operations with his commitment to professional growth and continuous learning. He regularly attends industry education to stay current on multifamily trends, best practices, and innovations.

Ray is also actively involved in supporting his local community and is dedicating his personal time during nights and weekends to help his partner successfully launch a new business.

Ray holds the NAA CALP credential. Congratulations, Ray!

Portfolio Supervisor of the Year

Valerie Lacy, Cushman & Wakefield

Valerie Lacy is Senior Regional Manager for Cushman & Wakefield and has more than 27 years of experience in the multifamily industry and more than seven years in her current role. Valerie plays a pivotal role in strengthening and expanding the Cushman business by cultivating meaningful relationships with both new and existing clients. Her impact extends beyond the Houston region, as she actively supports growth initiatives and collaboration across multiple markets throughout the U.S. Valerie leads by example, demonstrating a strong work ethic, strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Her leadership style fosters trust, accountability, and teamwork, earning her the respect and admiration of her team, colleagues, and industry peers. Through her dedication and ability to inspire those around her, Valerie continues to make a lasting impact on the organization and the clients she serves. Due to unexpected turnover, Valerie stepped in to serve as acting property manager for five Build-to-Rent communities while simultaneously fulfilling her role as Senior Regional Manager. She successfully oversaw operations for a total of 11 communities – five BTR sites and six multifamily properties – demonstrating exceptional leadership, adaptability, and commitment to operational excellence. Despite the increased responsibilities, Valerie ensured that each community maintained high performance standards, supporting her teams, stabilizing operations, and continuing to deliver outstanding service to residents and clients.

Valerie is a CAM, CALP and CAPS credential holder, and a CPM. She is a Leadership Lyceum graduate and HAA Vice President at Large. Congratulations, Valerie!

Training Professional of the Year

Jeff

Crump,

Hanover Company

Jeff Crump is Senior Manager of Training and Development for Hanover Company. He has more than 13 years of experience in the multifamily industry and has been with Hanover for 10 years.

Jeff consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for professional development within the Hanover organization and the broader multifamily industry. He has made a lasting impact through his commitment to training and education, going above and beyond to ensure that team members not only receive the tools they need to succeed but also feel supported and motivated to grow in their careers. His training sessions are engaging, well-organized, and tailored to meet the real-world challenges the teams face every day. He creates an environment where learning is encouraged, questions are welcomed, and employees feel confident applying new skills.

Jeff has a unique ability to pivot when a challenge is presented, such as when JTurner changed their algorithm for determining Online Reputation Assessment score; or with a new onboarding process built to spec; or when trainings transitioned from virtual to a hybrid approach with on-demand clickable training; or when testing AI as a leasing tool. Jeff has been able to pivot and adapt.

Jeff led the charge that resulted in Hanover being recognized as America’s #1 Management Company for online reputation in 2023, 2024, 2025 and for being the #1 Management Company with the Highest Percentage of Properties in the Elite 1% in 2022 through 2025.

Jeff holds the NAA CAPS credential and is a member of numerous HAA committees and the Leadership Lyceum Class of 2026.

Congratulation, Jeff!

Independent Rental Owner of the Year

John Boriack, Veritas Equity Management

John Boriack is President of Veritas Equity Management and owns and operates seven properties totaling 1,704 units: Windfern Pointe, Pointe at Steeplechase, Crossings at Cherry, Westchase Creek, Linda Vista, Oak Bend and Palms at Memorial. He has more than 18 years of experience in the multifamily industry.

John earned a Bachelors degree in Business Administration through Thomas Edison State College while launching Veritas Equity Management, and has led his team in the purchase and operation of more than $100 million in commercial real estate.

He and his team have won 19 industry awards from HAA and the National Apartment Association, including the National Independent Owner of the Year Award in 2015 and National Property of the Year in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

John and Veritas Equity Management have earned a spot on the list of “Houston’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” for the last six years.

John is actively involved in HAA, where he has served on the Board of Directors since 2015, and served as HAA President in 2021.

John is a CAM and IROP credential holder and is a graduate of the NAA Leadership Lyceum.

John has helped lead his church’s children’s ministry for five years and hosted Bible study for two years; served five years on the Westchase Management District Board; participated in several mission trips over seas; and founded a 501(c)(3) to support residents.

This is John’s second time to win this award.

Congratulations, John!

LACY

Owner/Senior Executive of the Year

Keshia

Smith,

Portico Property Management

Keshia is Regional Vice President for Portico Property Management, overseeing 16 communities with 4,671 units in the Houston market. She has more than 25 years of multifamily experience. Since joining Portico in 2016, Keshia has overseen a diverse range of assets, including Class A to C communities, mid-rise, garden-style, and build-to-rent properties. Starting as a community manager, she quickly distinguished herself through her dedication, strategic thinking, and ability to elevate team performance.

Keshia and Portico’s Houston portfolio grew by six communities in less than two months in 2025 – rebuilding teams, building trust and credibility with clients, and cleaning up distressed assets, while experiencing occupancy and exposure challenges. She has played a pivotal role in driving operational excellence across multiple properties, consistently improving performance metrics while maintaining high standards of professionalism. Her leadership style fosters accountability, collaboration, and development, empowering her teams to exceed expectations and grow within their roles.

Keshia has a strong talent for performance management, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing effective strategies that deliver results. Her ability to inspire others, navigate challenges with confidence, and lead with integrity makes her an invaluable asset.

Keshia was Portico’s Regional Director of the Year in 2022. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and an MBA from Texas Tech University, and she is a CAM credential holder.

Congratulations, Keshia!

Congratulations to all of our Honors Award recipients! See next month’s issue for our maintenance and supplier award winners

Ana Contreras de Rosales, Danilo Castro, Mario Guerra, Jorge Pina, Mason Storrs and Liz Levins, plus our Go-Getter of the Year Ryan Raser.

Maintenance Support

Ana Contreras

De Rosales

Greystar

Laura Avila

Greystar

Milagro Iglesias

SYNC Residential

Ana Mancia

Francis Property Management

Norma Pacheco

Greystar

Maria Ramirez

Greystar

Victoria Ramirez

Greystar

Virgilio Rosales

Greystar

Leasing Professional

Katie Jackson

Francis Property Management

Emma Avila

Asset Living

Mosayami Betancourt

Banyan Equity

Management

Brenda Brady

Asset Living

David Chavez

Greystar

Katherine Corea

Abbey Residential

Latonia Dorsey

American Landmark

Kyle Fitch

Greystar

Gina Garcia

Banyan Equity

Management

Cassandra Green

Venterra Realty

Joseph Gomez

Francis Property Management

Tristyn Guzman

Hunington Residential

Mitzy Hernandez

Greystar

Jesy Lopez

Abbey Residential

Amanda Martinez

Fairfield Residential

Nate Martinez

Abbey Residential

Kilah Murphy

Morgan Group

Mario Navarette

Morgan Group

Jaemy Oliva

Abbey Residential

2026 Honors Individual Nominees

Each individual’s company is listed as submitted at time of nomination. Winners listed in bold.

Liza Orozco

Morgan Group

Jesse Perez

Venterra Realty

Katerine Raudales

Ashford Communities

Lavada Readeaux

Abbey Residential

Abbigail Saephan

Greystar

Jacqueline Sanotos

Portico Property Management

Ashona Thibodeaux

Banyan Equity Management

Devona Toney

Hanover Company

Yudibet Trujillo

Venterra Realty

Jessica Vazquez

Parawest Management

Versie Wells

Greystar

On-Site Manager –1-199 units

Martha Harris

Banyan Equity

Management

Neri Carbajal

Banyan Equity

Management

Gabby Gilbert

Greystar

Kelly Johnston

Greystar

Judith Lopez

Fairfield Residential

Maintenance

Technician

Danilo Castro

Abbey Residential

Luis Aguirre

Roark Equity

Yan Christian Elizondo

Hanover Company

Felipe Gomez

Penn Apartment

Staffing

Mario Jimenez

Greystar

Jorge Mendez

Francis Property

Management

Reynaldo Munoz

Fairfield Residential

On-Site Manager –200-299 units

Griselda Vasquez

Banyan Equity

Management

Daniela Aguirre

RPM Living

Mabel Angel

United Apartment Group

Aliya Byramji

Asset Living

Carlee Creal

Fairfield Residential

Amanda Garcia

Cortland Partners

Brianna Gibson

RPM Living

Kimberly Gonzalez

AOG Living

Megan Hartner

Greystar

Burum Hazer

Morgan Group

Jazzmine Hill

Mosaic Residential

Harolin Jimenez

RPM Living

Patrick Magnuson

Greystar

Jennifer Nunez

Ashford Communities

Kimdrea Obey

Fairfield Residential

Ashstin Proctor

American Landmark

Miguel Ramos

Greystar

Wallace Reed

Francis Property

Management

Bryce Trobaugh

American Landmark

Alexandra Vick

Greystar

Maintenance

Supervisor –

Single Property

Mario Guerra

Judwin Properties

Carlos Aguila

De la Coba

American Landmark

Epifanio Arteaga

Valiant Residential

Eric Benazeraf

Venterra Realty

Rick Cheesman

Abbey Residential

Adolfo Barbosa

RPM Living

Kenny Bowman

United Apartment

Group

Dorian Brooks

RPM Living

Israel Diaz

Fairfield Residential

Luna Eleazar

Mosaic Residential

Miguel Garcia

Portico Property

Management

Scotlyn Leverett

Asset Living

Delmar Manuel Matute

American Landmark

Charles Marquez

Greystar

Jose Marquez

Greystar

Gil Martinez

Hanover Company

Miguel Martinez

Francis Property

Management

Oscar Mejia

Asset Living

Roberto Morales

RPM Living

Jesus Munoz

Asset Living

Ildefonso Muraira

Greystar

Manuel Ochoa

Morgan Group

Jesus Ortega

RPM Living

Antonio Ortiz

Banyan Equity

Management

Joseph Patino

Avenue5 Residential

Victor Quintero

Mosaic Residential

Roman Romero

Banyan Equity

Management

Isaias Sanchez

Roark Equity

Crystal Thibodeaux

Morgan Group

Armando Turcio

Morgan Group

Sam Vasquez

Hanover Company

Evencio Velazquez

Greystar

Walter Viera

Greystar

Miguel Vigil

Asset Living

Rodolfo Xum

Francis Property

Management

On-Site Manager –

300-399 units

Vania Thompson

Greystar

Carla Alcaide

Greystar

Ana Aldana

American Landmark

Jennifer Barletta

Greystar

Cece Brock

Mosaic Residential

Julie Brogdon

Francis Property

Management

Desteney Burson

Valiant Residential

Raven Butler

Keener Management

Courtney Castillo

Greystar

Beth Crisp

Landmark Management

Kianna Darden

Greystar

Trey Day

Hanover Company

Maira De La O Ramos

Banyan Equity

Management

Misty Durham

Asset Living

Crystal Egan

Hanover Company

Kelsey Eggleston

Morgan Group

Matt Elliston

RPM Living

Kelley Garza

Venterra Realty

Victoria Golan

Asset Living

Victoria Gonzales

Fairfield Residential

Jodi Hamilton

Judwin Properties

Sandy Heinrich

Morgan Group

Shiza Jawad

SYNC Residential

Jamal Littles

Judwin Properties

Jessica Luna

Mosaic Residential

Jessica Lunsford

Venterra Realty

Lyndsey Naschke

Greystar

Sandy Perez

Q10 Property Advisors

Pam Rogers

AOG Living

Jessica Torres

Preferred Apartment

Communities

Joseph Turner

Greystar

Alex Van Fleet

Asset Living

Melinda Villalobos

RPM Living

Ashley Wolsey

Asset Living

Maintenance

Supervisor –

Multiple Properties

Jorge Pina

Parawest

Management

John Lester

Arise Equity

Management

Juan Martinez

Morgan Group

Rafael Silva

Ashford Communities

Robert Strickland

Greystar

Assistant

Manager

Yara Arias and Ray Gallegos

Judwin Properties

Danielle Allen

Hanover Company

Odalys Angel

RPM Living

Andrea Anguiano

Ashford Communities

Janice Arredondo

RPM Living

Stephanie Balcazar

Judwin Properties

Breanna Black

Morgan Group

Darryl Brown

Morgan Group

Marquita Carter

Mosaic Residential

Carolina Escobar

Morgan Group

Maria Esquives

Asset Living

Elena Garza

Fairfield Residential

Jonathan Green

Asset Living

Lollie Guzman

Francis Property

Management

Nikki Hafer

Asset Living

Kayla Hernandez

Morgan Group

Alicia Jimenes

Portico Property

Management

Candi Jongsamran

AOG Living

Peter Matthews

Morgan Group

Naveera Memon

RPM Living

Yadira Molina

Fairfield Residential

Brenda Morin

Abbey Residential

Chally Murillo

Banyan Equity

Management

Kevin Nepomuceno

Asset Living

Rebeca Portales

Abbey Residential

Christopher Rivera

Asset Living

Jaqueline Rojas

Banyan Equity

Management

Kevin Rubio

Morgan Group

Odilia Rusuriye

Morgan Group

Jessica Sandavol

Banyan Equity

Management

Gerard Stone

Hanover Company

Samantha Valenzuelaa

Greystar

Brandye Walters

Stonemark

Management

Mary Wetz

Abbey Residential

Jackie Wiegand

Fairfield Residential

On-Site Manager –

400 units or more

Jakelin Jaimez

BH Management

Erika Ayala

American Landmark

John Edward

Campuzano

Morgan Group

Marisela Garza

Portico Property

Management

Angela Gomez

Morgan Group

Stephania Gonzalez

RPM Living

Maria Huerta Sanchez

Greystar

Necole Steward

The Dinerstein

Companies/TDC

Management Co.

Corporate Support

Professional

Joslin Philley

The Dinerstein

Companies/TDC

Management Co

Brian Arroway

Cortland Partners

Cameron Gray

Greystar

Sara Hinson

AOG Living

Cassidy Rae Jones

Venterra Realty

Alfredo Lopez

Ashford Communities

Seeley Orsak

AOG Living

Sabrina Orta

AOG Living

Victoria Perez

Mosaic Residential

Shamika Piggee

New Hope Housing

Ryan Raser

GWR Management

Paola Rodriguez

Foresight Asset

Management

Maritza Santibanez

Asset Living

Margarita Swift

Vidalta Residential

Elton Yang

Ashford Communities

Supplier

Liz Levins

Gemstar

Construction

Tammy Broadway

American Fire Systems

Brandon Coleman

Chadwell Supply

Deborah DeRouen

Clutch City Consulting

Steve Griffith

Precision Appliance

Leasing

Giovanna Gone

Century Air

Conditioning Supply

Bo Hang

Redi Carpet

Jim Martensen

Epic Multifamily

Construction

Tracey Moore

Flooring Warehouse

Melanie Morales

Encore Services Tx

Arely Pena

Redi Carpet

Victoria Sepulveda

The Liberty Group

Xochitl Sheffield

Camp Facility Services

Mason Storrs

Conditioning Supply

Victoria Tiemann

Redi Carpet

Crystal Varela

Century Air

Conditioning Supply

Andrew Vasquez

G&H Trash Valet

Facundo Villarreal

Northwest Construction

Marketing

Professional

Shelby Dovell

SYNC Residential

Kylen Abarca-Kanoa

Hanover Company

Nicole Alvarez

Ashford Communities

Margaret Bailey

Asset Living

Tiffany Blau

AOG Living

Shannon Gaines

The Dinerstein

Companies/TDC

Management Co

Courtney Schultheis

Avenue5 Residential

Shauna Steele

Mosaic Residential

Kayla Williams

Greystar

Portfolio Supervisor

Valerie Lacy

Cushman & Wakefield

Megan Behrens

Asset Living

Kara Brown

American Landmark

Alisha Cain

Greystar

April Conway

Banyan Equity

Management

Lisa Gotte

Morgan Group

Stephanie Higgins

Fairfield Residential

Mindi Hill

Cortland Partners

Kadeem Hodge

Valiant Residential

Jeff Hope

Greystar

Tania Jasso

Keener Management

Melanie Marshall

RPM Living

Susie Martinez

Asset Living

Nikcole McGee

Asset Living

Paula McQueen

AOG Living

Jackie Mendez

Devonshire Real Estate

Christina Montalvo

Venterra Realty

Maria Morales

Guardstone Property

Management

Monica Morales

Q10 Property Advisors

Oscar Pacheco

Ashford Communities

Danasha Richard

SYNC Residential

Karina Slaydon

Portico Property

Management

Michele Swilley

Morgan Group

Lindsay Torres Smith

Summit Property

Managment

Anna Towns

Asset Living

Candace Tucker

Asset Living

Jessica Wheeler

Greystar

Training

Professional

Jeff Crump

Hanover Company

Malcolm Allen

Asset Living

Jason Hughes

Cortland Partners

Michael Johnson

AOG Living

Lidney Molina

Ashford Communities

Andrea Salazar

Banyan Equity

Management

Kendra Young

Francis Property

Management

Independent

Rental Owner

John Boriack

Veritas Equity

Management

Courtney & Jeff Gorley

Roark Equity

Amer Kumar

Ashford Communities

Shelley Nichols

Banyan Equity

Management

Owner/Senior

Executive

Keshia Smith

Portico Property

Management

Brian Hawthorne

Asset Living

Amy Lewis

Asset Living

Codi Stepanski

American Landmark

Rising Star Supplier

Mason Storrs,

Century A/C Supply

Go-Getter of the Year

Ryan Raser, GWR Management

2026 Honors Property Finalists

7 Seventy, Francis Property Management

Aero On Upper Bay, Banyan Equity Management

Briarstone, Mosaic Residential

Camden Vanderbilt, Camden Property Trust

Dominion Post Oak, Westdale Asset Management

Hanover Autry Park, Hanover Company

Mirella, Greystar

The Abbey at Spring Town Center, Abbey Residential

The Delta Pearland, Venterra Realty

The Fountains at Memorial City, Morgan Group

The Madison, Greystar

The Parker, Morgan Group

Villas By the Bay, Banyan Equity Management

Alta Sunset Heights, Greystar

Art House Sawyer Yards, Greystar

Artistry Design District, Asset Living

Broadstone New Territory, BH Management

Camden Downtown, Camden Property Trust

Campanile on Commerce, Blazer Real Estate Services LLC

Hanover Parkview, Hanover Company

Hanover Rice Village, Hanover Company

Hanover River Oaks, Hanover Company

Hollyoak Senior Living, Blazer Real Estate Services LLC

Laguna Vista Apartments, Banyan Equity Management

Lakeview Apartments, Banyan Equity Management

Neuhaus Apartments, Flournoy Property Group

Old Farm, BH Management

Pearl Marketplace, Morgan Group

Pearl Residences, Morgan Group

Sonoma Apartments, Roark Equity LLC

The Abbey at Briargrove Park, Abbey Residential

The Grand at Upper Kirby, Westdale Asset

Management

The Lofts at 3402, Banyan Equity Management

The Lofts at Spring Lake, Banyan Equity Mangement

The McCarthy, Morgan Group

The McKinley at Memorial City, Morgan Group

Century Air

& Asset

Management

The Westheimer, Greystar

Welcome Mat

OWNERS

3304 Fountainview LLC

Wayne Au 3304 Fountain View Dr

LEASING OFFICE

Houston, TX 77057-7633 (281) 948-1998

Wilshire Apts

CES Asset Management, LLC

Previn Jones

3131 Emancipation Ave #289 Houston, TX 77004 (713) 249-4249

Row House CDC

Chozen Luxe PM

Jasmine LeDoux 2411 Fondren Rd #6103 Houston, TX 77063 (832) 429-5160

Dumore

Cedar Kerrigan Referred by Jasmine LeDoux

Elliron Residential

Keri Hall 13785 Research Blvd

Austin, TX 78750 (512) 464-1500

Harmony Park

Nantucket at Fannin Station

Southfork Lake

Orleans at Fannin Station

The Bammel Charleston at Fannin Station

Ironstone Property Management

Wen Janson 2416 Underwood St

Houston, TX 77030 (713) 459-4295

2001 Bering Dr E 29th St

Ironstone SFH Properties Referred by Thomas Bright

Overstreet International

Management dba OI Residential

Victoria Garcia 8116 Spring Cypress Rd Spring, TX 77379-3123 (281) 603-9900

Greenville Townhomes

Presidential Shores Three Lakes 2612 Castle St

Orange Street Homes

Sandpiper Management LLC

Tara Simons PO Box 684

Matagorda, TX 77457-0684 (979) 318-2701

Sandpiper

Shadow Park Apartments LLC

Venkat Yerubandi 420 Garland Dr Lake Jackson, TX 77566 (979) 906-4200

Shadow Park

Triten Real Estate Partners

Noelle McCutcheon 3657 Briarpark Dr #300 Houston, TX 77042 (832) 214-5000

TX Nueva Manager LLC

Nancy Reyes 5300 W Gulf Bank Houston, Texas 77088 (281) 809-5219

Villa Nueva

Welch Luxury Homes, LLC

Matthew Choi 9782 Westview Dr Houston, Texas 77055 (832) 887-7231

Welch

SUPPLIERS

A1 Wrecker LLC

Amanda Canchola 13007 Newbrook Dr Houston, TX 77072 (346) 428-7864

Towing Service, Wrecker Service

Apex Signal Advisors

David Taylor 5900 Balcones Dr #100 Austin, TX 78731 (281) 938-5844

Management Consultants, Market Research & Analysis

Automatic Cow Systems LLC

Dipendra Shrestha 812 Marshall #1 Houston, Texas 77006 (917) 480-9170

Amenities, Food Preparation

BrightView Landscape ServicesThe Woodlands

Kelby Catchings 6225 Shadowbend Place The Woodlands, TX 77381 (832) 379-4683

Landscape Contractors, Irrigation Systems & Equipment, Arborists, Lawn Maintenance

Faith J Construction Inc

Juan Garza 21506 Gentry Rd Cypress, TX 77429-3353 (832) 520-7371

General Contractors, Painting Contractors, Remodeling & Repair-Building Contractors, Concrete Repair, Drywall Contractors, Building Maintenance, Builder-Developer, Cleaning Systems - Pressure, Roofing Contractors, Carpenters, Concrete Contractors, Mold Remediation, Paint, Construction Mgmt-Consultants, Demolition Services, Fences, Gutters & Downspouts, Insulation Contractors

Foxen

Rocio Flowers 333 W Nationwide Blvd Columbus, OH 43215-2311 (614) 642-4828

Insurance, Credit Reporting Agencies

Liberty Rent

James Burwell 12800 Whitewater Drive #100 Minnetonka, MN 55343 (877) 581-7368

Leasing Services, Ancillary Revenue Providers

Mobiledumps Houston

Tony Wolverton 21555 Barrett Knolls Dr Richmond, TX 77406 (832) 535-1589

Junk Removal, Dumpster Service Referred by Joe Benefield

Planet Painting & More LLC

Mario Quintanilla PO Box 941692 Houston, TX 77094-8692 (346) 565-4126

Painting Contractors, Janitorial Services, Resurfacing, Carpet Cleaning

Restoration Management Company

Jenny Helena 1721 Minters Chapel Rd #100 Grapevine, TX 76063 (972) 802-9415

Fire/Water Damage Restoration, Mold Remediation

Steamatic of Southwest Houston

Abhilash Davidson 13000 Murphy Rd STE 130 Stafford, Texas 77477 (281) 678-7735

Air Duct Cleaning, Algae/Mold/Mildew Removal, Appliance Removal, Asbestos Abatement & Removal, Asbestos Inspection & Mgmt, Blinds, Cabinets, Carpenters, CarpetWholesale, Carpet Cleaning, Counter Tops, Demolition Services, Disaster Preparedness Service, Disaster Recovery/Relief, Drywall Contractors, Fire/Water Damage Restoration, Floor Laying, Refinishing & Resurfacing, Floor Materials, Granite, Odor Control, Paint, Pressure WashingEquipment & Service, TileCleaning - Refinishing & Sealing, Tile Installation

Subcontain of Greater North Houston

Matthew Young 2509 N Yorkchase Ln Conroe, TX 77304 (936) 290-5539

Waste Reduction/Disposal/Recycling, Trash Containers

Referred by Facundo Villarreal

Sustainability Solutions

Tori McGalliard 300 Old Gerault Rd Flower Mound, TX 75028-4001 (888) 657-7582

Plumbing Fixtures/Parts/Supply, Water Conservation

WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems

Norman Adams 3920 Gattis School Rd. STE 103 Round Rock, TX 78664 (281) 967-9507

Laundry Equipment & Supplies, Laundry Service, Washer/Dryer Rental, Washer/Dryer Sales, Washer/Dryer Parts

Water Service USA

Kal Abushaaban 13550 S Gessner Rd Houston, TX 77489 (877) 710-2777

Water Filtration & Purification Equipment, Water Softeners, Water Treatment Equipment Service

ALL SUPPLIER MEMBERS are listed online at www.haabuyersguide.com, searchable by product/service category or company name.

The Supplier Network

HAA’s Ambassadors celebrate the Fourth of

June Top Producers:

with

Tie for first place: Dennis Juarez, Furniture Options - Team Power Partners (93 pts), and Melanie Morales, Encore Services - Team Game ChangHAAs (93 pts)

Second place: Steve Griffith, Precision Appliance Leasing - Team Power Partners (33 pts)

Third place: Yanelis Capote Guerroro, Sherwin Williams - Team Power Partners (30 pts)

June Graduates:

Paige Friesen, Native Smart Properties - Power Partners

Natalie Portra, Houston Roofing and Construction - Game ChangHAAs

Johnny O'Shaughnessy, Gambit Construction - Game ChangHAAs

Emily McAnelly, Sherwin-Williams - Maroon MHAAdness

Angelina Valencia, Glass Doctor of Greater South Houston - Maroon MHAAdness

Meoshe Hennesy, Electricity On - Game ChangHAAs

Chris Agner, American Water Savings - Power Partners

Daphne Serrato, Doctor Tree Pro - Game ChangHAAs

Melissa McIntosh, Redi Carpet - Power Partners

Doyle Williams III, Fresh Aire of Galveston County - Maroon MHAAdness

Team photos at left, from top:

First place – Power Partners - 237 points

Second place – Game ChangHAAs - 149 points

Third place – Maroon MHAAdness - 91 points

Mark your calendars and join us!

Ambassador ONE Society meetings: August 5, September 2, October 7, November 4, no December meeting

The meeting spot is Kirby Ice House, 1015 Gessner Road, Houston, Texas 77055.

Portfolio Changes

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

• AOG Living: Sierra Meadows, 90 units at 9835 N Sam Houston Pkwy E in Humble.

• Asset Living: 33ThirtyThree, 529 units at 3333 Weslayan St; Harper's Mill, 180 units at 16160 Kieth Harrow Blvd; and Cleveland Pioneer Crossing, 32 units at 414 N Holly Ave in Cleveland.

• Avenue5 Residential: Bloom at West University, 120 units at 1939 Westpark Dr.

• Axiom Residential: Spooner, 20 units at 1001 - 1007 S Spooner St in Pasadena.

• Banyan Equity Management LLC: Arcata Townhomes, 165 units at 1550 Blalock Rd.

• Better World Properties LLC: Garden Oaks, 80 units at 5610 Royal Palms St.

• Bilvee Investments LLC: Colonial Ridge, one unit at 2306 Colonial Ridge Dr in Friendswood; Selder, one unit at 16702 Selder Dr in Friendswood; and General Colony, one unit at 2510 General Colony Dr in Friendswood.

• Capstone Real Estate Services Inc: Orchard at Hull, seven units at 4553 Hull St; and Nubia Square, 192 units at 3711 Southmore Blvd.

• Centra Partners LLC: La Serena, 172 units at 4343 S Shaver St in Pasadena; and Eagle Crest, 200 units at 5303 Atascocita Rd in Humble.

• Chozen Luxe PM: Dumore, one unit at 5174 Dumore Dr; Cedar, two units at various locations; and Kerrigan, one unit at 7202 Kerrigan Ct in Spring.

• CLMS Management Services LP: The Landings at Northpoint, 292 units at 220 Northpoint Dr.

• Core Management Group: Sierra Meadows, 90 units at 9835 N Sam Houston Pkwy E in Humble.

• Davis Development: Rylan Vintage Park, 461 units at 14701 Vintage Preserve Pkwy.

• Elevate Real Estate Management: Mount Vernon Lofts, 42 units at 4509 Mt Vernon St and Haven at Bellaire, 297 units at 20220 Bellaire Blvd in Richmond.

• Friedman Management Company: The Park at Salerno, 198 units at 12801 Champion Forest Dr.

• Gemstone Management LLC: 74 Lyerly Place, 103 units at 74 Lyerly St.

• GPI Real Estate Management Corp: Walnut Creek, 280 units at 11411 Green Plaza Dr.

• Greystar: Broadstone Candela, 312 units at 27027 Oran Ridge Dr in Richmond; US Fairgrounds, 310 units at 28325 Retail Ln in Rosenberg; 3 Corners East, 327 units at 9999 Kempwood Dr; and 3 Corners North, 388 units at 10010 Kempwood Dr.

• Gyler Management Inc: The Macie, 101 units at 1010 S Wayside Dr; Glenwood, 64 units at 9255 W Sam Houston Pkwy S; and The Oasis, 144 units at 10250 Lands End Dr.

• Hanover Company: Hanover Sugar Land, 360 units at 16629 Old Richmond Rd in Sugar Land.

• Investors’ Property Services: Alders Magnolia, 184 units at 33118 Magnolia Cir in Magnolia.

• Ironstone Property Management: 2001 Bering Dr, one unit at 2001 Bering Dr #7J; E 29th St, eight units at 602-608 E 29th St; and Ironstone SFH Properties, five units at various locations.

• Kairoi Residential: The Mill Residences, 342 units at 2315 Navigation Blvd.

• Keener Management LLC: Northbrooke, 240 units at 17111 Hafer Rd.

• Mosaic Residential Inc: Ava Galleria, 182 units at 3360 McCue Rd.

• Olympus Property: Olympus Creekside Park, 360 units at 8440 Creekside Green Dr in The Woodlands, and Olympus at The Woodlands, 292 units at 26700 Kuykendahl Rd in The Woodlands.

• On Point Capital LLC: Bender Hollow, 102 units at 424 S Bender Ave in Humble.

• OneWall Communities: Kendall Manor, 272 units at 21717 Inverness Forest Blvd, and Dover Pointe, 168 units at 14445 Wallisville Rd.

• Overstreet International Management dba OI Residential: Presidential Shores, 12 units at 13165 Snow Ln in Willis; Greenville Townhomes, 25 units at 2519 Washington St in Waller; Orange Street Homes, 12 units at 3011 Orange St in Waller; Three Lakes, 42 units at 30647 Vilma Ln in Hockley; and 2612 Castle St, eight units at 2612 Castle St in Waller.

• Portico Property Management: Kings Cove, 192 units at 4920 Magnolia Cove Dr in Kingwood.

• Prime Space Investments, LLC: Summer St Apts, four units at 1312 Summer St, and Summer St Casa, one unit at 1310 Summer St.

• Regard Property, LP: Regard at Med Center, 319 units at 8877 Lakes at 610.

• ResProp Management: Brookside Gardens, 240 units at 3525 S Sam Houston Pkwy E, and Park at Humble, 216 units at 9390 FM 1960 Bypass Rd W in Humble.

• Tarantino Properties Inc: Falls of Braeswood, 282 units at 8801 S Braeswood Blvd; Midtown Grove, 51 units at 3603 Chenevert St; and The ICON @ Peakwood, 83 units at 810 Peakwood Dr.

• TriArc Living LLC: Golfcrest, 29 units at 3045 Golfcrest Blvd; Memorial Hills, 44 units at 1819 C Briarcreek Blvd; Park at Monza, 301 units at 1601 Garth Rd in Baytown; and Park at Sorrento, 179 units at 3400 Shady Hill Dr in Baytown.

• TX Nueva Manager LLC: Villa Nueva, 540 units at 5300 W Gulf Bank Rd.

• Veritas Equity Management: Oak Bend, 152 units at 915 Baker Dr in Tomball.

• Welch Luxury Homes, LLC: Welch, 14 units at 1608 Welch St.

• ZRS Management LLC: Alexan Fulshear, 351 units at 6116 Texas Heritage Pkwy in Fulshear.

In the News

HAA is saddened to announce the passing of long time member and Go-Getter Fernando Gomez on June 20. He will be greatly missed.

Alexis McDaniel has joined RAM Construction as the Marketing and Business Development Director.

Gomez

McDaniel

Empower Your Membership!

Recruit and network with HAA!

2026

Chairs:

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

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

Meeting dates: September 17 December 10

Let’s shoot for the stars and SHINE together! Join us for our next Go-Getter Meet & Greet! ✨

DO YOU KNOW A POTENTIAL SUPPLIER MEMBER?

Invite them to this Meet & Greet so they can learn about the benefits of HAA. They’ll get a chance to meet the HAA staff and other members to see what we’re all about to help make their decision that much easier.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?

A chance to win $1,000 cash! For each new member you recruit this year, you'’l earn a raffle ticket to go into a drawing at the December end of the year meet up. The more you recruit, the more chances you earn to win!

PLUS! At each meeting, win a gift card ($25 to $100) for every new member you recruit this quarter! You’ll also earn recognition at both local and state levels! And $250 cash prize awarded to top recruiter for each quarter!

Visit the Go-Getter Corner at the QR code for more on how you can recruit!

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 Inhabit

Deborah DeRouen

FIND SONNY!

ABODE ADVENTURES

Click on Sonny the Star found somewhere in the online ABODE at ✨https://issuu.com/haa_abode/docs/abode_aug_2026

✨ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel ✨ Email members@haaonline.org to enter!

Follow that Star! Each month in ABODE, our hidden Membership Star, Sonny, will pop up somewhere in the online magazine. Your adventure is simple:

1. Find Sonny

2. Click, subscribe to @HAATV and 3. Email members@haaonline.org to enter!

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?

Index of Advertisers By CATEGORY

A/C Supplies

Century A/C Supply Inside Front Cover 281-530-2859 www.centuryac.com

Electric Contractors

Affordable Quality Electric 31 713-695-5992 www.acuityelectric.com

All Power Solutions 49 281-397-1294 www.a-p-s-llc.com

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

Furniture - Outdoor

Texacraft 25 281-494-1541 www.texacraft.com

General Contractors

MultiFamily Services 50 713-266-9100

Redux Construction 21 713- 816-4424 www.trustredux.com/ RENCON 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

Laundry Equipment & Supplies

WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems 5 281-967-9507 www.washlaundry.com

Paint

Behr Paint 45 800-431-3000 www.homedepot/proxtra.com

Management Companies

Greystar Back Cover www.greystar.com/careers

Q10 Property Advisors 13 admin@q10pa.com

Personnel Agency

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

Plumbing Contractors

AAA Plumbers 1 713-462-4753 www.aaaplumbers.com

Air Express Construction & Plumbing 43 713-498-7751 www.airexpressconstructionandplumbing.com

Best Plumbing 19 713-697-4400 www.bestplumbing.net

Screens

Ameristar Screen and Glass 2 713-683-6767 www.ameristarglass.com

Swimming Pool Service

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

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.

Thank you to our members, staff and local community for coming out in support of HAA’s Blood Drive on Thursday, June 4 at the HAF Education Center. Thanks to these generous individuals, 27 units were donated, exceeding our goal for the drive!

Thank you, donors!

Steve Griffin

Tina DeFiore

Kasaundra Wright

Matilde Luna

Jakki Posada

Kyoko Campbell

Ben McPaul

Karina Rodriguez

Ashley Duncan

Robert Webre

Cecilia Martinez

Maria Fuentes

Carlos Granado

Jessica Clark

Estela Ramirez

Elias Ortega

Ryan Bruner

Jaime Artola

Sherbondy

Patricia Oshea

Carol Berglund

Neel Mehta

Monica Gracia

Joe Slaughter

David Vasquez

Heidi Ewald

Lindsay Torres-Smith

Karen Hefner

Mason Storrs

Giovanna Gone

The next HAA Blood Drive is set for Wednesday, November 18 at HAA. Come give the gift of life!

Andy

ABODE August 2026

CONTENTS

August 2026

ON THE COVER

FEATURES & PHOTOS

COLUMNS & MONTHLY UPDATES

OFFICERS AND ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP

ABODE

EXECUTIVE SUPPLIER MEMBERS

Letter from the President

CATCH ALL THE FIREWORKS AS OUR HONORS AWARDS COVERAGE STARTS HERE

This

Exclusive Supplier Member

Cold Comfort

Changes to A/C requirements in Houston rental properties.

HOUSTON CITY Councilwoman

Current Code in Houston:

Council Member Salinas’ Proposal:

Other Major Texas Cities Requirements:

Steering through the Storm

What to know as hurricane season makes landfall.

HURRICANE SEASON

Want more Howard?

Maintenance Appreciation NIGHT Celebrate Our star Maintenance professionals with the Astros

On the Scene

AUGUST

19

25

26-27

SEPTEMBER

9

10

17

22

23

29

Golf Tournament

30-October 13

Discover the Ultimate Roadmap to Success with new speakers for 2026

What is Avenues?

How can I attend?

What does this get me?

Pricing:

Summer Business Exchange Connect 4

Property management supervisors and executives:

Suppliers:

Briarstone

Less than 100 Units Property of the Year

On the Scene Photos by

2026 Honors Awards

The Best of the Best in On-site Management

Leasing Professional of the Year

Katie Jackson, Francis Property Managment

On-Site Manager (1-199 Units) of

the Year

Martha Harris, Banyan Equity Management

On-Site Manager (200-299 Units) of the Year

Griselda Vasquez, Banyan Equity Management

On-Site Manager (300-399 Units) of the Year

Vania Thompson, Greystar

On-Site Manager (More than 400 Units) of the Year

Jakelin Jaimez, BH Management

Joslin Philley, TDC-The Dinerstein Cos.

Marketing Professional of the Year

Shelby Dovell, SYNC Residential

Assistant Manager of the Year

Yara

Arias, Judwin Properties

Assistant Manager of the Year Ray Gallegos, Judwin Properties

Portfolio Supervisor of the Year

Valerie Lacy, Cushman & Wakefield

Training Professional of the Year

Jeff

Crump,

Hanover Company

Independent Rental Owner of the Year

John Boriack, Veritas Equity Management

Owner/Senior Executive of the Year

Keshia

Smith,