Get ready to roll the dice, spin the wheel, and celebrate the hardworking maintenance teams that keep our communities running smoothly! The Greater Nashville Apartment Association (GNAA) is proud to host the Maintenance Appreciation Casino Event—a day dedicated to honoring and recognizing the dedication and skill of maintenance professionals across GNAA member properties.
This exciting event will take place on May 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Airport. Attendees can enjoy a thrilling casino-style experience, complete with blackjack, craps, roulette, and more—plus delicious food and drinks to keep the energy high.
The event is free of charge for maintenance personnel, but registration is required at gnaa. org/events.
Big Thanks to Our Sponsors
This year’s title sponsor is Elmington Property Management, leading the way in showing appreciation for maintenance professionals. Additional game sponsors
include:
Blackjack Sponsors: Rose Paving
HD Supply
LICRA - Nashville
Pye Barker Fire & Safety
Craps Sponsors: Contractors Inc.
BluSky Restoration
Roulette Sponsor: Surface Experts
Mega Jenga Sponsor: Wright Construction
But that’s not all! Other event sponsors include:
Playing Money Sponsor: RPM
Living
Photobooth Sponsor: VPC
Beverage Bar Sponsors: Artisent Floors
Bug Solutions
CAMP Facility Services
Gardens of Babylon
Google Fiber
R3 Contractors
Superhero Fire Protection
Timberland Partners
Food Sponsors: Chadwell Supply
Freeman Webb
RCI Mechanicals
Real Floors
Wheeler Inc
Prize Sponsors:
ATI Restoration
Get A Grip Rasa Floors
Sponsor Opportunities Still Available
Want to be part of the fun and show your support for the hardworking maintenance teams? There are still sponsorship opportunities available for:
Blackjack
Roulette
Texas Hold ‘Em
Connect 4
Cornhole
Tabletop Skee-Ball
Food
Sprize
Contact GNAA today to secure your sponsorship and be part of this fantastic celebration!
Don’t miss this chance to honor the heart of our industry—the maintenance teams who make it all possible. We can’t wait to celebrate with you at the GNAA Maintenance Appreciation Casino Event!
BUILDING LEGACY LEAD program taps future leaders
In the fast-paced world of property maintenance, where every leaky faucet and faulty HVAC system is a challenge waiting to be conquered, a new generation of leaders is emerging. These individuals aren’t just fixing problems—they’re shaping the future of their industry. Through the Greater Nashville Apartment Association’s (GNAA) LEAD (Leadership, Education, and Development ) program, maintenance professionals are gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence to elevate their careers and make a lasting impact.
For Cosme Granados, a Maintenance Technician at Brentwood Hills Luxury Townhomes, the journey is about deepening his expertise, especially in HVAC. "I want to further my knowledge and understanding on maintenance, especially HVAC," he says. Like many others in the program, Cosme recognizes that continuous learning is key to success in a constantly evolving field.
Denzell Wells, a Maintenance Technician at 1070 Main/Elmington, sees LEAD as
more than just a stepping stone—it’s a philosophy. "My career aspiration, which I intend to achieve through the LEAD program, is to become a regional maintenance supervisor. LEAD, to me, means embodying honesty and humility while building credibility through consistent actions. It requires serving others first, maintaining transparency, and actively listening and soaking up knowledge from experts within the organization. The best leaders know two things: 1. There’s always something to learn in every aspect of life. 2. Knowing when to follow."
Gabriel Ventura, a Maintenance Technician at Tapestry at Brentwood Town Center/Greystar, has a clear goal in mind: "To become a Maintenance Supervisor." Simple, yet powerful—his dedication to growth is evident, and the LEAD program is providing the structure to help him get there.
Cosme Granados
Denzel Wells
Gabriel Ventura
Gerome J. Smith, a Maintenance Technician at Gazebo/ Freeman Webb, believes that success is about education and connection. "My career goal is to educate myself through training and connect with great people in the field. The sky is the limit. LEAD is a program that hopefully will guide myself and others to success. We are the future. The LEAD program means that I am worth the encouragement to be a great leader as well."
For Jamar Hunt Sr, a Service Manager at Gossett on Church/Greystar, the sky isn’t even the limit. "In the future, I wish to become a regional manager or much more. The LEAD program is a stepping stone and a staple of my career achievements to pursue more accomplishments."
James Payne, a Maintenance Technician at Brentwood Hills Luxury
Townhomes, dreams of leading his own team: "Being a supervisor over my own property."
Meanwhile, Jayce Blackwell, also a Maintenance Technician at Brentwood Hills Luxury Tow-nhomes, is eager to meet others in the industry and expand his expertise: "To further my education and understanding of maintenance and to meet other people alike and business owners."
For Justin Pinson, a Maintenance Technician at Everett and Emory/ Sentral, know-ledge is the key to excellence. "Furthering my education, and to be equipped with more tools to become great at my job."
Chevalier Lamont Sanders, a Groundskeeper at Waterford Cross-ings/Arlington Properties, has his sights set on
becoming a full-fledged Maintenance Technician, while Michael Markland, a Service Supervisor at Broadstone SoBro/Greystar, is focused on balancing leadership with self-improvement. "With the help of the LEAD program, I am not only hoping to further my leadership/mentorship abilities and learn how to incorporate that with my current skill set to promote myself higher, but to also refresh on the basics of each day as to not become complacent while I do further myself."
And for William Stithem, a Service Manager at The Artessa/ Carter Haston, the LEAD program serves as both a refresher and a foundation: "The LEAD program is a good refresher—a way to know and learn about the proper ways of doing everyday work in our industry." Each of these individuals brings a unique vision and determination to the LEAD program.
Gerome Smith
Jamar Hunt Sr.
James Payne
Jayce Blackwell
Justin Pinson
Lamont Sanders
William Stithem
Michael Markland
St. Patrick’s Day Mixer Recap
From Advocacy to Action
How My Journey in Property Management Became a Mission for Inclusion
“Diversity in all its forms is the path to greatness”-James D. Wilson. In all aspects of life everyone forms his or her own path to success.
My story, however, has been a unique yet defining journey into the identity and perseverance of my purpose.
This purpose has been both my challenge and triumph. I, like most people in the era of these times, have struggled with the undertaking of yielding my voice to represent and advocate for my oldest son, who was diagnosed with autismunderlying Aspergers syndrome for the first 3 years of his life.
There are no instruction manuals or guidebooks give insight into the proper care for individuals that communicate different than others as so seemingly the term “neurodivergent” fits so well but this quest for insight has been a blessing within the property management world.
I started in this field 4 years ago, looking to find a way to help others and positively represent diversity and disability with the double superpower it demands.
I wanted to be a part of a community of inclusion and togetherness that could build an undeniable representation for those who feel invalidated by both mental and physical prejudices.
Advocacy is the steppingstone to the foundation
of a unified front for both those who need and resonate with these invisible boundaries.
The Greater Nashville Apartment Association has given me the flexibility to help others, radiate positivity, and effectively hold the struggles of work-home balance.
Through this association I have found haven, similarity, patience and understanding.
I am beyond grateful for the voice that I have been bestowed with.
My family, children, friends and even residents who come in all such beautiful and unique layers get to entrust their identity and ideals within me and know that I can reflect these principles daily and still hold true to the professionalism that makes me stand out.
Diversity in all its different forms is not an elective or hobby of passion.
It is more profoundly, the epitome of the origins of generational change. These changes can forever mold the basis of inclusion for all.
My story comes from a similar struggle to most; however, my resilience and fortitude has been elevated by my son.
The mixture of humility, mental health, and my faith give me the endurance to recognize how powerful one’s purpose can be for those both near and far to them.
My strength has been found by working in an
environment where kindness, consideration, and vigilance are key. I am truly honored to and appreciative to be allowed to share
my beautiful puzzle pieces.
I hope that we can all attach our stories and create the wonderful world that is the true term of the definition of “DIVERSITY”. Jade Jones, Radius at Donelson
May
NAA update on housing regulations:
How Federal Regulations Are Affecting Affordability and Supply
As the nation grapples with a significant housing shortage, policymakers and industry leaders are turning their attention to regulatory reform as a means of increasing housing supply, lowering costs, and improving affordability. The National Apartment Association (NAA) and the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) have urged the White House to conduct a comprehensive review of 32 federal programs, rules, and regulations spanning 10 different agencies. Their goal is to identify and eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens that stifle housing development and drive up costs.
The Role of the Choice in Affordable Housing Act
One legislative effort aiming to address these challenges is the bipartisan, bicameral Choice in Affordable Housing Act. Reintroduced by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), alongside Representatives Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.-17) and Emanuel Cleaver (Mo.-5), the bill seeks to reform the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD)
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. The HCV program is widely regarded as a critical tool for assisting low- and moderate-income renters. However, participation from housing providers has been
hampered by excessive regulation and bureaucratic inefficiencies. The proposed reforms aim to reduce these barriers, incentivizing greater landlord participation and enhancing housing stability for vulnerable populations.
Regulatory Barriers and Their Impact on Housing Costs
New research conducted by economists from MetroSight, sponsored by the NAA and NMHC, highlights the ways in which overregulation negatively affects rental housing affordability. Among the key findings:
Source-of-income laws increase operational costs by over 10%, largely due to the
complex and duplicative leasing process of the Housing Choice Voucher program.
Just cause eviction laws and right-to-counsel statutes drive up collection losses by more than 37%, likely extending the eviction process and discouraging housing investment.
Restrictions on criminal and resident screening lead to increased capital expenditures by over 17%, as housing providers upgrade properties and raise rents to offset compliance costs.
A separate study by NMHC and the National Association of Home Builders found that regulations imposed by all levels of government account for an average of 40.6% of multifamily development costs. These additional expenses limit new construction and restrict housing accessibility for families in need.
The Legal and Policy Landscape
Regulations intended to protect tenants can sometimes create unintended consequences that exacerbate housing shortages. The Trump administration prioritized reducing housing costs by cutting regulatory red tape, a goal echoed by the current push for federal compliance reviews. By reassessing these requirements, lawmakers and industry stakeholders aim to strike a balance between tenant protections and a sustainable rental market.
With voters signaling strong support for
affordable housing initiatives, elected officials across party lines are under increasing pressure to act. Regulatory reform presents a viable, immediate step toward facilitating new housing development and ensuring affordability for millions of Americans.
Moving Forward: Balancing Protections and Growth
Striking a balance between regulatory protections and housing supply expansion is a complex challenge. Policymakers must ensure that well-intended regulations do not inadvertently reduce housing availability. By addressing inefficiencies and streamlining compliance requirements, legislative efforts like the Choice in Affordable Housing Act can play a crucial role in resolving the nation’s housing crisis.
As discussions continue at the federal level, stakeholders from all sectors must collaborate to craft policies that uphold tenant rights while promoting investment and development in the housing market. The outcome of these efforts will shape the future of affordable housing for generations to come.
New pathway to CAM cert opens doors for aspiring managers
Staff have identified an B
ig news for aspiring Certified Apartment Managers (CAMs)— starting July 1, 2025, you can earn your CAM credential sooner, even if you don’t yet meet the experience requirement!
At the November Assembly of Delegates (AOD), the NAAEI Program Administration Committee approved a Provisional CAM Credential option, making it easier for students, assistant managers, and career changers to jumpstart their journey in apartment management.
What’s Changing?
NAAEI is introducing a Provisional CAM Credential for candidates who haven’t yet
met the one-year experience requirement:
You can complete the training and pass the exam to earn a Provisional CAM Credential.
You’ll have up to two years to submit verification of employment experience, including internships, to earn the full CAM credential.
The annual renewal requirement will begin once the full credential is earned.
Why This Matters
Until now, earning a CAM credential required one year of apartment management experience upfront—a barrier for many promising
professionals. This change levels the playing field, allowing motivated individuals to start their training now and gain the necessary experience as they advance in their careers.
Next Steps
If you’re considering the CAM credential, mark your calendar—this new pathway applies to all applicants starting on or after July 1, 2025. Want to learn more? Join us on November 13 for a discussion and vote on this proposal.
This is your chance to fasttrack your career in apartment management—don’t miss it!
Driving success in 2025
10 Simple Ways Apartment Communities Can Boost Recycling
Recycling is key to reducing waste and conserving resources, but it can be challenging in apartment communities. Fortunately, with a little effort and creativity, recycling can be made easy and effective. Here are 10 ways apartment communities can improve their recycling game:
1. Place Convenient, Clearly Labeled Bins
Make it easy for residents to recycle by placing separate bins for paper, plastic, and glass in hightraffic areas like lobbies, garages, or laundry rooms. Clear labeling and simple instructions will help
reduce confusion and contamination.
2. Educate Residents with Recycling Workshops Knowledge is power! Offer workshops or informational sessions to educate residents about the importance of recycling and how to do it correctly. You can partner with local waste management companies to host events or distribute educational materials.
3. Incorporate Curbside Recycling Pickup If your apartment complex already offers
curbside trash service, consider adding curbside recycling pickup as well. It makes recycling even easier by allowing residents to simply leave their recyclables at the curb on scheduled pickup days.
4. Host “Recycling Days” for Special Items
For larger items like electronics, furniture, or hazardous materials that can’t go into regular bins, host designated “Recycling Days.” Partner with local organizations or recycling centers to collect these items from your residents.
5. Provide Recycling Incentives
Motivate residents to recycle by offering incentives. Consider organizing a contest between buildings or floors, with a reward for the area that recycles the most. Prizes can include gift cards, free parking, or a community party!
6. Make Recycling Part of Move-In/Move-Out Processes
Recycling education shouldn’t just happen once a year. Include recycling information as part of your move-in and move-out packets. Offer easyto-follow recycling guidelines to new tenants to establish good habits from the start.
7. Offer Eco-Friendly Alternatives
Make it easier for residents to recycle by offering eco-friendly alternatives to disposable products, like reusable shopping bags, compostable plates, and metal straws. This reduces waste before it even gets to the recycling bin.
8. Create Recycling Stations in Common Areas
Set up designated recycling stations in common areas like the pool, clubhouse, or gym. These stations should be well-marked and include bins for various recyclables, ensuring that residents can easily recycle while spending time in shared spaces.
9. Collaborate with Local Recycling Centers
Partner with nearby recycling centers to facilitate bulk recycling pickups or create a collection point for difficult-to-recycle items like batteries, light bulbs, and old electronics. It’s a convenient way to ensure all types of waste are properly disposed of.
10. Communicate the Impact of Recycling
Share regular updates on how much your community has recycled and the environmental benefits of those efforts. Use newsletters, social media, or bulletin boards to show residents that their actions are making a real difference. This keeps everyone motivated and engaged.
By implementing these 10 strategies, apartment communities can boost their recycling efforts, reduce waste, and help create a more sustainable future for everyone. It’s all about making recycling simple, accessible, and rewarding for residents!
Recycling gets complicated
Remember when recycling used to be fun? Local high schoolers would gather a few hundred milk jugs, and everyone would feel good about how the younger generation was saving the world.
Today, apartment managers pay heavy fines in many cities and towns when the recycling bins at their properties are contaminated by material like loose plastic bags or liquid food.
But in other counties and villages, waste haulers almost never issue fines. They may also be less than transparent about how much of the material they collect is actually recycled. That can be troublesome for apartment companies that would like to make promises to their investors and residents about their sustainable business practices.
Managers of apartment properties can be forgiven for being confused by the huge range of different requirements set by lawmakers and waste haulers in different jurisdictions.
“Rules are changing very quickly,” says Elizabeth Lutz, Vice President of Sustainability for Camden, based in Houston. “As more and more cities and states are implementing climate action goals or zero waste initiatives, ordinances are being passed that require us to offer certain services as well.”
Some places charge heavy fines, others don’t.
In some cities and towns, waste haulers are
serious about recycling — at least when it comes to collecting fines for contamination.
“These fines can certainly add up quickly,” says Katie Fluence, Director of Environmental, Social and Governance for Elme Communities, based in Bethesda, Md.
Elme owns and manages 22 apartment properties in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (the DMV). The waste haulers that serve these properties charge fines whenever the recycling they collect includes items that are not recyclable.
The fines range from $35 to $75 per incident at Elme’s properties in the DMV. An apartment property operated by Elme might have three large dumpsters serving 200 apartment units. Waste haulers pick up trash and recycling three times a week. So, if all three dumpsters of recyclable material include contamination on all three pick-up days, the property could be fined $675 a month, says Fluence.
In other jurisdictions where trash haulers impose fines, the cost can range from $50 for a contaminated bag of recycling to more than $150 for a contaminated compactor load. In New York City, the fines can be as large as $250 for a bad batch of recycling.
“We tend to see higher recycling requirements in barrier-to-entry markets and large urbanized areas,” says Greg Collins, Senior Director of Area
Maintenance Services for Greystar, based in Charleston, S.C.
Washington, D.C., has a District-wide “Zero Waste” goal to divert 80% of waste from landfills by 2040. To achieve that, the city plans to combine recycling, composting, e-waste recycling and even the incineration of some waste to produce energy. Apartment managers in D.C. will have to submit an annual waste diversion plan. Their buildings will also be subject to inspections by D.C.’s Zero Waste team to make sure they comply with the program’s minimum requirements.
State law in California — S.B. 1383 — requires jurisdictions across the state to separate waste into multiple streams of recycling and compost organic waste like food scraps. Several cities in California have even tougher statutes.
In sharp contrast, some jurisdictions in the U.S. don’t require recycling at all. In other places, waste haulers may collect material for recycling, but apartment managers rarely get charged fines to pay for contamination in the recycling bins or dumpsters.
For example, Elme has six communities in the Atlanta metropolitan area, mostly in the suburbs around the city. Only two of those properties are in jurisdictions where waste haulers collect recycling. One is in the City of Atlanta, which requires recycling by city statute. Even at those two properties, waste haulers rarely charge fines.
“We get far fewer contamination fees,” says Fluence. “I wish I knew where it was going and I could go tour a facility (municipal recycling facility) and say with confidence that everything that’s collected in this county is getting sorted and sold to its best capability. But I have yet to have that opportunity.”
Recycling got much harder after 2018.
Up until early 2018, recycling in the United States might have seemed relatively easy.
Nearly one-third (32.1%) of the municipal solid waste collected in 2018 was diverted to be composted or recycled, according the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That’s almost 94 million out of a total of 292.4 million tons of municipal solid waste collected in 2018.
However, it turns out there is a big difference between “diverted to be recycled” and actually being recycled. Before 2018 nearly half the tonnage of trash gathered in the U.S. to be recycled was bought by companies in China.
In 2018, China’s “National Sword” policy halted the import of plastics and other materials bought by Chinese recycling processors. A huge amount of the “recyclable” material sent to China had been contaminated with materials that could not be recycled. Overwhelming amounts of this material had piled up. A certain amount was eventually incinerated or spilled into the ocean.
After 2018, the recycling programs created by many
towns and cities had to find a new place to process material collected to be recycled. Many opened their own, new municipal recycling facilities.
To make it work, they had to solve the problem of contamination.
Many waste haulers collect “single-stream” recycling. All recyclable materials like paper, plastic and glass are collected in the same bins or dumpsters. Waste haulers bring all this material to a municipal recycling facility to be separated, sometimes by machines or sometimes by human hands. Different types of material are sold to different industries. Many soft plastics like plastic bags or “clamshell” packaging are now too expensive to profitably process and reuse. They get removed from the recycling stream and often get diverted back to landfills.
Other contaminants can make it impossible to use entire containers of material in recycling bins. Plastic bags tangle and clog some machines that process material. Liquids soak and eventually rot paper and cardboard. Broken glass can cut the fingers of human workers. Dumpsters of “recyclable” material that include contaminants like these can also get sent to the landfill. Or workers at a municipal recycling center may step in and remove the non-recyclable material by hand. Either way, an apartment property where contaminated material was collected will probably have to pay a fine.
Different municipal recycling facilities are vulnerable to different kinds of contamination, depending on how they separate material. Each waste hauler also accepts different kinds of material. The rules can also change with little warning, especially if prices rise or fall for commodities like cardboard, glass and the various types of plastic. For example, the local officials in Fairfax County, Va., recently decided not to collect glass as part of single stream recycling. Instead, glass can be dropped off at designated dumpsters throughout the county, says Fluence.
To avoid fines, apartment managers spend a lot of time educating residents — and then reeducating them when the rules change. Signs in the trash rooms are just the beginning. Camden posts on the resident portal for each community the waste services are available, where to take items and how to ensure they are handled and disposed of correctly. Email reminders, blog posts and publications like Camden’s “Resident Green Guide” also help drive the message home.
Some residents may have become cynical about recycling, especially if they have seen one of the many documentaries about recycling facilities in China or the kinds of plastic that are still rarely recycled.
“I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard, ‘I don’t bother recycling anything because it just goes to the landfill anyway,’” says Camden’s Lutz.
MANAGEMENT COMPANIES
Murfreesboro Housing Authority
L Thomas Rowe
415 North Maple Street Murfreesboro, TN 37130 (615)893-9414 trowe@mha-tn.org
AM Management Services
Joeny Frame 350 West Hubbard Street Chicago, IL 60654-5798 (615)521-9953
Manager1@ammanagementservices. com
COMMUNITIES
Modera SoBro
825 6th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 (629)236-5060 moderasobro@millcreekplaces.com Mill Creek Residential 404 Units
Grandview Eight LLC
Fred Yazdian 7175 Nolensville Road Nolensville, TN 37135 (615)776-7375 ycibuilder@gmail.com 44 Units
Clay Cunha 9575 Macon Road Cordova, TN 38016 (901)336-5138
clay@smcornerstone.com
Air Quality Testing, Asbestos Abatement/ Testing, Biohazard Waste Cleanup, Commercial/ Insurance Restoration & Reconstruction/ Repair, General Contractor (Remodeling/ Repair), Mold Abatement, Odor Removal, Tile Floor Cleaning/ Stripping, Water Extraction/ Damage
Who is a Go-Getter?
When current GNAA members refer new member applicants to GNAA, the referring member becomes a Go-Getter and receives a $25 bonus check for each referred member! The Go-Getter is also entered into a drawing to win a Go-Getter jackpot at the end of the year (amount of jackpot is dependent on how many Go-Getter referrals were made throughout the year).
Go-Getter Criteria
A GNAA member who refers a new member will receive a Go-Getter
Referral Bonus if they meet the following criteria:
Applicant’s completed GNAA membership application must have the GNAA member’s name listed in the “referred by” field of the application and the referral source is approved by the GNAA Board of Directors. Applicant is approved by the GNAA Board of Directors and has paid their new member dues to the GNAA office.
Applicant has not been a GNAA member in the last 12 months.
Go-Getter Referral Program Restrictions
Only current GNAA members in good standing qualify to receive Go-Getter referral bonuses. GNAA members who owe an outstanding balance must make payment before referral bonus will be issued. Referral bonuses are nontransferable to GNAA balances owned by members such as sponsorships, registrations, or other GNAA purchases.
Wyatt passes CAM Exam
GNAA is thrilled to celebrate Lindsey Wyatt of Carter Haston for passing the CAM exam! This is a significant achievement that demonstrates her dedication to professional growth and excellence in the apartment industry.
We’re proud to have Lindsey as a member of our association and look forward to her continued success in her career. Congratulations, Lindsey!
Local tapped as NAA Maintenance Legend, in running for grand prize
Collin Gregg, RPM Living, Greater Nashville Apartment Association was named a 2025 February Maintenance Legend by the National Apartment Association. Maintenance Legends celebrates maintenance professionals featuring stories that make them legendary! Three winners will be selected each month for their tales of going above and beyond for their rental housing communities. At the end of this season, one Maintenance Legend will drive away with an amazing grand prize. Gregg will have the opportunity to attend NAA Apartmentalize in June in Las Vegas and has a shot at winning the 2025 grand prize, which is a pickup truck.
