The NAA Apartmentcast

Where does your rent payment actually go? In this episode of the NAA Apartmentcast, Director of Advoacy Research Leah Cuffy returns to break down NAA's latest Dollar of Rent research and follow each cent from mortgage payments and operating expenses to property taxes, payroll and more. 

We explore what's driving the cost of providing rental housing, why expenses are rising faster than revenue and what shrinking margins mean for housing providers, residents and the broader housing affordability conversation.

To learn more about NAA's Dollar of Rent Tool, visit https://naahq.org/research/dollar-rent-tool

To learn more about the 2025 dollar of rent, visit https://naahq.org/news/where-dollar-rent-went-2025

Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

The rental housing industry has moved beyond asking whether AI will change the business. Now, the question is, "what is working?" 

In this sponsored episode of the NAA Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association, we sit down with Paul Yount, Industry Principal for Yardi, to look past the buzz to explore where AI has genuinely changed operations in multifamily, not just leasing but maintenance, resident experience and the parts of the business that don't get talked about as much. We also dive into where AI is creating real value, where expectations are running ahead of results and what operators are learning as adoption grows. 

If you're looking for a practical conversation about the opportunities, obstacles and next phase of AI in rental housing, this episode is for you. 

For more on Yardi, visit yardi.com

Please note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

If you’ve spent any time talking with operators recently, you’ve probably heard some version of the same challenges: Finding great people, keeping great people and helping them grow. 

At a time when staffing pressures remain high, burnout continues to affect onsite teams and technology is reshaping how work gets done, the future of talent has become one of the most important conversations in rental housing.

In this episode, we sit down with Kelli Lea, Senior Regional Manager for Greystar and 2025-2026 President of the NAAEI Board of Directors, and Pam Weber, NAAEI Senior Vice President, to discuss what they’re seeing from across the industry, emerging workforce trends leaders should be paying attention to, and how education and professional development are evolving to meet the moment.

We also explore how AI is changing professional development, why credentials still matter and what every rental housing professional can do today to future-proof their career. 

To learn more about how the National Apartment Education Institute can yhelp you succeed in the rental housing industry, visit https://naahq.org/naaei 

Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

In this sponsored episode of the NAA Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association, we sit down with Miguel Lopes, Senior Manager at Yardi Breeze, and Matt Seashols, Director at Yardi, to tackle a huge question facing the industry: How do we do build resident loyalty that lasts? 

Resident loyalty isn't built through a single interaction. It develops through every touchpoint, from move-in to renewals and the everyday resident experience. Lopes and Seashols discuss how incentives and rewards can help rental housing providers deepen resident engagement and encourage valuable behaviors. 

If you're looking for a practical discussion about designing loyalty experiences that are convenient, relevant and connected to broader operational goals, this episode is for you. 

For more on Yardi Breeze, visit yardibreeze.com.

Please note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this sponsored episode, we sit down with Krista Hurley, Industry Principal, Agentic AI Workforce, RealPage, Inc., and Sarah Covington, CAM, HCCP, Operations Specialist at Summit Property Management, to explore one of the rental housing industry's most pressing questions: How do we do more with the teams we already have? 

Across the industry, the conversation is shifting from staffing shortages to something even more fundamental: Capacity. As onsite teams manage increasing complexity, resident expectations, and operational demands, the question is no longer simply how to hire more people; it's how to enable existing teams to accomplish more. 

If you're looking for ways to boost efficiently, improve resident experience and get more impact from your teams, this episode is for you. 

For more on RealPage's Lumina AI suite, visit https://www.realpage.com/platforms/lumina-ai/

Please note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Every so often, something happens in Washington that people have been talking about for so long that it's easy to wonder whether it'll ever actually happen. For housing policy, that moment arrived with the passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.

The legislation has been called the most significant housing bill in decades, bringing together a broad package of reforms aimed at increasing housing supply, improving affordability and modernizing federal housing programs. For NAA and the rental housing industry, it's also the culmination of years of advocacy and engagement. 

On this episode, NAA AVP of Federal Legislative Affairs Owen Caine sits down to discuss exactly what made it into the bill, what it means for housing providers and what happens next. So what exactly made it into the bill? What does it mean for housing providers? And what happens next?

To learn more about the passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, visit https://naahq.org/news/what-new-housing-law-means-rental-industry. For more on rental housing advocacy, visit https://naahq.org/advocacy

Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

This year’s Apartmentalize education program is stacked - and we’re going behind the scenes. In our latest episode, we sit down with Clark Ebbert, NAA’s Conference Education Programming Director, who curates the entire learning experience for the industry’s biggest event. We talk about the can’t‑miss topics, the trends shaping the industry and the sessions guaranteed to level you up. If you want to walk into the conference already ahead of the curve, this episode is your shortcut. Listen now and get the inside scoop - and stick around for a special registration code somewhere in this episode!

Learn more and register now for Apartmentalize, June 17-19 in New Orleans at https://naahq.org/apartmentalize

Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Insurance costs are rising faster than almost any other expense in rental housing — and the impact is reshaping operations, underwriting and long‑term strategy. In this episode, National Apartment Association Manager of Industry Research Eri Bajomo breaks down the data behind today’s multifamily insurance cost acceleration and what it means for owners, operators and investors.

Drawing from her recent analysis for NAA, Bajomo explains why premiums are climbing nationwide, how reinsurance markets are driving volatility and which regions are experiencing the sharpest increases. We also explore how rising insurance costs affect budgeting, deal feasibility, risk management and property performance across the multifamily housing sector.

If you work in real estate, property management, asset management or multifamily investment — or you simply want to understand one of the industry’s most disruptive trends — this conversation offers clear, actionable insight into the forces reshaping insurance in 2025 and beyond.

For more on NAA’s Research offerings, visit https://naahq.org/research 

Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Get ready—this episode of the NAA Apartmentcast is all about celebrating the heartbeat of our industry: RPM Careers Week! We’re joined by Shellie Sims, Director of Workforce Development and Career Awareness at the NAA Education Institute, for an inside look at why this nationwide celebration is bigger, bolder and more important than ever.

We’re spotlighting the dynamic, people‑first career paths that make residential property management such a powerful place to grow. From April 20 through April 24, we’re calling on the entire industry to jump in and make some noise. Follow the daily themes, share your stories, shout out your teams and nominate the standout professionals who keep our communities thriving. And with the RPM Careers Week Toolkit, participating has never been easier.

Every post, every nomination, and every moment of recognition fuels our mission to attract new talent, strengthen our workforce and remind RPM professionals just how essential—and appreciated—they truly are. This is your week to celebrate, elevate and amplify the incredible people behind the properties.

For more on RPM Careers Week and to access the Toolkit, visit RPM Careers Week | National Apartment Association. To learn more about NAA’s Education Institute, visit https://naahq.org/naaei. 

Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

On this episode of the NAA Apartmentcast, we’re joined by Leah Cuffy, NAA’s Director of Advocacy Research, for a deep dive into the economics behind the Dollar of Rent—NAA’s data‑driven tool that breaks down exactly where each rent dollar goes and why it matters.

Cuffy reveals how that dollar is stretched across operating costs, taxes, maintenance, payroll, insurance and more — painting a clear picture of what it truly takes to provide rental housing today.

We dig into the pressures shaping the industry, the misconceptions that fuel policy debates and why understanding the cost structure of rental housing is essential for meaningful conversations with lawmakers.

For more on the Dollar of Rent Tool, visit Dollar of Rent Tool | National Apartment Association. If you want to explore NAA’s broader advocacy work—including policy resources, industry priorities, legislative trackers and grassroots tools—visit Advocacy | National Apartment Association

Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only.