During my more than seven years as CEO of United Housing Connections, I gained a deep understanding of the work involved in securing capital, developing, leasing, and maintaining affordable housing. I often saw challenges arise when stakeholders viewed this complex work only through their own lens. That narrow approach led to communication gaps, coordination issues, and missed opportunities to understand how each part of the affordable housing process connects.
This disconnect ultimately inspired the creation of Leadwell 360, LLC.
Because our firm’s mission is not building or maintaining affordable housing, I won’t cover those perspectives. Instead, we’ll take a closer look at the perspectives that affect program and service delivery for affordable housing resident, and how this approach led to Leadwell 360’s success in program development.
The Property Owner’s Perspective
Property owners expect management companies to balance strong resident relationships, timely maintenance, and profitable operations. They also depend on managers to conduct regular inspections and address concerns early, before they become long-term problems that could reduce the property’s value.
The Management Company’s Perspective
Property Management Companies prioritize keeping units filled, collecting rent and maintaining the property while staying within budget. In other words, delivering a good bottom line to the owner, balanced with competitive rental rates and necessary property maintenance to keep units filled.
The Resident’s Perspective
Residents expect a well-maintained property where maintenance issues are addressed in a timely manner and rent is affordable. They also want the ability to quickly connect with property management with questions or concerns.
As you can see, all three of these perspectives have commonalities, but different priorities. Fostering collaboration among these three groups is where Leadwell 360 Consulting continues to make a positive impact.
The Leadwell 360 Perspective
Our primary goal was to build a program that brings these perspectives together through clear communication, collaboration, and transparency. This approach protects the owner’s interests, supports the property management team, and helps create a community where residents feel heard, valued, and well-supported.
Meaningful success—not just marginal progress—requires viewing a business, program, or project from a full 360-degree perspective. In this work, that means consistently considering the perspectives of owners, property managers, and residents to strengthen alignment and improve service delivery.
Over the past three years, our team has helped owners avoid thousands of dollars in lost revenue by supporting residents in remaining stably housed. We have connected residents in financial crisis with local resources for rental assistance, utilities, food, job training, and more. We have also served as a liaison between property management teams and residents, helping resolve issues that could otherwise have led to families and individuals losing their housing.
As the owner and founder of Leadwell 360, LLC, my mission is to use the experience I’ve gained over 28 years as a strategic planner, program developer, and project manager to create well-rounded programs that support upward mobility in our community. If you’d like to connect and learn more about our approach to program development and leadership, email me at lorain@leadwell360.com.
Until then, take care and Leadwell!