The apartment industry wasn’t spared Hurricane Isaias's wrath as it made landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 9 and moved inland.
In Milton, Florida, the storm blew the roof off the Playa Blanca Apartments, according to WKRG News 5 in Mobile, Alabama. No residents were hurt, though the power was out for several days.
Playa Blanca’s management didn’t respond to Multifamily Dive’s request for comment, but other major management groups, including the country’s largest operator, said their properties generally escaped damage as they prepared for the storm.
“We do not have many properties in the area that were impacted by Isaias,” Bailey Stone Zaunbrecher, a Greystar spokesperson, told Multifamily Dive.
Minor damage
Like Greystar, many of the larger operators Multifamily Dive contacted reported little to no damage from the storm.
Jackie Impellitier, chief operating officer at Orlando, Florida-based ZRS Management, the nation’s tenth-largest manager, said the hurricane's path did not affect its properties.
Cushman & Wakefield’s portfolio in the Florida Panhandle also fared well, according to Greg Mark, executive managing director, multifamily, for the nation’s seventh-largest manager.
"No major damage or injuries were reported,” Mark said in emailed comments. “The team did an amazing job preparing the properties last week in advance of the storm's arrival. Their efforts, as well as some good fortune, helped our properties come out of the storm in great shape.”
Property manager CLS Living had no conventional apartments impacted by the hurricane. However, one student property in Pensacola, Florida, lost power, according to Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Nix.
The Bainbridge Cos.’ Bainbridge Bel Aire in Crestview, Florida, didn’t have any major issues, according to Kevin Kochersperger, vice president of facilities at the firm.
"We have very little damage — a few downed tree branches — but overall, we fared well,” Kochersperger said in emailed comments.
Prepping for the storm
At Bainbridge Bel Aire, regional and corporate teams and vendors supported the community team as they prepared for the storm, according to Kochersperger.
“That layered approach gives our onsite teams the resources, communication, and support they need to respond effectively as conditions change,” Kochersperger told Multifamily Dive in emailed comments.
Kochersperger said the Wellington, Florida-based company’s preparedness starts with planning and training before hurricane season. Bainbridge then conducts midseason reviews to ensure its teams are ready and its plans are up to date.
“When a storm approaches, our priority is to execute the established plan, communicate clearly, and support the community through the event and recovery,” Kochersperger said.
After storms hit, Bainbridge reviews what worked, addresses concerns, captures lessons learned and adjusts plans, according to Kochersperger. “Continuous improvement is an important part of our emergency preparedness strategy and our overall approach to operations,” he said.
If Bainbridge had experienced issues from Hurricane Isaias, its on-site teams would have been supported, Kochersperger said. “No one is out there handling a storm on their own,” he said.
Click here to sign up to receive multifamily and apartment news like this article in your inbox every weekday.
