Good morning!

We’re heading into the final stretch of the year, and I’m encouraged by how steadily we’ve been moving the ball forward. The work you’re doing to tighten operations and simplify the customer journey is already showing up in our numbers. Let’s keep that focus so we close November with real momentum.

— Lucas Robinson, Founder & CEO at BudgetMailboxes.com

🎯 This Week’s Strategy:

• Climate Resilience & Disaster Recovery Planning

🤝 Boardroom Brief:

• Towing Dispute at Eastland Apartments Sparks Resident Backlash
  

Strategy

🎯 Climate Resilience & Disaster Recovery Planning

Extreme weather events aren’t just increasing, they’re becoming more unpredictable. Property managers who proactively prepare for climate-related risks can significantly reduce financial impact, protect their assets, and keep residents safe. A strong Climate Resilience & Disaster Recovery Strategy helps management teams prevent disruptions, respond effectively, and recover quickly after an incident.

This week’s strategy breaks down how property managers can build resilience, strengthen preparedness, and implement a clear disaster recovery process.

How Property Managers Can Implement a Climate Resilience & Disaster Recovery Strategy

1. Assess Property Vulnerabilities & Environmental Risks

Before planning, property managers must understand the specific climate threats facing their portfolio - whether flooding, wildfires, hurricanes, extreme heat, or winter storms. A risk assessment reveals structural weaknesses, outdated systems, and areas where preventative investment is critical.

Action Steps:

✅ Conduct a climate risk audit reviewing insurance claims history, building age, elevation, and infrastructure weaknesses.

✅ Use local hazard mapping tools to identify flood zones, fire-prone areas, or storm exposure levels.

✅ Survey residents and staff to learn past experiences and overlooked vulnerabilities.

2. Strengthen Infrastructure & Implement Preventive Upgrades

Proactive upgrades significantly reduce long-term damage and operational downtime. Even small improvements can provide major protection when extreme weather hits.

Action Steps:

✅ Install water sensors, backflow preventers, or sump pumps in flood-prone properties.

✅ Upgrade roofing, sealing, drainage systems, and exterior insulation to withstand severe conditions.

✅ Invest in fire-resistant landscaping, defensible space clearance, or heat-reflective materials depending on regional risk.

✅ Ensure generators and backup power systems are functional and regularly tested.

3. Establish a Clear Disaster Response Protocol

A documented, easy-to-follow emergency plan ensures quicker, safer responses when disaster strikes. Staff and tenants should know exactly what to do, and who is responsible for what.

Action Steps:

✅ Create written response procedures for different scenarios (floods, fires, power outages, storms).

✅ Assign roles: communication lead, evacuation coordinator, maintenance responder, etc.

✅ Build a communication plan with pre-written alerts for tenants and vendor partners.

✅ Conduct annual emergency drills or tabletop simulations with onsite teams.

4. Build Strong Vendor & Community Partnerships

During a crisis, the speed of your response depends on who you can call. Pre-establishing vendor contracts and community relationships ensures access to resources when they are needed most.

Action Steps:

✅ Secure agreements with restoration companies, electricians, plumbers, and disaster recovery specialists.

✅ Partner with local emergency agencies and community organizations to align on evacuation routes and shelter plans.

✅ Keep an updated vendor priority list accessible to all team members.

5. Create a Comprehensive Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Plan

A strong recovery plan minimizes downtime, protects data, and ensures rapid return to normal operations. Property managers must prepare not only for physical repairs but also for financial, operational, and communication impacts.

Action Steps:

✅ Back up all tenant data, financial records, and operating documents in the cloud.

✅ Document step-by-step recovery procedures, including property inspections and insurance claim workflows.

✅ Develop a relocation strategy for displaced tenants if a property becomes temporarily uninhabitable.

✅ Track recovery timelines and restoration milestones to measure performance and reduce future risks.

How to Implement a Climate Resilience & Disaster Recovery Strategy

1. Identify Key Risks – Map out the climate-related threats specific to your region and your property portfolio.
2. Prioritize Preventative Investments – Direct your capital improvements toward the highest-risk areas first.
3. Train Your Team – Ensure staff are equipped with emergency skills and know their roles in the response plan.
4. Test & Stress-Test Plans – Run drills, review protocols quarterly, and update plans after each event or near-miss.
5. Measure & Improve Continuously – Track recovery metrics, tenant feedback, and vendor response times to refine the plan.

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Boardroom Brief

Towing Dispute at Eastland Apartments Sparks Resident Backlash

A recent dispute at The Eastland Apartments in East Nashville is a sharp reminder that poorly executed parking enforcement can quickly turn into a resident-relations crisis for property managers. Residents allege “predatory towing” after a new parking-tag system was introduced to protect spaces for both tenants and ground-floor retail, led to multiple vehicles being towed despite residents claiming they had registered and were following the rules. Tenants report low-quality hang tags that fall or degrade in heat, followed by costly tows in the $250–$500 per day range and no reimbursement, prompting some residents to plan non-renewals and take their complaints to local media. The management company maintains that towing is a necessary enforcement tool and says only a small number of residents have been affected, but the incident underscores a key operational lesson: any enforcement program that relies on fragile physical tags and strict penalties, without redundancy (e.g., plate registration with the tow provider, digital permits, or clear dispute-resolution channels), creates disproportionate risk to resident trust, brand reputation, and renewal rates, even if the original intention is to support retail partners and maintain parking availability.

Game

🎉 Fun Finale: Play & Poll

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