CASA develops high-quality, affordably-priced rental housing and also manages these apartments, ensuring that our tenants are safe and comfortable in their homes. In return, CASA expects our tenants to be responsible neighbors, to pay rent on time, and to keep their apartments in good shape. How does this happen? How does someone become a CASA tenant? How does CASA meet the housing needs of a diverse group of tenants with disabilities? The answer to these questions is CASA’s Property Management Team.

Arnetta Adams-Brown is CASA’s Property Manager. She has 10 years experience in property management and is a Certified Apartment Manager by the Triangle Apartment Association. Arnetta oversees our two Leasing Specialists, Pamela Jackson and Mary Owens, as well as Sharon Marshall, our Leasing Administrator. These staff members provide professional customer service to our tenants, and do so in a way that addresses the complex needs of persons with a variety of disabilities.

For someone to move into CASA housing, they must be referred to us by a Service Provider. This Provider is often a case manager or social worker with a local government or non-profit agency, but can also be a pastoral or medical professional. CASA’s Property Management Team and the Service Provider work together to support the tenant in applying for housing, signing a lease, and moving in. All of our tenants’ Service Providers commit to visiting the tenant at home at least monthly, and to provide 24-hour on-call support.

It is an exciting and often emotional day when a new tenant comes in to CASA’s office to sign his lease and receive keys to his new unit. For tenants who have been homeless or who have been living in a group setting, this day marks a new beginning. During this meeting our Leasing Specialists explain to the tenant and his Service Provider the basics of how to lease an apartment: when to pay rent, what to do if he has a maintenance request, and how to be a good neighbor.

A proud, new CASA tenant holds his keys. He is flanked by CASA Leasing Specialists Mary Owens and Pamela Jackson and his Service Providers

Our Property Management Team’s main goal, however, isn’t just to fill up units, but to keep our tenants housed long-term. It is this goal and the strategies we use to achieve this goal that set us apart from other property managers. CASA’s Leasing Specialists conduct yearly inspections of every unit, and re-certify tenants annually. Our Leasing Administrator fields tenant phone calls and provides extensive tenant education about maintenance issues and rent payment. When a tenant is struggling, our Leasing Specialists initiate problem-solving sessions with the tenant and Service Provider to keep the tenant successfully housed.

CASA’s efforts to keep tenants in stable, permanent housing work:
•80% of tenants with disabilities that CASA places into housing each year remain safely and stably housed for the year.
•Nearly 85% of CASA tenants with disabilities who stay stably housed for one year continue to remain in their home for at least another year.

CASA is fortunate to work with so many dedicated professionals, and to have strong community advocates who make these outcomes possible for our tenants. The smiles and tears we see on move-in day are the result of these many efforts.