Q&A with a non-profit property manager

Housing is one of the most basic human needs, right up there with food and love. For many in our society, life conditions have made affordable housing more difficult for them than for the average person. Enter charities and social service organizations devoted to easing this burden.

Chicago-based EdgeAlliance is a non-profit organization that, per its website, "assists its members in developing and operating quality housing and providing life-enriching services to vulnerable individuals and families." Specifically, they help those affected by HIV/AIDS, the disabled, and veterans. Their current director of property management, Joe Eldred, took a moment to talk to CareerBuilder about his job, its duties, and working for a non-profit in today's economy.
CareerBuilder: How did you get attracted to working for EdgeAlliance?

Joe Eldred: When I started talking with the company I realized that they were different from the other housing companies I had worked with. Not only are they working with a specific population -- HIV/AIDS clients -- but on top of providing housing they have a case management component to meet specific needs of the clients they house. I feel this is a key component to successful housing in the non-profit housing field. In my past experiences, without the proper case management a much higher rate of tenants fail to keep their housing. I was also impressed with the fact that they continue to expand and meet the growing needs of society: we are in the process of expanding our housing to vets.
CB: What, in a nutshell, do you do as director of property management?

JE: This is not easily summed up in a nutshell because there are so many parts to it. I will break it down into broad parts as best I can: A) Oversee the maintenance of the housing campus; B) Ensure that we are in compliance with all funders for our specific programs, from the application process to the move-in process through the entire time they are housed in our facilities. This includes initial certifications, yearly re-certification and interim certifications whenever there is a change in the household composition or income; C) Enforce all rules and regulations of the company as well as funders; D) Oversee day-to-day operations of the building; E) Work on the continuing growth of the housing program as the company grows.

CB: Do you spend any time for work off site, or travelling? If so, where to?

JE: Most of my time is spent on-site between office work and working with tenants. I am off campus a couple times a week, a few hours at a time, meeting with the president and vice presidents of the company, keeping them updated on where I am with specific projects and planning new projects with them as the company grows.

CB: To whom do you report, and how often do you have to meet with that person?

JE: My direct boss is Jim Flosi, the Founder, President and CEO of Edge Alliance, and I work closely with Basil Diab, the VP of Finance and Chief of Staff. I typically meet in person with Jim once a week and Basil once or twice a week, however we are in contact most days via email and phone.

CB: Is every day a busy day, or is there a cycle to the business (e.g. is the end of the month the heaviest for paperwork)?

JE: There is a never-ending amount of work to be done, however, and just like with any profession, there are busier times of the month and year. The first week of the month is rent collection and the end of the fiscal year is always busy. Because we work with and are funded by other agencies I have to work with their deadlines as well.

CB: Working for a non-profit, is your employment contingent on any grants or special funds getting renewed? Is that an issue in this challenging economy?

JE: In the non-profit arena, employment is always contingent to a certain degree on the obtaining and maintenance of grant revenue. Naturally, our agency endured much of the same effects of the recent economic downturn as most. We are fortunate in that our funding is relatively diversified and our operations are not solely dependent on one large grant. A positive side benefit of the recent economy is the incentive for non-profits to share their resources and think more creatively. We are doing things more proactively and efficiently than we have done in the past.

CB: What is your personal favorite thing about what you do?

JE: My personal favorite is working with a company that truly cares about the people they are serving. They serve specific populations and strive to meet their specific needs. I am lucky because I get to be involved in the business end as well as hands on with the tenants.