Handling the Holidays With Inclusivity and Fun
Making multifamily residents feel welcome requires empathy, Fair Housing expertise and a solid DE&I policy.
Creating a sense of community is a year-round priority that many on-site, regional and corporate property management teams take extremely seriously. Getting it wrong during the holidays can damage relationships that have been carefully nurtured over the previous 11 months. That’s why creating an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere during the holidays—so no one feels left out, even if they observe the Winter Solstice or just celebrated Diwali in November—is so important.
Expert holiday planning at multifamily properties is more than good business—it’s the law. In 1995, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released a memorandum that addressed Fair Housing Act holiday decorations and provided clarity for managers and residents of apartment communities.
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HUD determined that Hanukkah menorahs, Christmas trees and Santa Claus are not religious, and their use is not a violation of the Fair Housing Act. The Kwanzaa kinara candleholder is also deemed cultural rather than religious.
From organizing a decorating committee to making trendy wreaths to having a post-holiday happy hour, there are plenty of ways to include all residents in the spirit of the season.
The Fair Housing Institute has compiled best practices to help managers prepare for fully inclusive holidays. One tip is realizing that no matter how careful you are, there may be a resident who complains. The team needs to understand how Fair Housing laws could apply and why. Address all complaints of religious discrimination. This includes complaints among neighbors. Listen to the resident, address the issue and document everything.
Keeping it secular
According to The Fair Housing Institute, the use of secularized terms or symbols relating to religious holidays does not constitute a violation of the Fair Housing Act. The long list of seasonal decor that is OK to use includes indoor and outdoor lights, wreaths, garlands, snowmen, snowflakes and reindeer.
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“When it comes to holiday decor at apartment communities, the number one rule to keep in mind is use no religious symbols,” noted Anne Sadovsky, Fair Housing expert & multifamily consultant. “That means no crosses or nativity scenes, no Stars of David, no Baby Jesus or manger—even angels are ‘iffy.’ Play no hymns or religious music in the office. Rudolf and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer are OK.”
Sadovsky warns, “One challenge is our words. It’s best to say Happy Holidays and not Merry Christmas.” Also, remember that property managers cannot control what residents use on their balconies, patios, in their windows and on their doors. “In these agitated times, we never know what is going to provoke hostile people or how the residents will react.” Sadovsky suggests that properties have guidelines in their Community Policies to disallow any political posters/pictures in/on their windows and doors. If wreaths are allowed on their doors, every resident can choose a theme as long as it is not political.
Promoting DE&I
Multifamily owners/operators with a strong DE&I framework in place year-round can easily segue into the holiday season with empathy and awareness. “I am very proud to be part of an organization that lives DE&I ideals every day,” said Erin Foley, vice president & managing director of multifamily operations at McKinley.
In 2023, McKinley hosted its first women’s luncheon to celebrate talent and provide a forum for female team members to engage, encourage and empower one another. For many years, the company has actively participated in the Pulse Organization commUNITY Rainbow Run, as well as donated to several LGBTQIA organizations.
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“During the holidays, we organize our community events which include food, activities and partnerships with donation drives and local gift giving services,” added Foley. “I find that one of the most inclusive things anyone can do during the holidays is connect with people and give back. When it comes to engaging with our teams and our customers, we don’t steer away from ideas—we listen to them. When you can relate to your customers, being inclusive comes naturally.”
Keeping it generic
Gables Residential has implemented a company-wide protocol regarding the holidays, according to Gigi Giannoni, senior vice president of customer experience and marketing. As part of its ongoing efforts to practice equity and inclusion, Gables’ corporate offices and all its apartment communities are tasked with representing the joy of the holidays without specific symbolism or decor associated with any single religion or culture.
“We typically do generic decor such as wreaths, bows, reindeer, decorative balls and battery-run candles,” said Giannoni. “When we host resident events, we leave it to the discretion of our regional and general managers to determine the flavor of the celebration,” she added. “When we have the opportunity, we always promote and encourage diversity, equity and inclusion not only in our on-site events, but also in our resident communications.”
Holiday social media campaigns are an excellent community relations tool. Inclusivity also involves encouraging residents to socialize on social media and in person through events or parties at a time of the year when they might feel lonely.
Gables has hosted holiday dinners and brunches, holiday gift exchanges, ugly sweater parties and gift wrapping events. Gingerbread house building competitions have also been popular. “We do put up some holiday trees, but they’re decorated in a general holiday theme,” added Giannoni. “We are revisiting the trees moving forward.”
Sense of community
Harbor Group International’s marketing team takes inclusivity seriously and plans out the whole year in advance.
“We have a diverse community of people from different areas of the business who work together to come up with a calendar of events and recognition for our employees. They also provide a variety of perspectives related to what our residents would want,” mentioned Jenn Williams, vice president of marketing for Harbor Group Management Co.
For December in particular, HGI is inclusive of all beliefs, but the team sticks to generic terminology. According to Williams, the preferred term is “holidays,” and they stay away from any particular December date. They schedule any gifts and communication for mid-December regardless of when certain holidays fall.
“At our specific locations, we’re hoping to build a sense of community,” mentioned Williams. “And so, residents really drive what decor we might want in our clubhouses. We want residents to be comfortable there. It really depends on what they want to see, so it could be different depending on the demographics of the people that are living here.”
Fair Housing is a big driver in everything that HGI does. “Even something as simple as holiday decoration can actually cause problems from a Fair Housing perspective, if you’re not really careful about it,” Williams pointed out.
Some HGI property teams put up a Christmas tree. Some display wreaths and menorahs. “Whenever we do holiday gatherings, we stick to our brand color which is a cobalt blue so that we’re not leaning toward any one side of things. It’s the same for any flyers or other holiday communications that we put out to the properties,” added Williams.
Of course, everybody loves twinkly lights. HGI also does ugly sweater competitions— including but not limited to Christmas sweaters—gingerbread house contests and holiday playlists. Residents are also invited to contribute to non-holiday playlists.
HGI has sent residents hot cocoa just because they’re heading into the winter months. Branded cookies are another way to celebrate the time of year when people do cookie swaps. For potluck dinners during the holidays, residents just naturally bring the dishes that are culturally significant to them. According to Williams, “There are things we can do that don’t have a religious connotation, but that are at the heart of what the holidays mean to people.”
She added, “I think the important thing is to keep it organic, make people comfortable, make sure that anything they want to celebrate, anything that they want to share with people they feel comfortable doing. I think that’s at the heart of inclusivity and belonging… There’s definitely some leeway given to different property managers in different places. It’s hard to speak unilaterally for everyone.”
Read the December 2023 issue of MHN.