The Peabody Companies, a group of award-winning property management and real estate firms, has joined the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) Housing Providers Council, a national group of affordable housing providers who have pledged to help low-income renters register to vote.
Data indicates that historically, renters are less likely to vote than homeowners, particularly low-income renters. As such, the Peabody Companies is now exploring the possibility of providing a voter registration card to all future new lease holders as a way to ensure that their voices are heard.
“Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020 is bringing stronger electoral focus to the housing movement,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). “NLIHC is proud to partner with housing providers like Peabody Properties, who are making a difference by increasing voter turnout among renters in federally subsidized rental housing. Renters care deeply about voting, but they have more barriers to doing so successfully. These nonpartisan partnerships will help to close the voter turnout gap between homeowners and renters.”
“At Peabody, we believe that our residents count,” said Kate Swope, Director of Resident Services, noting that the company presently sends out voter information flyers and voter registration cards and has worked one-on-one with residents to help them register to vote. “Voting and completing the census are essential to ensuring that state and federal dollars are allocated for affordable housing and other important programs that support our residents. Providing a voter registration card to new renters at lease sign up would be a proactive measure for Peabody to make it clear that we believe our residents’ voices are important.”
On September 29th Swope presented on a national panel highlighting the work of Peabody Properties in voter registration and encouraging other large affordable housing providers to join the Housing Providers Council. “Low-income housing providers can play a critical role in helping renters register and vote and Peabody Properties is proud to support the work of the Our Homes, Our Votes 2020 national initiative,” added Swope.
About the Peabody Companies
The Peabody Companies and its affiliates – Peabody Properties, Peabody Resident Services, Peabody Supportive Housing, Peabody Real Estate and Peabody Miami – is headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts, at 536 Granite Street. A full-service real estate firm, Peabody Properties manages over 13,000+ units of housing throughout New England, as well as additional communities in New Jersey and Florida. This award-winning, privately held company and Accredited Management Organization (AMO) was incorporated in 1976 and is under the direction of Karen Fish-Will and Melissa Fish-Crane, who were recently ranked #31 (out of 50) on Glassdoor’s 2018 SMB Top CEOs list. Recognizing its long-term commitment to Resident Services as a unique area of expertise within the field of property management, a specialty sector, Peabody Resident Services was established and is dedicated solely to the development of support services and programs for residents of affordable housing. Designated as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE), and certified by the Massachusetts State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA), Peabody was recently ranked #49 on the 2019 National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) Affordable 100 List, as well as a 2017 and 2018 Top Place to Work by the Boston Globe and 2018 and 2019 Glassdoor Best Place to Work (most recently ranked #10). Learn more at http://www.peabodyproperties.
