CCRN Apartment Ministry

Research Sources, Interviews and Artifacts

Phase II Interviews

PHASE II INTERVIEWS

Phase II Contents

Introduction

Phase II Interviews were intentional learning conversations with several people who had first-hand experience in some form of apartment or multi-family housing ministry. My first interview was with Dave Snyder, who has been involved in multi-family real estate investment for 40 years, and has extensive experience in the ministry from the perspective of an investor. As I look back on this interview almost 2 years later, I realize how important it was in the learning and preparation process.

I then spoke with several individuals who had moved into an apartment complex to work on-site in a ministry role and served directly with residents. Jesse Mendoza, Pat and Chris Willey, and Andrew Kruse.

Dave Snyder

Interviews ...

Phase II - Mavens

Interviewee: Dave Snyder

Position: Founder & CEO of Continental Realty Group, Littleton, CO and Founder and Chairman of The Community Growth Foundation, Littleton, CO.

David has purchased in excess of $2 billion in investments of commercial and multifamily real estate for his clients and sponsored investment funds. He is a member of the board of directors of the National Multi-Housing Council and serves of the board of several non-profit organizations.

Date: Aug. 31, 2022

Location: Phone conversation, Puyallup, WA > Littleton, CO

Recording Media: None

Abstract: Dave Snyder was extremely helpful in giving me a bird’s-eye view of Apartment Ministry, bringing together the important lessons he has learned in over 40 years of experience as an investor. His company owns thousands of apartment units across the country, and they aim to have an apartment ministry in all of them. He is a talented investor, and has a well developed philosophy of ministry for multi-family housing. I am grateful for his willingness to share his wisdom, as he spoke openly with me about the challenges, struggles, and victories they have faced over the years. They use a hybrid model which includes BOTH an Apartment Life (AL) Cares Coordinator PLUS an Apartment Chaplain or ministry team from a local church near a complex.

Reflection: Speaking with Dave early in my research was instrumental in opening my eyes to several key elements about this kind of ministry, such as the importance of the relationship with the management in a complex. This is due to the suspicion and hesitation management often has toward such ministries, as well as some of the struggles related to the competence of managers. He was the first to share with me the fact that 95% of apartment residents do not regularly attend church. And he helped me understand how to share the financial advantages with apartment complex owners who may be considering a multi-family housing ministry. He shared the results they have seen in reduced turnover, increased profit, and the break-even point for ROI in the area of turnover reduction.

Notable points from this interview.

In the hybrid model they have adopted, the Chaplain or local church provides a more spiritually based ministry, while the AL Cares Coordinator provides social events, and networking.
This also helps to provide more consistent ministry to residents, as AL coordinators can have a higher turnover, often lasting only about 2 years in an apartment complex.
Apartment Life has been doing this ministry for two decades, their experience and reputation often allows us to get in the door.
Using Apartment Life also provides a layer of legal insulation.
One obstacle has been third party management that feels threatened by having a Cares Coordinator or Chaplin at a property.
The owners of the property, of course, have the final say, and can require the management to work with the ministry teams. But the success of the ministry will always be based on how well the ministry works with the management.
Apartment management, in general, is one of the most unprofessional industries in the country. Managers often have questionable education, and questionable life skills.
At same time, it is the apartment manager that knows what is going on in the lives of the residents of a community: who was just promoted at their work, who just lost a job, who just got married, whose kids are having trouble, who are facing financial difficulties, and who are facing a major tragedy in there life. So, again, the success of a chaplain, will be dependent on how well they can work with the management.
Sometimes complex owners believe that the program cost a lot, but we have seen complexes go from 75% turnover to 45% turnover saving over $3000 a year.
The threshold for the program paying for itself is about 150 units. So a 107 unit complex (like Boulder Park) may actually not save the owner money if they give up a unit for an on-site chaplain.
Some investors think they can’t make money with “impact investing,” but we have found the opposite to be true. When we take care of people better, the whole community begins to flourish more, and this eventually results in increased profits.
The success of a ministry is always a function of the on-site team.
There are difficulties when an on-site team sees it as a way of getting a free apartment rather than a ministry.
Knowing that I was working on a ministry that was an extension of Covenant Bible Seminary, Dave challenged me with the fact that “there are thousands of Christian schools and seminaries in the country, and I have never heard of one offering a degree in apartment management.” He believes that this is a huge and growing opportunity for ministry, and an open-door for creative platforms for spreading the Gospel.
He has seen first hand the impact on non-believers of the kindness shown by Christians through acts of service, and the powerful grace and mercy shown in the name of Jesus, and he says that we are often not taking full advantage of the opportunities that exist in this mission field.