BOSTON– WinnCompanies has been recognized as a leading organization in Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) by the Massachusetts Apartment Association (MAA), wrapping up a year in which eight different apartment communities developed and managed by the company earned awards from regional and national multifamily industry groups.
“The strength of WinnCompanies comes from the diverse experiences and vibrant cultures of our talented team members, partners, clients and residents. This award is for all our team members who foster a culture of inclusivity when they come to work each day with colleagues and in the communities we serve.” said Mai Dang, chair of the company’s DEI Committee. “We pledge to continue to do the work to help lead the way in removing barriers and creating opportunities for diversity, equity and inclusion within our shared communities and beyond.
The DEI award recognized WinnCompanies for significantly advancing and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within their organization. Roughly 60 percent of the company’s team members identify as people of color, with 56 percent of managerial and executive-level positions held by people of color. In addition, 46 percent of team members are women, and 52 percent of managerial and executive-level positions are held by women.
The MAA’s Communities of Excellence Awards were announced December 3 and honored exceptional multifamily property styles, of all sizes, and celebrate the best in property management based on service to residents, to the community, and financial performance.
Three Winn-owned communities, all created through the adaptive reuse of historic structures, earned MAA Excellence Awards:
· Stone Mill Lofts, an 86-unit mixed-income property in Lawrence, MA was named Sustainable Community of the Year as one of the first all-electric mixed-income multifamily properties in Massachusetts. It opened earlier this year inside the city’s oldest mill, using a fossil-fuel-free design that is expected to use far less energy and emit much fewer greenhouse gases than a typical gas-fired multifamily structure.
· Whaler’s Place Apartments and Manomet Place Apartments, both 19th century manufacturing factories located on abutting historic properties in New Bedford, MA, were named Senior Community of the Year. Collectively, the communities offer 222 affordable apartments homes for residents ages 55 and older.
· Sterling Lofts in Attleboro, MA, was honored by the MAA as Affordable Community of the Year. The 91-unit mixed-income community for seniors opened in 2019 inside an early 19th century jewelry factory.
“This year’s award-winning communities represent every facet of the company’s development and management capabilities and earned well-deserved recognition from our industry’s most respected organizations thanks to the work of our talented and dedicated team members,” said WinnDevelopment President and Managing Partner Larry Curtis. “These honors also underscore the value of adaptive reuse as a vital technique for creating affordable and workforce housing inside historic structures. We are proud to be a national leader in the field.”
In addition to the DEI and property honors, Adelia Abreu, an assistant property manager at Curtain Lofts, a 97-unit affordable housing community in Fall River, MA, earned the MAA’s Rising Star of the Year Award for her performance.
Earlier this year, the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) honored four Winn properties with its coveted Vanguard Awards, which recognize newly developed or significantly rehabbed affordable multifamily housing communities that showcase high-quality design and resourceful financing.
· The Gordon H. Mansfield Veteran Community in Tinton Falls, NJ, won in the NAHMA’s New Construction category. Developed with Soldier On, a non-profit based in Pittsfield, MA, the 70-unit community opened in 2021 and provides 70 units of permanent supportive, affordable housing for male and female veterans.
· 201 Canal in Lowell, MA, was the winner in the New Construction category. Opened in 2022, the 125-unit community is a true mixed-income development featuring apartments in all income categories, including 54 units of workforce housing.
· Mill Street Square in Paterson, NJ, was the NAHMA winner for Major Rehab of a Non-Housing Structure. Opened in 2023, the development used new construction and historic adaptive reuse techniques to create 74 units of affordable housing, with 52 units targeted to multi-generational households with grandparents raising grandchildren.
· Southbridge Mills in Southbridge, MA, won in the Major Rehab of a Historic Structure category. The 48-unit affordable housing community opened in 2023 following the adaptive reuse development of a late 19th century mill building.
The National Apartment Association (NAA) selected two WinnCompanies developments as winners of the 2024 NAA Excellence Awards, an annual program that recognizes excellence and leadership across the rental housing industry.
In addition to honoring 201 Canal as Small Community of the Year, the NAA selected Mission Main Apartments in Boston as the winner of its Affordable Community of the Year Award. A public housing community first built in 1940 and replaced in 1998, Mission Main is a 535-unit property jointly owned by WinnCompanies and the Mission Main Tenant Task Force through a ground lease from the Boston Housing Authority. It is undergoing a $66 million renovation that will modernize apartments, heating and cooling systems and amenity spaces, as well as implement comprehensive social services and install high-speed internet for every household.
