RENEW Partnership
At Hometown America, our diversity, equity and inclusion statement is not just a statement on our website. It's truly integral to the way we operate our company. From our team members to our residents, we appreciate the likenesses and differences of each person, and we are focused on creating communities that put diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at the center of our daily work.
This is why we sought out a partnership with the Real Estate Networking Education and Work program (RENEW), which is devoted to bringing two basic needs, employment and housing, to disadvantaged women caught in the cycle of poverty and homelessness. The program works with local nonprofit Women’s Empowerment to recruit and support students. It provides participants training and mentoring in the field of property management. They offer training sessions twice a year and run students through a comprehensive 6-week training in multifamily property management. This program is run entirely from private donations which provide students with Chromebooks, transportation assistance, meals, and other needed supplies to support their success.
"A program like RENEW offers more than job training, we are dedicated to career training. We want to see our graduates thrive in property management careers, and hope that their graduation from RENEW marks the beginning of their journey in this industry," shared Julia Marin, Program Manager of RENEW.
This fall, RENEW held their eighth session. As part of this session, Hometown provided curriculum assistance, guest speakers, mentors, resume assistance, and mock interviews. Hometown also hosted a training session for the students at Creekside Estates, located in northern California, where they toured the community and received information on our industry. Leslie Castillo and Stacey Henson, community managers from Creekside Estates and Spanish Ranch/Eden Roc, hosted and shared their insights and experiences. In addition, Leslie and Stacey spent time with students they are mentoring. Dani Crawford, our Northwest Regional Manager, also participated.
“This is our eighth session of RENEW and with each session I am moved by the grit and perseverance of our students as they navigate the training while overcoming significant challenges in their personal lives,” said founding board member Paula Nicholas of Cushman & Wakefield.
When the eighth session concluded in December, seven students completed the program and passed the exam on their first try with a score of 80% or higher! As part of the graduation ceremony, graduates were provided with their Google Chromebooks, a gift from Hometown, a year of complimentary passes to IREM Sacramento local education, a complimentary ticket to the IREM Sacramento Holiday Party, a professional headshot, resume review and a mock interview opportunity.
We are genuinely excited and inspired by this partnership because of the opportunity to make a real-life impact in the neighborhoods where our communities are located. There is a direct correlation with the work that we do and the immediate impact we can have in the lives of the students and the residents they serve. We wish the eighth session students all the success and happiness in their careers and look forward to watching them succeed.