The Brief

Content note: This episode discusses fatal shootings and workplace violence.
Home should be a place of safety. So should the workplace of the people who help make it possible.
In this special episode of The Brief, MHA President and CEO Cecil Smith joins Aubrey Albrecht for a candid conversation about the shootings at Davern Park Apartments and Shoreline Plaza and what they have meant for Minnesota’s rental housing community.
Together, they remember Nansi G. Fuentes Zambrano, Dena M. Silcox and Adam J. Wilwerding, acknowledge the grief carried by their families and coworkers, and discuss how MHA is supporting the industry through education and advocacy.
Cecil also shares his personal experience with workplace violence and explains MHA’s concerns about tenant screening restrictions, automatic eviction record expungements and remaining gaps in the expedited eviction process. The conversation closes with a message for rental housing professionals: your work matters, MHA is listening and you have a passionate advocate in your corner.
💛 Support the families of AJ, Dena and Nansi: gofundme.com🏠 Read about safety risks facing rental housing professionals: startribune.com📨 Read more about the threats reported before the Shoreline Plaza shooting: startribune.com📢 Learn more about MHA’s advocacy work: mmha.com/Advocacy
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor - Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net
 

In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan revisit the May/June 2024 issue of the Multi Housing Advocate, “Facing Fraud.” They examine how rental application fraud has evolved from fabricated pay stubs and synthetic identities to organized template farms and increasingly sophisticated digital schemes. The conversation looks at the vulnerabilities created by online leasing, the operational and financial consequences when fraud is discovered after move-in, and how clear criteria, source verification, specialized review, and layered screening can help protect the integrity of the rental process.
This episode includes a remembrance of Tony Karels, a longtime MHA instructor and contributor whose knowledge, generosity, and humor made a lasting impact on Minnesota’s rental housing community.🕵️ Explore Facing Fraud: mmha.com/Advocate🔎 Search MHA’s Buyer’s Guide: mmha.com/Buyers-Guide 📊 Read Snappt’s 2026 Multifamily Fraud Report: snappt.com📈 Review TransUnion’s 2026 rental fraud analysis: transunion.com
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Aubrey Albrecht sits down with Jennifer Spadine, owner of Guardian Property Management and Guardian Property Maintenance, past MHA board chair, longtime instructor, and active member of the MHA community. Their conversation covers Jennifer’s path into property management, the transition to business ownership, lessons learned through growth, and the role property managers play in creating stable, well-maintained housing. They also talk about why involvement in MHA matters, how relationships shape careers, and what it means to build a legacy through steady service, leadership, and showing up for the industry over time.
🤝 Learn more about MHA events and networking opportunities: mmha.com/Events 📚 Explore MHA education and training: mmha.com/Education🏢 Learn more about Guardian Property Management: guardianprop.com
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

Dashboards can tell you what happened, but not always why. In this episode, we unpack “Metrics That Matter,” the latest issue of the Advocate, and examine how housing leaders can look beyond physical occupancy, NOI, satisfaction scores, and other surface-level results. Learn how leading indicators can expose operational friction sooner and why resident experience, workforce capacity, economic conditions, and daily decisions all belong in the performance conversation.📖 Read “Metrics That Matter”: mmha.com/Advocate📊 Purchase MHA’s Survey Bundle: mmha.com/Survey-Bundle 📈 Learn about participating in the Operating Expense Survey: mmha.com/Operating-Expense-Survey💼 Learn about the Compensation and Benefits Survey: mmha.com/Compensation-and-Benefits-Survey
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan revisit the July/August 2024 issue of the Multi Housing Advocate, “Above and Beyond,” and examine what turns everyday resident service into a memorable experience.
The conversation explores how thoughtful communication, smoother move-ins, personal connection, and community involvement can build trust and loyalty. It also considers why going above and beyond must be balanced with fair and consistent treatment. Although published in 2024, the central lesson remains relevant today: exceptional service rarely requires a grand gesture. It begins with listening, following through, and making people feel valued.📖 Read Above and Beyond: mmha.com/Advocate🎟 Explore Changing the Game – Fall Conference & Expo: mmha.com/ctg 🎙 Coming October 2 – Interview with Jennifer Spadine: mmha.com/TheBrief
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this special one-year anniversary episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan count down the four most downloaded full episodes of the show's first year, from AI's New Frontier and Challenging the Moratorium to What Happened? and Diving into Debt. Then, Troy Weathers from Citizens State Bank, our founding sponsor, joins Aubrey Albrecht to talk about why the bank signed on from day one, what has stood out to him over the past year, and where he sees the industry headed next.
🎙 Listen to any episode mentioned today: mmha.com/Resources/The-Brief📖 Read The Advocate: mmha.com/Resources/The-Brief👥 Learn about MHA Membership: mmha.com/Membership/Membership-Information
 
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan go back to the January/February 2025 issue of the Multi Housing Advocate, “The Renter of the Future.” Drawing from articles by Matt Teasdale of METIS Development Group, Skylar Olsen of Zillow, Bethe Wright of Apartment Life, and Steven Ladin and Brian Anderson of CoStar Group with MHA’s Cecil Smith, they explore how renter expectations are shifting around flexibility, affordability, technology, pets, community, brand, and the meaning of home. The conversation looks at why the renter of the future is not one generation or one profile, but a broader set of signals housing providers should be paying attention to now.📘 Read the January/February 2025 Advocate issue: The Advocate🎓 Learn more about MHA Certification Programs: mmha.com/Certifications💬 Ask mihra: mmha.com/mihra
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan explore Leaving a Legacy, the latest issue of The Advocate. Drawing from articles by Jon Keimig of the University of St. Thomas Family Business Center, Matt Hozza of Kleinman, Peter Bailey of The Prouty Project, Angie French of MCMC, and Greg Cerbana of Weidner Apartment Homes, they examine succession planning, leadership development, knowledge transfer, governance, and what it takes to build an organization that can thrive beyond any one leader.📖 Read the latest issue of The Advocate: mmha.com/Advocate🤖 Ask mihra: mmha.com/mihra 🎙 Listen to The Brief: mmha.com/TheBrief
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Aubrey Albrecht talks with Erin Fransen, Chief Operating Officer and Principal at Timberland Partners and current Board Chair of MHA. Their conversation covers Erin’s path into multifamily, what it’s like to lead in a family-founded business, how EOS shapes Timberland’s operations, and what she sees ahead for the future of housing.
After the break, Denise and Logan ask mihra how members can get better results when using AI to refine emails, notices, and other correspondence. They also highlight MHA’s upcoming LINK-Up member event at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park.🤝 Register for LINK-Up at Park Tavern: mmha.com/Events/LINK-Up 🧭 Meet MHA’s Board of Directors: mmha.com/Board🤖 Ask mihra: mmha.com/mihra
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan dig into the September/October 2024 issue of The Advocate; The Other Value Add. They explore why professional education may be one of the smartest investments a housing provider can make. From Learning & Development as a business strategy to fair housing, onboarding, maintenance training, and lifelong learning, the conversation connects staff development to retention, performance, resident experience, and a stronger culture of professionalism. Plus, mihra builds a first-year learning path for a new leasing consultant using MHA professional education.
📖 Read the The Other Value Add: mmha.com/resources/advocate🎓 Check out MHA’s Onboarding Package: mmha.com/Online🎟️ Save the date for the Changing the Game Fall Conference & Expo: November 12th, 2026 🏆 Learn more about MADACS: mmha.com/Events/MADACS
🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net