Page 28
— Multifamily Properties Quarterly — October 2015
W
ith the U.S. Census report-
ing homeownership at an
historical low of 63 percent,
more people are living
in apartments than ever
before. Colorado is no exception.
Which begs the question, exactly
who is living in these apartments?
According to the APPA National
Pet Owners Survey, 54 percent of
households with pets own dogs,
and Colorado is ranked 13th for
states with pet ownership, accord-
ing to the American Veterinary
Medical Association. With many
renters considering their pet a true
member of their family, the apart-
ment industry must embrace the
need to cater to dog owners.
We own and
operate nearly
2,000 apartments
in Colorado and
average a whop-
ping 63 percent of
dog owners in the
Denver metro area
alone.
To best serve res-
idents with dogs,
many apartment
communities have
beefed up pet-
friendly amenities
by installing “Bark
Parks” that range
from simple to the extravagant.
Amenities may include pet waste
stations, benches, washing stations
and playful workout equipment
coined as “agility equipment.”
The pet-owner lifestyle must be
embraced even for people living
in an urban high-rise. Some Colo-
rado high-rise apartments offer
play areas with specialized waste
management systems for owners
to exercise their dogs. Other apart-
ments offer walking, daycare and
grooming services. Some properties
offer a “Porch Potty” amenity that
brings a patch of real grass to the
patio, along with a fireplug and a
miniature drainage system, which
can be purchased online as well.
To further embrace the trend, BSB
Design of West Des Moines, Iowa,
is designing floor plans with “Pet-
Pods,” an area specifically set to
kennel or wash your dog within an
apartment unit. And some commu-
nities are hiring a service to pick up
those little deposits that pets leave
when owners are not responsible
for picking up after their dog.
Other apartments are beginning
to use services like Poo Prints, a
DNA identifying service to track
the dogs and their owners who are
registered and forgot to pick up
their deposits. Once identified, own-
ers are notified and, if persistently
in violation of policies, may be in
default of their lease terms and, in
some cases, evicted.
Of course, all these amenities
have a price. Pet deposits range
from $150 to $500 per pet. Monthly
pet rent may range from $25 to $50
per pet per month, which makes
sense because pets do cause more
wear and tear on apartments inte-
riors and throughout the commu-
nity. Building owners and managers
must appreciate dog owners, not
just for the joy our furry friends
bring to the communities, but also
because pet owners tend to stay
longer than those without pets,
according to a report from the
Foundation for Interdisciplinary
Research and Education Promoting
Animal Welfare.
s
Michael Brown,
CPM
Division vice
president, Camden
Property Trust,
Denver
Amenities
Photo courtesy RockVue Apartments
Amenities may include pet waste sta-
tions, benches, washing stations and play-
ful workout equipment coined as “agility
equipment.”
Photo courtesy Camden Caley
Catering to pet owners is becoming an increasingly important part of apartment amenities.
