LIVEbe Communities, a premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, today announced the unveiling of its first ever “BEkind” month, in which team members and residents at the company’s four communities engage in a series of kind-and-wellness-infused initiatives throughout February. 

As part of the effort to celebrate national Kindness Month, LIVEbe has posted a Random Acts of Kindness Wall at each of its communities, each of which feature various ideas for kindhearted deeds. Residents at Baltimore-based 2Hopkins, for instance, are encouraged to engage in tasks such as paying for the person in line behind them, telling a manager how good their service was or even simple courteous measures, such as holding the door open for someone. Residents are encouraged to post photos of their philanthropic efforts on social media and tag their respective communities, and those featured on LIVEbe’s social media pages will be awarded with a Starbucks gift card. 

“While kindness certainly should be a year-round undertaking, it can be uplifting to spread the good vibes even further,” said Debra White, events coordinator for LIVEbe, who is spearheading the event. “Our associates and residents have embraced the concept, and the amount of goodwill and graciousness being displayed at our communities is truly touching. Reminding each other of ways we can be even more kind helps set the blueprint to foster connections through compassion, regardless of the month.”

Various LIVEbe residents are assembling gift boxes filled with beauty and bath essentials for women in shelters and assisted living facilities. LIVEbe is also offering gratitude journals with a 30-day kindness challenge designed to assist in developing daily thankfulness, mindfulness and positivity. Additionally, residents have the option to paint a reflective self-portrait designed to encourage self-love. As another component of Kindness Week, White is interviewing residents to gauge their perceptions of kindness in current times and what being kind means to them, with each interview posted on the Instagram of that resident’s community.

LIVEbe's communities are also engaging in a series of property-specific initiatives. The Remy, located in the Harkins District of Prince George's County, for instance, has focused on self-care initiatives. Residents were given chair massages by certified masseuses, underwent complementary blood pressure checks and routine health screenings, were offered healthy meal prepping information and samples from a local restaurateur and had access to a mind-body medicine workshop. Glen Oaks, located in Greenbelt, Md., provided a "heartfelt" community luncheon.

LIVEbe's team members, which are affectionately dubbed ambassadors, also play a key role in Kindness Month. Ambassadors are encouraged to show each other kindness and compliments by anonymously posting heartfelt notes to one another on their community’s "Praise Wall." Each associate also was provided with a Kindness bingo card with various heartfelt ideas on each entry. LIVEbe's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee also got into the spirit with a workshop at each community to help ambassadors use their personal talents to make others feel engaged and included.

“A primary characteristic of apartment living is that you’re always surrounded by people, and that shouldn’t be a cold experience,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. “One of the foundational pillars of LIVEbe is being connected to others, and BEkind month is an opportunity to showcase the devotion we have to our residents and our ambassadors. We’re appreciative of the enthusiasm surrounding the campaign, and it’s something that I could envision LIVEbe doing every February.”

LIVEbe Communities, a premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, today announced that all four LIVEbe-managed apartment communities have been recognized with 2022 SatisFacts Resident Satisfaction Awards. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the four communities were honored with the awards and the sixth consecutive year that all communities under the LIVEbe umbrella have been recognized.  

All four communities far surpassed the qualifying threshold, which is scoring above a 4.25-point average rating on a 5-point scale, based upon a minimum of 25 completed surveys. Baltimore-based 2Hopkins led the way with an average rating of 4.73. The Bowen (Bowie, Md.) scored an average of 4.64, Glen Oaks (Greenbelt, Md.) registered a 4.63 average and The Remy (a two-phase community in Lanham, Md.) averaged 4.62. 

LIVEbe, the multifamily division of Berman Enterprises, also earned a national SatisFacts Resident Satisfaction Award based upon the combined success of the individual communities. The company, which has won the award every year since its inception in 2016, averaged a robust 4.64 on 1,627 completed surveys across the portfolio, virtually duplicating 2021’s 4.65 companywide score. 

“We’re once again extremely honored to be recognized by an organization as esteemed as SatisFacts, which sets the gold standard for reputation analysis in the industry,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. “We never want to rest on our laurels when we receive these types of recognitions. It’s easy to sit back and think you’re doing well and don’t need to change anything. But all the credit goes to our wonderful community teams, who continue to push the envelope and curate new ideas for how to create a wonderful resident experience.”

2Hopkins, which also was recently honored with a 2022 Elite 1% ORA Ranking for finishing No. 693 of more than 130,000 properties in reputation ranking, is a luxury 21-story high-rise in Downtown Baltimore that includes 183 apartment homes and a refined package of amenities. The community was recently honored with a Downtown Baltimore Clean and Green Award for its improvement efforts and commitment to the downtown sector. 2Hopkins began leasing in 2017 and was the first apartment in the U.S. to implement refrigerated lockers from Smiota, Inc.

The Bowen sits approximately halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and features a superb location near the popular Bowie Town Center. Berman Enterprises acquired the four-story, 286-home community in 2014, and LIVEbe took over management responsibilities in 2018. 

Glen Oaks was acquired in 2014, and LIVEbe has steadily built its reputation into one of the top living options in the submarket. The 463-home community features 463 homes, spacious layouts and provides residents with expedient access to the Capital Beltway and surrounding nature trails. 

The Remy, which added its second phase in 2022, sits in the Harkins District of Prince George’s County and features a total of 546 homes. The original phase opened in 2017, and each building has been recognized for fast lease-up paces. Residents of each community can access the amenity spaces at each building. 

“One of LIVEbe's distinguishing characteristics is that we constantly solicit feedback with the goal of continuous improvement,” said Jennifer Rucker, vice president of operations for LIVEbe. “It's one of the ways we are able to create a uniquely enjoyable living experience. By utilizing the resident feedback and empowering our teams to be creative, we always aim to go beyond typical expectations for apartment living." 

LIVEbe, a premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, today announced that Vice President Elaine De Lude has been named the winner of the Capital Achievement Award by the Property Management Association (PMA). 

According to PMA, the Capital Achievement Award is the association’s “highest honor” and is given to an individual or company that has made an “outstanding advancement in the multifamily industry.” De Lude  oversees LIVEbe’s portfolio of apartment communities in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area, which consistently generate quick lease-ups, award-winning positive feedback from residents and a unique employment environment. 

De Lude was among the 2022 EPIC Awards recipients at the PMA’s 2022 Awards Ceremony on Nov. 9 at The Hotel at the University of Maryland. She is the first Latin-American female to win the award. 

“The Capital Achievement Award is an incredible honor, and it’s my hope that this helps inspire more diversity in our industry—even if just in a small way,” De Lude said. “My message to aspiring minds in the industry is to never stop learning. Continue to invest in yourself by absorbing as much information as possible and using all available resources to better your craft. We have the unique opportunity in this people-centric industry to help shape someone’s living experience, and there is plenty of room for creativity in the quest to make it amazing.”

PMA, a Maryland-based organization that consists of 1,800 members who manage more than 750,000 rental units, announces the EPIC Awards on an annual basis—and they have become an increasingly esteemed honor for property management associates and teams. Individuals must be nominated by a coworker, supervisor and/or subordinate and by a PMA member. 

Under the guidance of De Lude and Vice President of Operations Jenni Rucker, LIVEbe communities have won numerous awards, including marketing and advertising excellence awards, community excellence awards, SatisFacts awards for resident satisfaction and recently won the 2022 Downtown Baltimore Clean and Green Award by the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore for the company’s efforts at 2Hopkins, a high-rise apartment community in Downtown Baltimore. Additionally, both phases of The Remy, located in the Harkins District of Prince George’s County, were honored with awards for Best Lease-Up Pace by Delta Associates.

De Lude’s leadership philosophy and execution is unique in the multifamily industry. She encourages potential associates to lean on individual traits rather than become part of a corporate mold and fosters an environment where continued education and work-life balance are a priority. LIVEbe refers to its employees as ambassadors which underscores the value placed upon them by leadership. 

“Elaine is the embodiment of an industry professional who keeps things fresh and enjoyable,” Rucker said. “She is constantly exploring new ways to cultivate the resident experience and to ensure our ambassadors are at once relishing their work experience while carving their own career path. Elaine is the perfect fit for the Capital Achievement Award.”

LIVEbe, a premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, today announced that The Remy Phase II has been recognized with a Delta Associates Excellence Award as a co-winning property in the category of Best Lease-Up Pace for a Suburban Maryland Apartment Community. 

The Remy Phase II, a 268-home apartment community based in the Harkins District of Lanham, Md., began leasing in early 2022 and joined the thriving original phase, which opened in 2017. LIVEbe was presented with the award on Oct. 20 at the Delta Associates’ 26th Annual Apartment and Condominium Industry Awards for Excellence in Washington, D.C. 

The original phase was recognized with the same award in 2018. 

“Our mantra when we opened Phase II is that now we have two of everything,” said Jayme Martin, community director of LIVEbe. “We understood that it might be difficult to match the brisk lease-up pace of the original building, but once again, our wonderful team was able to make it happen. We’re honored to be recognized by Delta Associates and will keep working to deliver a best-in-class experience at The Remy buildings.”

The Remy Phase II has averaged 29 move-ins and 60 applications per month since beginning preleasing in Nov. 2021. The community delivered first homes in early February. Delta Associates calculates lease-up pace from the beginning of lease-up through stabilization. 

Located at 7700 Harkins Road, The Remy Phase II offers studio, one- and two-bedroom homes with various layouts and an average square footage of more than 750. Community amenities include a resort-style saltwater pool and sundeck, rooftop lounge, two courtyards, outdoor fitness equipment, grilling stations, clubrooms and game rooms, billiards and bocce ball, Smiota package lockers, refrigerated lockers and resident lounge areas throughout the common areas. The community also caters to the ever-increasing remote worker with teleworking spaces and a conference room. The Remy also offers various specially curated events designed to bring residents together. 

Apartment interiors at The Remy Phase II emanate an abundance of natural light due to the size and scope of the interior windows. Homes are delivered with luxury engineered plank flooring, stone tile bathrooms, in-home washers and dryers, keyless entry, chef-inspired kitchens with custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances and oversized interior windows to maximize the presence of natural light.  

“Our team of ambassadors deserves all the credit for this honor,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. “While the amenities and home features can certainly draw the attention of potential residents, our LIVEbe Ambassadors are who truly make the difference. People want to live where they know they’ll be taken care of, and our team members do a tremendous job making it happen.”

LIVEbe, a premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, today announced it has been recognized with a 2022 Downtown Baltimore Clean and Green Award by the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Inc.

LIVEbe was lauded for its efforts at 2Hopkins, a 21-story, 183-home apartment community located downtown at 2 Hopkins Plaza. LIVEbe was commended for its commitment to the exterior of the building and for the additions of planters, ornamental fencing and public art. Clean and Green winners were officially honored at a ceremony at the Downtown Partnership’s annual meeting on Sept. 29. 

“We take our commitment to the city very seriously, and we are honored to be recognized with this prestigious award,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. “2Hopkins isn’t just a place with a Downtown Baltimore address—it’s genuinely a part of downtown. From the time we welcomed our first residents in 2017, we’ve viewed it as a genuine responsibility to be the best neighbor we can be, and that commitment hasn’t wavered. We look forward to continuing to assist the community in any way that we can and keeping our building as inviting as possible.”

LIVEBE’s work in and around the property was recognized at the ceremony, held before numerous business and community leaders at 100 Light Street. Streetscape improvements and the continued aesthetic appeal of 2Hopkins were among the efforts identified. 

2Hopkins is notable for its vast array of unique amenities and home features, including its awe-inspiring 21st-floor social spaces, dog park that features a spa and separate small- and large-dog play areas, EV-charging spaces and in-home floor-to-ceiling windows. In 2017, 2Hopkins became the first apartment community on the East Coast to implement refrigerated lockers, which serve as a premier service amenity that enables residents to safely store food deliveries.

“While we are certainly proud of our amenities and home features, those only go so far with regard to the complete living experience,” said Jennifer Rucker, vice president of operations for LIVEbe. “Our people are who genuinely make the difference, and we are certainly humbled and honored to be recognized as an organization that genuinely takes pride in the downtown area that we serve. We’ll certainly continue to be unabashed ambassadors of downtown and do our part to create a warm and welcoming environment.”

LIVEbe Communities, a premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, today announced a series of initiatives designed to give back to local communities served by the company. 

The efforts include the LIVEbe Wish Your Way Challenge, in which each of the company’s four apartment communities are raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Onsite teams and residents alike are being encouraged to donate. Additionally, LIVEbe team members engaged in a cleanup effort at Stephen Knolls School in Silver Spring, Md., on May 17. The school is renowned for its special education program that serves those aged 3 to 21. 

“While the apartment world is laser-focused on leasing and providing the best possible resident experience—and rightfully so—sometimes it’s best to pause and take a look at the bigger picture,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. “We always aim to be the best possible neighbor in the communities we serve, but it’s about more than just saying so. Our teams get genuine joy from donating for the Wish Your Way Challenge and the Stephen Knolls School cleanup, and we’ll continue to pursue likeminded initiatives.”

LIVEbe’s communities include The Remy (which consists of two phases in Lanham, Md.) 2Hopkins (Baltimore, Md.), Glen Oaks (Greenbelt, Md.) and The Bowen (Bowie, Md.). Upon developing the first phase of The Remy in 2017, LIVEbe teams engaged in a neighborhood cleanup effort of the surrounding Harkins District. 

The Stephen Knolls School sits a short drive west of Glen Oaks, The Bowen and The Remy. Cleanup efforts by LIVEbe ambassadors, who were part of a volunteer effort spearheaded by the Property Management Association, included power washing, painting, gardening efforts, removal of weeds and dead plants, trash pick-up, mulching, the edging of flower beds and sweeping of sidewalks and stairwells.  

As part of the LIVEbe Wish Your Way Challenge, community teams are competing to match donations and raise as much as possible for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“We’ve made it fun by tracking the precise amount donated by each community and sending out regular updates,” said Debra White, events coordinator for LIVEbe  “It’s encouraging to see how well our teams and our residents have responded. Even if someone skips their daily coffee or matches the price of their lunch for a donation, it makes a difference.”

LIVEbe will continue to regularly pursue philanthropic efforts to help better its local neighborhoods. These efforts reflect the company’s core values of fostering connections and making a positive difference within the community.