In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan revisit the January/February 2024 issue of The Advocate—Our Other Residents—to explore why the trend of treating pets as family in rental housing isn’t going anywhere. From loneliness and emotional support animals to pet-forward design, policy enforcement, and fair housing compliance, the conversation highlights how animals increasingly shape leasing decisions, resident retention, and day-to-day operations in multifamily housing. Denise and Logan unpack practical insights from MHA contributors and use a real-world Ask mihra question to clarify what housing providers must do when service animals intersect with pet-free policies.

🐾 Our Other Residents, January/February 2024 issue of The Advocate: mmha.com 🤖 Ask mihra: mmha.com/mihra 🤝 Join the MHA Community & Member Network: mmha.com/Membership/Membership-Information 📅 2026 MHA Conferences & Events Calendar: mmha.com/events

🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan unpack the concept of housing filtering—how new market-rate housing sets off a chain of moves that can ease pressure across the entire housing market. Grounded in real research and Minnesota-specific examples, the conversation breaks down why supply matters, how filtering actually works in practice, and what it means for affordability in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. Denise and Logan reference landmark research by economist Evan Mast to explain how migration chains form—and why blocking new housing can unintentionally make affordability challenges worse.

🔍 The Effect of New Market-Rate Housing Construction on the Low-Income Housing Market: research.upjohn.org/up_workingpapers/307 📈 How New Apartments Create Opportunities for All: minneapolisfed.org/article/2024/how-new-apartments-create-opportunities-for-all 📊 MHA Advocacy, Education & Member Resources: mmha.com 🤖 Ask mihra – MHA’s AI Assistant: mmha.com/mihra

🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

In this episode of The Brief, Denise and Logan explore the March/April 2025 Advocate issue, "Safe at Home"—what safety really looks like in multifamily right now. From de-escalation and staff-first safety culture to resident partnerships, cost-smart security tech, and civic engagement, they break down what’s changing and what it means for your work today.

📅 Education Calendar: mmha.com/Education/Education-Calendar 🏢 Join MHA: mmha.com/Membership 🤖 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 revisit the March/April 2023 Housing Solutions issue of The Advocate—the one MHA hand-delivered to every Minnesota lawmaker. They unpack modular construction’s speed and cost advantages, Rochester’s Unified Development Code, research-backed policy goals from Aeon/Brookings, strategies to narrow racial homeownership gaps, and more!

📅 Upcoming Events: mmha.com/Events/Events-Calendar 🤝 MHA Committees: mmha.com/Membership/Volunteer-Committees 🤖 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 dive into the January/February 2026 issue of Multi Housing Advocate, titled Building EQ, focusing on emotional intelligence as a practical, operational skill in multifamily housing. The conversation explores how EQ shows up under pressure—from de-escalation and maintenance interactions to leasing and trauma-informed management—and why these skills matter for both resident experience and staff retention.

📅 De-Escalation: Connecting in a Crisis mmha.com/Education/Education-Calendar/ArtMID/118640/ArticleID/3717/De-Escalation-Connecting-in-a-Crisis 🎓MHA Professional Education: mmha.com/Education/Education-Calendar 🤖 Ask mihra: mmha.com/mihra

🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net

mihra's poem on "emotional intelligence, connection, and the human side of housing"

In a world of work orders, tours, and keys, And meetings that could’ve been emails, please, EQ shows up when you stop and breathe, Instead of replying immediately.

Listen first. Don’t take the bait. Not every problem needs solving at eight. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do, Is pause… and not say the thing you were about to.

In this episode of The Brief, Aubrey interviews MHA Board Chair Jennifer Gordon on leading with clarity: EOS Traction in practice, decision-making under pressure, and turning new tools—like mihra—into lasting habits. Denise and Logan also spotlight ACRM (Advanced Certified Residential Manager), MHA’s cohort program for experienced pros, including the next cohort launch on January 20, 2026.

👥MHA’s Board of Directors: https://www.mmha.com/Board 🧭 EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System): www.eosworldwide.com 🎓ACRM (Advanced Certified Residential Manager): www.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, MHA President & CEO Cecil Smith and Vice President of Government Affairs & COO Todd Liljenquist unpack the Minneapolis and Saint Paul 2021 rent control ballot fights—how the questions showed up on the ballots, MHA’s “Think Twice” coalition and $5M campaign, election-night results, and what’s happened since (from construction slowdowns to policy reassessments).

📜 St. Paul Rent Stabilization Information: stpaul.gov/departments/safety-inspections/rent-buy-sell-property/rent-stabilization/landlords 🤖 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 unpack the 2025 Survey of Minnesota Business Services Firms—what it signals for 2026 planning: steady demand, tighter margins, and ways to keep teams productive without squeezing residents. They translate the data into practical moves—clearer scopes, smarter sequencing, and a few durable ops metrics—then spotlight MHA’s online, on-demand training in What’s Happening at MHA: Employee Onboarding Essentials (Fair Housing, Customer Service, Workplace Harassment), role boosters for leasing and marketing, plus compliance & leadership tracks you can assign anytime.

📌 MN DEED Press Release and Full Report: mn.gov/deed/newscenter/press-releases/?id=1045-700630&utm 📊MPLS Fed Recap: minneapolisfed.org/article/2025/services-firms-remain-optimistic-after-a-year-of-slight-growth?utm 🖥️ On Demand Education: mmha.com/education/education-calendar 🤖 Ask mihra: mmha.com/mihra

🏦 Thank you to our Founding Sponsor – Citizens State Bank: csbnet.net