COVID Community Engagement

In February 2020, I had just started at a new property, The Luke Apartments. Still early in my property management career, I was especially excited to join this community because it was known for its vibrant resident events. But just over a month after I arrived, the world shut down.

Suddenly, events were canceled, amenities were closed, and the office doors were locked. All communication with residents shifted to phone and email. My team and I spent the year socially distancing, adapting, and planning new ways to keep our residents connected.

One of the ways I contributed was through monthly newsletters and creative elevator flyers, which became an important way to share updates and brighten residents’ days. We also organized socially distanced experiences, like coordinating food trucks every Thursday, offering grab-and-go food bars (like the bagel and muffin bar featured in the flyer below), and hosting virtual events from Jackbox online games to digital scavenger hunts.

What began as a year of isolation turned into a year of growth. I developed new skills in community building, digital communication, and graphic design, while also strengthening connections with residents. By the time restrictions lifted, many communities were reintroducing themselves to their residents for the first time — but at The Luke, we already knew our neighbors and were ready to welcome them back, elbow bumps and all.

At The Luke Apartments, I designed monthly graphics for both elevators, turning an ordinary ride into an opportunity to share community updates, fun facts, and even seasonal recipes. These flyers helped keep residents informed and added a touch of connection during a time of limited in-person interaction.

After seeing the success of my elevator flyers, the property owners asked me to design a monthly newsletter that could be sent directly to residents. These newsletters combined event highlights with more detailed community announcements and were also printed for new residents as a welcome resource for what was happening that month.

Creating these monthly pieces strengthened my skills in design, content organization, and resident communication while providing a consistent touchpoint for the community.