There are many ways to increase resident satisfaction and retention. While things like property improvements and automated rent payments can help, fostering a true community is an often overlooked way to keep residents happy.
Should you just expect that your residents will become friendly on their own? Research shows that renters are less likely to befriend their neighbors than property owners. In other words, it’s time to take community engagement into your own hands.
We’re here to share some unbeatable apartment resident event ideas for March 2024. Keep reading for resident event planning inspiration.
General Tips for Increasing Community Engagement
If you’ve never planned or hosted social events for your residents before, you may not know where to get started. A good first step is to gauge interest and crowdsource for ideas. In small complexes, you may be able to talk to each resident one-on-one, but larger complexes require streamlined communication.
Resident experience software makes it easy to send out mass emails and track responses. Create and email polls or surveys that allow residents to share feedback about specific ideas you have or make requests for community events.
You can also use this software to email digital fliers or sign-up sheets for upcoming events. If you want residents to volunteer to bring food or other items to share, use a cloud-based document like Google Docs so everyone can see updates in real-time.
If you’re struggling to increase attendance, offer a few incentives. For example, you can hold a raffle at your next event for a gift card to a local restaurant. Once residents become more familiar with each other, you may not need incentives to encourage participation.
Apartment Resident Event Ideas for March 2024
As March approaches, it’s time to start getting events on the calendar. Here are a few ideas for March community events that your residents will love.
Embracing the Luck of the Irish: St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
March offers a perfect opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, infusing the spirit of Irish culture into your community events. Consider organizing a themed party where residents can indulge in traditional Irish foods, like corned beef and cabbage, and enjoy Irish music and dance. You could also host a green-themed craft night, where residents create festive decorations. For families, organizing a leprechaun treasure hunt in the common areas can add a delightful and interactive aspect to the celebration. These themed activities not only honor a festive holiday but also bring residents together for memorable experiences.
Celebrate Lesser-Known Holidays
By the time March rolls around, we’ve left the winter holiday season behind. With the exception of St. Patrick’s Day, March can seem like an uneventful month, especially as you wait for spring’s warmth to arrive. When you’re planning March events, consider some lesser-known holidays.
For example, March 2nd is National Read Across America Day. If your apartment building is home to children, partner with your local library to host a storytime session or read-a-thon. As a bonus, unveil a little free library in your apartment’s common area where residents can take and leave books for free.
March 4th presents another great event opportunity with National Snack Day. Get residents together to share snacks and watch a movie or play trivia. You can even cast votes to decide which of your featured snacks are tastiest, sweetest, and weirdest.
Get Ready for Spring in Common Areas
Do you have outdoor common areas like a courtyard or lawn? If so, consider hosting a spring fling outdoors. (March can be tricky in terms of weather, so make sure you have a de-icing strategy and an indoor backup plan.
For lawns and gardens, host a planting party. This can involve planting flowers and trees in the common area that will make for a beautiful spring season. Alternatively, provide small pots and seeds or bulbs for residents to plant and keep on their patio or porch.
If your property doesn’t have much gardening space, invite residents to beautify the sidewalks and driveways with chalk. Make sure to avoid using chalk on bricks as it tends to linger a lot longer on heavily textured surfaces.
Hold a Patio Decor Contest
Apartment residents don’t often get to show off their home’s exterior the way single-family homeowners do. Holding a patio decor contest (or a door decoration contest if your residents don’t have personal patios) is a great way to let residents show off and take pride in their homes.
Announce your patio decor contest at the beginning of the month. To give the contest some extra direction, consider including a theme for the decor. A seasonal theme works best, so think in terms of St. Patrick’s Day or the upcoming spring season.
Then, ask residents to vote for their favorite patios or doors. At the end of the month, host a potluck or mixer where you reveal the results and give your top three winners a prize.
Host a COPE Party
Emergency preparation may not seem like the most festive theme for a party, but with the right touches, this kind of event can be both useful and fun!
COPE stands for Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies. At a COPE party, discuss the best ways to deal with emergencies that are relevant to your community. For example, if you live in an area affected by severe storm systems, you can talk about preparing for power outages and general storm safety.
Keep things lighthearted by incorporating games into your event. For example, break residents up into groups for emergency preparedness trivia. Give the winning group a relevant reward, like flashlights and first aid kits.
Plan a Stuff Swap
Many of your residents will partake in spring cleaning. By planning a “stuff” swap, you can encourage community bonding, help residents get rid of the things they don’t want, and reduce waste.
To host a “stuff” swap, you’ll need a large room or outdoor space and card tables. While residents can try to sell higher-priced items at the “stuff” swap, encourage them to make trades and give things away for free.
To get the most out of your “stuff” swap, take a poll ahead of time to gauge availability. Plan for residents to browse and trade for two to three hours.
Need More Property Management Tips? We Can Help
Hosting social events for your residents is a great way to create a true community. When your residents feel comfortable and friendly with their neighbors, they may just sign on for another year. Which apartment resident event ideas for March 2024 will you try?
If you’re looking for more ways to improve your property management strategies, Property Manager Insider can help. Check out more of our blog posts for the latest tips, tricks, and industry trends.
