The National Multifamily Housing Council and the National Apartment Association launched the latest phase of “WeAreApartments,” a marketing campaign that promotes the importance of the apartment industry to the U.S. economy.
Using research from George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis, the groups claim that there are more than 37 million Americans—12% of the population—living in just under 20 million apartment units nationwide. Apartments and their residents contribute $1.3 trillion annually to the economy through construction, property management, and other jobs the industry supports.
This research provides some interesting factoids about the apartment sector: For example, 49% are one-person households, compared to 24% of apartments with three or more people in them. The highest portion of apartment buildings—27%—has either 50 units or more, or a between five and nine units. The apartment housing stock is aging, too: more than half was built between 1959 and 1979.
The campaign contends that the country needs between 300,000 and 400,000 new apartments each year to keep up with demand.
Apartments contribute more to the New York metropolitan area’s economy—$111.5 billion annually—than in any other market. Multifamily accounted for 44% of residential permits issued in Dallas-Fort Worth last year. And $2.3 billion was spent on apartment construction in Los Angeles.
(The campaign’s website includes an Apartment Community Estimator, which allows metros and states to figure out the economic construction from the apartment sector in their respective areas.)
The campaign contends that the country needs between 300,000 and 400,000 new apartments each year to keep up with demand. “What construction has accelerated in response, many communities still lack sufficient housing options,” it reports.
To get its message out, the groups sponsoring this campaign have devised a new series of print and online ads that attempts to get beyond perceived stereotypes about apartment dwellers. For example, one ad shows a young African-American woman sitting in the kitchen of her apartment. The ad describes her as “Botanist. Swim Coach. Pickle Easter. Renter,” followed by the campaign’s tagline “Apartments. We Live Her.” Another ad states humorously that “Liberals Live In Them. So Do Conservatives, But In Another Wing.”
One of the campaign’s more provocative messages is that apartment dwellers are fulfilling their “The American Dream.” That phrase, heretofore, had been reserved for homeownership, but younger Americans’ avidity for owning a house is still uncertain.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Jan 30, 2023
How wellness is reshaping college recreation centers
Moody Nolan, a specialist in the design of college recreation centers, has participated in the evolution toward wellness on college campuses.
Mass Timber | Jan 30, 2023
Net-positive, mass timber building will promote research on planetary well-being in Barcelona
ZGF Architects, along with Barcelona-based firms MIRAG and Double Twist, have designed a net-positive, mass timber center for research on planetary well-being. Located in Barcelona, the Mercat del Peix Research Center will bring together global experts in the experimental sciences, social sciences, and humanities to address challenges related to the future of the planet.
AEC Tech | Jan 27, 2023
Epic Games' latest foray into the AEC market and real estate industry
From architecture to real estate, the realm of computer-aided design hits new heights as more and more firms utilize the power of Epic Games’ Twinmotion and Unreal Engine.
University Buildings | Jan 27, 2023
Ozarks Technical Community College's advanced manufacturing center is first-of-a-kind in region
The new Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing at Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield, Mo., is a first-of-a-kind educational asset in the region. The 125,000-sf facility will educate and train a new generation in high tech, clean manufacturing and fabrication.
Mass Timber | Jan 27, 2023
How to set up your next mass timber construction project for success
XL Construction co-founder Dave Beck shares important preconstruction steps for designing and building mass timber buildings.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jan 26, 2023
Miami’s motorsport ‘country club’ to build sleek events center
Designed by renowned Italian design firm Pininfarina and with Revuelta as architect, The Event Campus at The Concours Club will be the first and only motorsport-based event campus located within minutes of a major metro area.
Student Housing | Jan 26, 2023
6 ways 'choice architecture' enhances student well-being in residence halls
The environments we build and inhabit shape our lives and the choices we make. NAC Architecture's Lauren Scranton shares six strategies for enhancing well-being in residence halls.
K-12 Schools | Jan 25, 2023
As gun incidents grow, schools have beefed up security significantly in recent years
Recently released federal data shows that U.S. schools have significantly raised security measures in recent years. About two-thirds of public schools now control access to school grounds—not just the building—up from about half in the 2017-18 school year.
AEC Tech Innovation | Jan 24, 2023
ConTech investment weathered last year’s shaky economy
Investment in construction technology (ConTech) hit $5.38 billion last year (less than a 1% falloff compared to 2021) from 228 deals, according to CEMEX Ventures’ estimates. The firm announced its top 50 construction technology startups of 2023.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jan 24, 2023
Nashville boasts the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada
At 30,105 seats and 530,000 sf, GEODIS Park, which opened in 2022, is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada. Created by design firms Populous and HASTINGS in collaboration with the Metro Nashville Sports Authority, GEODIS Park serves as the home of the Nashville Soccer Club as well as a venue for performances and events.