Can't compete with compensation

I have known since I took over this property that my staff is underpaid. Now I have to replace my assistant and possibly my maintenance sup and I'm panicking! I had a phone interview with an applicant yesterday and she LAUGHED when I mentioned the pay. Spoke with a potential maintenance sup last week and just in conversation he said he'd turned down an offer for $17 an hour. Yep that's my max offer... I've spoken with my boss about the issue. All of his other properties are in a different market and he doesn't understand that my market is different. This year I only received a 1.2% raise. I was told he wanted to give me more but I'm at the ceiling for my position. (No one seems to know who decided on this ceiling and whether it actually exists or not but that’s a concern for another day). We are a 163 unit 80% TC 20% Mkt 62+ community.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I should approach this?

Stephani, I so understand where you are coming from and it is frustrating when great candidates cannot be hired due to salary caps. I have been lucky in recruiting and retaining talented people by the "package deal". I don't know if this will work for you or not. Sometimes, being able to include housing helps and things like promotability will also influences someone's decision to accept a job offer. Some benefits that candidates may not have thought about, too, include great working conditions, the ability to handle a new task (like social media - maybe an Assistant would LOVE handling the facebook page and twitter accounts) and offering educational opportunities, like tuition reimbursement and designations.

Hello Stephanie,

Not because I am retired, but a great source would be those who have served in the military. You may have some training issues and have to give closer supervision until the personnel are trained up to industry standards.

I would look the management company personnel in the eye and let them know they get what they pay for. They need to place incentives in place to get and retain quality folks. If they do not, then the results are more headaches, property starts losing on its NOI, losing quality staff to other properties. Burnout and sick days will increase.

There maybe a point where they can set obtainable goals and when they are reached give a monetary award. I have found this to be very helpful and has improved locations that were failing. Profit sharing is also a motivator, but have the right people that will ensure that it is not at the expense of the tenants by cutting corners.

Most places if they think you are hard up and need them more than they need you are going to drive a hard bargain. But if they see the value of recruiting and retaining quality they will do the right thing.

Loyalty is a two way street. I have worked for places where I may not have gotten paid what I was worth, but I knew I got what they could afford an I was treated with respect and was listened to in order to move forward. Not and easy one, but I for sure would evaluate the owners / management company.

Thanks all for the advice. I've been fortunate enough to have a stable staff for the past 5 years. These have been some wonderful hard working loyal people. I am concerned that I will not be able to find the same caliber of person. I had really hoped to get a new leasing person with experience as I'll be the first to admit I'm not the best trainer in the world. However that doesn't look like it's going to happen. Oh well, this is just another part of the busness so I'll muddle trough.

I have had to walk away from the following:

1) $18/hour PART time (30 hrs/wk) assistant position; HUD Section 8 property at 100% occupancy. NO medical/dental benefits or housing.

2) $12/hour full time manager position, with benefits and housing; but for 3 properties representing 113 conventional units. This is less than what I was earning as an assistant and well below the $17/hr at the low end of the average for a similar position. I asked for $15/hr; to have income tied to performance (vacancy/delinquencies/expense control); or to revisit the pay issue at 90 days. It was not until I was not asked to return for the 2nd interview that I found that they were only offering $12.


Frustrating when you are being interviewed for a position that would involve a loss of income or benefits from where you are.