Resident events are a great way to build community, encourage retention and spur new renters. But putting one on isn't as simple as putting out a bowl of Snickers and calling it a Halloween party. (Though, admittedly, I've been to worse.) Just because you build it doesn't mean they'll come.

It actually takes a lot of work to make a successful event feel effortless. Putting on a resident event requires a lot of "invisible" labor that the residents hopefully don't even know about—leading up to the event, during and even after—to make sure it goes smoothly and people attend and have a good time.

Whether you're looking to put on your first or 50th event, here are the steps you should consider.

Before the event

Make sure to plan ahead: Thursday is not the time to plan your Saturday event. Make sure you give yourself lots of time to plan, advertise, gather supplies, etc. Some events you might even know you want to do well in advance (for example, if you know you have a holiday party every winter, you can start the planning months earlier).

Figure out the type of event: Karaoke party? Making sandwiches for the local food pantry? Taylor Swift dog costume parade? Before you can put on an event, you need to know what to plan for.

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