Multifamily Draws Proptech Advances

The multifamily sector remains extremely robust, creating opportunities for multifamily property technology to expand not only into new amenities and services but also into new models. A growing number of players in tenant engagement apps are entering the multifamily space.

New Players in Tenant Engagement

One company recently launched its product, Sugar, with a slightly different focus. While Sugar offers traditional services like access control and visitor management, its primary focus is to build community. According to founder and CEO Fatima Dicko, “As residents spend more time at home, the demand for products that enhance in-building experiences will continue to grow.”

Another proptech company, HILO, offers a service that works across CRE and multifamily, with a tenant experience network that connects people to their building community, neighborhood, and city. The program allows people to access rewards, content, services, and other residents—whether they’re in the office, working from home, or mid-commute.

Hardware Options Based on Integration

Providers typically require hardware for services like access control and visitor management. To ensure adoption, tenant engagement apps must include a necessary utility, like access control. Without that component, the app may become just another overlooked icon on tenants’ phones. For example, tenants can order food delivery through most engagement apps, but if they’re not already using the app regularly, chances are they’ll go directly through a service like DoorDash or GrubHub. When you increase residents’ reliance on an engagement app, in theory, that should lead to greater use of other app features.