The Amenity Arms Race: How Multifamily and Mixed-Use Developers Are Redefining Community Value 

By Broker William Mears, CCIM, SIOR 

Multifamily developers face a number of challenges when trying to deliver affordable housing in most markets—interest rates, insurance costs, and today’s achievable lease rates are constant headaches. Now add in the expense of providing amenities that meet modern renter expectations. In the rearview, it’s clear this pressure isn’t limited to big, affluent metros. The amenity playbook has moved downstream, and what once felt aspirational in tertiary markets—natural light, fitness, flexible common space, even coworking—has become table stakes everywhere. The challenge for smaller markets isn’t whether these features matter, but whether they can be delivered at rents local incomes can support. This article does a good job of explaining how developers are responding—focusing less on flash and more on daily-use value—and why that discipline matters even more in communities like ours.

Click here to read the full blog and see how developers are rethinking amenities—shifting from flash to function—to protect affordability while still meeting renter expectations.