2021 Year in Review: Donna Ackerman, Quincy Director, NeighborWorks Housing Solutions

What was the biggest lesson you learned while working during the pandemic? The biggest lesson I learned while working through the pandemic is that I am more flexible than I thought I was. And that we all are! We were able to move to a remote-based property management system, quickly. Our numerous tenants from all walks of life were able to adapt to a new kind of property management. I believe we were also more in tune with the needs of the tenants during the pandemic, and were able to provide services etc. that we were not typically involved with such as food for rooming house tenants.

What was your greatest professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2021? I think that the most notable accomplishment we made was that we were able to safely and systematically return to work and return to providing hands-on services. I feel that the pandemic really brought to light how many of our tenants are living right on the edge of sustainability. Those needs continue, even as we find our way out of the pandemic.