JD Chase: Creating Apartment Communities Where Residents Can Live, Learn, and Grow
“When people feel at home, communities grow stronger.”
An apartment community can have modern interiors, attractive amenities, and well-maintained facilities, yet still leave residents wanting more. A home is also a place where people build relationships, learn new skills, and find opportunities to improve their lives. For apartment owners, investing in these needs may seem separate from the business of managing properties. JD Chase began to see them differently. What if the money spent telling people why a community was worth living in could instead be used to make it a better place to live?
As Chief Operating Officer of The Apartment Company, JD developed this question into a different way of thinking about property ownership. His approach grew from working between two contrasting business philosophies: one focused on financial returns and the other on the people affected by business decisions. Rather than choosing between them, he began looking for solutions that could serve both.
That thinking eventually led to HomeGrown, the company’s education and community development program. But putting the idea into practice was not straightforward. An earlier community program had been shut down by an unhappy investor, making it important for JD to demonstrate that investing in residents could also make business sense.
His experience offers a closer look at how an unconventional idea becomes a practical business decision. It shows the value of questioning familiar methods, testing assumptions, learning from failure, and finding evidence that a different approach can work.
Learning to See Both Sides of Business
Founded in 1993 by JD’s father, John Chase, and his business partner, David Mullen, The Apartment Company is a family-owned apartment ownership and management business. JD joined the company at the age of 14, gaining experience in different areas, from working with maintenance teams to financial planning and market research.
These early responsibilities helped him understand how the different parts of an apartment business affect one another. Property owners need sound financial results, while residents need homes that are comfortable, well-maintained, and worth staying in. A decision that serves one purpose does not always serve the other immediately.
JD saw these differences reflected in the approaches of the two people who shaped his early understanding of business. He compares his father’s focus on financial returns to Donald Trump’s approach and David Mullen’s concern for people to Bernie Sanders’ outlook. Rather than adopting one philosophy and dismissing the other, he learned to look for ways to reconcile them.
Consider the decision to repaint a building. From a narrow financial perspective, the expense may be difficult to justify if it does not directly increase rental income. Yet a better-maintained property can improve residents’ experience and encourage them to stay longer. The decision therefore needs to account for the immediate cost and the potential long-term benefit.
“Continually looking through each lens helped me develop creative solutions that would make bosses happy and create business solutions for the problems I was encountering,” JD explains.
This way of thinking became central to his approach. Instead of treating resident satisfaction and financial performance as competing priorities, he looks for opportunities to improve one without neglecting the other.
It also shaped his understanding of leadership. Standing behind a decision matters, but so does listening to people, treating them with respect, and being willing to reconsider an approach when it does not work. The challenge is not simply to have an idea. It is to find a way to make that idea useful to the business and the people it serves.
Questioning What an Apartment Community Could Offer
JD’s search for better solutions took a new direction during an industry event where apartment professionals discussed services such as valet laundry and international money transfers. These offerings could make a property more attractive, but JD began wondering whether an apartment company could offer something more meaningful than another amenity.
His thinking was influenced by his own observations of people he had known in high school. Some had passed away, while others had gone on to become highly successful. Reflecting on their different paths led him to consider the experiences and opportunities that can influence a person’s life.
He began asking himself a different question: Could the company make a difference in someone’s life?
That question shifted his attention from what an apartment community could provide inside its buildings to what it could help residents achieve beyond them. Rather than limiting the company’s role to renting homes and maintaining properties, he saw an opportunity to help people learn, develop skills, and explore possibilities they might not otherwise have considered.
An idea from Jay Baer’s book Talk Triggers helped him connect this ambition with a business objective. The principle is that a memorable experience can give people something worth sharing with others. Positive recommendations, in turn, can help a business attract new customers.
JD began considering how The Apartment Company could apply that principle differently. Instead of spending its advertising budget only on attracting prospective residents, it could invest some of those resources in activities that improved the experience of people already living in its communities.
The reasoning brought the two sides of his business philosophy together. Residents would receive opportunities to learn and connect with others, while the company could build stronger relationships and give people meaningful reasons to recommend its communities.
This became the foundation for an education department that would eventually develop into HomeGrown.
The idea was unconventional, but it was not separate from the business. JD was looking at an existing expense and asking whether it could produce a more meaningful result. The challenge was to show that the benefits he envisioned could be achieved in practice.
HomeGrown Proving Its Value
JD had reason to understand why an investor might question spending money on resident program. An earlier initiative, dismissively called “The Fun Club” by one investor, offered childcare to help working families manage their expenses. That investor doubted the financial value of the program and ordered it to close.
That experience made the later development of HomeGrown particularly significant. JD was not introducing an entirely new idea without considering the company’s financial responsibilities. He was revisiting the question of how community program could create value after an earlier attempt had failed to gain investor support.
When JD later arranged for the same investor to visit the new education department, he was nervous about the response. The program needed to demonstrate its value, and the investor had already shown that he was willing to stop an initiative he considered financially unjustified.
The visit provided a moment when the idea could be judged through what was happening on the ground. They arrived to find an educator surrounded by children who were engaged, asking questions, smiling, and enjoying the session.
The investor asked JD how much the program was costing. JD explained that it was funded through the property’s advertising budget. The investor then asked about occupancy at the 134-unit apartment building. JD reported that every unit had been occupied for months.
The two details helped make the case. The investor could see children benefiting from the program, while the occupancy figures offered a business result to consider. The initiative was not simply an additional expense without a clear purpose. It was an effort to use existing resources in a way that supported residents and the property’s performance.
As JD recalls, “Case closed, department in full swing, no red tape.”
The moment demonstrated the value of finding a practical business case for an unconventional idea. JD had questioned the usual approach to attracting residents, developed an alternative, and found a way to show its potential value. Rather than asking the investor to accept the idea on principle alone, he could point to an engaged group of children and a fully occupied property.
HomeGrown now has five full-time Community Organizers working across The Apartment Company’s communities.
Their activities include:
- Tutoring and homework help
- Job-search support and English-language assistance
- STEM activities, maker projects, and life-skills workshops
- AI learning and creative activities
- Community activities such as bingo, lotteria nights, language classes, crochet groups, and Salsa University
These program give residents opportunities to learn, meet neighbours, explore interests, and develop stronger connections within their communities.
Helping Residents Build Skills and Reach Their Goals
The value of HomeGrown’s educational and community program can be seen in the experience of one young resident who was struggling academically. With support from the company’s lead educator, he began organising his tasks and received regular mentoring and tutoring. His progress continued, and he is now attending engineering school, working toward an advanced degree, and on track to become the first in his family to achieve this milestone.
His experience illustrates what can happen when people receive support that helps them move toward their goals. The company cannot determine what every resident will achieve, but it can provide access to resources, guidance, and opportunities that may help them discover their abilities.
HomeGrown also offers residents practical ways to develop skills, explore their interests, and build confidence. They can learn how to use AI to search for jobs and improve their communication skills, take part in chess and LEGO robotics clubs, or join Story Lab, where they create original superheroes and develop stories together. Social-emotional learning activities help residents strengthen relationships and develop communication and problem-solving skills.
Seasonal program such as Salsa University invite residents to experiment with recipes, create their own salsa brands and logos, and learn basic business and entrepreneurship skills. HomeGrown also brings in chefs and nutritionists to help residents turn ingredients grown in their community gardens into nutritious meals, connecting gardening, cooking, and healthy living.
These opportunities allow residents to explore new interests, learn from others, and develop skills they can apply in their everyday lives.
Learning from Setbacks to Make Community Projects Work
However, creating opportunities does not automatically guarantee success. JD learned this through the company’s first attempt at establishing community gardens.
The initial effort failed because the team lacked the knowledge, staffing, and motivation required to maintain the gardens. JD had expected interest in the idea to create its own momentum, but the project did not progress as planned. Recognising that the concept was not enough, the company changed its approach.
The team began breaking the work into smaller steps, providing more guidance, and focusing on achievable results. Rather than expecting people to commit to a large project immediately, it created opportunities for them to learn and see progress. As the gardens began producing small harvests, more people became interested in participating.
The company’s landscape team now grows citrus, guavas, avocados, and vegetables, connecting property maintenance with benefits for residents. The company is on track to harvest nearly 1,000 pounds of produce across several communities in 2026, with a target of 21,000 pounds in 2027.
The experience reinforced an important distinction for JD: recognizing an opportunity and making it work are two different things. A good idea needs preparation, capable people, practical support, and time to develop. When an approach fails, the response should be to understand what went wrong and adjust it rather than simply abandon the goal or repeat the same mistakes.
This lesson extends beyond gardening. Whether the company is developing educational activities or introducing a new project, progress depends on making the objective clear and giving people the support they need to contribute.
Making Decisions Without Having Every Answer
JD’s experiences have shaped a decision-making approach that combines financial discipline, evidence, empathy, intuition, and experimentation. He does not suggest that every unusual idea deserves investment simply because it challenges convention. Instead, he looks for ways to understand the problem, assess the available information, and determine whether an alternative approach is worth testing.
When reliable data is available, it can help clarify the potential benefits and costs of a decision. A property improvement, for example, can be assessed in terms of its financial implications and its possible effect on resident satisfaction or retention.
But not every opportunity comes with enough information to make a definite judgment. In those situations, JD believes businesses should speak directly with customers, use surveys where appropriate, and understand what people actually need rather than relying solely on assumptions.
He also recognizes that some ideas begin with an instinct that develops before enough evidence is available to support a firm conclusion. When considering such decisions, he tries to make time for quiet reflection.
“I’ve heard a wise person say sometimes answers come to a quiet mind,” JD explains.
For him, intuition is not a substitute for evidence or financial responsibility. It is one consideration when a decision involves uncertainty. The aim is to remain open to possibilities without assuming that every idea will succeed.
HomeGrown illustrates how this approach works. The original idea came from questioning industry conventions and considering what residents might value more deeply. The business case involved using the advertising budget differently, while the investor’s visit provided an opportunity to demonstrate the program’s engagement and the property’s occupancy.
The community gardens presented a different challenge. When the original plan failed, the company had to recognize the practical limitations, change the process, and build towards success through smaller steps.
Both experiences required JD to look beyond familiar solutions. They also showed that creative thinking becomes useful only when it is supported by action, feedback, and a willingness to learn from the results.
This balance between financial reasoning and openness to experimentation remains central to how he approaches business decisions. It allows him to question established practices while recognising that new ideas must ultimately work in the real world.
A Business Around Long-Term Value
JD’s approach extends beyond HomeGrown to property maintenance, team development, and future investments. Because The Apartment Company retains its properties, it can focus on long-term value rather than short-term financial results.
JD personally visits properties and inspects units to identify areas needing attention. Alongside essential repairs, the company invests in several aspects of property upkeep:
- Essential repairs: Plumbing, roofing, and electrical work
- Interior upkeep: Flooring replacements and carpet cleaning
- Property improvements: Painting and modern lighting
For JD, an apartment is more than an asset. It is someone’s home. As he puts it, “Home is where the heart is, and no one can own another person’s heart’s real estate.”
The company reports a vacancy rate of approximately 2.5% to 2.57%, compared with a supplied San Diego market rate of 5% or higher. Residents stay for an average of more than 7.5 years, compared with a local average of around 18 months. These figures reflect its focus on property conditions and lasting resident relationships.
JD applies the same long-term thinking to leadership. The company prioritises hiring suitable people, reviewing its operations, and identifying areas for improvement. He believes team members need the freedom to communicate, contribute ideas, and understand their objectives. Meetings may begin with breathing exercises, conversations, stories, and laughter to encourage connection and open discussion.
Looking five to ten years ahead, The Apartment Company expects robotics, commercial farming, and artificial intelligence to play larger roles in its operations and communities. Its priorities include developing its robotics team, expanding farming knowledge, producing more organic food for residents, extending AI education, and creating additional shared spaces and learning opportunities.
Managing more than 2,200 apartment units requires attention to property conditions, resident needs, and daily operations. The company’s long-term ownership model allows it to keep improving its approach while exploring practical ways to use technology, develop skills, and strengthen communities. For JD, innovation matters when it creates lasting value for the business and the people it serves.
Finding Purpose in Helping Others Grow
For JD, success cannot be measured by occupancy figures, property improvements, or business growth alone. He takes particular pride in seeing people discover abilities and opportunities they may not have recognized before.
The student who progressed from academic struggles to studying engineering is one example. Residents learning new skills, exploring robotics, developing language abilities, participating in farming, and experimenting with creative projects are others.
These experiences reflect the purpose behind HomeGrown. The company can provide educators, activities, resources, and opportunities, but residents bring their own interests and ambitions to the process. Its role is to help create conditions in which those interests can develop.
JD’s own development has followed a similar process. Working between two different business philosophies taught him to consider financial results alongside people’s needs. HomeGrown challenged him to put that thinking into practice, while the community gardens showed him that a promising idea requires patience, capable people, and a willingness to adjust.
Together, these experiences have strengthened his belief that business objectives and positive human outcomes do not have to be separate. A company can take its financial responsibilities seriously while looking for ways to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people it serves.
On a personal level, JD says his greatest joy comes from serving others. Helping someone in need gives him a sense of purpose and satisfaction that extends beyond an immediate business result.
That belief continues to influence the questions he asks about The Apartment Company. Rather than accepting that a property management business should focus only on providing housing and maintaining buildings, he looks for opportunities to make the experience of living in its communities more valuable.
Encouraging Leaders to Question Familiar Ways of Thinking
His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, and business leaders follows the same thinking.
“If you want to be number two, follow a formula. If you want to be number one, constantly try new things and evolve your business.”
JD also encourages leaders to recognize their strengths and weaknesses honestly. Familiar methods can be useful, but they should not prevent people from recognising when something needs to change. Leaders must be willing to examine their assumptions, listen to others, and learn from setbacks.
His own experience shows why this matters. The willingness to question conventional apartment amenities led to HomeGrown. The investor meeting demonstrated the importance of connecting a new idea to a clear business objective. The failed gardens reinforced the need for preparation, guidance, and steady progress.
For JD, thinking differently is only the beginning. The real work lies in finding a practical way to act on an idea, taking responsibility for the outcome, and making adjustments when the results fall short of expectations.
That is what connects The Apartment Company’s property management, resident education, community gardens, and plans for new technology. Each represents an effort to look beyond what has traditionally been expected of an apartment community and consider what more it could offer.
The question that started JD’s thinking was whether a business could help change the course of someone’s life. His experience suggests that finding an answer begins with seeing a possibility others may overlook, then having the discipline and determination to make it work.
