Portland State University

Portland State is unique from other institutions in that the average student is 26 years old and often pursuing a second career. The nontraditional demographics of this student population present interesting challenges regarding student housing management. CHNW operates 1,410 housing units in 18 buildings on or near the campus. These units include studio apartments, 1-bedroom apartments, 2-bedroom apartments and a traditionally-styled residence hall. The company also owns a 221-unit high-rise apartment building that it developed and constructed in 1973 and a 115-unit apartment complex that it developed and constructed in 1999. Within the last year, CHNW purchased two additional apartment complexes next to the PSU campus to provide an additional 52 beds of housing stock.

CHNW provides all business administration, leasing, facilities maintenance, cleaning, conference services, and residence life services for the Portland State housing facilities. CHNW also provides the University with its long-range capital planning for the facilities (Facilities Audit). In 1995 the company conducted a facilities audit of all university housing properties to forecast needed repairs and replacements over the next ten years. The Facilities Audit was updated in 2001 and will continue to be updated annually. The audit has been a useful tool for prioritizing capital expenditure decisions each year into areas where the greatest gains can be realized and deferred maintenance can be minimized.

CHNW has been able to lease most units to students on a month-to-month basis and exceed industry standards by achieving a 97% average occupancy rate on a twelve-month basis.

Central Oregon Community College

Central Oregon Community College (COCC) hired CHNW in 1995 to manage its only on-campus housing, a 111-bed residence hall. CHNW provides all housing administration, facilities maintenance and cleaning, residence life services, and conferencing services. A third party contractor provides food service to the residence hall. CHNW’s goals in accepting this contract were to redefine the reputation of COCC’s housing program, increase occupancy and retention, and place renewed emphasis on student involvement and academic success. CHNW successfully achieved these goals during the first contract period.