The complex has 70 apartments occupied by low income seniors and residents take pride in the friendly and supportive community they’ve organized to look after and care for one another. This supportive community is managed by the superintendent, office manager and the Fellowship Hall Board of Directors This board is composed of 13 members elected by the residents and has ultimate authority over the direction of the business of Fellowship Hall. As a state regulated cooperative, the Fellowship Hall board and limited staff managed multiple processes and layers of accountability to their community and regulators.

Modernizing Operations and Compliance: Fellowship Hall Partners with Hofbauer Consulting

Fellowship Hall leadership approached Hofbauer Consulting for a comprehensive solution to modernize their operations and comply with new regulations. Their main priorities were to:

• Rebrand and launch their first-ever website to address the growing demand for information from prospective residents
• Streamline communication with current residents
• Comply with newly passed state regulations for cooperatively managed affordable housing

Fellowship Hall, a community of nearly 100 residents, aimed to improve communication, make information more accessible, and comply with state regulations. These regulations required the board to maintain an archive and give residents access to documents related to board meetings and decisions.

Their ultimate goal was to provide a centralized platform for current and prospective residents to access information about available apartments, community programs, and other essential resources, thereby reducing the need to address repetitive inquiries, mail documentation, and provide formal, in-person tours.

User-Centric Solutions and Incremental Implementation

Hofbauer Consulting started with a roadmap, breaking the project into phases to meet Fellowship Hall’s changing needs. The first phase aimed at creating a user-friendly website with easy navigation, large fonts, and clear colors, suitable for the mostly older residents. This brochure-style site effectively displayed the community and its offerings, catering to both potential and current residents. 

Next, changes in New York law required subsidized housing communities to provide residents with direct access to key community-related documents necessitated the development of a custom content management system. The system developed by Hofbauer Consulting integrated seamlessly with Fellowship Hall’s website and allowed residents to access meeting minutes, housing agreements, and other critical documents securely and efficiently, ensuring compliance with state regulations.

Changes to New York state regulations mandated subsidized housing communities to give residents direct access to important documents. This led to the second phase of the project – developing a custom content management system. Built by Hofbauer Consulting, the new system seamlessly integrated with Fellowship Hall’s website. Residents could now securely access meeting minutes, housing agreements, and other crucial documents. Managing documentation in this way ensured Fellowship Hall was in compliance and also saved the team precious time by eliminating countless ours of administrative tasks.

Finally, the Hofbauer Consulting team helped leadership at Fellowship Hall overcome the significant challenge of registering a large population of residents that lacked email addresses or familiarity with password-based systems. To address this, Hofbauer Consulting devised a unique registration process that generated individualized passwords based on residents’ demographic information. This streamlined approach minimized staff workload and user confusion while maintaining robust security measures.

As with every engagement, Hofbauer Consulting provided comprehensive training for both administrators and residents to ensure smooth adoption of the new system. Training materials included user manuals, visual guides, and in-person sessions tailored to the specific needs of Fellowship Hall’s community. Ongoing support was also offered to address any queries or technical issues post-implementation.

How Hofbauer Consulting’s Custom CMS Transformed Fellowship Hall’s Operations

• Effortless Compliance: The custom CMS enabled Fellowship Hall to meet state requirements for document accessibility and reporting while reducing administrative burden and paper usage.
• Enhanced Communication: The integrated communication tools, including email and text alerts, empowered Fellowship Hall to disseminate important announcements and emergency notifications swiftly and effectively.
• User-Friendly Design: Hofbauer Consulting’s tailored approach to design and user experience ensured accessibility for residents of all technological proficiencies, facilitating seamless interaction with the system.

Custom Solutions Propel Fellowship Hall into the Digital Era

Through strategic planning, innovative solutions, and ongoing support, Hofbauer Consulting helped Fellowship Hall modernize its operations, comply with state regulations, and better serve its residents. By prioritizing user experience and functionality, their custom content management system has become an integral tool for facilitating communication and access to essential resources within the community. With plans to leverage additional features such as automated text and email notification tools in the future, Fellowship Hall remains well-positioned to adapt and thrive in an increasingly digital environment.