For the past three and a half years, KD Frazier has worked at Oak Village Preservation, a 117-unit affordable housing community in Oakland, California, owned and managed by Avanath. He fondly refers to it as “my little Mayberry.” What began as a job in resident services quickly yielded a promotion to community manager. He couldn’t be better suited for the role.

KD is quick, funny, goal-oriented and direct. He greets each resident by their formal name — including a Ms., Mrs. or Mr — but the kids call him “Uncle.” “Unc” for short. He’s an excellent listener and pays attention to every detail, even the ones residents would rather he not see. He isn’t afraid to apologize or admit that he was wrong. He is consistent, patient, humble and full of joy.

Some of these traits are in his DNA. Others, he picked up during his years in the Navy or while doing LGBT outreach for nonprofits in California. He developed more as a social worker, and he’s refined them all during his 15+ years in the multifamily business.

What hasn't changed is his dedication to three unwavering principles: respect, fairness and service. They are at the core of who he is and provide the foundation for his wide-spanning career. They are what make KD #RenterProud.

“For me, #RenterProud means respect in your home and your community,” he said. “Everybody has a name. No one is called by their first name unless they invite us to do so. Even then, it’s ‘Miss Harriett.’ It’s, ‘yes sir’ or ‘no ma’am.’”

He limits all business-related conversations to his office, and keeps residents’ homes a neutral space that he calls “their refuge” or “their peace.”

“I let everybody know, especially when they move in, that my office is the place for business,” he said. “If you haven’t paid your rent, that doesn’t stop your apartment from being your home. I’m not going to disrespect you in your home. You don’t need to sneak around. I’m not going to say anything to you in the hallway. That’s private business. When we’re on the street, I’ll wave and say hello and ask how you’re doing. We’ll work out something that makes everyone succeed. We're a community.”

KD originally pivoted to the multifamily industry because it paid better than social work and came with an apartment. He didn’t realize that the business gave him greater access to his residents and a much better understanding of where people were coming from. It was a deeper extension of social work.

In affordable housing, resident services and really hard conversations come into play, perhaps more so than in other sectors of the apartment industry. As KD collects rent, moves through mountains of paperwork and manages dozens of other daily tasks, he often draws on his prior experience.

“A social worker usually deals with someone in a very specific crisis,” he said. “Folks go to their office, and they may tell the truth, or they may not. You only get to see them in that specific situation.”

He went on, “Here, we see the real deal — the whole you. We see them in their chaos. We see them in their happy times. We see how they act in the community. We want to make sure they remember that this is their home. We want to make sure that our residents are level, safe and secure.”

Since his community is relatively small, he can develop one-on-one relationships. He goes out of his way to know everyone, learn about what they need and how he can help.

“Avanath is very good at the resident services portion, so I can make referrals to help out,” he added. “Residents trust me to be me. They know my sticking points and that I’m totally consistent.”

KD’s attitude is “What can we do for the property?” instead of “What can you/I do for the property?”

“If I don’t have to think about ‘me,’ and I can think about ‘we,’ the load isn’t so heavy,” he said. “I’m not stressing out the residents, and it becomes holistic. It gives us more respect in the community.”

Because KD is an Oakland native, he understands his community in a larger neighborhood context. He also is well-known and well-liked throughout. He believes in an “old-school neighborhood” where everyone looks out for each other. He previously managed a public housing complex in an area that had problems with gangs, crime and drugs. Through community outreach and involvement, he changed the atmosphere of the property and the attitude of its residents.

“Community involvement is the only way to win the war,” he said.

Oak Village sits between an elementary school and two middle schools, so occasionally — especially during the summertime — kids will cause mischief. While he puts down the hammer on anyone causing trouble, it’s more important to him that those kids know his community is a safe space. And that they care about them.

“It’s my job to be the custodian and protector of this property,” he added. “As long I remember those two things, it makes it personal. I want the property to look good and succeed. I run my corners, and have no tolerance for gangs or drugs or violence. People are safe here.”

People are also cared for on a very personal level. KD sees to it himself.

One of his elderly residents recently passed away, and her son came to the property to settle her estate. KD spread the word for the family and took the time to sit with the son, sharing stories about his mother and her friends — KD called them the “Mothers Board” — recounting how they would come down to the office to use the computers, check Facebook, “gab,” laugh and have a great time.

“Being able to share those memories brought him some comfort knowing that his mother was in a community that cared about her and looked after her,” KD recalled.

KD says the multifamily business is “the most honest form of customer service you can come across.” It’s something he often reflects on.

“It makes me introspective,” he said “To make sure I’m being real, fair, honest and genuine. It’s trained me to be a more understanding person. That has helped me personally. I’ve come a long way.”

He also says that the multifamily business is “the best reality show.” He loves watching as kids grow up — “it’s always beautiful” — or a resident gets a job or a family moves in to their first house. But what he likes most is seeing someone sign a lease.

“When my son asks me how was my day, and I tell him, ‘Today someone got a home’ — that’s a proud moment for me.”