It’s not an easy time to lease up a building. Rents grew just 1.2% in the first half of 2025, half the pre-pandemic pace, while occupancy flattened at 94.6%. With supply flooding in, operators are fighting harder for every lease.

Nowhere has that pressure been sharper than Brooklyn, New York’s newly rezoned Gowanus, where 18 developments launched at once against the backdrop of torn up streets and a neighborhood still under construction.

For Charney Cos. and  partner Tavros Capital, that challenge was familiar ground. They know Brooklyn block by block, not just where to build, but what to build and who they’re building for. Their projects are grounded in the fabric of the neighborhoods they enter, from unit mix and amenity design to the technology that transforms daily life.

At Union Channel, the first phase of their 2,200-unit Gowanus Wharf project, that local knowledge paid off. Charney leased 80% of units in just five months, while achieving 10% to 20% higher rents per square foot than nearby competitors.

Speed as the First Advantage

In a sea of clunky desktop portals and dayslong waits for manual screening reviews, Charney wanted to remove all friction from the start. To bring that vision to life, the partners teamed with Venn, a modular operating system that unifies leasing, operations, data, and the full resident experience.

With Venn, prospects could tour, apply, verify income, and sign all from their phone in a single evening. No uploads. No waiting. Approvals that once took days cleared in under an hour.

"We get more applications because the process is easy,” explains Andrew Steiker-Epstein, brokerage president at Charney Cos. “Applicants don’t have to dig up tax returns or download PDFs from their bank, everything’s in one place, and it’s mobile-friendly. And because we approve quickly, we dramatically reduce drop-off. When renters wait days for a response, they start applying elsewhere. Speed matters."

The impact was immediate: applications up 42%, approvals under 24 hours, and several hours saved per lease enough to cut an admin role entirely.

Creating Emotional Attachment to the Community

But the real difference came afterward. Residents didn’t just sign leases, they plugged into a community. They paid rent, booked amenities, met neighbors, swapped furniture, and discovered local bars and art installations all while receiving personalized offers and experiences based on their behavior and preferences. The same technology that streamlined operations also made the building feel alive.

“At the end of the day, what people crave is connection,” explains Sam Charney, principal and founder, Charney Cos. “With Gowanus Wharf, our vision is to build more than just buildings, we’re creating a campus that strengthens community both inside and beyond its walls. It’s about inclusivity, about making everyone feel like they belong. And, with Venn, we now have the tools to bring people together and make them feel seen in ways that simply weren’t possible before.”

Hospitality Through Presence, Not Head Count

As Gowanus Wharf’s first phase nears completion, the building is running smoother than ever. By automating routine tasks, Charney freed staff from administrative load, allowing a leaner team to deliver higher performance on-site.

Marvin, the superintendent, walks the halls with his iPad, completing service requests in record time. Joseph, the concierge, greets residents with a smile and can solve almost anything in moments from the Venn hub.

“The real secret to hospitality is giving residents access to a friendly human who can help right away,” says Steiker-Epstein. “Instead of making them jump through hoops with artificial intelligence or tickets, we automate the admin work so our team can be present with our guests.”

Behind the scenes, Venn’s command center tracks hours saved, giving staff daily proof of their impact and reinforcing that they, too, are cared for.

“When teams feel supported, they show up better for our residents,” adds Steiker-Epstein.

The New Return on Investment: Return on Experience

With higher net operating income, faster lease velocity, and leaner overhead, Charney unlocked better debt terms, accelerated refinancing, and increased long-term valuation. What started as a lease-up strategy has become a blueprint for how Charney plans to operate every community moving forward. Charney’s edge has always been knowing the market what to build, where to build, and who to build for. With Venn, they now know their residents at an even deeper level. That combination of instinct and insight sets them apart and it’s already reshaping the future of multifamily.

This article origionally appeared in Multifamily Executive. Read the article here.