The following is adapted from VIDA by Ron Lovett.
The rat problem at the 32-unit townhouse complex was like something out of a horror movie. They were everywhere. We caught dozens every day, but they just kept coming—chewing through front doors and burrowing into people’s homes.
One resident sent me a video I’ll never forget: a rat scaling her glass patio door in broad daylight. Not scurrying, not hiding—just clinging there like it owned the place. She stood frozen behind the glass, terrified. I remember thinking, You can’t make this stuff up.
We went all in. Partnering with pest control, we built a full-scale plan—perimeter traps, sealed entry points, unit-by-unit inspections, even an offer to buy every tenant a cat. It took months, but eventually, we won. Still, that victory came with a hard truth: the fear never really goes away.
Pests don’t care about postal codes. They don’t distinguish between luxury neighborhoods and low-income complexes. They go where they’re allowed. It’s about how you care for a space—because neglect is an open invitation.
And that’s when it hit me: we weren’t just buying properties. We were inheriting stories, reputations, and years of neglect. Every unit came with baggage—and every resident with expectations that we’d fix it fast.
It was also when we realized our role had to evolve. We weren’t just landlords. We were partners. So, we changed our approach.
We stopped talking at residents and started talking with them. “Here’s what we’ve found,” we’d say. “We need your help. If there’s something we don’t know, tell us. We’ll make a plan together.”
That shift changed everything. It built trust. It made us co-stakeholders instead of adversaries. It turned residents into collaborators—and communities into allies.
From there, VIDA’s mission grew. We proved that affordable housing could thrive even in the toughest places, that transformation wasn’t about pouring in money but about pulling people in.
Still, it wasn’t easy. There were days I questioned everything—our model, my decisions, even the vision itself. It felt like running uphill through mud, dragging decades of decay behind us. But then I’d see small signs: a tenant stepping up, a building starting to shine again, a street breathing new life. Those flickers of progress kept me going.
Because this work was never just about real estate. It was about changing lives, neighborhoods, and an entire industry’s mindset.
Every setback made us sharper. Every mess became a playbook. And each time someone said, “That place is too far gone,” I smiled, rolled up my sleeves, and thought—Perfect.
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For more stories on building community through affordable housing, you can find VIDA on Amazon.
Ron Lovett is an entrepreneur and globally recognized author, speaker, and corporate culture thought leader who is passionate about change. He previously transformed the physical security industry when he founded Source Security, a national firm that grew to more than 3,500 staff and enabled Ron to exit at a 24x multiple. With a renegade spirit, Ron builds high-performing, world-class cultures and extremely decentralized organizations where everyone is a passionate stakeholder. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with his wife and their three children.