Below are 22 highlights that Redwood celebrated at the close of 2022.

1. Ambassador additions

Throughout 2022, Redwood welcomed more than 250 new team members, bringing the total staff count to more than 600. And it’s not stopping there – many opportunities and available positions are ready to be filled across the states Redwood operates in during 2023. 

2. New national recognition

Redwood earned a place on the prestigious 2022 Best Workplaces in Real Estate™ list. Compiled by Fortune and Great Place to Work®, securing a spot on this list means that Redwood is one of the best companies to work for in the country.

3. Achieving Great Place to Work® Certification™

For a fifth consecutive year, Redwood has been certified as a Great Place to Work®. Great Place to Work® Certification™ is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. According to survey results, 90 percent of employees at Redwood say it is a great place to work, compared with 57 percent of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.

4. Earning a local Top Workplaces 2022 honor

Redwood was awarded a Top Workplaces 2022 honor by Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer Top Workplaces. The program aims to offer data to engage employees, showcase standout culture, and attract and maintain top talent at organizations in Cleveland and surrounding communities. The 2022 list ranked 220 companies, nonprofits, schools and other employers in large, mid-size and small categories.

5. A special month for Redwood Ambassadors

Redwood dedicated an entire month of 2022 to employee appreciation. Ambassadors enjoyed team-gathering events and special treats, such as extra paid time off.

6. A day for mental health

Work-life balance, access to mental health resources, and the knowledge that a company emphasizes mental health fosters a work culture that is beneficial for all. Redwood offices closed in observance of World Mental Health Day on October 10, allowing team members to pause, recharge and engage in their own meaningful activities.

7. Appreciation & award events

After two years of virtual celebrating, the Redwood team was able to reunite in person once again for its annual awards ceremony in downtown Cleveland. Redwood also gathered with its investor partners for a night of appreciation during the annual investor gala.

8. Launching the Redwood Equity Program

In March 2022, Redwood changed its offering approach to Rule 506C, allowing the company to take investments from verified accredited investors. The Redwood Equity Program is a vehicle to enable accredited investors to participate as partners in the funding of new Redwood Apartment Neighborhood developments. With Redwood’s model, investors can benefit from a more predictable investment and income stream, allowing them to preserve capital while investing in multifamily projects. Plus, investing in a high-growth asset class with an organization that has over 30 years of experience perfecting the development process can bring peace of mind in today’s volatile market.

9. Welcoming new neighborhoods

During 2022, Redwood opened ten new neighborhoods throughout major metro areas of Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Iowa and Illinois. Land has also been secured to build potential new neighborhoods and expand existing neighborhoods in over 20 locations.

10. An expansion to Illinois

Residents are now moving into Redwood’s first neighborhood in Illinois – Redwood Lockport. The company has the potential to add as many as 3,000 apartment homes across Chicagoland over the next five years. Construction will progress on neighborhoods in Oswego and Volo next.

11. A ninth state to the portfolio

Redwood will welcome residents to its first neighborhood in Nebraska next summer as part of a broader expansion in the state. Currently, Redwood has plans for five neighborhoods in Omaha and its surrounding suburbs. The company is eyeing additional opportunities in the market, along with sites in Lincoln and Council Bluffs, Iowa, over the next several years.

12. Expanding existing neighborhoods

Five Redwood Neighborhoods expanded this year, which added apartment homes throughout major metro areas of Ohio and Michigan – more specifically, Redwood’s Avon Lake, Fairborn, Holt, Southgate and Texas Township locations.

13. Reaching 15,000 apartment homes

Thanks to all the additions in new and existing neighborhoods, Redwood added 1,338 new apartment homes, which pushes the total number of apartments to 15,000 in the portfolio.

14. Ranking for Best Apartments in Fort Wayne

The Redwood teams in the greater Fort Wayne area celebrated a second-place finish in the Best Apartments category for the 2022 Fort Wayne Newspapers Readers’ Choice Awards. This distinction reflects the outstanding service the teams provide residents each and every day.

15. Excellence in construction

Redwood strives for innovation in the building process and was recognized for those efforts in 2022. The company received a Gold Level award for Excellence in Construction by the Associated Builders and Contractors organization for construction of Redwood Copley.

16. Year-round resident appreciation

Three times throughout 2022, Redwood held Resident Appreciation Months, gifting residents everything from branded keepsakes like aprons, oven mitts and travel bags, to discounts on products and services from partners that support nonprofits that align with Redwood’s philanthropic priorities. In addition, three residents will win a trip to the Redwood Forest – winners announced in January! Also, throughout the year many neighborhoods hosted special events for residents, such as craft nights, wine and cheese parties and food truck visits.

17. More opportunities to save via the Redwood Perks Program

Redwood residents and employees now all have access to exclusive discounts on everything from home décor and household products to travel gear, pet supplies, fitness equipment and much more, thanks to the Redwood Perks Program. This curated discount program is just another way Redwood helps to enhance and elevate the lives of its residents and team members.

18. Award-winning reputation management

Online reputation is a critical component to everything from attracting and retaining residents to recruiting new employees. For the second consecutive year, Redwood placed in the top 10 nationally for reputation management in the annual Division ORA® Power Rankings. Redwood earned an ORA score of 83.10, ranking the company fifth in Division III.

19. Rave reviews on Google

Redwood is proud to have achieved an average 4.7 rating on Google across the portfolio – the industry average is 3.8. For the 117 active neighborhoods online, an impressive 3,100 Google reviews were added this year.

20. A new way to care for Redwood’s communities

A new approach to giving resulted in $45,000 in initial contributions in 2022 to the communities that Redwood serves. Redwood Cares, the company’s progressive new philanthropic initiative, allows Redwood employees, residents and investors to nominate a verified 501(c)(3) organization for Redwood to support in the form of volunteer time, promotion and monetary donations. Here’s a closer look at the organizations supported by Redwood in 2022.

21. Giving back to local communities

Redwood Ambassadors consistently supported their communities across the country through everything from packing boxes at food banks to running in charity races, holding food and pet supply drives, cleaning up recreation trails and more. In fact, the Redwood Columbus team was recognized and awarded the “Holiday Helper Spirit Award” in 2022 by LifeCare Alliance. Through this volunteer partnership, Redwood team members helped Meals on Wheels with delivery and packaging meals for those in need in Central Ohio. 

22. 6,508 trees planted

The company is proud to partner with One Tree Planted, an environmental nonprofit, by donating $1 on behalf of each new Redwood employee, resident and investor to plant a tree in an area in need of reforestation. In 2022, Redwood is proud to announce 6,508 trees were planted thanks to these efforts, which included 6,083 on behalf of new residents, 266 employees and 159 investors. 

Looking ahead to 2023, Redwood’s plans call for continued growth and expansion, with the addition of new apartment homes in existing and new suburban markets. Residents in Columbus, Dayton, northern Kentucky, Charlotte, western Michigan, Northeast Ohio, Chicago and Omaha should all be on the lookout for new Redwood apartments next year.

“Redwood enters 2023 from a position of strength, thanks to strategic planning, sound investments and most importantly, the talent that our team members bring to our organization,” Kimmelman said. “We have much to celebrate but even more to aspire to this year and beyond.”

Remarkable Growth in All Markets

Redwood is growing across its portfolio, with new neighborhoods in nearly every market in eight states currently. With more growth on the horizon in Nebraska and across current markets, now is an excellent time to consider an equity investment in the next Redwood project. Find out more information about this process, how investors can benefit, and next steps by contacting our dedicated Investor Relations team.