If you operate a multifamily portfolio, you’re likely feeling the pressure of rising operating costs. Insurance premiums are up 12% year-over-year. Property taxes have climbed 5.4%. Repair and maintenance budgets are stretched. In some metros, operating costs are growing at a rate of 7% annually, well above historical norms, and dangerously close to outpacing revenue and NOI growth. You're treading water, up to your chin.

It is an obvious and simple equation, as expenses rise faster than income, NOI decreases and asset value erodes. However, at the same time, staying competitive still requires investing in amenities residents actually want, leaving property owners trapped. Third-party investment in amenities is a way out. When done right, they let you, the property owner, deliver the amenities your current and future residents demand without touching your CapEx budget or increasing OpEx spend. But this only works if you have the right amenity, the right model, and the right partner who can reliably execute, create the best amenity experience for your tenants, and scale across your portfolio.

Amenities have always been a key differentiator between properties, and the right amenities are those that meet the lifestyle needs of residents. But managing these amenities is costly and complex, especially as residents’ expectations evolve. Today, residents expect fast internet, secure package delivery, and increasingly, at-home EV charging. Like Wi-Fi, EV charging is moving from a “nice to have” to a “need to have.” And just like you wouldn’t install your own cell tower, you shouldn’t be expected to install your own EV charging infrastructure.

EV adoption is no longer a coastal trend, it’s happening across the country. In the first half of this year, U.S. EV sales hit a record 607,089 and used EV sales surpassed 100,000 units for the first time in Q2. By 2029, EV penetration is projected to reach nearly 14% in Phoenix and Denver, and 12% in Raleigh. These drivers will expect charging where they live, and they’ll choose properties that offer it.

However, EV charging is a complex, capital-intensive amenity to deliver at scale across a portfolio. It requires upfront and ongoing capital investments, technology and market understanding, hardware and software selection, utility coordination, permitting, long-term maintenance, extensive project management, construction coordination and upgrading and expanding charging as demand requires it. It’s not a set-it-and-forget-it investment. Getting it right requires real operational capacity, know-how, and commitment. Getting it wrong leads to stranded assets, frustrated residents, and even higher capital costs.

That’s why more owners are turning to third-party ownership models. These models shift the capital and operational burden from the property owner to a trusted partner whose sole focus is delivering an exceptional EV charging amenity and experience to your residents. You stay competitive without the cost, and residents get the amenity they want.

Aubrey Gunnels and I founded 3V Infrastructure to make it easy for real estate owners to offer EV charging.  We saw a critical gap in charging infrastructure where it’s needed most: at multifamily properties, where nearly 30% of Americans live. We assembled a team of charging and real estate experts, built a model that actually works for multifamily property owners, and are now working with some of the biggest portfolio owners, providing charging to tens of thousands of their residents. At 3V, we fully fund, install, own and operate EV charging across entire portfolios—at no cost to property owners. This model lets owners meet growing resident demand, retain residents, and even participate in the upside through profit share. without adding risk or operating costs to property owners.

Residents will continue to choose properties with the amenities that they want and meet their needs. As EV adoption grows, that includes access to at-home charging. Smart owners deliver amenities like EV charging without using their own capital, increasing their operating costs, or depressing their returns. In an uncertain market, third-party amenities like 3V’s model help you meet resident demand while protecting your investment.