Housing Partnership Equity Trust
A story-led annual report and PR program that repositioned a social-purpose REIT and lifted engagement across its investor and partner network.
The Housing Partnership Equity Trust (HPET) was launched as a social-purpose real estate investment trust (REIT) with an investment of $100 million from Citi, Morgan Stanley, Prudential Financial, Inc., the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. HPET provides a ready source of long-term, low-cost capital, enabling the 12 mission-driven nonprofits it partners with to quickly and efficiently acquire apartment buildings that provide quality homes for families, seniors and others with modest incomes.
HPET's annual report was a formulaic progress report with no storytelling, design or images. As a real estate investment trust in a highly competitive space, it needed a more effective way to tell its story to partners, community members and current and future investors.
HPET came to us wanting its annual report to do more than list progress. We worked closely with the entire HPET staff to find the story behind the numbers: how long-term, low-cost capital lets mission-driven nonprofits buy and keep quality, affordable homes across the country.
A report people actually read
We shaped the annual report around that story, pairing clear narrative with design, imagery and a format built to catch the attention of partners, community members and current and future investors.
Building the brand year-round
Alongside the report, we led HPET's communications and public relations, positioning it as a leading social-purpose REIT in the United States. We wrote press releases, maintained industry media lists and built relationships with key voices in the field.
- A redesigned annual report with a compelling story, design and format, built with the full HPET staff.
- A significant increase in engagement from HPET's primary network after its release.
- Communications and PR support: press releases, industry media lists and relationships with key influencers.
The process was a pleasure from start to finish. They helped us articulate what is most important about our company and communicate that value in ways that resonate with our broad and diverse base of stakeholders.
One of the resounding takeaways for our client was that an annual report doesn’t have to be dry and conventional. Story, design, and format all play crucial roles in securing the attention of any audience.
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