What I wish you knew about my jobs: the one that pays and the one that doesn't

I have two significant jobs. I am the property manager of three historic properties and I serve as president of a non-profit. One pays me in dollars, and the other one pay me in personal satisfaction.

I live "old"

My position as a property manager is the one that pays and offers benefits. The three buildings that I manage are old, I live in an old house, in a historic neighborhood and even my non-paying job has to do with “old”, but I will get to that one later.

People should know that to be a property manager you also have to be a social worker or psychiatrist -- depending on the day. Managing 85 apartments to all walks of life, is interesting to say the least.

I can honestly say it’s never boring and you really get attached to the residents and their lives - just like you can get attached to an old home. You learn that black, white, Hispanic or any other nationality, we really are all just humans trying our best at life.

Many residents live paycheck to paycheck, single moms struggling with children, people living with disabilities and thankful they have an affordable apartment to live in. I have also dealt with lawyers, doctors and professors, they don’t have money issues, but they still have problems. I recently had a resident come in and say, “Deb, I am lonely." This was a beautiful woman, who just walked in and plopped in the chair in front of my desk and said this. After a 20 minute conversation about why she was lonely, I told her to join a gym and maybe she will meet someone. She left laughing and therein lays the beauty of this job, people just want to talk about their problems sometimes and I am happy to oblige.

Managing Property and Relationships

I was told when I took this job, don’t be their friends, you have a job to do and you have to show authority, I was also told that about my children, but I truly believe that you can be both. I also wish people knew that just because someone is on Section 8 (low income housing program) does not mean that they work any less or are happy with just sitting back and thinking they will never have anything.

Life has thrown them a curveball, and I have seen people make more money, buy a house, buy a new car or a new used car and get out this cycle. Seeing them do this is another great thing about this job. Who doesn’t want to see someone succeed that’s been having a hard time?

I have actually had people call and say, “Oh, you have low income there; I don’t want to live there”. What I would love to say to “those” people!

There are also the sad times, the mothers who can’t control their teenagers and you know where these kids are going to end up. I have actually helped a few of these mothers, whose kids would come down and talk to me and both the mother and I would come up with ideas to turn them around. The residents that you have come to know and they pass away. The paperwork is unbelievable, but the residents make it all worth it.

The job that doesn't pay money

Now, my second job, president of a non-profit. This is my passion and biggest accomplishment in my volunteer career.

I have volunteered since I was 18 years old and was an election judge. I seem to always have to have a cause and thankfully my husband knows me well enough to let me do my thing. He just says, “if mama isn’t happy, nobody is happy”. True.

I wish people knew how fulfilling volunteering is and how making a difference in your community pays off ten-fold. I can actually say in my lifetime that I beat city hall, with the help of very talented people and a community that was just as passionate about the cause as I was. I wish people knew with this endeavor that we can’t do it alone and it will take a very long commitment on everyone’s part for it to succeed.

I wish people knew that working with board members is not always the easiest thing to do, but as long as we have the same goal, it’s worth the struggles.

I wish people knew the difference between a leader and being called “over ambitious”. We all don’t work on the same level and that’s okay because we all have different talents. Once again having the same goal helps.

My crazy adventure I love every aspect of this crazy adventure I have taken on with the many talented and crazy people that are coming along for the ride. There is nothing better than being able to do something you are passionate about and it will not fail under my watch.

Please, go out and volunteer in your community, your heart will feel better and so will your soul.

Deb Kuntzi Property Manager President, Friends of Hauberg Civic Center Foundation

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This guest post is part of an ongoing series called, "What I wish you knew about ..." If you would like to read more on this topic, click on the posts below.

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