It is no secret that the U.S. population is aging. From 2010 to 2015, the US population grew 3.9%, but the population of those over 60 grew 16.7%.

The growing lack of affordability within U.S. rental housing has led to the creation of new loan programs aimed at strengthening and preserving the existing stock of multifamily that’s affordable for the workforce. It turns that a large portion of housing suitable for the workforce is found in smaller apartment properties with between 5 and 50 units.

Here’s a quick look at the small balance multifamily finance and investment benchmarks for Q1 2017.

Making an apartment community more energy efficient can boost NOI by reducing operating expenses. While gas and electric power the majority of America’s housing stock, the use of solar thermal heating has increased by 19% from 2010 to 2015.

While Gateway markets like New York and San Francisco still dominate, the STEAM job market (think STEM plus arts) is increasingly moving to Secondary markets.

The U.S. multifamily market continued to post positive results during Q1 2017. Rent growth remained strong, while vacancy remained low and demand kept pace with high levels of new supply. Investment activity was slow to start the year, although prices continued to increase.