Azilee Burt, Lee for short, has been central to Yardi’s affordable housing team for more than a decade. We spoke with her about her role at Yardi and lessons learned in the affordable housing industry.
Hello Lee! Where are you from originally, and where is your home now?
I was born in Atlanta and raised in a suburb named Dunwoody. I currently live about 30 minutes north of there in a smaller but swiftly growing town.
How did your career begin at Yardi?
I began working here in 2012. My first assignment was in the client services department working on implementation, training and support for affordable housing and public housing providers on the now-retired Yardi Beacon solution. After a few years, I was promoted to a leadership role in client services and stayed in that position until early 2020.
What is your current role at Yardi?
I now work as a solutions consultant in the affordable housing sales department. My job has me spending time with clients as they consider adopting solutions such as Yardi Breeze Premier and RentCafe Affordable Housing. I’m also excited to be learning more about Yardi Voyager and the PHA industry so I can help that team when needed.
Is Yardi your first experience working with the affordable housing industry?
Yes. Before Yardi my background was in market rate multifamily housing. The only exposure I had to affordable housing compliance was a bonded property that required things like income tracking for residents, but it was nothing as complicated as affordable housing can be.
What benefits do the affordable housing providers you work with bring to the communities they serve?
Our clients in affordable housing are amazing. They do so many wonderful things in their communities to help the elderly, veterans, people with disabilities, individuals and families experiencing homelessness, victims of domestic abuse, people in recovery — the list goes on. Affordable housing providers create safe and sanitary living spaces for these individuals and families. They help families get back on their feet with services and support that allow their residents to thrive.
What sets Breeze Premier apart from other affordable housing property management solutions?
Breeze Premier is easy-to-use affordable housing software that’s available on any device with an internet connection.
Affordable housing compliance can be complicated. Breeze Premier can handle all major affordable housing programs, including those at the federal, state and local levels. It helps reduce the complexity of everyday processes, which gives our clients more time to focus on residents, properties and missions.
Our motto at Yardi is to take care of our clients, each other and our communities, and to stay focused and grow. I like to think that focus trickles down to our clients because we make their job easier and more efficient.
What is your favorite feature in Breeze Premier to show affordable housing providers?
Some of our clients still create tenant certifications by hand and manage their properties with spreadsheets and fax communications. I love that I can show clients the certification workflow built into Breeze Premier. It has features to store data and documents, handle maintenance requests and oversee financials. I enjoy that “aha moment” when affordable housing providers see that it can all be easier with Breeze Premier.
Outside of work, what do you like to spend time on?
I love history and visiting archeological sites. My dream is to make it to Europe and Africa so I can see the sights in Italy, Greece and Egypt. I would also love to visit other places like China to see the Great Wall. My travels haven’t taken me too far yet, but I have been to Mexico several times and seen Chichén Itza and Tulum. Closer to home, I enjoy local historic sites such as Savannah, Georgia; St. Augustine, Florida; and Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
