LoginThe U.S. apartment and rental industry is beginning to show renewed signs of life, as the economy begins to rebound.
With approximately 35 percent of properties now considered rentals in the country, the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) said the rental industry is seeing an increase in demand for workers with a variety of skills, including construction, accountants, marketing directors, maintenance workers and webmasters.
Maitri Johnson, NAAEI president, said the multi-family housing industry now employs more than 1 million people.
"Every year we keep adding to the apartment stock, and we keep adding jobs," Johnson added. "That has not been the case with many other industries during the past few years."
Meanwhile, in Maryland, Governor Martin O'Malley has proposed an increase in program funding to build more affordable rental housing in the state, according to the Baltimore Sun.
O'Malley said a $15 million increase to build more rental units in the state under his "Rental Housing Works" initiative would leverage $285 million in private investment and create more than 1,100 jobs in the next fiscal year.
Maryland is experiencing a shortage of affordable housing units, expected to reach 127,000 units in 2015.