Located in Covington, Virginia, Dolly Ann Apartments offers spacious two- and three-bedroom homes with bright, modern floor plans and energy-efficient features. Residents enjoy the convenient location near shopping and major highways, and the beautiful park-like setting with views of the Alleghany Highlands. Dolly Ann also features a new Resident Community Center with programs for youth, education, and skill-building. CHP’s Lisa Garrett serves as Property Manager, Velda Graley serves as Assistant Property Manager, and Robert Wolfe and Bryan Knick serve as Maintenance Technicians.
Please introduce yourself and share a bit about your background in property management.
I’m Lisa Garrett, Property Manager at Dolly Ann Apartments. When I started at Dolly Ann, I didn’t have prior property management experience, but I brought over 16 years of hotel management, 7 years with EZ Pass, and 6 years with Ntelos. My background has always been rooted in customer service, and those skills translated into property management.
How long have you been managing this property?
I’ve been at Dolly Ann for a total of 9 years. I’ve been property manager for about 8 years.
What makes this property unique or distinctive within the community?
This property has been in operation for over 50 years it was built in 1972. We have served as a starting or starting over place for many residents of our community.
If the property had a personality, how would you describe it in a few words?
Busy, Thoughtful, and Kind.
What’s the most unique feature of this property that residents love?
The staff is the most unique feature of this property. Our maintenance staff each have 28 years or more service here at Dolly Ann. They know the ins and outs and remember residents from years ago. They have seen children and grandchildren of people who use to live here become residents.
Can you share any success stories or positive feedback from residents?
I’ve seen several of our residents start out here with nothing. They work, go to school, raise their children, and eventually are able to move out and live in conventional housing. I’ve had adult children of past residents come by to let me know what is going on in their lives and how we made a difference when they weren’t sure what was going to happen to them when they were children.
Can you share a life hack or a clever solution you’ve discovered for common resident needs?
Our residents are just like us. They need someone to listen and let them talk through their problems. It’s always nice to be a listening ear and watch someone figure out what they need to do, or be able to offer resources to get them they help they need. I always try to stay in the mind set of if this were my family member what would I want someone to do for them.
What is something you like or appreciate about the community?
I appreciate that there is a sense of community among many of our residents.
What qualities make this property a great place to call home?
The caring dedicated staff. We consider this property our home. We are here more than we are at our actual homes!
Founded in 1975, Community Housing Partners (CHP) provides quality-built, responsibly managed, service-enriched homes for low-income individuals and families across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Through its mission to create homes and communities that are healthy, sustainable, and affordable, CHP has been a leading advocate of affordable housing development for 50 years. CHP’s activities include real estate development, construction, energy services and training, asset management, property management, realty and homeownership, and comprehensive resident services.