As a diversified real estate company, Grupe Huber maintains properties that are home to a variety of tenants. The University Park campus accommodates many medical and education tenants who have been directly impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic. To best serve and support each tenant, Grupe Huber has made an increased effort to communicate with, provide necessary services to, and be extra available to tenants.

One of the earliest tenants at University Park is the Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC). VMRC is an organization that provides support and services to people with developmental disabilities alongside, and in collaboration with, families and the community. Due to the nature of their services and the structure of their programs, when the pandemic began surfacing, there was concern that if someone under the care of VMRC were to contract COVID-19, they wouldn’t be able to go back to the home that they were in. This concern prompted a discussion between VMRC and Grupe Huber which led to Grupe Huber offering the unoccupied Oak Hall building free of lease charges if VMRC found that there was a need for extra bed space. Tony Anderson, Executive Director at VMRC, shared that he is extremely thankful for the offer as it provides an option that is conveniently located on campus with the regional center. He is still hopeful that precautions to protect the participants and families will be successful and VMRC will not need the extra space at this time.

Stockton PACE, a tenant of University Park that provides all-inclusive care for the elderly, is also feeling the effects of the current pandemic. Normally, participants in PACE programs would be in and out of the University Park facility all day long. Due to current restrictions, they have had to make a quick transition to a remote model of care. Rather than having participants come to the University Park facility, PACE is now providing all care in participants’ homes. Within the first week of shelter-in-place PACE was able to provide all participants with tablets for receiving telehealth and check-in calls, allowing them to get all the services they need remotely. The Stockton PACE team has been incredibly flexible, adaptable, and creative. They continue to do their jobs with love and compassion, supporting our community, participants, and each other. Stockton PACE Executive Director Jillian Simon has voiced her incredible gratitude for the entire PACE team, their ability to adapt, and their continued care for and service to the frailest population in our nation. Simon also praised University Park and Grupe Huber for being phenomenal partners, noting their continued availability and helpfulness at providing a great sense of support and security.

The Grupe Huber and University Park team are committed to serving their tenants well beyond what is expected. To care for and protect their tenants, Grupe Huber has remained responsive and agile, relaying information related to the CARE Act, the Paycheck Protection Plan, and emergency grants as there are tenants that are eligible for different pieces of the available funds. Helping them with that process and, in some cases, introducing tenants to community banks is important to the Grupe Huber team because it supports their tenants which in-turn supports the community. If you have questions or would like to talk through the different options available to your organization, the Grupe Huber and University Park teams are available to tenants and would be happy to help.