WASHINGTON, D.C., February 28, 2013 Today the Equal Rights Center (ERC)—a national non-profit civil rights organization — announced that Watermark Residential, the apartment development brand of Thompson Thrift Development, Inc., has become the latest member of the ERC’s Multifamily Housing Resource Program (MHRP).

“The Equal Rights Center is proud to welcome Watermark Residential to the MHRP family,” said Victoria Lanteigne, the ERC’s Corporate Partnerships and Training Program Manager. “Major multifamily housing developers who belong to the MHRP have significantly increased accessible housing for people with disabilities all across the country, and Watermark Residential’s commitment to accessible housing is yet another affirmation that providing equal opportunity is smart business.”

Established in 2008, Watermark Residential has emerged as a national leader in the development and construction of upscale, multifamily communities. As a developer of multifamily communities, Watermark Residential utilizes a combination of both experience and expertise in the construction and management of multifamily dwellings. The Indianapolis-based company has developed over 2,100 multifamily units across several Midwest states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky.

“We are thrilled to be joining the Multifamily Housing Resource Program as an Executive Member,” says Steve Shaver, Director of Construction with Watermark Residential. “We are committed to achieving accessible housing for everyone, and are looking forward to benefiting from the ERC’s collaborative guidance throughout our partnership.”

The MHRP is a proactive collaboration between the ERC and industry leaders in the areas of multi-family housing development, construction, and management, as well as architectural firms with design expertise, and product or service vendors and subcontractors. With a mission to increase the number of residential housing units in the United States that are accessible to people with disabilities, the MHRP relies upon best practices and employee training.

Watermark Residential will be the latest member of the MHRP and joins other major multifamily developers, including AvalonBay Communities, Bozzuto Group, Camden Property Trust, Donatelli Development, Kettler, The JBG Companies and Trammell Crow Residential in multi-year commitments to proactively work with the ERC to improve and ensure accessibility in housing through MHRP membership. Current MHRP members represent more than 600,000 housing units nationwide.

About the Equal Rights Center (www.equalrightscenter.org)
Originally formed in 1983, the Equal Rights Center (ERC) is a national non-profit civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C. With members located in every state and the District of Columbia, the ERC works nationally to promote equal opportunity in housing, employment, disability rights, immigrant rights, and access to public accommodations and government services for all protected classes under federal, state, and local laws.

About Watermark Residential (www.watermark-residential.com)
Watermark Residential is a leading developer of superior upscale multifamily communities and operates on a national basis. The company’s headquarters are in Indianapolis, IN.