HH Red Stone’s Teddy Abdelmalek on what operators need to focus on in the year ahead
As student housing operators enter 2026, the fundamentals haven’t changed, but the execution requirements have intensified. Teddy Abdelmalek, Senior Vice President of Business Development at HH Red Stone, has a clear message for the industry: Success isn’t mysterious; it requires unwavering discipline and a commitment to putting residents first.
With 25 years of experience spanning from residence hall advisor to executive leadership, Abdelmalek brings a unique perspective to property management. His background in student affairs, combined with analytical training in biology and chemistry, has shaped an approach that balances operational rigor with genuine human connection.
The Foundation: Residents Are Your CEO
“The residents are your CEO,” Abdelmalek states plainly. “When you treat your residents as if they are the owners of the property, everything else falls into place.”
This isn’t empty rhetoric. Abdelmalek points to a simple truth that many operators overlook: properties get cleaned up and perfected when ownership visits, but that same level of attention should be standard for the people who actually live there every day.
“Your resident experience, your staff’s investment in the property, your reputation, your hospitality, how your residents treat your property—everything falls into place,” he explains. “If we just use that level of attention with the people actually living on our property every single day, your properties would be elevated to such an extreme level.”
2026 Strategic Focus: Intentional Growth
Looking ahead to 2026, HH Red Stone is becoming more deliberate about the projects and partnerships it takes on. “We’ve walked away from management opportunities where we didn’t believe the fundamentals were in place for the property to succeed truly,” says Abdelmalek.
That discipline comes from a simple reality: strong performance doesn’t happen without ownership willing to invest. Expecting top-tier results from a property without the proper capital plan or commitment is unrealistic.
HH Red Stone seeks owners who share that mindset—those who understand that strategic spending matters and that performance goals must be grounded in reality. “We want clear accountability around NOI, leasing velocity, and the resident experience,” Abdelmalek adds. “Those are the levers we can actually pull, and that’s where we focus.”
The Secret Sauce: Consistency Over Magic
Ask Abdelmalek about the secret to Success in student housing, and his answer is refreshingly straightforward: “Success in student housing is not this magical or mysterious thing. It’s about doing the fundamentals consistently every single day.”
This means marketing consistently, interacting with residents regularly, following up promptly, and executing foundational tasks even when results aren’t immediately visible. “You’re out marketing to strategic businesses. You’re out on campus interacting with the student body and student organizations. You’re not going to see the fruits of your labor until much later.”
The key? Speed wins. “If I am faster than my competitor and I can call back a prospect that left me a message or emailed me, if I am faster, then I’m going to win,” Abdelmalek emphasizes. “They didn’t email you for the sake of emailing you. They need an answer. They need to make a decision.”
HH Red Stone has incorporated a “bias towards action” methodology. “Get stuff done. Why put something off to tomorrow that you can get done today?”
AI as Supplement, Not Replacement
When it comes to technology and AI integration in 2026, Abdelmalek is clear about boundaries. “AI should definitely supplement things that we’re already doing. It should take some of the mundane work, things that distract us from the resident experience and resident interaction. Anything that helps with the paperwork aspect that is not necessarily customer-facing—that’s where the value is.”
The goal is to create what he calls “superhumans” rather than replacing humans. Technology should enable staff to focus more on what matters: genuine human connection and resident experience.
The California Opportunity
Recent changes in California development rights near universities present significant opportunities. “California is effectively saying, if you’re building near a campus, we’re going to get out of your way,” Abdelmalek notes. “That’s a huge deal in California because they have a lot of red tape.”
In the short term, expect a surge in proposed projects and rising land values near universities in areas already struggling with housing supply. Long-term, the winners won’t just be those who build fastest, but those who understand how to lease, operate, and differentiate their properties.
“If there’s support from the state and city on actually building something correctly, it creates a more competitive environment and creates a better building at the end of the day, versus just trying to get in and get out and make a profit,” he explains.
Other states without these policies should pay attention. California will serve as a testing ground, potentially leading to similar regulatory reforms elsewhere that incentivize development in tier-two institutions and non-affluent areas.
Investing in People: The 2025 Lesson Carried Forward
Reflecting on 2025, Abdelmalek emphasizes one critical takeaway: “You have to give your on-site talent a path forward. There has to be an investment in their professional development because it’s just so hard to find good people.”
Once you find talented staff, the imperative is clear: double down, invest in them, and provide a clear career path. “There’s way too much turnover already in student housing. If you find someone good at what they do naturally, you have to invest, and you have to pull them aside and say, ‘Is this something you really want to do?’”
Abdelmalek’s own journey exemplifies this principle. “I wasn’t going to go into student housing. I didn’t even know what student housing was. But the mentors that I surrounded myself with encouraged me to go down this route.”
The Path Forward
As HH Red Stone expands its footprint, recently closing on a property at Yale University and signing new management agreements, the company’s philosophy remains constant: institutional-grade systems at scale while staying close to the ground and creating value in the trenches.
“We’re now at such a scale where we have institutional-grade systems across a lot of markets, but while staying close to the ground and really creating value, not so big that we lose sight of what’s important,” Abdelmalek says.
For operators entering 2026, his advice is simple but demanding: be selective about partnerships, execute fundamentals with discipline, respond quickly, invest in your people, and never lose sight of the fact that residents aren’t just paying customers—they’re the reason the business exists.
“When students and residents feel respected, your occupancy and NOI will follow,” he concludes. “That’s not a tagline. That’s the formula.”
Teddy Abdelmalek, Senior Vice President of Business Development at HH Red Stone, brings 25 years of student housing and multifamily experience to the property management strategy. HH Red Stone is the property management arm of HH Group, managing approximately 10,000 beds across multiple asset classes, including student housing, multifamily, affordable, and mixed-use properties nationwide.
Disclosure: Individuals or companies mentioned may have a commercial relationship with KeyCrew.
