Print on Demand Gains Traction as Amenity in Major California Markets
Printing on demand as an amenity is taking hold in California, as many residents have foregone owning a printer due to its cost and then seeing it sit idle for long periods.
Apartment communities such as The Topaz Apartments are pitching the service as a convenience to their residents and staff.
“If our team is busy with a tour or a phone call, residents no longer have to wait for us to print documents for them,” Tyson Cotner, its community manager, told GlobeSt.com.
The printing trends tend to be related to schoolwork, job applications and travel forms, added her colleague, Martha Newmeyer, leasing & marketing director.
A total of 14,179 residents have created accounts since January 1, with Los Angeles at 77,865, followed by San Diego at 56,924.
Eighty percent of apartment residents no longer own personal printers, with 43% citing limited space as the main reason, according to PrintWithMe’s 2025 Printing Report.
Half of the 16,000 surveyed users now rely on shared printers at least a few times a month. More than 40% report using them as frequently, if not more often, than other building amenities.
Jeff Lail, chief operations officer at WithMe, said these figures have spiked with more residents working from home today.
Seventy percent of residents work from home at least one day per week, while 30% turn to shared spaces, including lounges, coworking areas and cafés, to get their work done.
This trend is apparent nationally as well, with residents of Chicago, New York City, Austin, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Houston and Seattle particularly taking part in it.
Lail said not having to troubleshoot with IT or make supply runs is another benefit.
Amenities that meet everyday needs often outperform those purely designed for aesthetics, Cotner said.
Source: GlobeSt/ALM