A clear voice on Capitol Hill.

Members turned out in record numbers for the annual Capitol Conference in Washington D.C., in March, taking their offers to provide housing for hurricane victims, as well as their arguments for a balanced housing policy, to 193 members of Congress and one governor.

The addition of the California Apartment Association (CAA) helped give NAA its loudest voice ever at the four-day event, which educates NAA members on important legislative issues and gives them the opportunity to meet face-to-face with their members of Congress and their staff.

A National Voice

Before venturing to Capitol Hill, conference attendees reviewed the top industry issues during a briefing delivered by the NAA/NMHC Joint Legislative Program staff led by Jim Arbury, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs.

California members visited 20 members of Congress. "We were well received," said Tom Scott, President, Cambridge Management Services, Santa Clara, Calif.

"Whether it was the member of Congress or an aide, they were all very warm and friendly. They listened to us, were engaged and took notes."

Scott said his state's key issue was funding for Section 8 housing. Others, such as Mike Gorman, CAPS, CPM, CCIM, General Manager, Edward Rose Companies, Indianapolis, who also serves as Chair of NAA's Legislative Committee, pressed their congressmen for a balanced housing approach.

"We spoke to [Indiana Rep. Mark E. Souder, R-3rd], who has been a big advocate for homeownership, about the lifestyle choices renters make and the affordability factor with homeownership," Gorman said. "He was receptive."

Gorman was excited about NAA's larger, louder voice on Capitol Hill.

"If we're going to be a national association, it is critical that we have California on board with us," Gorman said.

Expert Opinions

United Dominion Realty Trust CEO Tom Toomey led an eye-opening panel discussion that featured audience participation during the Government Affairs Roundtable.

In "Mock Disaster Workshop," Toomey, Chair of the Real Estate Roundtable's Homeland Security Task Force, probed a top-notch panel including attorney Roger Platt, Real Estate Roundtable and the Real Estate Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC); Dave Crafton, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Partnerships Division; George Bamford, DHS Intelligence Division; Barbara Childs-Pair, Director, D.C. Emergency Management Agency; Chris Yezzi, Sergeant, Special Operations, D.C. Metropolitan Police; and Chris Combes, Supervisory Special Agent, National Capital Region Response Squad, Federal Bureau of Investigations.

During the 90-minute session, attendees formed small break-out groups, discussed specific details about fictitious terrorist scenarios and brainstormed best practices to deal with them. The strategies were then critiqued by the panel, who shared similar, real-life situations they had encountered.