California: here they come.

The addition of the California Apartment Association and its more than 17,000 members means a lot of great things for NAA. Next month, we will experience one of those benefits in-person.

When NAA convenes for the annual Capitol Conference in Washington, D.C., March 12-15, we will visit Capitol Hill with the opportunity to have our industry's voice heard by members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

This year, we'll bring an even greater force, as dozens of California members, representing 19 affiliates, will visit their members of Congress. There, they will address the same federal legislative concerns for which NAA continues to advocate and raise California-specific issues that could soon spread to other areas of the country. Together, we bring a truly unified, national voice to Congress.

NAA's state and local policy efforts are growing, and in turn, your involvement is an increasingly important part of the apartment industry. The Capitol Conference provides an opportunity for members to attend legislative briefings, meet with their members of Congress, network with more than 400 industry professionals and take part in association committee meetings.

The Capitol Conference is open for all NAA members at no charge. To register for the conference, please visit www.naahq.org/meetings or call NAA's conference department at 703/5186141 Ext. 130 for general information.

Last year was a great year for NAA and NAA affiliates throughout the country. NAA Government Affairs department members Rachel Arnold, Freeman Smith and Carla Lochiatto detail how NAA is Fighting the Good Fight--and Winning on page 48.

Through its Joint Legislative Program, NAA/NMHC secured many legislative and regulatory victories in 2005. These accomplishments are detailed in Celebrating Victories, page 62.

This month, UNITS focuses on leasing techniques that will bring more residents in the door and retention strategies to keep those residents satisfied.

UNITS investigates how 70 million young renters are affecting the apartment industry. It's a Y World, page 16, reveals how Generation Y is distrustful of advertising, ambivalent about branding and hates the hard sell and offers proven marketing strategies.

What Keeps You Up at Night? On page 28, Christopher Lee lists seven concerns that are keeping apartment executives--and probably you, too--from a good night's rest.

Research confirms that resident satisfaction and renewal likelihood increase as more time and resources are dedicated to improving maintenance and work order management. Doug Miller and Chris Pulket explain how Satisfaction Improves with Investment in Work Order Management on page 34.

Finding the perfect person for the job can be difficult. One popular behavioral assessment uses 91 adjectives that help indicate an applicant's behavioral tendencies, prospects for development and managerial capabilities. Hiring the Right Attitude, page 38, shows how these adjectives can reveal valuable information about a candidate.

A critical component of managing a successful team of leasing professionals and apartment staff is to create a challenging, spirited office environment. On page 44, Gabriele Preston, CAPS, explains how to inspire team members to produce extraordinary results to improve resident and staff retention in Team Challenges: 8 Ways to Motivate Onsite Staff.

I hope to see you at the Capitol Conference in March!

NAA's Chairman of the Board, Joe Sharp, CAPS