Negotiating the Maze of State and Local Politics.WHEN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANDATES SPRINKLER RETROFITS OR HIGH INSPECTION FEES, NAA's STATE & LOCAL POLICY DEPARTMENT Is THERE TO HELP Sorry to be cliche, but all politics is local. The National Apartment Association (NAA NAA Nomina Anatomica Avium. ) and its more than 150 affiliated chapters recognize this fact and have adapted to tackle some of the most costly restrictions on the apartment industry. Sure there are federal capital gains tax increases and the costs associated with implementing the EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. lead-based paint disclosure rules. But the hardest hits to multifamily housing happen at the state and municipal levels. It is the fire in the small apartment building that triggers a city council to adopt sprinkler retrofits in buildings higher than three stories; or the appearance of absentee owners that convinces a local government to institute an apartment registration program with unfair fees. Sound too familiar? Your state and local apartment associations are the industry's best allies on these issues, and NAA is right there too! NAA's State & Local Policy Department serves as the hub of a network of industry advocates around the nation. When NAA asked affiliates what it can do to make their jobs easier in the government affairs realm, the answer was simple: be a clearinghouse of research and analysis. The affiliates wanted to call NAA when faced with an issue and receive feedback on their situation, industry contacts who have battled the same issue, and sample language to propose. NAA responded. What started as one bookshelf and a monthly subscription to each affiliates' newsletter has expanded to a roomful of publications, endless files, and an on-line research system that can track down information on any subject in a matter of minutes A Matter of Minutes is an episode from the television series The New Twilight Zone. Cast
RECURRING ISSUES There have been two recurring themes in the industry for several years: that apartments are unwanted in a community (NIMBY NIM·BY n. pl. NIM·BYs Slang One who objects to the establishment in one's neighborhood of projects, such as incinerators, prisons, or homeless shelters, that are believed to be dangerous, unsightly, or otherwise undesirable. ) and that owners/managers should be held responsible for activities on their properties. That apartments are unwanted has been the root cause of most negative legislation. Whether it is restrictions placed on development or high priced fees for licensure and inspections, apartment owners and managers are constantly facing an uphill battle Uphill Battle was an metalcore band with elements of grindcore and noisecore. The group was based out of Santa Barbara, California, USA. History Uphill Battle got some recognition releasing their self-titled record on Relapse Records. just to operate. Each time, NAA and its affiliates respond with a host of reports and statistics showing how vital apartments are to a community. Nonetheless, the cost of doing business is increasing each time a local legislative body meets. That apartment owners should be held responsible for activities on their properties takes on many faces: liability for lead hazards, crimes against residents, sex offenders sex offender n. generic term for all persons convicted of crimes involving sex, including rape, molestation, sexual harassment and pornography production or distribution. living in the community, disposal of abandoned property, nuisance activity beyond an owner's control ... the list is endless. Staving off liability is proving to be a well-fought battle: Several states are creating lead hazard funds to limit the amount of liability for property owners if a child is determined to have elevated blood lead levels. Also, state legislation on "lead safe housing" may stymie sty·mie also sty·my tr.v. sty·mied , sty·mie·ing also sty·my·ing , sty·mies To thwart; stump: a problem in thermodynamics that stymied half the class. n. 1. those advocating for complete (and expensive) lead abatement. While the courts are divided on holding apartment owners and managers responsible for third party crimes and resident nuisance activity, there have been some outright victories stating that owners (in the right circumstances, usually foreseeability) are not to be held liable. Although the industry has been concerned about criminal background checks for years, Megan's law Megan's Laws are named for Megan Kanka, a seven-year-old girl from New Jersey who was sexually assaulted and murdered in 1994 by a neighbor who, unknown to the victim's family, had been previously convicted for Sex Offenses against children. issues are the newest wrinkle Wrinkle A feature of a new product or security intended to entice a buyer. . Again, several of our affiliates have been successful in legislating that apartment owners and managers have no duty to disclose sex offender information to their other residents. This is an evolving issue that may soon be decided in the courts. The industry has been proactive too. I remember my first week on the job in 1994 being whisked onto a conference call with Suzanne Gilstrap, then-association executive for the Arizona Multihousing Association (AMA (Automatic Message Accounting) The recording and reporting of telephone calls within a telephone system. It includes the calling and called parties and start and stop times of the call. ). The subject matter: occupancy standards. Since that call, the AMA has secured passage of a two-person-per-bedroom standard in Arizona. That model has been passed along to adoption in several states and ultimately by Congress last year. Quick eviction The removal of a tenant from possession of premises in which he or she resides or has a property interest done by a landlord either by reentry upon the premises or through a court action. legislation has been adopted in several states. Based on a model law from the President's Commission on Model Laws, the Expedited Evictions for Drug Traffickers statute provides for three-day eviction. Other states have included this type of language for other classes of crime (domestic violence, other crimes against people). All in all, government affairs professionals in the apartment industry have done an admirable job--there is no chance of their jobs being downsized. Newcomers to the department include Policy Analyst Michael Herndon and Policy Assistant Amy Tubbs. Please feel free to contact us with your questions or to share what is happening in your state. RELATED ARTICLE: A CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION This list represents some of the many issues that the NAA State & Local Policy Department tracks. NAA members may call to ask questions about these issues. Abandoned property Americans with Disabilities Act Affordable housing Animals Assignment of rent Background checks Bankruptcy Building codes Carbon monoxide Chlorofluorocarbons/ hydrachlorofluarocarbons Collections Construction liability Corporate housing Crime Daycare Development/growth Drugs Electricity Employee rent-free housing Employment law Energy issues Environmental issues Evictions Extermination Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Fair housing Federal agencies Finance Fire safety Garbage Habitability Impact fees Independent contractors Industry standards Inspections Insurance Late fees Leases Licensing Maintenance Management Marketing Natural disasters Notices to quit Nuisance Occupancy standards Playgrounds Police calls Pools Possession Pre-trial rent deposits Privacy Private property rights/takings Property management Real estate investment trusts Rent control/ stabilization Renting versus owning Repair and deduct Safety issues Security deposits Seniors housing Sign regulations Student housing Subleasing Taxes Telecommunications Tort law Unlawful detainer Utilities Wear and tear Zoning RELATED ARTICLE: SERVING AS THE SOURCE FOR RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS NAA's State & Local Policy Department's role as a clearinghouse for research and analysis calls for it to develop white papers on issues affecting the industry. The department has developed several white papers and issues analyses that have a far-reaching impact. These have been prepared with the assistance of the Legislative Committee, Builders, Owners, and Developers Forum, and various task forces. Some recent white papers and analyses include: [check] Analysis of Sexual Orientation sexual orientation n. The direction of one's sexual interest toward members of the same, opposite, or both sexes, especially a direction seen to be dictated by physiologic rather than sociologic forces. as a Protected Class Protected class is a term used in United States anti-discrimination law. The term describes groups of people who are protected from discrimination and harassment. The following characteristics are considered "Protected Classes" and persons cannot be discriminated against based on , October 1998 [check] Impact Fees White Paper, June 1, 1997 [check] Preventing Fires in Multifamily Rental Housing: Retrofit ret·ro·fit v. ret·ro·fit·ted or ret·ro·fit, ret·ro·fit·ting, ret·ro·fits v.tr. 1. To provide (a jet, automobile, computer, or factory, for example) with parts, devices, or equipment not in Sprinkler Installations, March 1998 [check] Water Conservation: Water Allocation Programs for Multifamily Rental Housing Communities, June 2, 1998 [check] White Paper on Municipal Apartment Inspection Programs, August 1996 [check] Zoning Moratorium White Paper, June 1, 1997 For a copy of any of these reports, contact Amy Tubbs at 703/518-6141, x127, or via e-mail at amyt@naahq.com. --Barbara Vassallo RELATED ARTICLE: ONE-STOP SHOPPING In addition to its state and local focus, the department has several other roles. It serves as the liaison to the NAA/National Multi Housing Council (NMHC NMHC National Multi Housing Council NMHC Non-Methane Hydrocarbons NMHC National Modular Housing Council ) Joint Legislative Program. Both staffs work in unison to monitor national issues and trends, respond to requests for amicus briefs, and assist NAA's affiliates with questions involving federal legislation and regulations. The department also handles ali operations and fundraising for the NAAPAC NAAPAC National Apartment Association Political Action Committee , a federal political action committee that contributes to congressional campaigns (see article on page 31). Staff for the department oversees the NAA Bookstore, which includes publications that are of value to the membership, and management of NAA's "Annual Income and Expense Survey" (see ad on page 23). Staff responds to countless requests for industry statistics provided by NAA consulting economist Robert J. Sheehan, the Census Bureau Noun 1. Census Bureau - the bureau of the Commerce Department responsible for taking the census; provides demographic information and analyses about the population of the United States Bureau of the Census , the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD Hud (h  d), a pre-Qur'anic prophet of Islam. Hud unsuccessfully exhorted his South Arabian people, the Ad, to worship the One God. ), and
a variety of other sources.
The department also oversees the National Accessible Apartment Clearinghouse, a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. serving more than 140 metropolitan areas and listing more than 40,000 accessible units. The Clearinghouse operates a toll-free message center which provides persons with special housing needs information on apartments designed to meet those needs. Individuals looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. accessible housing or property owners and managers wanting to list their accessible units can call the message center at 800/421-1221. The NAAC NAAC National Assessment and Accreditation Council (India) NAAC National Albanian American Council NAAC National Accessible Apartment Clearinghouse NAAC National Association of Agricultural Contractors (UK) can also be reached via e-mail at clearinghouse@naahq.com or by visiting its Web site, www.aptsforrent.com/naac. Clearinghouse services are free of charge to all through the sponsorship of the National Apartment Association, National Multi Housing Council, American Computer Software, For Rent Magazine, and the Fannie Mae Fannie Mae: see Federal National Mortgage Association. Foundation. --Barbara Vassallo Vassallo is director of the State and Local Policy Department, NAAPAC Administrator, and executive director of the National Accessible Apartment Clearinghouse for the National Apartment Association, Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 128,284. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) south of downtown Washington, DC. . |
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