PROVIDING AN INDUSTRY FORUM.

1998 Capitol Conference

The 1998 Capitol Conference, held in March in Arlington, Virginia, kicked off NAA's legislative efforts this year and attracted more than 300 attendees. To make sure our voice was heard on Capitol Hill, NAA members made 137 visits to congressional offices during this meeting, the most ever in NA3 history. Before their visits, National Apartment Association/NMHC Joint Legislative Staff briefed attendees on legislative and regulatory priorities, including tax policy, building codes, property management issues, environmental issues, seniors housing, and multifamily finance. Members also attended a luncheon on Capitol Hill, where they were addressed by several Members of Congress.

Participants heard from Representatives Anne Northup (R-TN) and George Gekas (R-PA) and Senators Paul Coverdell (R-GA) and John B. Breaux (D-LA). Educational sessions held during the Capitol Conference covered the topics of water submetering, building relationships with elected officials, and basic lobbying techniques.

1998 Education Conference & The Real Show

The biggest and most anticipated event of the year, however, was NAA's 1998 Education Conference and The Real Show of Real Estate Management, held in Las Vegas in June. With more than 5,000 attendees, this event was not only NAA's largest conference and expo ever, it marked the first year of NAA's joint venture with the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) in prducing The Real Show of Real Estate Management. These two powerhouse organizations combined their resources to produce the biggest and best expo in the multifamily housing industry. Attendees flocked to The Real Show to browse through the more than 410 exhibit booths to gather information on the industry's newest products and services and make purchasing decisions. The success of The Real Show was made possible by the generous sponsorship of For Rent Magazine, Coinmach Corporation, HPC Publications, and Raab Karcher Energy Services.

Keynote speakers Terry Bradshaw, Captain J. Charles Plumb, and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf dazzled attendees with their presentations. The more than 40 education sessions were extremely well-attended and covered all the topics of interest to multifamily housing professionals from all segments of the industry. Units Today, a full-color mini-magazine full of photos and news from the conference, made its first appearance at the Education Conference and The Real Show. Produced in Las Vegas, members were surprised and delighted to see photos of themselves and events that happened just the day before. Two issues were produced for attendees during the conference and expo. During The Real Show, 1998 NAA President Jerry Molique and 1998 President-Elect Mary Beth Marshall were guests on the radio show "Real Estate Today!" broadcast live from outside the expo hall by radio station KOGO in Southern California. NAA also awarded its national Victor Awards and the Association Executive Council Awards in Las Vegas.

Assembly of Delegates Meeting

NAA continued to provide networking opportunities and an industry forum with its last meeting of the year, the Assembly of Delegates meeting, held in Charleston, South Carolina, in November. Members and leaders of the association celebrated the accomplishments of the year and made plans for the year ahead. The NAA Education Foundation Dinner was sold out, as a Charleston historic site served as the backdrop for members to celebrate their generous support of the Foundation in 1998. NAA also had on display the various education materials, books, videos, and programs that have continued to be developed over the course of the year, including the new "Testers Welcome" fair housing video training program.

One of the highlights of the meeting was "Not Politically Correct" a controversial mix of surly humor and political debate. A panel of three apartment owners and three apartment industry suppliers, moderated by Peter Placentino of Brown Investment Properties, duked it out over some of the industry's most controversial issues. Members of the panel were Hap Hunnicutt of Equity Development, Larry Bellack of Sears, Suzanne Lovelace of Equity Residential, Bob Fincher of Raab Karcher Energy Services, Tom Shelton of Greystar Multi-Family Services, and Bonnie D'Agustino of Yardi Systems.

The Installation Dinner at the Assembly of Delegates meeting marked the installation of NAA's 1999 officers and board of directors. Before the ceremony, 1998 NAA President Jerry Molique presented the President's Award to 1998 Education Conference Chair Lyn Goss.