Planning Your Capitol Hill Visits.

As you prepare to visit your congressional representatives during NAA's Capital Conference in March, following the tips in this Q & A will help you make those visits successful.

Q: What legislative and regulatory events are planned for the 2001 NAA Capitol Conference?

A: In addition to the "Issues Briefing" provided by the NAA/NMHC Joint Legislative Staff to prepare NAA members for their congressional visits on Capitol Hill, there will be a "First-Timers" Orientation," for those NAA members who have never been to a Capitol Conference and would like to know more about what to expect on a Hill visit. At this session, there will be a brief presentation of the federal legislative process and how congressional offices work.

Additionally, there will be updates on the NAA/NMHC Apartment Industry Mobilization Service (AIMS) and GrassTops Programs. GrassTops connects committed NAA members with Members of Congress on key committees in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Also, there will be an update on "Lobbying the New Building Codes" during the NAA Legislative Committee and NAA Builders Forum.

Q: What issues will be lobbied at the 2001 Capitol Conference?

A: In late February, the NAA/NMHC 2001 Legislative & Regulatory Priorities booklet will be mailed to all NAA association executives, NAA leaders and Capitol Conference registrants. This booklet is intended to provide background on all the legislative, regulatory and building code issues that the Joint Legislative Staff will be working on throughout 2001. If you pre-register, you are encouraged to read the entire booklet prior to attending the conference, but it is especially important to review those topics and "hot" issues in that booklet, which are identified in this article.

First, we need you to "inform Members of Congress (Members) about NAA/NMHC's new initiative entitled Toward A More Balanced Housing Policy. See the Units article in the September issue on pages 42-50 for more information about this topic: in this issue. You know it; we know it; but Members and staff do not fully understand the valuable contributions that apartments make to their communities. The article in Units provides lots of solid information about this new initiative, but we strongly encourage you to bring additional materials about the current issues raised by the balanced housing policy principles from your own state (articles, policymaker comments, photos and statistics).

Second, we need you to lobby bankruptcy reform--an issue remaining from the 106th Congress. This issue is important for our industry and again poised for action by the 107th Congress.

Third, we need you to lobby for Section 8 Housing Voucher Choice reforms advocated by the industry to reduce the regulatory burden for owners participating in the program.

Fourth, we need you to educate your members about "forced access"--those proposals being advanced by various telecommunications providers to allow them unrestricted access to apartment communities.

Fifth, we need you to lobby the regulatory impacts of certain lead--based paint regulations on the apartment industry and small businesses.

Finally, we need you to expressly "ask" Members in the House of Representatives to join the Congressional Real Estate Caucus (CREC). CREC is an influential group in the House of Representatives that was spurred by NAA/NMHC in 1998, in concert with the ten other major real estate organizations that compose the National Real Estate Organizations (NREO). CREC is intended to serve as a forum for members in the House of Representatives and invited guests in the real estate field to ensure that federal policies and legislative proposals facilitate real estate's continued contributions to the national, state and local economies.

Q: Now, that I have decided to attend the 2001 Capitol Conference, what should I do first to arrange these important visits with my members of Congress?

A: First, if your state or local NAA affiliate is planning to send a delegation to attend the Capitol Conference, then contact that affiliate and coordinate your preparation for Capital Hill visits with those delegations. If you are an NAA member, who is not a member of any NAA state or local affiliate, then please follow the suggestions below.

Q: How should I request the visit on Capitol Hill and what should I say when I call?

A: As you know, Members and their staffs can be extremely busy. So keep in mind when you are making your call that you may be calling two minutes into the most recent emergency.

(*) Try to place your call between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST  time. Please use the 2000 NAA 106th Congressional Directory as a resource.

If you don't know the office phone number, dial the main operator at the Capitol (202/224-3121) and ask for the Representative's or Senator's office.

* Be sure that you have the right person and try to be as concise as possible.

* Unless you have a personal contact in the Member's office, ask for the person who schedules the Member's appointments. When you have the right person, tell them your name, NAA affiliation, company, and the reason for the call. If you are a constituent (a voter or property owner) in the Member's district, also let them know that. More and more, Hill schedulers are asking if the caller is a constituent of the Member.

* Acknowledge how busy the individual must be, and say this won't take more than a few minutes. Then, give a personal example of any prior contacts that you have had with the Member's office and how responsive they have been.

* Ask for a specific time with the Member during the Capitol Conference--preferably March 13. Tell them how many people will join you from his/her district, if known. If you would like a photograph taken with the Member, request it at that time. Some offices are more receptive to these photo opportunities than others. If you would like to give the Member some award or recognition by the local or state NAA affiliate at that time, also let the scheduler know that.

* Be prepared to explain the purpose of the meeting and the general topics to be covered. For example, you could say:

"Leaders of the apartment industry in the state of -- would like to meet with Senator/Representative -- to update you on the apartment industry in your state and to discuss legislative issues before the 107th Congress that affect multifamily housing, the firms that provide it, and the people we serve. The most critical issues of concern to us during the 2001 session of Congress are bankruptcy rearm, forced access, Section 8 concerns, and others."

Explain as briefly as possible the number of NAA members and number of units affected by the issues to be discussed, i.e., bring the issues "home" to the scheduler. Be aware that the scheduler may arrange your appointment with a staff person.

Q: What follow-up should I take after my call to the offices of my Members?

A: After you receive an appointment with the Member or staff person:

* Follow up immediately by sending a letter--faxing if possible--to the Member with a copy to the scheduler and designated staff person to be seen.

* Thank them for the appointment and express appreciation for the opportunity to meet with the Member/staff person to discuss important issues of concern to you and the other persons in the district of the Member. This will also confirm the meeting date, time. individuals in your party and the issues to be discussed.

* Send any background information about your NAA affiliate, the apartment industry in your state, and other resource papers of inter-est. In particular, you may wish to send them any prior letters on bankruptcy reform or any other issues that you may have sent that Member. This will allow the office to properly prepare for your visit with the Member/staff person.

* Please advise Karen Fructuoso, AIMS Administrator, at 1850 M St., N.W., Suite 540, Washington, DC 20036, of your scheduled Hill visits as soon as they are scheduled. She can be contacted at 202/974-2349 or via e-mail at [e-mail]. Once scheduled, Fructuoso will send you the "Congressional Visit Follow Up Form" and additional biographical information about the Member, if requested.

Q: Before coming to Washington, D.C., what should my NAA affiliate delegation and I do to prepare for the Capitol Hill visits?

A: If an NAA state or local affiliate delegation is meeting with the Member or staffer, it is helpful to designate in advance: (1) one person to serve as the spokesperson during the appointment with the Member; (2) another to serve as the note-taker; and (3) another to serve as the observer:

The spokesperson takes the lead role in the meeting with the Member/staff person. He/she may have others in the delegation present particular issues, but he/she will be responsible for advancing the agenda. Each person needs to practice his/her pitch ahead of time---develop, rework, and refine it in advance, not in front of the official you want to impress. Nothing detracts from an issue more than a poorly executed presentation. Involving all participants of the delegation in the practice session avoids dissension and duplication of remarks once in the Member's office. It is equally important to make certain to know whether the official has taken a position on the issues and tailor the remarks accordingly. Of course, if the Member already supports the issue NAA/NMHC are advocating, thank the Member for his/her support.

The note-taker records what transpired at the appointments and is responsible for filling out the "Congressional Visit Follow-Up Form." This form is sent to all members who notify the NMHC/NAA staff of their scheduled Hill appointments and will also be distributed at the "Issues Briefing," mentioned earlier. The observer is to "observe" everything that transpires during the appointment and everything in the congressional office that might help advance the industry's agenda. The observer could also review the notes and "Congressional Visit Follow-Up Form" to check for accuracy and completeness and could also assist the spokesperson to make certain all topics are covered at the appointment.

Q: Once in Washington, DC, how should my NAA affiliate delegation and I conduct our visit in the Members' office?

A: At the appointment:

* Be on time or early. Time is a precious commodity on Capitol Hill. Once in the meeting, don't forget to give each Hill staff person you meet your business card; those cards are an extremely useful reference for them.

* Be brief and to the point. Be succinct as possible in your message, reinforce that message, ask for specific action, express appreciation for the meeting, then leave when your scheduled time is up. It is very important to have a clear idea of what you would like to accomplish during the visit--either seeking support on a vote or issue or strengthening a personal relationship with your representative in Washington.

* Do not use jargon. Do not assume that Members/staff persons understand industry terms or jargon. Keep the message as simple as possible.

* Be prepared. Try to be as prepared as possible on the topics and issues, but don't ever hesitate to answer a question with the very honest and straightforward answer that "we will have to get back to you with a complete answer to your question." For instance, with all these issues, there are many technical questions for which you can't be expected to have all the answers. Never fudge the facts: playing fast and loose with the facts can hurt your credibility permanently.

* Respect their position. Be respectful it: the Member says that he/she is against you on a particular issue. Thank the Member and politely tell him/her that you will try to change his or her mind. Never discuss campaign contributions and issues in the same meeting.

Q: What kind of follow up should my NAA affiliate delegation and I do after the visits with Members?

A: It is also very important to promptly follow up after the appointment with a written thank you letter and any materials you promised or deem appropriate. Again, offer yourself as a resource and invite the Member to an NAA state or local affiliate meeting or apartment community in his/her district.

Q: Wow, this is more involved than I thought. Are you certain I will make a difference for the industry?

A: Absolutely. Apartment professionals, like yourself, are really the best spokespersons and constituents to convey the impact of Congressional actions on their apartment operations in the districts where they reside. NAA/NMHC Joint Legislative Staff represents and lobbies for the industry and lays the foundation for all the issues being discussed at the NAA Capitol Conference, but Congress needs experts from the real world to inform and educate its Members so they are able to consider information from all sides of an issue and make the best possible decisions on behalf of all constituents. So, your voice and expertise do count and in fact, the Conference is a lot of fun, too. See you in March!

Add Your Voice ... and ... Expertise at the NAA's 2001 Capital Conference

The NAA 2001 Capitol Conference is fast approaching. From March 10 through March 13, NAA members from all across the country will convene in Washington, D.C., to:

* network with colleagues on key issues affecting the health of the apartment industry.

* carry the NAA/NMHC 2001 legislative and regulatory priorities to Capitol Hill; and

* educate and lobby the Members of Congress from their home districts about the state of the industry, the NAA/NMHC "Toward a More Balanced Housing Policy" initiative, and hot" issues before the 107th Congress.

Sessions at the 2001 Conference are designed for both NAA members who have attended the Conference before and those who have never attended. All NAA members are urged to participate and add their voices and expertise to the dialogue on important key issues to the industry. In 2000, over 300 NAA members met with their representatives on Capitol Hill and almost 150 Members of Congress were visited. Now is the time to contact you Members of Congress and arrange for your visit, on Tuesday, March 13, which is set aside for those visits.

Clarine Nardi Riddle is the senior vice president for government affairs for the National Multi Housing Council based in Washington, D.C., and its Joint Legislative Program with the National Apartment Association.