Advocacy, The Key Ingredient

As a member of the Triangle Apartment Association (TAA), you have access to some of the best programs, education, and networking opportunities available for professionals in our industry and often this is what we are known for. However, there is a key ingredient that the TAA offers that should not go overlooked, Advocacy.

Embedded into our Mission Statement, Advocacy is one of the most important functions the Association performs, giving a voice to an industry that cannot speak for itself. Whether you view your role in the apartment industry as a job or a career, small changes in law or policy can have drastic results and impact what you do.

Over the past few years our association has worked hard to develop professional relationships with local municipalities and elected officials on the local, state and federal levels. Our goal in forming these relationships is so that we may act as a resource and part of the conversation when changes to Laws and/or Policy related to our industry are being discussed. Rather than, reacting and responding once a change is already in place.

This is important now more than ever before. Since the Pandemic the need for housing and more importantly affordable housing has increased drastically to a critical level. And, across the country we are hearing buzz words like “Rent Control”, “Inclusionary Zoning” and “Source of Income” injected into more of the discussions. While there is not a one size fits all solution to this crisis, it is crucial that our advocacy efforts are heard and accounted for in order to develop a strategy that is sustainable and beneficial to residents, investors and developers alike. A small change in the wrong direction could potentially cause a butterfly effect and do much more harm than good down the road.

If you are reading this and would like to know how you may play a role, I would like to suggest several options available right now!

Join a committee – We have several committees that center around our advocacy efforts and the subjects that impact our industry. You do not need to be an expert by any means but if you have an opinion to share or just want to remain informed of what is happening around us, we welcome your participation.

• Government Affairs Committee - Meets the third Wednesday of each month to discuss the broad spectrum of topics that impact our industry on the local and state level.

• Affordable Housing Subcommittee –Meets the Second Wednesday of each month. If you are more passionate or concerned about housing affordability, then this is the committee for you.

Participate in the PAC – If you find that you are unable to participate in a committee but still would like to be involved and make an impact, please consider donating to the Triangle Apartment Association Political Action Committee (TAA PAC). The TAA-PAC is made up of contributions from individual members and utilized to endorse candidates on both sides of the aisle who share positions on key issues surrounding housing and demonstrate a willingness to engage with the association and our members. In 2022, the TAA PAC raised over $30,000 and supported over 19 candidates in the 2022 elections.

Share your story – More than ever, the apartment industry has been in the news and sometimes made the Headlines. This attention fosters more conversation and debate as many people look for someone to blame for the housing crisis. While debate is often necessary to find solutions, it can be disastrous if the wrong message gets out there. Many of you reading this, not only work with or for Apartment Communities but also live in apartments. Your story is critical as you know first-hand the work and investment that is put into providing a positive living experience despite how high or low the rent may be. Be cognizant of the discussions that are being held, be proud of what you do and look for opportunities to express your experience as it relates to Property Management.

Government AffAirs Committee

The TAA Government Affairs Committee was active throughout the year, hosting meetings with local elected officials, government staff, and others to discuss and deliberate on the issues affecting the industry. Committee members participated in legislative visits in Washington DC in March as part of NAA Advocate, as well as General Assembly visits in June as part of the AANC Legislative & Education Conference. The committee also worked to support TAA-PAC and provide volunteer support for various policy initiatives at the local, state, and national levels.

tAA-PAC Closes stronG

This year proved to be a strong one for TAA-PAC, which is closing in on its goal of raising $30,000. As part of these efforts, TAA was also able to meet its Affiliate Share Goal for NAAPAC, by providing $10,400 in contributions throughout the year. The funds raised by both PACs are used to support the political campaigns of candidates who understand and support the multifamily industry. This year TAA-PAC contributed $36,000 to nineteen candidates across the region for City Council, County Commission, and the North Carolina General Assembly, fourteen of whom won their respective elections. The relationships built through this work will be critical to supporting TAA’s advocacy efforts in 2023.

HousinG AffordAbility PoliCies move forwArd

The last few years have seen a focused conversation occurring around housing affordability and TAA has identified this as a critical issue for our advocacy efforts. Over the last year, TAA staff and volunteers have participated in numerous community and government meetings focused on this issue including serving on the Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Wake County Affordable Housing Advisory Committees. Additionally, we have supported policy changes at the local level that will have huge impacts on affordability, including the elimination of parking requirements in Raleigh, Missing Middle Housing Text Changes in Raleigh that will allow for more diverse housing, and additional investments in Affordable Housing across the region. We have also worked to educate policymakers on the danger of policies such as inclusionary zoning and rent control, among others.

tAA suPPorts PAssAGe of Hb 607

The General Assembly once again passed AANC priority legislation during the Short Session this summer. HB 607: Various Court Changes includes a series of provisions that affect the North Carolina court system, including a new requirement for magistrates to receive summary ejectment training. Effective January 1, 2023, magistrates will be required to receive this training as part of their annual 12-hour in-service training. This training will help magistrates to provide more consistency in interpretation and application of the law in these cases. The breakthrough for this legislation actually occurred during AANC’s annual lobby day showing again how crucial these visits are to advancing priority legislation.