Apartment Advocate
NAA Government Affairs’ bi-monthly publication combines all aspects of apartment industry advocacy into one go-to resource. The Apartment Advocate highlights key developments and viewpoints in industry public policy at all levels of government, and helps NAA members explore advocacy pathways.
Supreme Court Declines Review of Seattle COVID Eviction Ban Takings Claim
By Ayiesha Beverly and Lauren Shelton | | Updated
Background
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan issued a temporary eviction moratorium on residential evictions in the city. Two Seattle housing providers challenged the constitutionality of eviction bans in both the City of Seattle and Washington state in the United…
Standing Strong for the Rental Housing Industry
By Nicole Upano | | Updated
Spurred by the launch of the Biden-Harris Administration’s White House Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights (the Blueprint) in January 2023, the National Apartment Association’s (NAA) federal regulatory advocacy work, bolstered by the active engagement of its members, has reached new levels over…
NAA Responds to FTC’s Proposed Fees Rule
By Joe Riter | | Updated
During the past month, the National Apartment Association (NAA) led the real estate industry’s response to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) notice of proposed rulemaking to regulate “unfair and deceptive fees," which targets alleged "junk fees" in rental housing transactions.
NAA submitted…
CFPB Guidance Positively Impacts Screening Practices
By Joe Riter and Isabella Wilson | | Updated
In early 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued two advisory opinions that empower consumers to address inaccuracies in resident screening reports more directly with consumer reporting agencies, ultimately increasing the accuracy of information housing providers use in…
HUD Proposal Could Limit Voucher Eligibility
By Ben Harrold | | Updated
On January 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a notice with the intent to change the way income limits for Section 8 and various other programs are calculated. The National Apartment Association (NAA) and our real estate coalition partners provided…
Rental Housing Industry Continues to Support Newcomers
By Greg Brown | | Updated
In 2022, the National Apartment Association (NAA) joined an effort by the federal government and national nonprofits like Catholic World Services and others to help in the resettlement of refugees from Afghanistan. The need was great as thousands fled that country following the United States…
SCOTUS Declines to Hear All New York Rent Control Cases
By Ayiesha Beverly | | Updated
On February 20, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) denied petitions for writs of certiorari in 74 Pinehurst LLC, et al. v. New York and 335-7 LLC, et al. v. New York. In a statement written by Justice Thomas respecting the Court’s denials, he noted "[t]he petitioners’ complaints…
Senate Bill Introduced to End Federal CARES Act Notice to Vacate
| Updated
On February 7, 2024, Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) introduced S. 3755, the Respect State Housing Laws Act, in the U.S. Senate. The legislation would end the CARES Act’s federal notice to vacate requirement for federally-backed and federally-assisted housing, a…
NAA Leads Industry Response on Pre-Eviction Notice Rulemaking
By Joe Riter | | Updated
Over the past month, the National Apartment Association (NAA) led the real estate industry’s response to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) notice of proposed rulemaking that would require public housing agencies (PHAs) and owners of properties receiving project-based…
States and Cities Divided Over Section 8 Mandates
By Ben Harrold | | Updated
As predicted in our outlook for 2024, source of income laws are once again the topic of debate in state legislatures and city councils. These policies require housing providers to accept Section 8 housing choice vouchers by adding “source of income” as a protected class in fair housing laws.…