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.
NAA Political Affairs Update - February 2024
By NAA Political Affairs | | Updated
Housing Affordability Program: Victory in Maryland
The passage of rent control legislation in neighboring counties spurred advocates in Howard County, Maryland to introduce bills to implement rent control (CB 44-2023) and expand the right of first refusal (CB 43-2023). The legislation, introduced…
Court Rules Against Los Angeles County Eviction Notice Requirement
By Ayiesha Beverly | | Updated
Background
On April 11, 2023, the California Apartment Association (CAA) filed a lawsuit against the County of Los Angeles challenging their “Covid-19 Tenant Protections Resolution” (the Resolution). Specifically, CAA challenged the Resolution’s provision that requires housing providers in the…
Invitation Homes to Pay for Unlawful Rent Increases
By Ayiesha Beverly | | Updated
On January 8, 2024, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a $3.7 million settlement with Invitation Homes - the nation’s largest owner of single-family rental homes - to “resolve allegations that the company violated the California Tenant Protection Act (TPA) and California’s price-…
Supreme Court Declines to Review Seattle’s Screening Ban
By Chrystal Richardson | | Updated
Background
In 2018, several housing providers and a rental housing trade association sued the City of Seattle, challenging the city’s Fair Chance Housing Ordinance (the Ordinance). The federal lawsuit, Yim v. City of Seattle, alleged that the Ordinance violated the housing providers’ federal…
Source of Income Laws on the Rise
By Ben Harrold | | Updated
What we’re seeing
A trend in cities and states across the country is on the rise: Lawmakers are trying to mandate that private rental housing providers participate in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. The laws are often framed as combatting discrimination by adding source…
Act Now: Proposed Rules on ‘Junk Fees,’ 30-Day Notice
By Joe Riter | | Updated
As the White House Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights reaches its first anniversary, the National Apartment Association (NAA) remains hard at work responding to the regulatory actions that have been issued in its wake and we need your help!
Most urgently, there are two proposed…
Congress Avoids Shutdown, Unveils Bipartisan Tax Package
By Greg Brown and Maria Spencer | | Updated
On January 18, 2024, the U.S. House and Senate passed a temporary extension of government funding until March to avoid a government shutdown. Additionally, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) unveiled a compromise tax…
New Reporting Requirement for Business Owners
By Joe Riter | | Updated
On January 1, 2024, the FinCEN Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting rule took effect and the agency’s filing portal went live. The BOI reporting rule will require nearly every business entity operating in the United States—including many in the rental housing industry—to register and…
HUD, PHA Officials Overview Inspections Changes
| Updated
The rollout of the U.S. Department and Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) new inspection standards came in waves throughout 2023. The National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) replaces previous inspection requirements, including the Housing Quality Standards or…
FHFA Releases Report on Federalizing Landlord / Tenant Requirements
By Ben Harrold | | Updated
On January 3, 2024, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released a report highlighting public comments they received regarding their Request for Input on Tenant Protections for Enterprise-Backed Multifamily Properties, where the Agency asked the public to comment on whether it should…