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.
Michigan Supreme Court Weighs Permanent Eviction Protections
By Ben Harrold and Mark Russell | November, 2022 | Updated November, 2022
The Michigan Supreme Court is considering statewide court rule changes that would make certain temporary COVID-era eviction protections permanent. The Property Management Association of Michigan (PMAM) has been steadfast in its advocacy to oppose the adoption of these changes, which could have…
Rent Control Ballot Question Halted in Orange County, Florida
October, 2022 | Updated November, 2022
On October 27, 2022, the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeals halted Orange County’s rent control ballot question, overturning a previous district court decision made last month.
Overview
In August, Orange County commissioners voted to place a rent control question on this election cycle’s…
Renter Voter Turnout Increasing
October, 2022 | Updated November, 2022
Renters are closing the gap with homeowners regarding voter turnout. The midterm elections are next week, and Apartment List reviewed voting habits between the two cohorts. While the gap between homeowners and renters has been larger in midterm elections, presidential election years have also…
Chamber of Commerce, Banking Associations Seek to Limit Unlawful Regulatory Overreach
By Brittany Wood | October, 2022 | Updated October, 2022
The United States Chamber of Commerce, along with other banking and business associations, filed a federal lawsuit against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFBP) in late September 2022. The lawsuit primarily challenges the CFPB’s March 2022 update to its Supervision and Examination Manual…
New Jersey Resident Screening Bill Would Seal Eviction Records
By Ben Harrold | October, 2022 | Updated October, 2022
A New Jersey bill aims to seal court actions between housing providers and residents, as well as prevent housing providers from evaluating eviction or rental history in the screening process.
S1665 would create a complicated process of keeping all eviction court records, including the filings,…
HUD Urges Housing Providers Not to Use Criminal Records in Screening
By Nicole Upano | October, 2022 | Updated October, 2022
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a memorandum to HUD-funded organizations that perform testing and investigate potential fair housing violations (also known as “FHIPs”) and HUD-funded government agencies that adjudicate fair housing complaints (also known as “…
Rent Control Fight Reaches New Mexico
By Ben Harrold | October, 2022 | Updated October, 2022
An advocacy group in Albuquerque, N.M, is pushing to control rents in their city. However, because New Mexico prohibits local jurisdictions from adopting rent control, their attention is currently focused on removing barriers in state law.
A 2019 study funded by the City of Albuquerque found that…
Navigating the Ins and Outs of Data Privacy
October, 2022 | Updated November, 2022
New state-level data privacy laws in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah and Virginia go into effect in 2023. These changes will have a direct impact on companies in the multifamily housing space. To inform members of these upcoming changes, NAA’s Legal Affairs team hosted “Navigating the Ins…
Updates on the Biden Administration’s Housing Supply Action Plan
October, 2022 | Updated November, 2022
On Friday October 7, 2022, the Biden Administration announced its progress toward the implementation of the Housing Supply Action Plan previously announced earlier this year. The plan outlined goals aimed at closing the housing supply shortfall in five years, beginning with the creation and…
There’s No Place Like Home
By Austin O’Boyle | October, 2022 | Updated October, 2022
According to a survey done by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), “The Future of Citizen Engagement: What Americans Want from Congress & How Members Can Build Trust,” 95% of Members of Congress polled rate “staying in touch with constituents” as the job aspect most critical to their…