Networking, cost-saving ideas and dealing with regulatory burdens are among the primary reasons why national and regional apartment owners and managers commit fully to membership at their local apartment associations and NAA.

Highlighting that value is a key component to NAA’s ongoing “10 in 2: Growing Stronger Together” campaign, in which NAA is currently focusing on growing its membership to 10 million member units by the end of 2016.

“Apartment association membership helps me to protect my business from over-regulation—both locally and nationwide—which increases our profitability,” says Frank Barefield, President, Abbey Residential, who manages 8,500 apartment homes in the Southeast with a staff of 200.

“For example, we filed suit against a local municipality which had passed a rental property inspection ordinance requiring annual licensing and a very onerous inspection of every multifamily unit,” Barefield says. “We fought it, and ultimately the ordinance was rescinded prior to the court date.”

By taking advantage of the programs that local associations such as the Greater Birmingham Apartment Association and NAA provide, Barefield says his employees become more educated about all aspects of onsite management.

After listening in on an NAA industry conference call for member owners, Barefield procured a more cost-effective means for lead-paint testing and identified an affordable tub liner ($10), which made it unnecessary to continue the repainting of units’ bathtubs. “I saved thousands of dollars as a result of the call,” he says. “I just took one hour out of my day to listen in.”

Barefield says the relationships that he has built with other multifamily professionals through association events have led to valuable problem-solving for industry issues.

“What people in our industry will get out of their apartment association membership is mainly based on what they put into it—participation. I consider such participation as a duty of both myself and my employees.”