The latest in federal advocacy as scores of rental housing advocates convene in Washington, D.C., to meet with their representatives and amplify the industry’s federal policy priorities.
In March, hundreds of rental housing industry professionals from across the country are convening in Washington, D.C., for Advocate, the National Apartment Association’s (NAA) annual advocacy fly-in. During the event, industry advocates meet with their federal representatives to amplify the voice of rental housing providers. This year, the industry is working to close the deal on several legislative solutions that would ease ongoing affordability challenges by boosting housing supply and supporting low- and moderate-income families. These bills, if passed into law, will help protect the nation’s rental housing infrastructure for future generations of renters.
As the industry convenes in the nation’s capital, here are the top things to know about Advocate 2024.
Industry Priorities in Congress
In-person meetings with lawmakers are a vital tool in the advocacy toolkit, helping to advance industry priorities and foster long-lasting congressional relationships. This year, NAA members and affiliate partners are promoting three key pieces of federal legislation as they meet with their representatives.
The Respect State Housing Laws Act would end the CARES Act’s 30-day notice to vacate requirement—clear federal overreach into established state and local eviction proceedings. NAA continues to work with House and Senate legislators to strike the temporary, pandemic-era requirement, returning eviction policy back to the states.
The Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act, reintroduced in both the House and Senate, would incentivize local communities to remove barriers to apartment development. The outlook for this bill is promising and NAA also achieved a bipartisan win when Democrats and Republicans in the House joined together to create a $100 million grant program to help states and localities increase housing supply.
The Choice in Affordable Housing Act, also reintroduced in both chambers of Congress, would enact needed common-sense reforms to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program. Streamlining inspections and the public housing authority experience will help entice more owners to participate in the program long term; requiring “source of income” in fair housing laws is not the right policy solution to solve this issue.
While these bills have been the focus of prior Advocate conferences – to help secure their introduction and collect co-sponsors – this is the year for industry advocates to urge Congress to pass them as both the 2024 presidential election and the end of the 118th Congress are quickly approaching.
NAA’s Steadfast Regulatory Advocacy
While rental housing professionals will hold meetings to advance the industry’s priorities in Congress at Advocate, NAA has also been leading the way responding to the White House Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights (the Blueprint) on behalf of its members. Announced in January 2023 by the Biden-Harris Administration, the Blueprint outlines more than 20 federal executive agency actions intended to increase fairness in the rental market and further principles of fair housing.
NAA continues to engage with White House and Agency officials as they contemplate sweeping changes to federal housing policy in accordance with Blueprint principles. Below are highlights of NAA’s advocacy efforts in collaboration with our industry coalition partners and members to ensure the voice of the rental housing industry is heard and valued in federal policy conversations. NAA will utilize every opportunity to influence the federal regulatory process until announcements about changes are made.
Resident Screening: In May 2023, NAA submitted formal comments responding to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) joint request for information on screening practices. The comments, sent alongside nearly 1,000 comments from NAA members, reinforced the necessity for owners and operators to access relevant information about prospective residents.
Renter Protections: Over the summer, NAA responded to the Federal Housing Finance Administration’s (FHFA) request for input on potential renter protections – which could include a form of federal rent control – for enterprise-backed multifamily properties. NAA members also sent more than 3,000 comments to FHFA, reiterating that there can be no one-size-fits-all approach to landlord and tenant laws in an industry that fundamentally operates at a local level.
30-Day Notice to Vacate: In January, NAA engaged members and led rental housing industry coalition partners in responding to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) proposed rule to require certain federally supported properties to provide their residents with written notice at least 30 days prior to filing for eviction due to nonpayment of rent. In the comments, NAA stressed that the proposed rule would only complicate the local process and add to delays in resolutions while housing providers remain unpaid, further risking the long-term viability of communities receiving project-based rental assistance. As of this writing, over 3,100 NAA members made their voices heard.
“Junk Fees” in Rental Housing: Last month, NAA also acted in response to the FTC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to crack down on “junk fees” and require all-in pricing across industries, including rental housing. NAA’s comments – alongside additional submissions from affiliate partners and members – stressed the operational realities of rental housing. While NAA has always encouraged transparency throughout the leasing process and tenancy, it’s virtually impossible to predict all rental housing fees and disclose them in advertisements as the rulemaking requires.So far, more than 3,100 NAA members also took action.
Read more about NAA’s advocacy work at naahq.org/apartment-advocate and stay tuned for additional coverage on Advocate and NAA’s advocacy in response to the Blueprint over the coming months.
Greg Brown is SVP, Government Affairs, and Nicole Upano is AVP, Housing Policy and
Regulatory Affairs, for the National Apartment Association.