M DOGAN
NMHC/NAA recently announced their 2019-2020 policy priorities. NMHC/NAA are the voice of the apartment industry and serve as the apartment industry’s primary advocate on federal legislative and regulatory matters on Capitol Hill, with agencies, the administration and municipal bodies across the country. As such, each year NMHC/NAA identify the key policy and regulatory issues that will most impact the industry.
NMHC/NAA have identified housing affordability and regulatory reform as critical, overarching issue areas that deserve the unrelenting focus of the industry. Additionally, the following items have been identified as primary priorities and goals for 2019:
- Housing Finance Reform NMHC/NAA will work to ensure the continuation of a federal guarantee and preserve the ability of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to provide necessary capital financing to the apartment industry.
- Section 8 Rental Assistance NMHC/NAA will advocate for the modernization of the program, for the removal of obstacles that prevent participation by apartment providers and for the expansion of affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income Americans.
- Construction and Development NMHC/NAA will fight for housing to be included as part of the infrastructure initiative and to establish federal incentives for local and state governments to eliminate barriers to greater, new apartment development and renovation through infrastructure investment and financial rewards. NMHC shed light on the cost of regulations in 2018 through the release of NMHC/NAHB research that found that government regulation accounts for an average of 32.1 percent of multifamily development costs.
- Tax Policy The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 included numerous critical victories for the multifamily industry. But there is still work to be done. Tax will be a priority for 2019 as we continue to work to ensure proper implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, especially on depreciation, pass-through income and opportunity zones. Additionally, NMHC/NAA will advocate for the enactment of beneficial tax provisions that would help address the housing affordability crisis, such as a fix further expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and the enactment of the Middle-Income Tax Credit.
- Fair Housing NMHC/NAA seek to clarify and update fair housing compliance requirements related to occupancy standards, emotional support animals and other areas of fair housing law and regulation.
- The National Flood Insurance Program NMHC/NAA will continue to push for reform to support more effective coverage for the apartment housing industry – including a long-term reauthorization and private market solutions.
- Data Security NMHC/NAA have made this a priority and we will advocate to ensure federal data security and breach notification laws are structured appropriately for rental housing providers and do not impose overly burdensome compliance obligations.
- Accessibility NMHC/NAA plan to seek protections from costly and frivolous ADA and Fair Housing design and construction lawsuits.
- Music Licensing NMHC/NAA seek to clarify and streamline federal music licensing requirements for apartment providers.
- Consumer Reporting NMHC/NAA will push for the preservation of necessary resident screening tools and ensure that consumer reporting reforms do not unnecessarily hinder business operations for apartment providers.
To view a complete list of the NMHC/NAA 2019-2020 Apartment Industry Policy Priorities, please click here.
