Greater Charlotte Apartment Association

The Greater Charlotte Apartment Association’s legislative efforts are among the most important functions performed by both staff and volunteer leaders. The GCAA’s 2010 legislative agenda is slated to include:

• Local government pushes (such as the Floor Area Ratio committee, Multi-Family Height, Tree Ordinance, City Council Committees, trash pick-up, and others)
• Follow-through with the Police Department on the formulation of a pro-active Apartment Crime Prevention Program
•  Using GCAA’s new ”Affordable Housing” booklet to its full potential by sharing it with elected officials, community leaders, and city planners
• Meeting the new City Council members
• State and Federal issues

The Apartment Association of North Carolina’s annual “Legislative Days” Program will take place from June 15-16, 2010 in Raleigh

GCAA members are encouraged to attend this important annual event at which attendees will meet with North Carolina Legislators to discuss issues pertinent to the multifamily industry.

New this year: AANC has secured “NC Spin” host Tom Campbell as well as the show’s regular commentators from the political left and right, Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch and John Hood of the John Locke Foundation, to speak at the Tuesday, June 15th Legislative Days evening progam.

Click here for full program details and registration infromation.

March, 2010

GCAA Leaders Attend the National Apartment Association Capital Conference

Mindy McCorkle, John Porter, and Tami Fossum in DC

GCAA was well represented at the March NAA Capitol Conference. Attendees included GCAA President Tami Fossum, and past Presidents Mindy McCorkle, Scott Wilkerson (a Regional Vice-President to the NAA), and John Porter (current AANC President), along with Ken Szymanski. This is our main annual opportunity to tell the apartment industry story to federal elected officials and to seek their backing of apartment-friendly legislation in the halls of Congress. An important story to tell.

We spent some quality “face time” with Representative Sue Myrick (R-9th District), Representative Mel Watt (D-12th District), and Senator Kay Hagan. We also visited with the staffs of Senator Richard Burr Representative Larry Kissell and Representative Heath Shuler.

Our messages included a more Balanced Housing Policy/not to extend the $8K home-buyer tax credit, and communicating our wish to defeat a proposed near-tripling of taxation on so-called “carried interest”.

Ms. Fossum delivered some 13 checks to the NAA Political Action Committee from GCAA members. Additionally, we heard from numerous Capitol Hill insiders on political developments and prognostication, and had the pleasure of interacting with dozens of our apartment association colleagues from around the country. Learning what is going on from state to state is beneficial for us in Charlotte and the Carolinas. We very much value our relationships with the National Apartment Association (all GCAA members are by definition NAA members) and the National Multi Housing Council.