Industry UPDATE
with experienced mentors, and concludes the three-month program with a debate-style competition. ATXelerator Executive Director Ward Tisdale describes it this way: “Trying to have competent and effective local elected officials without a formalized program to train them is like not recruiting college football By Paul Cauduro, AAA Director of Government Relations players and expecting to win.” The ATXelerator was launched logo is frequently included with other with the backing of six former mayors he Austin Apartment Associaassociation logos when communicatand councilmembers. Its mission is to tion (AAA) was founded in 1964 ing shared concerns involving housing promote good government and help and since that time has served and housing development. The chalbusiness leaders better understand as the collective voice of the inlenge become trying to work proacthe issues confronting Austin help dustry. Cleary, since its inceptively and expand the organization’s move Austin toward having more fortion, the market has radically changed impact and brand awareness in an exward-thinking and business-minded and the industry’s voice now has to be pensive and dynamic housing market leaders in local government. raised on issues far beyond the typwhere rental housing providers are not AAA’s support for the ATXelerical NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) always cast in a favorable light. ator is aimed at being proactive and complaints about how apartments Enter the ATXelerator. The AAA helping to change the course of city cause traffic congestion or loud parand its political action committee know leadership which has become more ties thrown by college students living in-tune with special inin apartments disrupt the terest and anti-growth neighborhood. and anti-business activist Because the issues have groups. The AAA’s leadergreatly evolved and the ship views the support as need for a collective voice an investment in the fuis more important than ture because it invests in ever, in the fall of 2019 the In the fall of the education and trainAAA adopted a new Strate2019, the AAA adopted a new ing of common-sense peogic Plan to help guide and Strategic Plan ple which is Austin’s best sustain our voice and politto help guide hope to bring centrist govical actions. The plan calls and sustain ernment back. for the AAA to increase our voice and political To date the ATXelits community impact by actions. erator has produced 75 engaging proactively and alumni, more than a dozcollaboratively with goven City of Austin board/ ernment, business, and commission members community groups and ofand two city-council canfer a clear voice on behalf of didates including 2020 members’ shared interests. graduate Vanessa Fuentes The plan further provides as Apartment PAC – Austin supports who recently won a seat on the Austin that the AAA pivot from a reactive apthis nonpartisan, non-profit organizaCity Council representing District 2. proach to a more strategic and proaction in the effort to reach the goals set The ATXelerator is accepting applitive approach to government affairs and forth in the strategic plan. The ATXelcations for its 2022 class and we enpublic policy discussions in order to excourage any AAA member interested pand the organization’s impact, enhance erator was founded in 2017 to recruit business leaders and others from all in moving Austin forward with busiits brand, and better position the rental areas of Austin to participate in an acness-minded policies to join the class. housing sector for long-term success. celerated leadership-type program cur- For more information, please visit To be sure, the AAA has worked riculum on civic leadership and Austin www.atxelerator.org/application proactively and collaboratively with city government. The program comallied real estate organizations in the Austin area on a wide range of land-use bines classroom education with experi- Report on Mold Regulations for Apartments Set for Release ential learning, matches class members planning and policy issues. The AAA In late April the Austin City Council adopted a resolution directing the City Read about AAA’s current advocacy issues at www.austinaptassoc.com/news/advocacy-in-action Manager to report on health and safety
BEING PROACTIVE FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS
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