5 minute read
Industry Update
BEING PROACTIVE FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS
By Paul Cauduro, AAA Director of Government Relations
In the fall of 2019, the AAA adopted a new Strategic Plan to help guide and sustain our voice and political actions. T he Austin Apartment Association (AAA) was founded in 1964 and since that time has served as the collective voice of the industry. Cleary, since its inception, the market has radically changed and the industry’s voice now has to be raised on issues far beyond the typical NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) complaints about how apartments cause traffic congestion or loud parties thrown by college students living in apartments disrupt the neighborhood.
Because the issues have greatly evolved and the need for a collective voice is more important than ever, in the fall of 2019 the AAA adopted a new Strategic Plan to help guide and sustain our voice and political actions. The plan calls for the AAA to increase its community impact by engaging proactively and collaboratively with government, business, and community groups and offer a clear voice on behalf of members’ shared interests. The plan further provides that the AAA pivot from a reactive approach to a more strategic and proactive approach to government affairs and public policy discussions in order to expand the organization’s impact, enhance its brand, and better position the rental housing sector for long-term success.
To be sure, the AAA has worked proactively and collaboratively with allied real estate organizations in the Austin area on a wide range of land-use planning and policy issues. The AAA logo is frequently included with other association logos when communicating shared concerns involving housing and housing development. The challenge become trying to work proactively and expand the organization’s impact and brand awareness in an expensive and dynamic housing market where rental housing providers are not always cast in a favorable light.
Enter the ATXelerator. The AAA and its political action committee know
as Apartment PAC – Austin supports this nonpartisan, non-profit organization in the effort to reach the goals set forth in the strategic plan. The ATXelerator was founded in 2017 to recruit business leaders and others from all areas of Austin to participate in an accelerated leadership-type program curriculum on civic leadership and Austin city government. The program combines classroom education with experiential learning, matches class members
Read about AAA’s current advocacy issues at www.austinaptassoc.com/news/advocacy-in-action 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 players and expecting to win.”
The ATXelerator was launched with the backing of six former mayors and councilmembers. Its mission is to promote good government and help business leaders better understand the issues confronting Austin help move Austin toward having more forward-thinking and business-minded leaders in local government.
AAA’s support for the ATXelerator is aimed at being proactive and helping to change the course of city leadership which has become more in-tune with special interest and anti-growth and anti-business activist groups. The AAA’s leadership views the support as an investment in the future because it invests in the education and training of common-sense people which is Austin’s best hope to bring centrist government back. To date the ATXelerator has produced 75 alumni, more than a dozen City of Austin board/ commission members and two city-council candidates including 2020 graduate Vanessa Fuentes who recently won a seat on the Austin City Council representing District 2. The ATXelerator is accepting applications for its 2022 class and we encourage any AAA member interested in moving Austin forward with business-minded policies to join the class. For more information, please visit www.atxelerator.org/application
Report on Mold Regulations for Apartments Set for Release
In late April the Austin City Council adopted a resolution directing the City Manager to report on health and safety
issues related to mold and rental housing. This issue surfaced after apartment residents complained to Council that their concerns about advanced microbial growth on the walls and ceilings emerging from the winter storm water damage were being ignored by apartment owners and managers.
The resolution states that the City Manager is to survey local governments regulations, best practices for processing mold complaints and code enforcement practices regarding mold. The report will also include an information regarding if other jurisdictions require relocation assistance during mold remediation and recommendations on how best to enforce mod regulations and the resources needed for the enforcement. The Council has asked that the report be issued by mid-August.
For AAA members, there are a number of educational resources available to address mold claims and remediation. The National Apartment Association (NAA) offers a Mold “Toolkit” that contains a compilation of industry best practices and related resources from government agencies and private contributors to help manage mold issues at your property. The Texas Apartment Association’s (TAA) Mold Information and Prevention Addendum” is a useful contract addendum for educating residents about reporting any water intrusions or the appearance of advanced microbial growth. The addendum also advises residents on how to clean certain mold, as compared to needing to contact the owner for remediation. Additionally, the TAA’s REDBOOK and REDBOOK Online offers articles and highlights the state statutes that identifies the duties and requirements of mold remediators.
In May the AAA offered a webinar on the topic of mold and mold remediation actions and that webinar can be found for replay at www.austinaptassoc.com/webinars
If you have any questions or need addition information about the city’s mold resolution or the appearance of advanced microbial growth at your property contact paul@austinaptassoc.com.
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