Legislative Update

YOU MUST VOTE DOWN BALLOT

The November election is a very important election for the apartment industry.

HOW MANY TIMES have we heard the phrase, “This the most important election of our lifetime?” While that is largely hyperbole and cliché, the November election is actually a very, very important election for the apartment industry. Let’s just say, “This is the most important election that we have, right now.”

Why is this election so important? This year will see us elect nearly every state office from Governor to State Representative, as well as every member of our Congressional delegation. In addition, and of particular interest to us, we will vote on all Judges of County Commissioners Court, County Commissioners for Precincts 2 and 4 and criminal and civil court Judges and Justices of the Peace.

Cliché number two: Elections have consequences. We generally only hear that phrase when one side is voted out of office and they disagree with the policy positions enacted by a new administration. Some may call it sour grapes, but it is true, elections do have consequences. The electorate has to live under the regulations and political positions that the party in power adopt until the next election.

There is a positive spin to that phrase though, because elections do have consequences if enough people show up to the polls they can “effect change” (cliché three) by voting for the candidates that they think better represent the interests of their community, business or beliefs. There is recourse at the ballot box.

Back to the question of why is this election so important: what are the major issues facing our industry today? Most would agree that property taxes and crime are two of the biggest factors affecting the apartment business today.

Rising property taxes and rising crime rates do not happen in a vacuum. Things happen for a reason. Whether that is an unexpected natural disaster, a once in a lifetime global pandemic or a series of failed regulatory or legislative policies, things happen for a reason. Elected officials must respond and course correct when the public is faced with these issues. If they do not, it is incumbent upon the public to hold them accountable.

Your elected officials have influence over property tax bills, which some our members see increase by 20%, 30% and even 50% every year. While valuations are not under their direct control, the ability to set the tax rates is.

Most people, including some elected officials, believe that increasing property taxes only affects homeowners or big corporations, but we know the reality is it affects everyone, including our residents. If elected officials choose to increase property taxes, then rents will have to increase to cover that cost. The choice to increase rates is one thing that negatively affects our members’ ability to provide safe, affordable housing.

“It’s the economy, stupid” (cliché four) became the mantra for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. These days, however, “It’s crime, stupid” would be more fitting. There is no disputing that the rise in crime is a major factor affecting our community today.

Evidence of that is that we have elected officials offering statistics showing that crime is no worse than it has been in the recent past and their opposition reporting competing information that the crime rate has never been higher. Throw in that law enforcement officers, agencies and unions are falling on either side and it’s clear that crime is a major campaign issue for this election.

For many, if not most, in our industry, the rise in crime is affecting us either at work or in our private lives. And this rash of crime is not limited to a certain area of town or a type of property.

We have all read the explanation or excuses for why this is happening, but now we need action. We need more help from our elected officials to provide more resources for our law enforcement and our court systems to help us keep our residents, employees and ourselves safe.

You must vote down ballot (cliché five and see title). Most voters are generally educated about who is running at the top of the ticket, whether that’s for president, members of congress or the senate or the governor.

But for our industry, the important races start in the middle of your ballot at the earliest. Some of you will see ballots upwards of 10 pages long, meaning that to get to these important races for County Judge or Commissioner or County Civil Court Judge or Justice of the Peace, you will need to go to page five in some cases.

These down ballot races can directly influence your everyday life and your business. We all know how important our Justices of the Peace are in conducting trials fairly and efficiently, but we also need judges on those last pages of the ballot that will uphold the law and help reduce crime.

So remember to vote all the way down the ballot. The last day to register to vote is October 11. Early voting begins on October 24 and runs through November 4, with Election Day on November 8. If you need any information on voting, please reach out to Bradley Pepper at bpepper@haaonline.org. Also, be on the lookout for information from the HAA PAC which will allow you to type in your address and pull up your unique ballot with HAA PAC endorsed candidates.

Cliché six: “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.” – Pericles. We know politics is not for everyone and you might be fed up with elected officials and candidates and we understand. This election is important to our industry though and we encourage you to exercise your right to vote.

If you have a regulatory problem or question, call the HAA main line at 713-595-0300 and ask for Government Affairs.