Last week, representatives of NAIOP’s Inland Empire and SoCal chapters joined with other commercial real estate professionals from across the state in Sacramento to lobby their state elected officials on behalf of the industry. This year’s California Commercial Real Estate Summit (CCRES), hosted by the California Business Properties Association (CBPA), began Tuesday with legislator meetings and dinners with state senators and assembly members, and culminated Wednesday with numerous additional meetings by CCRES attendees.

Wednesday’s full day of meetings began with addresses by CBPA Board Chair Rob Cord and President and CEO Matthew Hargrove, along with a discussion of priority legislation important to commercial real estate that is being considered by the full legislature. NAIOP’s California chapters have been at the forefront on advocacy efforts to stop efforts to ban warehouse and industrial development, impose additional taxes targeted at commercial development at the state and local level, and oppose changes to California’s Proposition 13 limits on property tax increases.

Attendance by members of NAIOP’s Inland Empire and SoCal chapters at last week’s CBPA meeting in Sacramento, coupled with the consistent advocacy of NAIOP’s California chapters throughout the year, are significant factors in helping state elected officials understand the importance of the commercial real estate industry to the economic vitality of their communities and the livelihood of their constituents.