Legislative Planning

NAIOP can provide guidance to chapters and states through a strategic planning session to determine goals for your business advocacy program.

Criteria

Available to all NAIOP chapters across the country who are interested in supplementing and/or improving their public affairs program. Please feel free to contact Toby Burke, associate vice president for state and local affairs, for additional information.

Legislative Analysis

Sometimes it is difficult to determine how proposed legislation will impact real estate. When that happens, send the legislation to us, and we will work with our team of experts to evaluate the measure. We will work with NAIOP chapters to implement the best strategy to communicate NAIOP's position.

Under the direction of the State and Local Subcommittee, NAIOP Corporate will provide timely analysis of state and municipal legislation that has the potential to impact the commercial real estate industry. The State and Local Subcommittee will assist in the prioritization of requests generated by this program.

Criteria

Available to all NAIOP chapters across the country who are interested in supplementing their public affairs program. Preference will be given to chapters who are facing issues which would have a nationwide impact on the industry — i.e. ballot initiatives, growth management legislation, etc. Please fill out the attached form  and return to Toby Burke, associate vice president for state and local affairs. All applications must be signed by the Chapter President, Public Affairs Chairperson and the Executive Director of the chapter (if applicable). Please remember to include the full text of the proposed legislation, the expected time frame for analysis and its direct impact on the industry.

Chapter Visits

Corporate staff is available to come to your chapter and meet with the chapter leadership as requested. Members of NAIOP’s staff can address a variety of national and local issues, speak at chapter programs, attend chapter events and meet with board members to enhance the chapter’s government affairs agenda. Please feel free to contact Toby Burke, associate vice president for state and local affairs, for additional information.

Day at the Capitol Programs

There is truth to the adage strength in numbers. NAIOP chapters play a critical role in developing relationships with elected and government officials. Organizing your chapter’s "State Legislative Day at the Capitol" is one way to develop these relationships by presenting your legislative concerns directly to the representatives who can effect change. NAIOP will help you coordinate your Day at the Capitol program to maximize your impact and experience.

State Legislative Day at the Capitol

NAIOP chapters play a critical role in developing relationships with elected and government officials. Organizing your chapter’s "State Legislative Day at the Capitol" is one way to develop these relationships by presenting your legislative concerns directly to the representatives who can effect change.

Face-to-face meetings are also the most effective way to articulate your views to elected officials, which can positively affect the outcome of legislation and of policy debates. Only through education and relationship building can your legislator support your chapter’s stance on issues impacting commercial real estate.

Your national NAIOP staff is ready to help in any capacity to help make your State Legislative Day at the Capitol a success. Contact NAIOP’s state and local staff in the Government Affairs department for more information and to get started planning your event today.

Contact

Toby Burke
Associate Vice President of State and Local Affairs
703-904-7100, ext. 116

Resources

Planning your Day at the Capitol

Public Relations and Communication

Letters to the editor, opinion pieces and press releases…we can do it all! NAIOP will work with you to develop your communication materials and make sure they reach the right audience.

Criteria

Available to all NAIOP chapters across the country who are interested in supplementing their public affairs program. Preference will be given to those chapters facing critical issues related to the industry. Please contact Kathryn Hamilton, vice president of marketing, for more details and assistance.

Coalition Building

NAIOP helps local chapters coordinate coalitions with other real estate organizations in their area. Through the Real Estate Advocacy Group for States (REAGS), we have an extensive network of contacts in a variety of national real estate organizations including:

• Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International
• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
• Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)
• National Apartment Association (NAA)
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
• National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)
• National Multi Housing Council (NMHC)

Grassroots/Letter Writing Program

A quick and effective way to communicate with your federal and state representatives is letter writing.

On federal issues, we post letters for you to send to your representatives, supporting or opposing legislation that impacts the industry. This service also targets legislators at the state and local levels. If you have an issue you feel your Chapter (or even all of NAIOP) should rally behind, contact Toby Burke, associate vice president for state and local affairs, for information on how to get your letter posted on our online letter writing service. You may also volunteer NAIOP’s letter writing tool as a resource to coalitions in which your chapter participates.

Legislative Action Support Fund

The purpose of the Legislative Action Support Fund (LASF) is to ensure adequate funds are available for unbudgeted challenges at the federal, state and local levels involving issues of wide-ranging interest to NAIOP.

Criteria

LASF resources are to be used exclusively to support legislative and regulatory advocacy that could impact the interests of a substantial percentage of NAIOP membership. Funds may not be used for legal challenges. Click here for a complete description  of the funding policy. If you would like to apply for the LASF please fill out the application  and return to Toby Burke, associate vice president for state and local affairs. Applications must be signed by the local chapter or state chapter president on behalf of their respective board of directors.

Lobbyist Assistance

NAIOP Corporate will provide financial assistance in the form of matching funds (cap of $5,000) to local chapters to hire a professional government affairs representative (lobbyist) at their respective state capitol. Lobbyists must advocate on behalf of NAIOP regarding issues of importance to the commercial real estate industry and the chapter at the state level.

Criteria

Available as a one-time benefit to all NAIOP chapters who do not currently engage professional government affairs representation.

Three chapters per calendar year are eligible, based on an application system. Multiple chapter states are required to apply together.

Local chapters are responsible for providing supervision, guidance and compliance with all applicable state and local laws governing lobbying during the period of employment.

NAIOP Corporate will provide any assistance the Chapter may need in the search process for a lobbyist. An application must be submitted to NAIOP Corporate for review by the President and the Government Affairs Department. To apply, please fill out the Application Form  and return to Toby Burke, associate vice president for state and local affairs.

Intern Program

Chapters are encouraged to apply for NAIOP’s Intern Program, a matching program of the student’s salary (cap $2,500) for a semester for work/research performed on issues which directly impact commercial real estate. This competitive program assists the chapter in funding graduate or PhD students in the field of real estate. NAIOP Corporate will provide financial assistance in the form of matching funds to local chapters (six chapters per calendar year) to hire a summer intern to conduct research in the area of commercial real estate. Note that it is the responsibility of the local chapter to provide selection, supervision and guidance to these student interns.

Criteria

Available to all NAIOP chapters across the county who are interested in research on issues related to commercial real estate. NAIOP Corporate will match up to one-half of the student's salary (graduate student or PhD candidate in a field related to commercial real estate) with maximum cap of $2,500.00 for a semester for work/research performed on issues which directly impact the commercial real estate industry. An application, writing sample and a detailed outline of the proposed research must be submitted to NAIOP Corporate for review by the President and the Government Affairs Department. Please complete the Intern Application form  return to Toby Burke, associate vice president of state and local affairs.