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Current
Legislative Efforts
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July,
2008
Legislative Updates
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Click
on any topic below for further details:
Legislative
Days in Raleigh - A Big Success!
AANC
hosted its annual Legislative Days Program on June 10-11
in Raleigh. Over 80 multifamily industry professionals from
across North Carolina, including many key participants from
GCAA in Charlotte, attended and spoke with state legislators
about active bills relating to housing conditions/inspections,
forced participation in HUD’s Section 8 Program, and equitable
solid waste collection. Thanks to all participants and sponsors
of the program for their efforts to speak for the apartment
industry! Photo highlights are below:
THANKS
TO THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATIVE DAYS SPONSORS:
PLATINUM:
Apartment Finder, Apartment Guide, Blue Ridge Property Mgmt.
GOLD:
Alliance Data, Crosland, Mac-Gray, National Water & Power, Resident
Data,
Triad Apartment Association
SILVER:
AT&T Southeast Connected Communities
Private
Sector Rehab Likely in Local Housing Bond
According
to Charlotte City Hall and affordable housing insiders, it appears
the City Housing Trust Fund shall be allocated $19.4M, subject to
November referendum voter approval. $2.5M is already earmarked for
a particular project, so if passed, that leaves $16.9 housing dollars
for two years going forward. City Council will provide direction
on the allocation of these funds amongst the various housing categories;
the allocation may include money for private sector rehab for the
first time. One estimate is that $3.5M will go to this category.
Landlords will have to match 50% to qualify. At least two City Council
members see the private sector rehab approach as an important tool
in helping stem neighborhood decline. The City's Housing Trust Fund
Advisory Committee will begin to host forums later this summer.
Sprinkler
Monitoring Requirements Modified
In
a change of local Charlotte Fire Department Policy that will be
welcomed by some Charlotte-Mecklenburg apartment owners, local fire
officials announced in early June that "off-site monitored"
properties built under the 2002 North Carolina Building Code can
now submit permits and plans to retrofit to the 2006 Code (by sprinklering
decks, patios, breezeways and storage rooms) to relieve monitoring
requirements at that property going forward. Our members had previously
inquired about relief from monitoring requirements in existing apartments
and were told by fire officials that relieving this duty was not
possible. In making this announcement, Charlotte Fire Marshal Rob
Kinniburgh reiterated that the 2006 N.C. Building Code does not
require off-site monitoring of R-2 buildings less than 4 stories
and the 2006 N.C. Fire Code does not require electronic monitoring
of the NFPA 13R compliant sprinkler system, so long as the system
meets the exceptions provided in the code. Kinniburgh additionally
related that he will check to learn if this is also a state position
that will cover other local jurisdictions in N.C.
New
GCAA-Supported N.C. Accessibility Rules Finalized
Following
nearly a year of Ad Hoc Accessibility Code meetings, a public hearing,
and emotional fanfare from around the state, a pivotal meeting to
digest proposed accessibility changes was held in Raleigh on February
27th. Interests of the apartment industry were capably represented
by developer/AANC President-Elect John Porter, architect Bernice
Cutler, and GCAA/AANC Executive Director Ken Szymanski.
The
move to Chapter 11 w/NC amendments made by last year's Ad Hoc Committee
was presented for a vote to the 17-member NCBCC on March 11th. The
group voted unanimously to pass the amendments, including those
pertaining to accessibility. Effective date will be January 1, 2009,
although it is likely that several jurisdictions will adopt the
new code up to six months prior to that date.
The
new Code will much more closely mirror the national and international
standard, while also being
very generous in providing accessibility, leaving N.C. among the
three most generous accessibility states in the nation.
GCAA
Leaders Attend NAA Capitol Conference
 GCAA
members, Board Officers and staff, along with other apartment professionals
from North and South Carolina, participated in the National Apartment
Association’s annual Capitol Conference in March. Our volunteers
were able to speak with several Congressional members and their
staffs about issues important to NC apartment industry professionals.
(GCAA
members with other AANC representatives and Charlotte City Councilwoman
Nancy Carter met with Mel Watt's assistant Hilary West.)
(right:
Scott Wilkerson, Councilwoman
Carter, Ken Szymanski, and Marcie
Williams in D.C.)
In
this important election year, GCAA's Public Relations and Membership
Committees are encouraging member properties to distribute our GO
VOTE! magnets to their residents. The magnets encourage voter
participation in a non-partisan way and provide residents with a
link to the GCAA's resident-oriented web page, www.rentingworks.com.
Below
are resources for apartment communities who'll be assisting with
the distribution of the magnets - Thanks for your help!
letter
to residents (to accompany magnets)
short
press release about the GoVote! program to use in your newsletter
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