The NAA Government Affairs Department is now taking the lead on Copyright and Music Licensing, Employee Criminal Background Checks and Emotional Support Animals (such as companion animals).

This is the first time that NAA has gained responsibility for Capitol Hill federal legislative or regulatory issues since a Joint Legislative Program with the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) was established more than two decades ago. The JLP’s agreement allows for NAA to assume responsibility on jointly agreed-upon federal issues.

“We selected issues that are operationally oriented and important to our membership base,” says NAA Senior Vice President Greg Brown. “NAA’s new leadership role at the federal level ensures that the strengths of both organizations are advancing apartment housing and allows us to speak with a single, powerful voice.”

NAA Member Working Groups have been established for each issue and have already begun their work.

NAA’s new federal issues are:

Copyright/Music Licensing

Issue: Aggressive solicitation by Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) of apartment industry members for licensing fees.

Objective: Secure better treatment for apartment owners and operators under the copyright regime for music licensing.

Leadership: This working group is chaired by Alan King of Berkshire Advisors, Atlanta.

Employee/Criminal Background

Issue: Confusion created by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance on employee criminal background checks.

Objectives: Obtain clarification of regime outlined in EEOC memorandum and relief from potential conflict for apartment owners in complying with local, state and federal regulatory authorities.

Leadership: This working group is chaired by Mike Clark of Alpha-Barnes in Fort Worth, Texas. Clark also is Chair of the NAA Legislative Committee.

Support (Companion) Animals

Issue: Confusion within regulatory guidelines for reasonable accommodation of requests for emotional support animals and abuse of regulatory loophole.

Objectives: Obtain clarification and relief from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on rules regarding reasonable accommodation for requests for emotional support animals.

Leadership: This working group is chaired by Phil Neuman of Couzens Lansky, Detroit.