FAA Wins 2 National Awards for Legislative Efforts

The Florida Apartment Association received two national awards last month: one from the National Apartment Association and one from Association Media & Publishing.

The NAA Excellence Awards (formerly known as the Paragon Awards) recognize affiliated apartment associations, as well as builders and apartment industry professionals.

FAA was honored in the government affairs category for a two-year effort advocating for legislation that permits on-site staff who have a Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians to repair water heaters, air conditioners, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Previously, property managers were required to call a licensed contractor, which often meant long waits and higher costs. The new law, which went into effect July 1, enables maintenance professionals to do the work they are trained to do, reduces costs to apartment communities and management companies, and helps improve the lives of residents when repairs can be completed more quickly. The award was presented to Josh Gold, FAA executive vice president, and Courtney Barnard, government affairs director, at the 2016 NAA Education Conference & Exposition in San Francisco, and was featured in NAA's Units magazine.

The maintenance bill was one component of FAA's 2015 and 2016 legislative advocacy campaigns. At FAA's Legislative Conference, members learned about proposed legislation and then visited the offices of state senators and representatives. FAA created a brochure that presented facts and figures about Florida's multifamily industry and included informational inserts about each of FAA's legislative priorities. After they explained the bills, members left behind a copy of the brochure for easy reference by legislators and staff members. The brochure received a bronze-level Excel Award from Association Media & Publishing, whose members are communications professionals at a variety of associations nationwide. The award was accepted by Laureen Crowley, FAA director of communications, at the AM&P Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.