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Dear Colleagues,
BOMA International’s Winter Business Meeting and National Issues Conference is just a week away! This year the Advocacy meetings will feature a stellar line-up of speakers including:
• Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) (PAC Event)
• Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) (Government Affairs Committee)
• Rep. Hilary Scholten (D-MI) (Political Town Hall)
• Alexandra Kosmides, U.S. General Service Administration (Political Town Hall)
• Peggy Jeffers, President and CEO, AOBA (Codes Committee)
• Christopher Perry, U.S. Department of Energy (Codes Committee)
• Steve Sund, Former Chief, U.S. Capitol Police (Preparedness Committee)
We hope to see you at these meetings as we discuss everything from future energy generation to new code proposals that will have a significant impact on the way that we operate buildings. The National Issues Conference is held in conjunction with the WBM and provides the opportunity for BOMA members to connect directly with their Members of Congress and discuss the important issues facing commercial real estate. For information on issues and preparing for congressional meetings, visit www.boma.org/advocacy.
Following on the heels of the WBM is the 2024 Public Policy Symposium, which will be held March 5-6, 2024, at the Samsung Briefing Center in Washington, DC. This year's Symposium will focus on how to achieve net-zero building operations through the development of distributed energy systems. The sessions will cover microgrids, renewables, energy storage, and implementation in an operational environment. Plans are coming together, including two confirmed keynote speakers: Heather Clark, Director for Building Emissions at the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, and Congressman Sean Casten [D-IL].
Your support of these efforts is essential in making sure that our industry remains at the center of the policy debate, shaping a business environment that will ensure a vibrant CRE industry. I look forward to seeing you over the next few months, and as always, please reach out to the Advocacy team at govt@boma.org if you need assistance.
Regards,
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Don Davis, Esq.
Vice President of Advocacy & Building Codes
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Upcoming Advocacy Events
January 28-31, 2024: Winter Business Meeting (Washington, DC)
March 5-6, 2024: Public Policy Symposium (Washington, DC)
March 13-15, 2024: Medical Real Estate Conference (Orlando, FL)
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Register Now: BOMA International Public Policy Symposium
The annual BOMA Public Policy Symposium will be held March 5-6, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Plan to join us for cutting-edge discussions focused on the future of energy, from the latest on distribution and storage to planning for microgrids and resilience. Building on the success of last spring’s symposium on decarbonization, we’ll discuss strategies on how to achieve sustainability goals in an operational environment. Keynote speakers will include White House Director for Building Emissions Heather Clark, and Rep. Sean Casten [D-IL]. The symposium will also feature a series of sessions led by industry experts and approved for CEUs by AIA and GBCI. For details and for registration, visit https://symposium.boma.org. Contact Cameron Macuch (cmacuch@boma.org) with any questions.
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IDF Supports BOMA/Chicago Campaign Against Transfer Tax
Chicago is the latest major market facing a potentially dramatic real estate transfer tax increase, with a referendum on the ballot for the city’s next local election in March. The BOMA Industry Defense Fund recently approved an award of $75,000 to match local efforts to combat the initiative, which if approved, would restructure and increase the City’s transfer tax on sales above $1 million, heavily impacting commercial office buildings. The tax would increase by 167% for the portion of a sale between $1M and $1.5M and increase by 300% on the portion of the sale over $1.5M. The ostensible purpose of the tax increase is to fund services to combat homelessness, but the proposal did not include any process to align stakeholders, any deliberation on how to effectively reduce homelessness, or any detail on how the funds would be deployed. BOMA/Chicago has assembled a coalition of business organizations to oppose this referendum while also insisting that the commercial real estate industry be part of the process to develop and fund a plan to combat homelessness effectively.
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H.R.1491 Update
This month our top legislative priority, H.R.1491, picked up twelve new, bipartisan co-sponsors: Del. Norton (D-DC), Rep. Levin (D-CA), Rep. Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Evans (D-PA), Rep. Swalwell (D-CA), Rep. Davis (D-NC), Rep. Kim (R-CA), Rep. Sykes (D-OH), Rep. Beatty (D-OH), Rep, Molinaro (R-NY), Rep. Stevens (D-MI), and Rep. Tokuda (D-HI). The Small Business Energy Loan Enhancement Act would expand the maximum allowable amount businesses may borrow through the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 loan program for energy efficient investments and upgrades. The 504/CDC program provides small businesses with long-term, fixed rate, low-cost loans that can be used to finance renovation and retrofit projects, as well as the purchase of major fixed assets, such as land, equipment, and machinery. Among the small businesses that will benefit from this legislation are commercial properties seeking to increase operational efficiency through capital-intensive investments, particularly older building stock. As this priority now moves through the legislative and committee process, the support and help from BOMA membership is critical. We are asking that you take action through this campaign link and by amplifying the messaging of BOMA International on social media, especially Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Sam Lopez, Director of Federal Affairs, at slopez@BOMA.org.
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U.S. DOE to Hold Webinar on Office-to-Residential Conversions
The Better Buildings program at the U.S. Department of Energy will host a free webinar, “From Workplace to Living Space: Converting Commercial Buildings to Zero Emissions Multifamily Homes,” on Thursday, February 1, at 2pm ET. Converting underutilized commercial space to multifamily homes has gotten a lot of attention recently as a strategy to repurpose existing infrastructure, add housing, and revitalize communities, but high hurdles remain. This webinar will share what federal resources are available through both DOE’s Loan Program Office and the Inflation Reduction Act, while also exploring energy-related opportunities when converting an office building to multifamily housing. The DOE webinar is just one part of a broader initiative by the Administration to support the conversion of high-vacancy commercial buildings to residential use where feasible.
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Green Lease Leaders Deadline Approaches
BOMA is pleased once again to support Green Lease Leaders, a program run by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Institute for Market Transformation. The latest application period closes on February 16, 2024. The program provides guidance on collaborative lease agreements that promote environmental efficiency, improved building performance, and social equity. Reference guides offer additional support to reach organizational goals and strengthen landlord-tenant relationships. For the application and to learn more visit https://www.greenleaseleaders.com/apply/.
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BOMAPAC
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the PAC in 2023! Your support is a key reason for all of our success on the Hill this year. If you plan on attending the Winter Business Meeting at the end of the month, make sure to stop by the PAC booth to check out some of our new merchandise such as the new BOMA International sweatshirts and quarter-zips! BOMAPAC will also be hosting a reception for donors during the Winter Business Meeting with special guest Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (MD). In the meantime, if you would like to host a local BOMAPAC event, please reach out to Griffin Oursler (Goursler@boma.org).
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