A wide range of policy issues were addressed by Roundtable leaders, Members of Congress and Administration officials during this week’s Roundtable Spring Meeting, including: infrastructure; housing availability and financing; tax proposals; building energy and climate related matters; and pandemic risk insurance. (For issue detail please see The Roundtable’s 2021 National Policy Agenda)

Roundtable Leadership

• Roundtable Chair Debra Cafaro (Chairman and CEO, Ventas, Inc.) launched the meeting on April 20 with Roundtable Chair-Elect John F. Fish (Chairman & CEO, SUFFOLK) and Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer. 
  
  
• Chair Cafaro noted, “We convene at a time imbued with optimism and renewal, as we are fortunate to have an accelerated vaccine rollout, an improving economy and stabilizing markets.” 
  
  
• She also acknowledged the vital, positive role that The Roundtable membership has played in addressing many of today’s national challenges, including rebuilding and expanding infrastructure; expanding housing opportunities; creating jobs and training workers for a changing economy. “Roundtable members have been at the forefront of advocating for these important policies since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Cafaro said.
  
  
• Roundtable Chair-Elect Fish stated, “Unintended consequences can occur when big national policy changes are proposed, so it is more important than ever that the real estate industry offer its expertise to help policymakers as they look to enact reform and propose new, important initiatives. The Roundtable is indeed engaged, and will remain so, in major policy issues impacting the industry.”
  
  
• Roundtable President and CEO DeBoer emphasized the need for ongoing interaction with policymakers in Washington as the policy agenda and congressional rosters change.  He stated, “Our Roundtable policy advisory committees continue to remain active in keeping policymakers and regulators up to date on the evolving marketplace and our policy agenda. We always take a fact-based approach from the point of view of the asset, showing how it is sustainable, supports jobs for the community and contributes to overall economic growth,” DeBoer stated.

Featured Policymakers

• The Roundtable’s Fall Business Meeting included virtual visits from the following guests:
   
  
  • Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
  • Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, above
  • Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
  • White House National Economic Council Director Brian Deese
  • Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    
    
• Following the business meeting, members from the House and Senate attended several smaller breakout sessions with Roundtable attendees to discuss national policy issues in a more informal exchange of views.
  

Next on The Roundtable's meeting calendar is the all-member June 15-16 State of the Industry Meeting, which will be held virtually via Zoom.

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