Roundtable Weekly – Page 43 – The Real Estate Roundtable

CRE Executives’ Optimism About Q1 Market Conditions Tempered by Inflation and Interest Rate Concerns

Posted on February 18, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

As the economy continues to recover from the global pandemic, commercial real estate executives see strong market fundamentals and steady economic growth, according to The Real Estate Roundtable’s Q1 2022 Economic Sentiment Index. While optimistic about the economic outlook going forward, inflation concerns and a rising interest rate environment are frequently cited as potential headwinds for the industry.

Market Conditions

Additionally, Roundtable Chair John Fish (Chairman and CEO, Suffolk), above, on Feb. 14 discussed the real estate market and return-to-office efforts on Bloomberg’s “The Tape” podcast. (Listen to podcast from 10:45 to 16:55)
The Roundtable’s Overall Q1 2022 Sentiment Index—a reflection of the views of real estate industry leaders—registered a score of 66, a seven-point increase relative to the Q1 2021 score, demonstrating continued optimism for market conditions despite a decrease of seven points from Q4 2021. The Current Index registered at 71, a 27- point increase compared to Q1 2021. The Economic Sentiment Overall Index is scored on a scale of 1 to 100 by averaging the scores of Current and Future Indices. Any score over 50 is viewed as positive.
The Roundtable’s quarterly economic survey also shows that 69 percent of respondents believe that general market conditions today are “much better or somewhat better” versus one year ago—and that 53 percent anticipate conditions will continue to improve one year from now.
Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer said, “We are encouraged by the decreasing number of cases of COVID-19, pandemic-related restrictions being lifted throughout the country, cities continuing to reopen safely and efficiently, and increased travel and consumer spending. Our nation’s post-pandemic recovery is reliant on the revitalization of cities, safe transportation systems, significant return of employees to the workplace, and healthy real estate values.”
He added, “Throughout the pandemic the real estate industry has assisted suddenly jobless residents and troubled business tenants restructure leases to remain in their properties. Industry leaders now look forward to reimagining people’s living, shopping, work, and other spaces in the built environment to accommodate the evolving needs of the post-COVID economy.”

Topline Findings

The Q1 2022 Real Estate Roundtable Sentiment Index registered a score of 66, a decrease of seven points from the fourth quarter of 2021 but a seven-point increase over Q1 2021. While optimistic about the economic outlook going forward, inflation concerns and a rising interest rate environment were frequently cited as potential headwinds for the industry.
Survey respondents’ outlook varied between asset classes and location; most participants felt that real estate assets, particularly single and multifamily housing and industrial, remain largely “priced to perfection” with limited supply being chased by seemingly “boundless” capital.
This supply-demand imbalance has generally led to compressed cap rates across favorable asset classes and results in perceptions that valuations will remain elevated.
Participants cited a continued abundance of debt and equity capital and strong investor demand for real estate.

Data for the Q1 survey was gathered in January by Chicago-based Ferguson Partners on The Roundtable’s behalf. See the full Q1 report.

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House Passes Cannabis Reform Banking Legislation to Provide Safe Harbor for Financial Service Providers and CRE Owners

Posted on February 12, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

A Roundtable-supported bill that would allow federally regulated banks to provide mortgage and financial services to state-licensed, cannabis-related businesses (“CRBs”) – without the threat of penalties under federal law – passed the House on Feb. 4.

A SAFE Harbor

The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (H.R. 1996) would provide commercial property owners a safe harbor if they lease space to a state-approved CRB, whose mortgages would not be subjected to corrective action by a bank under federal law.
The SAFE Banking Act was approved by the House last week after it was added as an amendment to the America COMPETES Act, a bill that aims to make the U.S. more competitive with China. (The Hill, Feb. 4)
The cannabis reform bill has been introduced in every Congress since 2013 by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) – and has now passed the House six times as a standalone bill or an amendment to a larger legislative package.
Perlmutter, who plans to retire from the House at the end of this year, said, “Cannabis-related businesses — big and small — and their employees are in desperate need of access to the banking system and access to capital in order to operate in an efficient, safe manner and compete in the growing global cannabis marketplace.” (NJ.com, Feb. 7)
The Real Estate Roundtable is a long-standing supporter of the SAFE Banking Act. Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer noted in a March 2019 letter to policymakers that the bill “… clarifies that banks could not take adverse action on a loan to a real estate owner solely because that owner leases property to a legitimate CRB. The measure also protects sellers and lessors of real estate and other CRB ‘service providers’ by clarifying that proceeds from legitimate marijuana-related transactions do not derive from unlawful activity, and thus do not provide a predicate for federal criminal money laundering.” (Roundtable letter, March 25, 2019)
Cannabis has been legalized in 18 states since 2010, and 37 have legalized marijuana for medical purposes. (HuffPost, Feb. 10)
The estimated value of the U.S. cannabis industry is $17.7 billion, a substantial amount of which remains unbanked. As of January 2021, the legal cannabis industry supports 321,000 jobs across the country. (Perlmutter news release, April 19, 2021)

Senate Consideration

The America COMPETES Act now heads to the Senate for consideration and a likely legislative conference with House policymakers. Perlmutter, above, commented that if the SAFE Banking Act is rejected once again by the Senate, he would attach the cannabis reform measure to “some other bills coming up over the course of the next month or two.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) assured Rep. Perlmutter that she will push for passage of the SAFE Banking Act bill. Perlmutter said, “[Pelosi] understands, too, that I’m committed to put this on anything that I can. She sees it – and I hope the Senate ultimately sees it – as inevitable.” (PoliticoPro, Feb. 4)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KT) on Feb. 8 described the SAFE Banking measure as a “poison pill” amendment. “China has been steadily building up its military and economic might, and the Democrats’ answer is to help Americans get high?” McConnell said. (MarketWatch, Feb. 8)
In a separate cannabis reform effort, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), yesterday sent a “dear colleague” letter to solicit input about a Senate bill seeking to legalize marijuana at the federal level with the addition of social justice measures.

Schumer’s bill is likely to attract more Republican opposition than the SAFE Banking Act.

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SEC Proposes Increased Oversight for Private Investment Funds; Delay Reported for Proposed Climate Risk Rule

Posted on February 12, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Feb. 9 proposed expansive, new disclosure requirements for private investment funds, while an anticipated proposed rule that could require issuers to report on GHG emissions has been delayed. (Wall Street Journal Feb. 9 and Bloomberg, Feb. 8)

Proposed Rules & Private Funds

This week’s proposed rule, if approved, would require private-equity and hedge-fund managers to provide statements on fund performance, compensation, fees and expenses. The proposal passed the Commission on a 3-1 party-line vote, with one dissenting Republican. (PoliticoPro, Feb. 9)
Managed Funds Association President and CEO Bryan Corbett responded, “The SEC’s proposed additional regulations on private funds will harm the most sophisticated investors, including pensions, endowments and foundations, who rely on these funds to serve their beneficiaries. The agency’s treatment of private funds as if they were serving retail investors is misguided.” (Pensions and Investments, Feb. 8)

Climate Risk Disclosures & CRE

Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY), French Hill (R-AR) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI) on Oct 6, 2021 wrote to SEC Chair Gary Gensler, above, claiming the SEC lacks jurisdiction to create and implement policies affecting private, non-market companies. “Lest there be any doubt, we wish to emphasize that the SEC has no authority to impose public disclosure obligations—regarding climate or otherwise— on private businesses that have not accessed the public capital markets,” the Members wrote.

Bloomberg reported this week that the SEC has delayed the release of a separate proposed rule that could require REITs and other issuers to disclose GHG emissions and climate-related financial risks in their Commission filings. (Bloomberg, Feb. 8)

The climate risk proposal may extend into March or later, according to Bloomberg. Gensler previously announced it would be released last year. (Roundtable Weekly, June 11, 2021 and Reuters, May 6, 2021).

The SEC’s climate proposal is widely expected to evolve into the first-ever federal rule that will require companies to measure and report on GHG emissions they directly cause (“Scope 1”), and emissions attributable to their electricity purchases (“Scope 2”).
A brewing controversy is whether the SEC might also direct issuers to estimate and report on indirect “Scope 3” emissions up and down corporate supply chains. (Reuters, Jan. 19)
If the Commission potentially mandates “Scope 3” disclosures, the requirement could possibly impose new obligations on some commercial property owners to report on the emissions of their tenants – and some banks to report on the emissions of their borrowers.
Pre-rulemaking comments filed by The Roundtable last year, developed in close coordination with Nareit, point out that building owners should not be required to disclose tenant emissions simply because property owners do not even have access to leased-space energy data in many instances.
Any proposed rule from the SEC will trigger a public feedback process, followed by internal agency review, before it would take effect.

The SEC’s climate rule is considered a major environmental initiative of the Biden Administration, particularly as GHG reduction provisions in the Build Back Better Act face a steep climb to pass the Senate. (Bloomberg, Feb. 8)

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House Passes Government Funding Extension Until March 11 as Appropriators Signal Progress on FY2022 Omnibus

Posted on February 12, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a continuing resolution (CR) that would prevent a government shutdown on Feb. 18 by extending current government funding levels for three weeks, through March 11. The CR, which also applies to the National Flood Insurance Program, moves to the Senate for consideration next week. (CR legislative text and summary)

CR & Omnibus

If passed by the Senate, the CR would give lawmakers additional time to finalize a separate “omnibus” spending bill for fiscal year 2022, which runs from Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2022. (BGov, Feb. 9)
House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders announced on Wednesday a “framework” deal for top-line spending levels for defense and domestic funding. Such an agreement would clear the way for congressional committees to complete a sweeping 12-bill spending bundle, which could amount to a $1.5 trillion omnibus package funding government operations into the fall. (PoliticoPro, Feb. 10)
A full-year omnibus package would also release an additional $197 billion over 10 years for energy, transportation, and other programs that were part of last year’s bipartisan infrastructure bill. (BGov, Feb. 9 and CQ, Feb. 10)

Omni & BBB

The “omni” funding bill is now a focus of Congress since President Biden’s multi-trillion Build Back Better (BBB) Act has been sidelined on Capitol Hill. (Politico, Feb. 10)
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), above, – a key vote in the 50-50 Senate – said on Sunday that he sees a government funding package as a higher priority than the stalled BBB bill. ‘We have to get a budget bill first,’ Manchin said. (CNN, Feb 6)
Manchin this week also expressed his reluctance to endorse additional federal spending, after news that consumer inflation rose to 7.5%, the largest 12-month increase in four decades. (BGov, Feb. 10)
Manchin’s statement included, “It’s beyond time for the Federal Reserve to tackle [inflation] head on, and Congress and the Administration must proceed with caution before adding more fuel to an economy already on fire. As inflation and our $30 trillion in national debt continue a historic climb, only in Washington, DC do people seem to think that spending trillions more of taxpayers’ money will cure our problems, let alone inflation,” Manchin said. (Newsweek, Feb. 10)

The start of the 2023 fiscal year cycle is approaching as Congress aims to pass an omnibus for the current year by March. President Biden is expected to release his FY2023 budget request shortly after his State of the Union address on March 1.

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Roundtable Members Support NYC Coalition to Reduce Crime and Increase Public Safety

Posted on February 5, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

A coalition of more than 230 business, civic, and labor leaders – including 16 Real Estate Roundtable members – on Jan. 31 expressed broad support for New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s efforts to increase public safety in the wake of a series of violent crimes across the city. New York is one of several cities across the nation facing a spike in crime since the start of the pandemic. (Partnership for New York City letter, Jan. 31 | Reuters and CQ, Feb. 3)

Private Sector Support

Roundtable Board Member Rob Speyer (President and CEO, Tishman Speyer), above, and Steven Swartz (President and CEO, Hearst) – Co-Chairs of the Partnership for New York City – stated, “We support Mayor Adams’ comprehensive approach to reducing crime and gun violence. The return of the pre-pandemic vibrancy of our city depends on his success.” (New York City’s website)
The coalition letter also noted, “New York cannot recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic without first restoring the sense of personal security that every resident, worker, visitor, and community in our city has the right to expect.”
“[I]t is equally necessary to invest in mental health care and alleviate conditions that contribute to violent behavior” such as homelessness, the letter explains.

Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer, above, stated, “The Real Estate Roundtable is highly supportive of governmental efforts nationally and locally to address violent behavior, substance abuse, homelessness, and joblessness. We join with our New York-based leaders in supporting efforts to address these troubling realities in New York City and we applaud President Biden for his announcement this week on community safety.”
The coalition letter comes a week after Adams proposed a comprehensive Blueprint to End Gun Violence. President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland yesterday traveled to New York to offer federal support to the plan of Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to crack down on illegal guns coming into the state. (New York Daily News and Reuters, Feb. 3)

The White House yesterday announced President Biden’s plan to urge Congress to allocate $500 million more to combat gun violence into a fiscal 2022 spending package. (White House Announcement, Feb. 3)

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Biden Administration Issues Funding Guide for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Posted on February 5, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

The White House on Jan. 31 released its guidebook to funding for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the $1.2 trillion bipartisan measure signed into law last year. (The Hill, Jan. 31 and (Roundtable Weekly, Jan. 21)

Roadmap to Infrastructure Funding

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Guidebook is a key tool for states and local governments to apply for federal grants, loans, and public-private partnership resources under more than 375 infrastructure investment programs.
Mitch Landrieu, White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator, stated, “Our primary goal is to empower people across the country with information, so they know what to apply for, who to contact, and how to get ready to rebuild.” (White House news release, Jan. 31)
The White House last week also outlined steps for cities and mayors to prepare for funding applications. Landrieu on Jan. 4 sent a request to all of the nation’s governors, urging them to appoint their own infrastructure implementation coordinators to work on the smooth disbursement of funds over the next several years.

Support for Infrastructure Important to CRE

Atlanta, Georgia

The Guidebook consolidates information on the funding available from myriad federal agencies to build and repair infrastructure assets that are positive for local communities and commercial real estate, including:

Bridges
A total of $40 billion is dedicated for bridges, including $12.5 billion for a new DOT grant program to replace or rehabilitate some of the nation’s most economically significant bridges. (Roads, Bridges and Major Projects section.)
Transit-Oriented Development
The infrastructure law invests $91.2 billion to repair and modernize mass transit. (Public Transportation section). The public-private TIFIA loan program receives $1.25 billion in funding with expanded authorities to assist airport and transit-oriented development projects. (Major Projects section).
Passenger Rail
$36 billion is available for federal-state partnership grants to repair existing rail routes or establish new intercity service. Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor benefits from a $6 billion grant program. (Passenger Rail section)
EV Charging
$7.5 billion in grants is available to help build out a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers – particularly along highway corridors to facilitate long-distance travel and within disadvantaged communities. (Electric Vehicles section)
Clean Energy
The infrastructure law will deploy more than $20 billion in federal financing tools to deliver clean power. The U.S. Department of Energy in January launched the “Building a Better Grid” Initiative to catalyze construction of electric transmission lines that can deliver solar, wind, and other renewable energy over long distances. (Clean Energy and Power section and DOE website)
Superfund Clean-up Program
The law provides $3.5 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund program to clean up some of the nation’s most contaminated sites. (EPA news release, Dec. 20, 2021)
Underserved Communities
A set of funding sources aim to make transformative investments in disadvantaged and low-income communities. (Supporting Underserved Communities section) For example, $1 billion is devoted to a “Reconnecting Communities” competitive grant program that can remove or retrofit highways built decades ago that isolated low-income neighborhoods.

Future versions of the guidebook will update key timelines for program implementation, best practices, case studies, and links to resources developed by the White House.

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Congress Considers Short-Term Continuing Resolution as Feb. 18 Budget Deadline Looms

Posted on February 5, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

House Democratic leaders, facing a heavy agenda and a Feb. 18 government funding deadline, are considering a three-week stopgap funding bill to allow appropriators more time to complete 2022 spending bills. (RollCall, Feb. 4)

Negotiating Omnibus

The House may vote early next week on a possible “Continuing Resolution” (CR) to extend current funding levels through March 11 and avoid a possible government shutdown. A CR would also require Senate approval. (CQ, Feb. 4)
Negotiations among congressional appropriations leaders to reach a deal on a bipartisan omnibus bill for FY202 – which runs from Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2022 – have stalled on reaching top-line spending levels for defense and domestic funding. (The Hill, Feb. 1)
This would be the third government funding stopgap for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.
Yesterday, Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL) stated that the length of time agreed upon for another CR extension would reflect whether Democrats and Republicans can agree to a funding deal. “If it’s a short-term [CR], that would mean probably that we’re making some progress, real progress,” Shelby said. “If it’s longer, we might go … for the rest of the year.” (The Hill, Feb. 3)

A Demanding Agenda

A crowded congressional agenda – including what may be next for the stalled Build Back Better (BBB) Act, international geopolitics, and action on President Biden’s upcoming Supreme Court nominee – adds pressure for policymakers to reach agreement on a spending bill.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), above, yesterday noted the urgency to reach an omnibus funding agreement. She stated, “We’re hoping to get that done as soon as possible in terms of … the omnibus bill.” Pelosi added, “One connection between infrastructure and omnibus is that some of the money in the infrastructure bill cannot be freed up until we pass the omnibus bill,” she said. (Pelosi Weekly Press Conference, Feb. 3)
Separately, the impact of the FY2022 funding negotiations are unlikely to affect the timing for congressional consideration of how to pare down the BBB Act (H.R. 5376), according to House Ways and Means Chair Richard Neal (D-MA) and Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR). Both policymakers said they did not want to set an “artificial” deadline for potential revisions to the stalled proposal. (Tax Notes, Feb. 3 and Roundtable Weekly, Jan. 21)
As FY2022 spending negotiations continue, The Washington Post reported today that the White House may request additional federal funding from Congress to aid pandemic recovery as current funding for preparedness is starting to dwindle.

President Biden is also expected to start the next fiscal year cycle with the release of his fiscal budget request for 2023 – shortly after his State of the Union address on March 1.

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State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction Relief in Doubt as Democrats Seek to Narrow Build Back Better Act

Posted on January 29, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

Several Democratic Senators favor retaining current law as it relates to the deductibility of state and local taxes and eliminating SALT relief from any pared down version of the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, The Hill reported on Jan. 26.

SALT Fix

Speaking both on the record and anonymously to The Hill, policymakers said that they expect proposed changes to SALT will be cut from the next generation of the BBB Act, despite the issue being a top priority of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act limited the itemized, individual deduction for state and local taxes (including property taxes) to $10,000. The provision does not restrict the deductibility of business taxes paid or incurred at the entity level. The limitation expires after 2025. (The SALT Cap: Overview and Analysis, Congressional Research Service, March 6, 2020)
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), a key centrist vote in the Senate, has not publicly stated his position on SALT relief, but reportedly has sent signals he is not a supporter. (Politico, Jan. 27 and Roll Call, Jan. 28)

SALT & BBB

If negotiations resume, congressional Democrats are expected to reduce the size and scope of the BBB Act. Manchin recently said he prefers “starting from scratch” after Democratic negotiations on the House-passed $2.2 trillion package collapsed in December. (Roundtable Weekly, Jan. 21)
There are also challenges in the House, where Democrats have only a four-vote majority. “No SALT, no deal,” wrote New York Rep. Tom Suozzi and New Jersey Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill in a joint statement last week. “If there are any efforts that include a change in the tax code [in a revised BBB proposal], then a SALT fix must be part of it.” (CNBC, Jan. 21)

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Roundtable Members Engage Policymakers on Economic, Energy, ESG and Other National Issues

Posted on January 29, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

The Real Estate Roundtable’s Virtual 2022 State of the Industry (SOI) Meeting this week included discussions with national policymakers and industry leaders on the future of the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, the Fed and monetary policy, energy policy, regulatory oversight of ESG reporting, along with equity, diversity and inclusion issues in CRE. The Roundtable’s policy advisory committees also met, drilling down on timely issues with policy and industry experts in the areas of tax, sustainability, capital and credit, and homeland security.

Speakers & Policy Issues

Roundtable Chair John Fish (Chairman and CEO, Suffolk), right, and Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer, left, launched the meeting and led discussions with three U.S. Senators and other prominent policymakers, including:

Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
Senate Republican Whip
Committees: Senate Commerce, Finance, Agriculture
… joined Roundtable Board Member Ross Perot. Jr. (Chairman, Hillwood) to discuss upcoming Senate legislation and the political outlook.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Committees: Joint Economic, Senate Commerce, Judiciary, and Rules
… expressed her support for the recently-enacted bipartisan infrastructure bill and additional pandemic aid for the hard-hit tourism industry and hospitality sectors.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Mastro (D-NV)
Committees: Senate Finance, Banking, and Energy
… noted her support for expanding the low-income housing tax credit to build affordable homes for working families, along with business incentives to invest in energy efficiency projects.

John Kerry
President Biden’s Special Envoy for Climate and former Secretary of State
… discussed the significant role of the real estate industry in efforts to combat the impact of climate change and emphasized the need for nations to adopt new green energy technologies.

Larry Summers
Former Treasury Secretary under President Clinton and Former White House National Economic Council Director under President Obama
… discussed a wide range of policy topics, including his views on the Fed’s reaction to market volatility, inflation, and the tight labor market. (Watch Summers video)

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The SOI meeting also included a discussion about exploring a potential industry initiative that would aim to accelerate opportunities for minority and women business enterprises (MWBEs) in the commercial real estate industry.

The goals of the initiative were discussed by The Roundtable’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (E,D&I) Committee Chairman, and Roundtable Board Member, Jeff Blau (CEO, Related Companies); Ken McIntyre, CEO of The Real Estate Executive Council; and Thomas Baltimore, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO of Park Hotels & Resorts.

Roundtable Policy Advisory Committees

(Above: Sustainability Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) Chair Tony Malkin (Chairman, President and CEO, Empire Realty Trust), right, and Roundtable SPAC Liaison, Senior Vice President and Counsel Duane Desiderio, left.)

The Roundtable’s policy advisory committee meetings on Jan. 25-26 analyzed national issues impacting CRE, including:

Research and Real Estate Capital Policy Advisory Committees (RECPAC)
Rep. French Hill (R-AR) provided his insights on the congressional legislative agenda from his perspective as a member of the House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of its Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance. Research Committee co-chairs Spencer Levy (CBRE’s Global Chief Client Officer) and Paula Campbell Roberts (KKR Managing Director) provided their perspectives on real estate capital markets. RECPAC co-chair Kathleen Farrell, Head of Commercial Real Estate for Truist, moderated a joint committee meeting capital market discussion, along with co-chairs Gregg Gerken, Head of Commercial Real Estate with TD Bank, and Mike Lowe, Co-CEO with Lowe.
Tax Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC)
Potential tax revenue policies that may be considered by Congress were a focus of a discussion moderated by Russ Sullivan (Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck) with Bethany Bell, staff director for the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Additionally, Derek Theurer, chief tax counsel for Ways and Means’ Republicans, discussed tax legislative priorities prior to the upcoming mid-term elections.
Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF)
HSTF members were briefed on the escalation of organized “smash and grab” looting incidents affecting the retail sector by Dan Kennedy, Senior Vice President of US Security Operations for Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Chris Woiwode, Vice President and Chief Security Officer for Macerich and Terry Monahan, former New York City Senior Advisor for Recovery Safety Planning and NYPD Department Chief. Additionally, HSTF co-chairs Amanda Mason (Executive Director of Global Intelligence for the Related Companies) and Keith Wallace (Vice President for Global Safety & Security with Marriott International) led HSTF in a discussion on current threats to CRE and mitigation strategies. (HSTF on Jan. 20 held a virtual exercise simulating hostile events and adverse weather impacting CRE).

Sustainability Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff demonstrated a new, powerful Building Emissions Calculator to estimate historical, current and future annual greenhouse gas emissions resulting from a building’s energy use. SPAC also discussed the SEC’s expected rule on Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) reporting requirements. (Reuters, Jan. 19). Additional speakers from the U.S. Energy Information Administration provided an update on the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), which tracks federal data on U.S. CRE energy use.

Next on The Roundtable’s FY2022 meeting calendar is the Spring Meeting on April 26. This meeting is restricted to Roundtable-level members only.

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Blackstone Commits $1 Billion to Private Sector Affordable Housing Program

Posted on January 22, 2022October 27, 2023 by Trey Jackson

Blackstone on Jan. 14 announced a $1 billion commitment to help address affordable housing challenges often faced by low-to-moderate-income families in historically under-represented communities. Blackstone’s single-family rental company Home Partners of America will expand their private sector program called Choice Lease, which offers qualified applicants below market rents and paths to homeownership without government subsidies. (Bloomberg, Jan. 14)

An Affordable Housing Solution

Kathleen McCarthy, above, Global Co-Head of Blackstone Real Estate and Real Estate Roundtable Board Member, said, “The lack of housing supply is a national crisis. We are proud to support Home Partners’ mission of addressing housing access and affordability while also providing underserved populations with a new path to homeownership. Blackstone’s scale and long-term capital make a program like this possible.” (GlobeSt, Jan. 18)
Home Partners intends to use the Blackstone funds for purchasing approximately 4,000 homes over the next two years that will benefit eligible individuals and families facing challenges to homeownership, including lower credit scores and lack of savings. (News release, Jan. 14)
Bill Young, co-founder and CEO of Home Partners of America, said, “Our Choice Lease program is providing a critical service to many who would not otherwise be able to access the housing market. We are grateful that our partners at Blackstone have provided the support needed to implement this initiative. We have a unique opportunity to drive change that will help these groups access quality homes while providing a clear and transparent path to homeownership.”

Program Details

Bloomberg reports that Home Partners buys a home on behalf of its Choice Lease client, and rents it back on a series of one-year leases. Blackstone confirmed that throughout the lease, the tenant has the option to purchase the house at any time.
Choice Lease’s rental and purchase options, as well as free financial education and counseling programs, come as a housing shortage pushes rents and purchase prices higher throughout the United States. (National Mortgage Professional, Jan. 17)

Choice Lease is intended for households who earn 80% or less of the area median income. The program also offers residents rental rates 10% lower than market rates – and caps a home’s eventual purchase price at a 3.5% annual increase. (Information on the Choice Lease Program and Chicago Agent Magazine, Jan. 17)
Home Partners has implemented Choice Lease in four metropolitan areas, including Atlanta and Phoenix, and is expanding the program to thirteen other markets. (Bloomberg, Jan. 14)

The affordable housing shortage is one of the most important and complex political problems in America, and The Roundtable continues to work with our national real estate organization partners to jointly advocate for policies that will help to enhance the supply of safe, affordable housing.

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