GET INVOLVED! REGISTER TO VOTE!

During the 2011 Indiana General Assembly, legislators passed a bill that was signed by the governor that addresses exorbitant fees that are being charged by cities and towns throughout Indiana to pay for registering and inspecting apartments.

The new law, which was signed by Gov. Daniels on May 10, requires cities and towns to set up a separate fund for the fees collected from apartment communities and to only use that money to pay for expenses directly related to the registration and inspection of apartment units. It applies to all current ordinances and puts municipalities on notice that residents will know who is assessing these fees because management companies now have the right to bill residents directly for the fees assessed.

Many of our member apartment communities have been involved as we fight municipalities who want to fund their budget deficits on the backs of rental housing. The new law sends a strong message to cities across the state that charge fees to apartments, but our work is not done.

We must send a stronger message to all elected officials that those fees have a direct impact on the residents living in our apartment communities. On November 8, 2011, we will go to the polls to elect city and town officials who make those local decisions that impact rental housing.

It is important that we get our residents registered to vote and inform them so they can elect council members who understand the rental housing industry and know that exorbitant fees are, in fact, hurting their constituents.

We are asking that you plan a Voter Registration Day in July, August, or September where we hope to register renters for the upcoming November election. We would like you to conduct an event, such as a pool or block party where residents 18 and older can register to vote. The deadline for your residents to register to vote in the November municipal election is October 11, 2011. Click on the Participating Apartment Communities icon on the right to see who is having a Voter Registration event.

SHOW THEM APARTMENT VOTERS COUNT!