An Overview of the NMHC

Based in Washington, DC, the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) is a nonprofit trade association in the apartment industry. Dedicated to its members’ success, it unites distinguished stakeholders, including developers, owners, and managers, and provides them with a platform for insightful discussions and collaboration on advocacy and policy. The NMHC strives to support both its members and the communities they help to create. To that end, it offers a wide variety of information distribution and networking opportunities.

Prospective members can choose from three tiers of membership: Advisory Committee, Board of Directors, and Executive Committee. The latter is available only by invitation. Each level comes with a different set of benefits, but some benefits are shared by all levels, including attendance at NMHC annual meetings and forums and access to member-exclusive content.

In terms of advocacy, NMHC bases its policy goals on the most pressing industry issues and concerns. Due to the ongoing global pandemic and its overwhelming impact on every sector of the apartment industry, the organization has set two main priorities for 2021. The first tackles the imminent housing crisis caused by the pandemic, while the second is related to sustaining the long-term health and competitiveness of the apartment industry.

In collaboration with fellow industry trade groups like the National Apartment Association (NAA), the NMHC issues congressional testimonies and comment letters on current industry matters. To further amplify the apartment industry’s voice, NMHC also established a political action committee (PAC) in 1980. The NMHC PAC directly contributes to political candidates. A bipartisan organization, the committee only supports candidates who have demonstrated the potential to impact the multifamily industry and whose vision and efforts align with those of the NMHC.

To provide its members with the most up-to-date and in-depth industry information, the NMHC undertakes various research initiatives. These include Quick Facts, NMHC Rent Payment Tracker, Quarterly Survey, and Industry Benchmarks.

Quick Facts contains the latest statistics on practically the entire apartment industry, from resident demographics and market conditions to investment and financing. Meanwhile, the NMHC Rent Payment Tracker is a cumulative data tool that tracks the percentage of renters who have paid their rent. It releases weekly and monthly reports and notes any changes that have occurred in comparison with previous periods.

The NMHC also releases its Quarterly Survey, which demonstrates the current conditions of the apartment market, sales rates, and equity and debt financing. Finally, Industry Benchmarks reveal data on key statistics like the percentage of net operating income (NOI) from revenue, year-on-year change in revenue, and renewal conversion rate.

To adequately reflect the continuously evolving apartment industry and meet its expanding research needs, the NMHC has also formed a dedicated research arm, the NMHC Research Foundation. Founded in 2016, it collaborates with academic institutions and other foundations to bridge any critical gaps in apartment industry data.

In addition to sharing research and analysis information and industry news on its website, the NMHC distributes several newsletters. These include Apartment Wire, a biweekly review of the latest apartment industry trends in finance, technology, and development, as well as Research Notes Newsletter, NMHC Cyber Security Alerts, and Meeting Recaps.

The NMHC facilitates member collaboration and networking by organizing a number of different meetings and webinars. The organization also boasts more than 15 committees where members can share their experiences, best practices, and insights. These include the Design and Construction Committee, Intelligent Buildings and Connectivity Committee, and Student Housing Council.

Other networking opportunities include the NMHC’s email groups (called Listserves), which enable discussions on emergency preparedness, human resources, general counseling, and research, as well as the NMHC’s Members Directory.