With the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia as a back drop, two major groups of apartment owners and developers have called on policy makers to abandon what they claim is their almost exclusive focus on home ownership.

Instead, says the National Multi-Housing Council and the National Apartment Association, Republicans and Democrats alike should concentrate of ensuring that all Americans have access to decent and affordable housing, regardless of whether they buy or rent.

"The time has come to move beyond the false presumption that owners are better citizens and better for our communities than renters and begin to tackle some of our most pressing housing issues," says Clarine Nardi Riddle, senior vice president of government affairs for the two groups.

The NMHC/NAA's advocacy campaign comes on the heels of a major push by five politically powerful housing organizations the American Bankers Association, America's Community Banks, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors to persuade Republicans and Democrats platform writers to adopt what they see as "essential elements" of a "coherent" housing agenda that reaches down to all levels of government.

The groups' speak for firms that employ some 12 million people who buy, sell and finance housing. And their agenda covers five areas smart growth, housing finance, tax policy, government regulations and housing programs.

But the NMHC/NAA maintains that the goal of home ownership is not nearly as universal as it used to be. And Riddle says a housing policy focused mostly on ownership actually places at a disadvantage the growing segment of the population, including upper income professionals and empty nesters, who are choosing to rent even though they have the wherewithal to buy.

A balanced housing policy should respect the rights of individuals to choose the housing that best meets their needs without penalty, the groups' proposed agenda asserts. And it suggests further that not just owners but renters as well make positive economic, political and social contributions to their communities.

"Home ownership is not a panacea for all that ails individual communities, and our single-minded pursuit of higher ownership rates is causing us to overlook alternative and potentially more effective solutions to our current housing needs," says Riddle.

Published: August 1, 2000

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When Lew Sichelman first started writing about housing in 1969, he was the youngest real estate writer in the country. Now, 37 years later, he's one of the oldest -- and most decorated. He has been rated the top housing columnist in the country by the National Association of Realtors as well as by his peers in the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Indeed, NAREE has recognized his work on numerous occasions. One year - due to his advancing age, he can't recall which one - he earned top honors in the annual NAREE Journalism Contest in three out of the four major writing categories. It was the first time one writer has won so many NAREE awards in a single year. Known for his ability to make even the most difficult topics understandable, Sichelman also has been honored by the National Association of Home Builders and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He began providing in-depth coverage of and consumer-oriented information about housing and housing finance at the Washington Daily News, where he was real estate editor. He held that same position for nine more years at the Washington Star, which purchased the News in 1972. The Star, a so-called "writer's newspaper" which also had the misfortune of being an evening paper, was put out of its misery in 1981, and Sichelman, who had begun self-syndicating his column in 1978, decided to become a full-time columnist. Today, his column, "The Housing Scene," is distributed by United Media to newspapers throughout the country. He also is on the staff of National Mortgage News, an independent newspaper which is considered the bible of the mortgage business. And he writes for numerous other publications, including MarketWatch.com, where he answers readers questions once a week, Sports Illustrated (don't ask), RealtyTimes.com, BigBuilder and others. Sichelman is married, the father of five and grandfather of eleven.