The Real Estate Roundtable’s 2023 State of the Industry (SOI) Meeting this week included policy discussions with national lawmakers on issues affecting commercial real estate—including the debt ceiling, affordable housing, tax policy, climate regulations, market conditions, and evolving security threats. A special Roundtable joint committee meeting also analyzed the opportunities presented by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the ways CRE companies are navigating the law’s clean energy tax incentives. 

Speakers & Policy Issues 

Roundtable Chair John Fish (Chairman and CEO, SUFFOLK), right,and Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer, left, launched the meeting, which included the following speakers:

• House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)

• Miami Mayor Francis Suarez (R)

• Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

• Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL)

• Rep. French Hill (R-AR)

• Former Rep. and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and former Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) 

Roundtable Policy Advisory Committees 

• The Roundtable's policy advisory committees also met on Jan. 24-25 to analyze policy issues with industry experts, policymakers, and their staff, including:

Special Joint SPAC-TPAC Session 

• The Roundtable’s Tax and Sustainability Policy Advisory Committees (TPAC and SPAC) jointly met to discuss the practical aspects of employing the IRA’s new clean energy tax credits and deductions, and how the incentives can help finance improvements needed to meet evolving regulatory requirements and investor expectations. [Photo: panel moderators TPAC Vice Chair Catherine Perrenoud (Tax Director, Johnson Management LLC), left, next to Roundtable Board Member and SPAC Chair Anthony Malkin (Chairman and CEO, Empire State Realty Trust)]

Research and Real Estate Capital Policy Advisory Committees (RECPAC) 

• Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), above, shared his insights on capital and credit issues as chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy. Panels on real estate capital markets and debt markets also engaged Roundtable members in wide-ranging discussions on current economic conditions.
  

  Tax Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC) 

• Speakers at the TPAC meeting included senior House Ways and Means Committee member Darin LaHood (R-IL), above, a bipartisan panel of senior staff from the congressional tax-writing committees, and the Treasury Department’s attorney advisor for partnership and pass-through tax issues. The policymakers focused on tax and economic policy priorities for the year ahead.
  

  Sustainability Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) 

• SPAC members heard from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) senior staff on the proposed ENERGY STAR NextGen certification for commercial buildings designed to recognize low-carbon assets, as well as EPA’s Indoor Air Programs. Department of Energy senior staff also provided updates on the Biden administration’s Better Climate Challenge.
  

  Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) 

• HSTF members were briefed on the current threat environment to CRE by Linda Reid (VP, Security Operations, Walt Disney), right, and National Football League Security Chief Cathy Lanier, left, who also serves as vice-chair of CISA’s Commercial Facilities Sector Coordinating Council. Other discussions focused on cyber crime threats, fraudulent lease applications, organized criminal retail theft, and other security challenges facing commercial sector facilities. 

Next on The Roundtable's FY2023 meeting calendar is the Spring Meeting on April 24-25. This meeting is restricted to Roundtable-level members only. 

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