After attending the NCC Community Forum in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, I am even more convinced of the vital role the NCC plays in our industry. I met numerous community owners and affiliates who are not members of the NCC, but who share the same concerns and difficulties as all NCC members. The difference is they do not have the support and knowledge bank that one receives as a member of the NCC. Most of the ones I talked with were shocked at all the legislative actions that are in the pipeline at the federal and state levels that may affect their business. Each person I spoke to was impressed with the information coming out of the forum and wanted to learn even more.

No matter what size or segment of the community business you are involved in, the NCC is our one unified voice and guardian of our principles. Whether it is offering assistance to states, fighting for us on Capitol Hill, or working with the Federal Housing Administraion (FHA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Fannie Mae and dozens of other entities dealing with consumer and community issues, the NCC with MHI is representing our interests.

The strength of the NCC comes from its staff and members. We can only survive by attracting more involvement from our members and expanding our membership base with new recruitments. Please take the time to educate yourself on NCC and its current activities. Become more active. We need more ideas and feedback from all areas of our membership. And recruit, recruit, recruit . . . if you know someone you do business with who is not a member talk to them about joining.

Next month, industry members will converge in Washington, DC for the MHI Summer Meeting and Legislative Conference (June 15-17) to carry the industry message to Capitol Hill. This is our best opportunity to be heard, and we need each and every one of you to participate. In the current economic and political climate, where we are confronted by the ever present financial crisis and always threatened by bad laws and bad regulation- we need you.

Contact me or Thayer Long at (703) 558-0678 if you need some additional assistance or if you are not sure if someone is already a member. We are here to help.

You can email me at chris@parrishmanor.com I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in June.

Chris Parrish
Chair, National Communities Council
Vice-President, Parrish Manor