For an industry that prides itself on getting, er, stuff done, Washington, DC, can be a confounding place. It can take months, or years even, to pass laws. Regulatory bodies move at the speed of molasses. And it seems as if the legislators focused on legislating are outnumbered by those who would rather be retweeted on X.
Why then, would place management leaders spend their valuable time travelling to the nation’s capital to advocate for pro-downtown policies? Because Washington’s dirty little secret is that, with the right message and a little persistence, you can make good things happen.
One year ago, IDA held its first-ever Capitol Hill fly-in, with BID leaders from around the U.S. meeting with their elected representatives to urge action on key issues like economic development, homelessness and public safety. Thanks to those efforts, and collaboration with allied stakeholders, Congress agreed earlier this year to provide additional funding for homelessness grant programs at HUD and public safety grant programs in the Justice Department. Those much-needed funds help downtowns and communities of all sizes implement both time-tested and innovative solutions that support downtowns at the sidewalk level.
Advocacy isn’t a one-off, which is why BID leaders returned to Washington earlier this month for IDA’s second Capitol Hill fly-in. IDA members met with more than 50 Senators, House representatives and their staffs to educate them on the importance of downtowns to regional economies. They pressed lawmakers to continue advancing efforts to spur the conversion of unused office space into housing and other uses. And they thanked them for backing investments in public safety and homelessness relief, while urging them to do more.
BID leaders met with legislators on both sides of the political aisle. They found that, regardless of party affiliation, members of Congress were interested in what they had to say and expressed a willingness to consider IDA’s policy priorities.
Getting things done in Washington doesn’t happen quickly. It takes a sustained, long-term effort to build relationships and trust with elected leaders. The same holds true at the state and local government levels. But IDA is in it for the long haul. The investments we make today in fostering those connections won’t always pay off right away. But the results can be transformative for our industry.
Click here to view testimonials from our latest successful 2024 Capitol Hill Fly-In.
Want to get involved? It’s easy. Join the new IDA U.S. Advocacy Network. The Network will keep you clued into the latest policy and political developments that affect you, and will provide the tools to enable you to advocate from city hall to the halls of Congress.