SIOUX FALLS, SD - Renter Nation, a leading advocate for the residential renting lifestyle and the nation’s only voice representing both renters and the multifamily housing industry, is pleased to announce the successful launch of its “I’m Proud to Rent” initiative.
The “I’m Proud to Rent” campaign is designed with a dual purpose: to foster pride in renting and to serve as motivation for the multifamily housing industry to partner with its residents to jointly promote renting, renters and the multifamily lifestyle.
In announcing the program, Renter Nation’s CEO Bill Deegan, said that renting is a “sustainable lifestyle choice and a positive alternative to uncontrolled urban sprawl, reliance on foreign oil and billions wasted on needless infrastructure.” Renting also serves as a means to allow greater flexibility regarding housing selection as peoples’ lives change and progress. “Why get locked into a single-family home and a significant debt burden when freedom to relocate may be critical to career advancement or family concerns?” Mr. Deegan added.
Mr. Deegan went on to say that “for too long renters have been considered second class citizens because we have chosen to rent. This notion is prevalent throughout our society and culture and must come to an end”. As a renter, Mr. Deegan urged property owners and managers to join forces with Renter Nation to “defend their residents, defend their industry and defend themselves.”
Industry statistics appear to bear out Renter Nation’s assertion that the multifamily industry and renters have been short changed. According to the National Multi Housing Council, the allocation of federal housing dollars in support of multifamily housing is only 21% even though renters make up close to 40% of the nation’s population. Renter Nation’s Chief Operating Officer Steve Crawford, in commenting on these statistics, said that “this financial disconnect reveals that the multifamily industry needs to step up to the plate, join forces with their residents and promote renting. More than 100 million renters are ready, willing and able to demand their fair share.” Mr. Crawford went on to say that “the multifamily industry needs to harness that untapped power. Renter Nation is here to help.”
The nine point “I’m Proud to Rent” initiative includes the following:
• I am an American Renter.
• I am proud to rent my home.
• I am a responsible citizen and member of my community and will not be disrespected because I rent.
• I vow to now longer accept being treated as the step-child of American society or the American economy because I rent.
• I vow to no longer tolerate societal and cultural bias against renters.
• I support national and state tax policies that are fair to renters and tax and administrative policies that will lead to the construction of more multifamily housing.
• I support efforts to make rental housing more affordable to all Americans.
• I support efforts to ensure that our rights as renters are strengthened and protected.
• I respect the rights of all to enjoy safe, clean and habitable rental housing.
Renter Nation is the country’s only organization with the avowed mission to represent both the interests of America’s more than 100 million residential renters and the multifamily housing lifestyle. Renter Nation is a unit of Sioux Falls, South Dakota based Media Demographics, Inc.