More Commercial Real Estate Groups Speak Out About Wednesday’s Events at the Capitol
By Keith Loria January 7, 2021 2:17 pm
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The frenzied events that took place at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday are still on everyone’s minds, and even though Joe Biden was eventually certified to be the next president of the United States, there’s still plenty of worry and fear about what’s ahead.
Many are calling for President Donald Trump to resign or be removed from office on the heels of his speech that encouraged the violence and rioting in the Capitol, and his doing little to stop or control the chaotic scene. Reports have shown that it was Vice President Mike Pence who called in the National Guard as Trump was reluctant to do so.
The Commercial Real Estate Finance Council was among those condemning the attempt at insurrection that occurred at the Capitol building yesterday.
“Like much of the nation, I was horrified and saddened by the events that unfolded yesterday at the Capitol Building,” Lisa Pendergast, CREFC’s executive director, said in a statement. “We fully support the election of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States, and we look forward to supporting his administration in the rebuilding and healing of our damaged nation.”
Adam Behlman, CREFC’s chair, also weighed in on the shocking actions.
“After the events that occurred yesterday, I was compelled to stay up all night just to see true democracy in action, which thankfully occurred,” Behlman said in a statement. “Our nation’s road to recovery will be long and arduous, and as we are a diverse organization that represents the varied interests of many constituents, we are dedicated to working as one nation alongside the entirety of our elected leaders to ensure that democracy is honored and upheld.”
Doug Bibby, president of the National Multifamily Housing Council, was one of the first in the industry to comment yesterday about the importance of protecting our system of government and completing the certification of Electoral College ballots.
“In 1863 at Gettysburg, President Lincoln consecrated that ground with the words ‘and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ Members of Congress now have an urgent responsibility to fulfill that creed,” Bibby said in a statement. “NMHC and its members look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress to address our nation’s housing affordability challenges and provide much-needed support for our nation’s renters and housing providers.”
Joe Friedman, partner, capital markets at Edge, a full-service commercial real estate firm with offices in Washington, D.C.; Virginia; Maryland and Pennsylvania, noted the new administration will bring a much-needed calm and a return of business as usual with the federal government that has made the region the strongest in the nation for commercial real estate development and investment.
“The District of Columbia has not experienced a succession of turmoil beginning with the pandemic shutdown, followed by the dramatic scenes of the summer BLM protests, November election period boarding up of buildings, and yesterday’s recent domestic terrorist assault on our Capitol Building,” he told Commercial Observer. “Despite all of this, our industry relies on optimism and hope for the future. No matter which political side of the fence you fall on, Jan. 20, 2021, will be the beginning of brighter days ahead for our Capital City.”
Update: This story originally misattributed source material. This has been corrected. We apologize for the error.
