04/17/2026 | by

Executives from across the REIT community met this week in Washington, D.C., for Nareit’s annual CEO Forum & Advocacy Day. The two-day event provides REIT leaders with the opportunity to engage directly with key policymakers from both houses of Congress and across the political aisle, underscoring the importance of REIT-based real estate investment to communities nationwide.

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Dinner
Attendees listen to presentations at an evening event on April 14 at the Salamander Washington DC.
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Dinner
Nareit members greet French Hill (R-AR) (far right).

This year, 22 REIT executives representing 20 companies participated in the event. CEO Forum programming featured insights from leading voices in policy and global affairs, including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR), and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who shared perspectives on the current political, economic, and geopolitical landscape.

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Blake Moore
L-R: Dave Sedgwick, CEO of CareTrust REIT; Clint Malin, Co-President and Co-CEO of LTC Properties, Inc.; Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT); Megan Krull, SVP of Omega Healthcare Investors; and Steve Sakwa, Sr. Managing Director of Evercore, Inc.
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Budd
L-R: Rob DelPriore, EVP of MAA; Ted Klinck, President and CEO of Highwoods Properties, Inc.; Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC); Marshall Loeb, President and CEO of EastGroup Properties, Inc.; and Brad Hill, President and CEO of MAA. 
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Jason
L-R: Scott Brinker, President and CEO of Healthpeak Properties, Inc., Dave Sedgwick, CEO of CareTrust REIT; Steve Wechsler, president and CEO of Nareit; Sumit Roy, CEO of Realty Income; House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO); Dallas Tanner, President and CEO of Invitation Homes; Bryan Smith, CEO of American Homes 4 Rent (AMH); and Ben Schall, president and CEO of AvalonBay Communities.
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Kustoff
L-R: Matthew Gourmand, President of Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.; Hal Kilshaw, EVP of Lamar Advertising, Marshall Loeb, President and CEO of EastGroup Properties, Inc.; Megan Krull, SVP of Omega Healthcare Investors; Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN); Rob DelPriore, EVP of MAA; Brad Hill, President and CEO of MAA; and Ted Klinck, President and CEO of Highwoods Properties, Inc..

On Capitol Hill, Nareit member executives held 22 meetings with congressional offices, including five in the Senate and 17 in the House of Representatives. The meetings included House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), and House Ways and Means Ranking Member Richie Neal (D-MA). Discussions focused on several key policy priorities for the REIT industry, including the ROAD to Housing Act and reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). Discussions emphasized how these initiatives support housing supply, economic growth, and long-term investment stability.

CEO Forum & Advocacy Day remains a cornerstone of Nareit’s advocacy efforts, providing a critical platform for REIT executives to communicate directly with policymakers about the industry’s role in supporting jobs, communities, and investment opportunities across the United States.

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