Cindy Vosper Chetti
Cindy Vosper Chetti first “caught the political bug,” in her words, as an intern on Capitol Hill while attending Virginia Tech. She worked with various legislators before settling into a position as a legislative assistant to Congresswoman Marge Roukema (R-N.J.), rising from there to chief of staff.
Cindy Vosper Chetti, senior vice president for government affairs, National Multifamily Housing Council
“I loved working in a personnel office,” says Chetti, now senior vice president for government affairs at the National Multifamily Housing Council, “because I really had an opportunity to get a view of almost all the issues that Congress deals with.”
She found her niche in housing policy and served for six years on the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. Following this, she spent 10 years as the lead housing policy expert for the House Financial Services Committee, working on the senior professional staff for the committee’s Republicans.
Chetti joined NMHC in 2011, with the goal of helping lawmakers understand the needs and workings of the multifamily industry. She is responsible for implementing strategy around regulatory and legislative issues for the NMHC and National Apartment Association’s Joint Legislative Program.
“I have long-standing relationships on either side of the aisle, I have written legislation and orchestrated legislation moving through the House and the Senate. I understand how Capitol Hill works, and that puts me in a position to help NMHC when we’re looking at important issues that impact the industry. So I think that’s been an asset—my relationships and my strong understanding of the logistics and the process.”
When COVID-19 hit, Chetti recalls that the NMHC had to “take a step back” and reevaluate its strategies. In-person meetings with legislative staff were no longer possible, and securing rental assistance and determining the impact of eviction moratoriums became top priorities. “It required a complete shift in how we conducted business,” she says, noting that her team is now working “10 times” as hard to accommodate the shift.
Moving forward, Chetti aims to continue to educate policymakers on the needs and importance of the industry—“not just to individuals, but to the economy and to communities.” She anticipates affordable housing will be a strong focus, particularly this next year, as work continues to find solutions for the industry and communities alike.
