Alert: Increased Terrorism Threat Level Apartment Firm Considerations

3739 National Drive, Suite 202, Raleigh, NC 27612 / Tel: (919) 782-1165 / Fax: (919) 782- 1169

U.S. Raises Terrorism Threat Level to High; Intelligence Reports Suggest Apartment Buildings and Hotels are Likely Targets

February 7, 2003

Earlier this afternoon, President Bush raised the national terrorism threat warning level to "Orange: High Risk Condition" for only the second time since the classification system was created nearly a year ago. In his remarks at a press conference today, Attorney General John Ashcroft identified apartments, and other real estate categories, as potential "soft targets." He specifically noted that "recent intelligence reports suggests that al Qaeda leaders have emphasized planning for attacks on apartment buildings, hotels and other soft or lightly secured targets in the United States,"

In light of this renewed threat, apartment professionals may want to review the National Multi Housing Council's May 2002 guidance on a range of operational options apartment owners might want to consider related to terrorist threats against apartments. As a public service, that guidance is publicly-available at www.nmhc.org/Content/ServeContent.cfm?ContentItemID=2489.

In addition, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has offered a broad set of enhanced security measures that the public and private sector should consider with the elevation of the national threat level. They include:

- coordinating necessary security efforts with armed forces or law enforcement agencies - taking additional precaution at public events - preparing to work at an alternate site or with a dispersed workforce - restricting access to essential personnel only. Details on DHS's operational recommendations, as well as operational guidance from the Red Cross, can be found at www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=87&content=450

TAA will continue to monitor this situation and will notify members of any subsequent developments.