REAL ESTATE

Lobbyists Unite: A pair of real estate trade groups--Institute of Real Estate Management and the Commercial Industrial Development Assn.--have united to create Orange County’s largest real estate lobbying group.

Officials of Institute of Real Estate Management, representing 500 property managers, and Commercial Industrial Development Assn., with 200 members, hope their combined strength will give them more clout in addressing the local real estate market’s key legislative and political concerns. Issues include streamlining the permits process; air and water quality; regional government cooperation; commercial use of the soon-to-be vacated El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, and the planned Disneyland expansion.

“We want to focus on local issues impacting commercial real estate,” said Irvine property manager John Combs, president of the institute in Orange County. “You’re going to see us out there on these local issues. Between their membership size and ours, we will be much more influential together. You talk about letter-writing campaigns!”