PALM SPRINGS, CA-Those on the East Coast or in Chicago will undoubtedly be the littlest bit jealous of this year's NMHC Apartment Strategies Outlook Conference taking place here this week. Not only is it a great gathering of like-minded individuals in the commercial real estate industry, but the weather is markedly better in this direction.

Our West Coast reporter Carrie Rossenfeld was on hand at the event and reported on, most significantly, the panel “The Partnership with Municipalities—Finding Common Ground in Apartment Development” during which participants mulled over the ways that municipalities, owners and developers can work together to facilitate projects that are successful for all.

Other conference attendees weighed in on Twitter, along with Carrie, who shared her insights over at the account @GlobeStLIVE.

@GlobeStLIVE ‏

#NMHC Here in beautiful Palm Springs at the NMHC conference. The mood is upbeat and optimistic!

#NMHC Al Zelinka, director community development, Riverside: cities must facilitate investment to survive and thrive.

#NMHC 832,000 more people moved into apts. in 2011 than in 2010.

Judith Hyatt Bellack @JudyBell

Wow, well done, NMHC -- fantastic PAC video featuring industry leaders, and PAC chair David Nethercutt. #nmhc

Patty Blum Crawford @pattydazzle

Ethnic diversity within organizations a recurring topic for Multifamily as minorities grow at 7x rate #nmhc

Steve Hallsey ‏@SteveHallsey

Former AMLI Associate, Greg O'Berry, to speak at the next session atNMHC. I am looking forward to his comments.

Other users commented on the NMHC Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions released in January of this year – data which can be accessed here. 

We'd like to hear from you: what do you think of these figures? What does it mean for the multifamily sector into the next quarter? Share your views in the comments section below.