When a referendum to bring light rail to Hampton Roads came back for another round in April 2012, the Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association (HRRA) got busy – again. The 3,300-member association had supported light rail proposals before, but this time they kicked their campaign efforts up a few notches with…...
Orlando Association Gets On Board With Commuter Train Travel
December 2012 While the 9,000-member Orlando Regional REALTORS® Association (ORRA) has been energetically supporting SunRail, central Florida’s first commuter rail project, association leaders felt some first-hand exposure for their members and local decision makers would kick it up a notch. Using a $1,500 Smart Growth Grant from NAR, ORRA was…...
Pennsylvania Association Helps Elect Two REALTOR® Champions to the General Assembly
In politics, there are REALTOR®-friendly candidates, and then there are candidates who are actually REALTOR® members. This election year, the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® (PAR) protected and secured the seats of not one, but two of its own who serve in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. With two Independent Expenditure Campaigns…...
Maryland Association Saves Mortgage Interest Deduction
One month in to the Maryland State Legislature’s 90-day session this past winter, the Governor unveiled a proposal that would trim the state’s Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID). The 22,000-member Maryland Association of REALTORS® had to act quickly. NAR approved a $300,000 Issues Mobilization grant, which funded half the cost of…...
Louisiana REALTORS® Expand Advocacy Web Site into Online Information Hub for Homeowners
Last year, as part of its wildly successful initiative to prohibit any future state-wide transfer taxes, Louisiana REALTORS® (LR) created a website to bolster and communicate its position. After the vote, the website remained: a highly effective platform that had connected with thousands of Louisiana citizens interested in property-rights and…...
Missouri and Cape Girardeau Associations Put NAR Land Use Initiative Services to Work
When the City Council of Cape Girardeau got serious about implementing an onerous rental inspection program, the 292-member Cape Girardeau County Board of REALTORS® got busy. The board worked with the Missouri Association, which in turn asked for help from NAR. Through NAR’s Land Use Initiative Program, the Cape Girardeau…...
North Dakota Association Stands Up for Local Control in Property Tax Battle — and Wins!
The North Dakota Association of REALTORS® (NDAR,) joined an astonishing coalition of more than 80 groups to oppose a measure that would have abolished the state’s century-old property tax. That’s right, REALTORS® worked to “keep” the tax. Why? Because getting rid of the tax would have empowered the state legislature…...