Transforming Neighborhoods: Help Your Community Solve a Challenging Real Estate Problem

• Overview
• About our Partner
• About the Services
• Application Requirements and Selection Process
• Completed Projects

Overview

Today’s neighborhoods—challenged by declining housing stock and affordability, natural disasters and commercial disinvestment – need comprehensive, expert and action-oriented solutions.

• Does your community need help with downtown/neighborhood/community revitalization, corridor reimagining, or economic development?
• Are you aware of a publicly owned former retail center, school, hospital, or large vacant parcel in your market that needs an innovative reuse strategy?
• Is your community recovering from a large-scale natural disaster?

Through Transforming Neighborhoods, the National Association of REALTORS® is pleased to collaborate with The Counselors of Real Estate® (CRE) Consulting Corps to provide analysis, strategies and actionable recommendations to solve today’s top-of-mind real estate challenges in partnership with local REALTOR® associations and key public and private stakeholders.

About our Partner

Established in 1953, The Counselors of Real Estate® (CRE), an affiliate of NAR, is an international consortium of credentialed real estate problem solvers who provide expert advice on complex real property and land-related matters.  The CRE® Consulting Corps, a public service initiative created by The Counselors of Real Estate®, provides municipalities, local REALTOR® Associations, not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions and government entities answers to real estate problems which ultimately enhance the performance of a property or series of properties.

About the Services

The Counselors of Real Estate® (CRE) Consulting Corps will provide analysis, strategies and actionable recommendations to solve a wide range of today’s most pressing real estate challenges, such as addressing housing gaps, igniting residential and commercial redevelopment, and rebuilding after a natural disaster. The project must be referred by a local REALTOR® associations in collaboration with key public and private stakeholders, and recommendations will incorporate market realities, financial structuring, development options, and portfolio assistance.

While each engagement is tailored to the needs identified by the local REALTOR® association applicant, it is important to note three critical points:

• Each engagement requires active participation and support of the local REALTOR® Association (identify stakeholders, introduce stakeholders to the project, schedule stakeholder meetings, provide/arrange on-site tour);
• Each engagement requires the active participation and support of local governmental staff and officials (identify stakeholders,participate in stakeholder meeting, provide relevant data);
• Observations and recommendations offered will be based on the CRE® Consulting Corps’ independent, unbiased assessment of what it perceives is needed given the unique challenges facing the particular community.

Transforming Neighborhoods 2024 Webinar and slide deck provides an update on outcomes in three communities that have benefited from Transforming Neighborhoods program.

Resources:

• Spokane Project Page
• Peoria Project Page
• Huntsville Project Page

Transforming Neighborhoods Information 2023 Webinar  View the recording Passcode: gEG53+*w and slides to learn more about NAR’s partnership with the Counselors of Real Estate (CRE) Consulting Corps to help state and local REALTOR® associations take the lead in addressing commercial disinvestment, housing gaps, brownfield reuse and natural disaster redevelopment, and other real estate challenges. The session provided an overview of the program and application process, as well as insight from past participants.