Wherever gaps in broadband infrastructure occur, they keep residents from accessing critical needs and opportunities, such as remote work and school, telehealth appointments, community engagement, and e-commerce. Buncombe County, a largely rural region in the mountains of western North Carolina, has many such underserved areas – affecting an estimated 35K addresses. To help pinpoint un-connected households as a first step in closing the broadband gaps, the Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS® (LOTSAR) recently tapped into REALTOR® Party resources. A Consumer Advocacy Outreach Grant supported a survey to find where this essential service needs bolstering.
Matt Allen, LOTSAR’s Director of Professional Development and Government Affairs, explains that advocating for improvements to critical infrastructure like broadband is a top priority of the association’s legislative committee. “Dependable connectivity is such a necessity of life for any community now. Specific to the real estate industry, this is an effort to ensure that our members have the connectivity they need to do business, as well as protecting them by ensuring that the homes they help clients buy and sell have adequate internet access.”
The county has a significant fund to cover the expansion, but they wanted to be intentional in prioritizing a fresh analysis of the actual need, says Allen – “This is what we are helping them to identify at a granular level, household by household.” Rather than relying on the information of private internet companies it would be contracting to undertake the broadband access expansion, Buncombe County had developed and deployed an online survey, including a simple internet speed test, to collect current data for mapping its planned improvements.
LOTSAR stepped up to amplify the effort with a targeted postcard mailing to areas of suspected low access, driving residents to the survey with a QR code. The grant from the REALTOR® Party also supported a campaign of digital ads encouraging residents to participate in the county’s online survey and speed test, and a dedicated informational landing page. LOTSAR urged its members to promote the survey to their substantial networks of clients, neighbors, colleagues, and friends. As the County continues its efforts for more accurate mapping, LOTSAR is planning to push out another big reminder to its members throughout the fall, says Allen, “because every response helps complete the big picture.”
He reports that LOTSAR’s relationship with Buncombe County administrators and commissioners has been strengthened by the project. LOTSAR members are very pleased and impressed by the effort, too. “I’ve heard horror stories from agents when a home’s internet strength is less than expected or required. If a buyer or client moves in and their needs and expectations are not met, if they feel an agent misrepresented the service, that could mean the member may be in real hot water. Now, more than ever, we are adding real value for our members and their communities by helping to ensure everyone has adequate access to the Internet.”
To learn more about how the Land of the Sky Association of REALTORS® is helping to promote quality of life in Buncombe County through greater access to broadband connectivity, contact Matt Allen, Director of Professional Development and Government Affairs, at mallen@lotsar.org or 828.333.5840.
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