GADFly Newsletter – January 2021

Special Announcements and Deadlines
GAD Nation, NAR is looking for our next series of locations for GAD Institute! We are looking for a Central/Midwestern location for 2023 and a Western location for 2024. If you are interested in being an institute host, please email me your interest by February 15th. CGaravaglia@NAR.REALTOR

Community Outreach

New Grant Addresses Rural Issues
A new Rural Outreach Grant to help address challenges confronting rural communities is now available.  The grant, available to smaller REALTOR® associations as well as those representing rural areas, will fund advocacy initiatives and activities addressing challenges and opportunities related to broadband, onsite well and septic, open space preservation, protection overlay districts, rural zoning, annexation, infrastructure challenges and natural disasters. Grant applications for level 1 (up to $1,500) for advocacy focused events and education and level 2 (up to $5,000) for elected official and stakeholder engagement are available.  Associations can explore a newly revised Rural Outreach site for detailed information on rural issues and select a time to meet with staff virtually to discuss strategies to address rural challenges. Questions? Contact Holly Moskerintz, 202/383-1157.

2021 Community Outreach Grant Applications are Live
Associations can now apply for Community Outreach Grants – Smart Growth, Housing Opportunity, Fair Housing , Rural Outreach and Placemaking. Need ideas on how your association can leverage a grant? Sign-up for a virtual meeting with staff experts to brainstorm ways your association can address affordable housing challenges, community planning and development issues, revitalization opportunities and fair housing initiatives.  The session Includes critical steps to success for developing grant ideas and how to write a compelling application.  Questions? Contact Christine Windle at 202/383-1135.

Apply by March 5th: NAR Helps Associations Take the Lead to Address Abandonment and Blight
Local associations may apply for the opportunity to hold either a place-based training or receive a technical assessment to identify ways to tackle vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties. NAR will provide planning assistance and cover part of the program costs. Complete the interest form by March 5th, to be considered.  Questions? Contact Wendy Penn at 202-383-7504.

Grant Help for New Fair Housing Core Standard Requirement
Make plans to leverage Fair Housing Grants to support fair housing initiatives, education and partnerships with local organizations that further the mission of fair housing – plus satisfy the 2021 Core Standards fair housing requirement.  Need ideas and inspiration? Access resources, showcase stories and search “Fair Housing” via REALTOR® Party success stories.  Questions? Contact Wendy Penn at 202-383-7504.

Land Use Initiative Quarterly Report Demonstrates Associations’ Advocacy Efforts
The Land Use Initiative (LUI) analyzes and provides talking points for proposed legislative and regulatory land-use, and real estate transactional, measures – comprehensive plans, amendments, legislation, ordinances or regulations – that impact the transfer of property and/or the interests of REALTORS®.  Review recent measures submitted and analysis of measures by issue submitted by associations since 1999 (login required).  To learn more how the LUI has helped associations influence public policy for over 20 years, view the LUI webinar or contact Holly Moskerintz at 202-383-1157.

NAR Smart Growth Challenge
Grants to make communities livable and vibrant for all!

Participate in the NAR Smart Growth Challenge to build more livable communities! Associations are invited to submit their best proposals under these grant categories:

1. Smart Growth Grants support projects that advance public policies that support land use and transportation efforts that support one or more of the 10 Smart Growth Principles (think: zoning that allows for higher density, mixed-use development, and plans that aim to encouraging walking, biking and transit, open space preservation).
2. Placemaking Grants support projects where your association can help establish new public gathering places such as dog parks, playgrounds, community gardens, and trailheads.

Associations that apply for, awarded and execute a Smart Growth Level-2 grant and a Placemaking Level-1 or -2 grant in 2021 will be featured in NAR’s On Common Ground magazine and/or Best Practices webinar to demonstrate the impact these grant-funded projects can have on your association’s advocacy efforts and community betterment.

These activities are a “win-win” for everyone! They elevate the REALTOR® brand and, besides impacting the community in a tangible way, it’s a great way to strengthen the REALTOR® relationship with civic leaders.

For more information, contact: Hugh Morris (hmorris@nar.realtor / 202-383-1278) or Holly Moskerintz (hmoskerintz@nar.realtor / 202-383-1157)

RPAC

Federal RPAC Disbursements Update
The RPAC Trustees Federal Disbursement Committee made the decision following a meeting on January 12, 2021, to temporarily pause all federal political disbursements. NAR will continue to closely monitor events in Washington, D.C. in the days and weeks ahead in order to ensure our political participation most closely represents the will of our REALTOR® members and the best interests of American real estate. Contact your NAR Political Representative with any questions.

CAMPAIGN SERVICES

EVENT: New GAD Orientation
Date: February 23rd and 24th
Time: 12:00 – 5:00 EST
Register at this link

New GAD Orientation is NOW OPEN for our orientation to be held February 23rd & February 24th from 12:00 to 5:00 EST. The event will be FREE to attend.
Our team is excited to welcome new GADs/AEs acting as GADs to NAR and all of the resources we have to offer you and your associations. We have our top policy and advocacy folks ready to give you a fast-paced and information-packed two days!

We will be welcoming NAR Chief Advocacy Officer, Shannon McGahn and other senior staff to share their knowledge and perspectives, as well as the staff managing all of the great programs GADs can utilize in their work.

If you are a new GAD, register today!

If you have any questions, reach out to NAR Political Advocacy Manager, Christina Garavaglia. CGaravaglia@NAR.REALTOR

Kelli Starrett
GAD Chair
New Orleans Metropolitan Association Of REALTORS®

To paraphrase President Gerald Ford, our long national nightmare – the entire year 2020 – has finally ended. We are now almost a month into 2021 and things are already looking up. We have made it to the other side of what surely seems like the longest election year in the history of election years. America has a glass ceiling-shattering Vice President, vaccines are rolling out across the country, and among the new occupants of the White House is the first rescue dog to ever live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

On the NAR front, we concluded a successful virtual REALTOR® Party Training Conference earlier this month and our FPCs are enjoying their virtual training sessions. We also now have clarity on the May meetings going virtual, and although it’s certainly not what many of us wanted to hear, there is a glimmer of hope that we can all be together again in July or November.

Your GAD Advisory Group is hard at work preparing for the GAD Institute in July. Whether it’s in Denver or in your living room, we have some exciting programming coming your way, including sessions on redistricting, the struggles of limited housing supply, and the aforementioned eternal election. We’ll round it out with a couple of dynamic keynote speakers and opportunities for networking to give you an exciting Institute no matter where you are.

Your Vice Chair, Brad Ward, and I, along with our NAR staff, are also exploring topics for our monthly all-GAD meetings. We kicked things off with a much-needed discussion on the Fair Housing Act and are planning a future session on the Code of Ethics changes adopted last year and how they do (or do not) apply when the conversation is about candidates, elected officials, or housing policy. We’re all ears on any other topic ideas you may have, as we want to ensure we are delivering the content that you need to be best informed and equipped to serve your members.

As your 2021 calendar begins to fill up, be sure to save the date for GAD-specific programming that you won’t want to miss:

Because all work and no play is no way to live, I encourage you to pencil in a non-GAD event on your calendar: Mardi Gras Day on February 16. Shake off your stresses and embrace your inner New Orleanian by listening to some jazz or brass music, pretending that a cinnamon roll is a King Cake (or having the real deal shipped to you), and sporting some cheap beads and purple, green, and gold clothes as though they are smart fashion choices. Live large on Tuesday and you’ll be ready for anything that comes your way on Wednesday. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

-Kelli Walker Starrett

• Feb 23 – 24
  Virtual New GAD/AE Orientation
• May 3 – 14
  Virtual REALTORS® Legislative Meetings
• 2021 GAD Institute
  Date: July 20-22, 2021
  Location: Denver, Colo.
  Hotel: Hilton Denver City Center Registration/Hotel
  Cost: Institute Registration $550/Hotel $229+ Taxes and Fees/night