Dates & Deadlines
Aug. 7: Can the Broadband Gap in Rural America be Closed?
Tune in to our webinar on August 7 to get an overview of the digital divide; its impact on real estate and communities; and efforts underway to bridge the divide including funding and changes in laws to accelerate broadband deployment. Hear from the REALTOR® community on a state and local level to see how they are engaged in this effort by advocating for legislation and joining coalitions to increase broadband access. Register today. For more information, contact Holly Moskerintz at 202-383-1157.
2019 GAD Institute
We hope to see you at the GAD Institute, July 16 – 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio! Limited registration will be available on site. The Institute provides a means for association lobbyists, policy and regulatory professionals, and those who work in REALTOR® Party Advocacy to meet annually, exchange ideas and best practices, as well as gain valuable career skills and networking opportunities. As you plan for your trip, please check out some of the helpful links below.
- Conference mobile app – An easy way to view conference sessions, events, speakers and other attendees. Update or add to YOUR information here.
- GAD Institute page – See final schedule and speakers here.
- Reserve your 30-minute session with the following NAR staff experts:
- Melissa Horn, Manager, Online Advocacy
- Peter Kelly, Director, RPAC Technology and Online Fundraising
- Adriann Murawski, Policy Representative, State and Local Government
- Free Headshot Opportunity – Sign up for a specific time for Tuesday, July 16.
- GADs Give Back – See which project the GADs are supporting locally this year and donate here
Advocacy Resources
Association Health Plan Toolkit
NAR remains invested in protecting access to Association Health Plans (AHPs), and supporting state and local associations’ pursuit of these plans as an affordable and comprehensive health insurance benefit for REALTORS® and their families. To encourage these efforts, NAR has developed a new AHP Toolkit for associations to use as they investigate and seek to implement an AHP in their area. Federal litigation challenges and state regulatory hurdles currently prevent national adoption of an AHP, but successful state and local enactment could serve as an example for cautious states and reluctant insurers, setting the stage for a national plan down the road. Download it today. Read the latest on health care reform.
Issues Mobilization is Here to Help
The Issues Mobilization Program provides financial and technical support to state and local REALTOR® Associations to assist you in addressing public policy issues that impact REALTORS® and the real estate industry. At the halfway mark in 2019, the program has awarded 40 grants ranging from $800 to $750,000 on a wide variety of public policy issues. Funding is available to assist your issue advocacy efforts in the second half of 2019. For more information, contact Joe Maheady at 202-383-1006 or John Winston at 202-383-1235.
Feedback Sought on Know Before You Owe (KBYO) Mortgage Disclosure Rule/TRID
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is preparing to issue a Request for Information (RFI) and five-year assessment of the TRID rule, examining the costs, benefits, and impact of the rule on consumers, industry, and the real estate transaction. If you have specific questions, concerns, positive stories, or other comments on TRID, please share them with your Political Representative or email Business Issues Policy Representative Nia Duggins no later than July 12.
State Legislative Monitor Update
Of the issues NAR monitors, more than 90 bills were enacted between the months of May and June. Several provisions passed regarding Affordable/Workforce Housing (CO, IA, LA, MD, ME, MT, NV, OR). Of note, in Oregon a controversial bill passed the House that would end single family zoning bill stalled in the Senate after Republicans went MIA. Several states enacted legislation regarding the misrepresentation of service animals (AL, IA, OK, SC, and TN). Earlier this year, KY, ND, and UT passed similar legislation. FL, NE, and OK approved legislation to enable online/remote notary services (enacted earlier this year ID, KY, MD, MT, ND, SD, TN, UT, WA). Texas recently updated their property seller disclosure form to have more flood-related questions, making it one of the most comprehensive state flood-related disclosures in the U.S. For more information, contact Adriann Murawski at 202-383-1068.
Interactive REALTOR® Party Resource Guide – Your Opinion Sought
NAR is creating an Interactive REALTOR® Party Resource Guide that puts everything you need in one location! This microsite will provide association staff with a comprehensive view of the more than 80 REALTOR® Party programs, tools, resources, and grants, along with grant applications, success stories, historical program usages, and NAR staff contact.
Created at the request of the Future of the REALTOR® Party Presidential Advisory Group, this digital asset will be accompanied by a printed brochure featuring a letter for the current NAR president and CEO as well as the REALTOR® Party index with Core Standard designations. This combination would replace the 40+ page printed guide, which regularly changes due to programmatic resource and human changes. As the frequent users of REALTOR® Party programs and services, we want your feedback. We’ll post in the GAD Facebook page and watch for your comments over the next week.
Do You Have a New GAD Staffer?
Update GAD contact information in NAR’s GAD Directory. Are you a new Government Affairs Director, serving your association in a GA or REALTOR® Party capacity? Please add (or remove) any contact information there. Help us keep this list accurate and up to date.
RPAC News
New Corporate Ally Program Materials Available!
Did you know the Corporate Ally Program now counts toward RPAC fundraising goals? Check out the new Corporate Ally Program Brochure and updated FAQs to help with your fundraising efforts! If you’d like to order brochures or have questions, contact Allyson Nelson at 202-383-1156.
2020 President’s Circle Conference Update
The 2020 President’s Circle Conference will be held in Miami, Fla., February 24-27, 2020. President’s Circle Members who invested the full $2,000 by July 31 will be able to register for the conference beginning on August 5, 2019. Early registrants have first access (at their own expense) to a limited number of rooms reserved for nights before/after the conference for the lower conference rate.
After the initial launch, registration will be open to members on a rolling basis, as follows:
- $2,000 PC investment completed by July 31: Eligible to register on August 5
- $2,000 PC investment completed by August 31: Eligible to register on September 5
- $2,000 PC investment completed by September 30: Eligible to register on October 4
Contact Avery Walker at 202-383-7510 for questions regarding the President’s Circle program.
Contact Patricia Tarhon at 202-383-1119 or Prisca Austin at 312-329-8389 for questions regarding registration for the 2020 President’s Circle Conference.
- Existing-Home Sales Highlights – Total May existing-home sales increased 2.5% from April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.34M.
- 2019 Q2 Homeownership Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) Survey – In the second quarter of 2019, 73% of people believe that now is a good time to sell a home, which is an increase over last quarter’s 65%.
- REALTORS® Confidence Index – REALTORS® report “low inventory” and “interest rate” as the major issues affecting transactions in May 2019.
- Profile of LGB Buyers and Sellers – This report examines the distinct differences found between Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Heterosexual home buyers and sellers.
- How Do Home Sales Affect the Economy in Your State? – Nationwide, NAR estimates that each home sale at the median generated nearly $85,000 of economic impact in 2018.
For more information on NAR’s Economic Outlook, contact Meredith Dunn at 202-383-1207.
SAVE THE DATE
- 2019 GAD Institute – Registration available on site.
Cincinnati, Ohio
July 16 – 18, 2019
Registration Fee: $550; $600 after June 15 - 2019 REALTOR® Party New GAD & AE Orientation – Registration opens late July 2019
Washington, D.C.
Sept. 12 – Sept. 13, 2019 - 2019 REALTORS® Conference & Expo
San Francisco, California
Nov. 8 – 11, 2019
Message from the GAD Chair
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| Matthew Leger GAD Chair REALTORS® of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale |
And just like that, we are a couple weeks away from the culmination of a year of hard work and preparation led by your 2019 GAD Advisory Group. With that said, GAD Institute is no small undertaking. It takes lots of preparation and execution to pull off something as successful as this event. A big thank you to everyone who has helped throughout the year – without your volunteer hours, knowledge of our industry, and dedication to the GAD Community, none of this would be possible.
A couple specific thank you’s in advance of the institute:
| • | Danielle Scoggins for chairing the Short-Term Rental Workgroup and Liz Peetz and Lacey Everett for co-Chairing the Affordable Housing Workgroup. Both workgroups put in many extra hours in preparation for their presentations on Policy Day at the GAD Institute. |
| • | Jaime Horbach (Rix) and Andrew Blackburn for developing a mentor program for our first-time attendees. Our GAD Community is growing and this year we will welcome 52 first-time attendees to Cincinnati! |
| • | Mark Quarry and Sarah Rayne for their vision in building the partnership with Project Connect. Your leadership will go a long way in helping many of children in Cincinnati! |
| • | And finally, to the person who kept the 2019 GAD Advisory Group in line this year, Kyle Lambert-London. Thank you for going above and beyond to make sure this group has always had the tools necessary to allow us to execute the best possible institute. More importantly, thank you for being more than just a staff liaison. Thank you for being a friend and mentor to so many of us. Your hard work is evident when witnessing the progress the GAD Institute has made over the years. |
Sadly, this is my last GADFly, but know that you are in more than capable hands with your 2020 GAD Advisory Group Chair, Julia Parenteau!
Looking forward to seeing everyone in Cincinnati, OH!
Safe Travels!
Matthew
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