GADFly Newsletter – February 2018

In This Issue…

Dates & Deadlines
Federal, State & Local Resources
Educational Opportunities and Materials
RPAC News
NAR’s Economic Outlook

From time-to-time, people will ask me if I plan to run for office. The answer is always NO! Then, watching the second to longest State of the Union last night, I thought, how great would it be to have a former REALTOR® GAD as President. Not me of course, and not because REALTOR® priorities would be protected. Rather, it would be short, direct, truthful (okay brutally honest in some cases) and fun. Therefore, here is my #SOGADN:

Short, Direct and Truthful:

Congrats to 16 States for achieving the 2017 President’s Cup;
Congrats to 44 states for meeting their 2017 RPAC Fundraising Goal!
There is a new Sheriff in town – we know him and love him, Bill Malkasian is the new Chief Advocacy Officer for all of the NAR DC Operations.
There are many professional development opportunities on the horizon and it is up to you to take advantage of the same:
- Ongoing – Candidate and Issues Campaign Training
- March 23-26 – Association Executive Institute
- NAR Committee Nominations – opening soon and plenty of opportunities to engage

Brutally Honest:

For those of us that did not meet either the President’s Cup or RPAC goals, or only one or – GET IT TOGETHER! Yes, our goals are hard, but we work hard and we can, achieve these successes.
With Uncle Bill at the helm, the possibilities are endless. He believes in what we do – he started as one of us. We CANNOT let him down. If he calls, you answer. If he asks, you say yes.
If you are not participating or utilizing resources, do not complain to me. Not seeing something you would like to see – speak up! I know you all know how to express your opinion.

Fun:

Submit your city to host GAD Institute 2020 – Contact Kyle Lambert-London by February 1 – yes that is today. If you have not done it yet, and do not do it now, too bad!
Run for 2018-19 GAD Institute Advisory Group Vice-Chair – Submit a statement of interest by April 30 to Kyle Lambert-London; and,
Start preparing for 2018 GAD Institute in Portland, OR, July 17-20, 2018.

Together we will have a #YearWon and we will continue to make GAD Nation, the REALTOR® Party, and the real estate industry #AlwaysGreat!

Dates & Deadlines

March 2: Meritorious Service Award Nomination Deadline

We are now accepting nominations from your state for the 2018 Meritorious Service Award. The deadline for submissions is March 2, 2018. Each year, NAR recognizes two outstanding Federal Political Coordinators (FPCs) for their exceptional service to the National Association of REALTORS® with this esteemed award. These recipients are the best of the best of our FPCs, those who truly believe in and advocate on behalf of the REALTOR® Party. Recipients meet a rigorous set of criteria that set them apart from other FPCs. See a list of former MSA award winners and criteria for receiving the award.The Meritorious Service Award nomination form can be accessed on the MSA Award page of the REALTOR® Party website. For more information, please contact Victoria Givens.

Federal, State & Local Resources

NEW! New Online Forms for Requesting a Poll

With 2018 in full swing, it’s time to think about your state and local candidate and issue campaign needs. It may seem early, but for those of you with early primary or municipal elections or perhaps a spring legislative session, it’s the perfect time to start polling for your candidates and/or issues.To that end, Campaign Services offers a new process for requesting polling for your state and local candidate or issue campaigns. Simply follow the links below to request a poll for your association. We can’t guarantee that every race will be pollable or that polling is the right choice in every situation, but we do guarantee an evaluation of your campaign and a plan specific to you. If you have any questions, please contact John Winston or Mitchell Norton.

Advocacy Assistance for Local and State Associations:

Do you have a legislative issue that needs grassroots support? Are you not sure what the best tools are for mobilizing your members? Through our new initiative – Advocacy Everywhere – NAR can provide professional services that can expedite the components of a CFA. Local associations will no longer need to have dedicated staff trained on the latest advocacy tools and can focus on messaging and targeting with NAR managing the technology. State associations can opt-in for these professional services or can utilize the tools and perform the basic functions of a CFA on their own. For more information, please go to www.realtorparty.realtor/advocacyeverywhere or contact Jim MacGregor or Melissa Horn.

Guide to Responding to USDA’s Review of Community Eligibility for Rural Housing Loans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Agency is currently reviewing certain localities in every state to determine if they are still eligible for USDA Rural Housing Service Direct and Guaranteed loan products. USDA Rural Development state offices are conducting the reviews within each state and will accept comment letters on why a locality that no longer meets strict USDA rural population limits should be considered “rural in character,” per USDA requirements. NAR has created a guide on how to find the localities affected in your state, what elements to highlight in a comment to your USDA state office, and background information on the process. That guide is available online at http://narfocus.com/billdatabase/clientfiles/172/28/3086.pdf

REALTOR® Party State Legislative Monitor

At least 20 states introduced legislation regarding net neutrality in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s order. Several states have introduced (or carried over) legislation creating a first time home buyer savings account (AL, HI, MD, MI, MO, NE, NJ, OK, and OR). Florida and Indiana have scheduled hearings regarding state or local control over short-term rental regulations. If you have interest in accessing the State Legislative Monitor or attending a training session, please contact Adriann Murawski at 202-383-1068.

GAD HUB

NAR has replaced the GAD REAction Center/Community Zero platform with the new GAD HUB. While you may be receiving nightly email updates, it appears only about half of the 450 staffers who identify as “GADs” have logged in from a computer to date. If you are not receiving daily emails, please check your “clutter or spam” folders. Then please take a moment to log in via your computer to indicate to us that you are receiving the messages. Contact Kyle Lambert London for assistance.

Placemaking Grants Updated in 2018

We are accepting applications for the Placemaking Grant. This grant funds the creation of new public spaces like pocket parks, trails and gardens which is accessible to everyone in a community. The big change in 2018 is that the maximum awarded is up to $3,000 for new placemaking projects. For more information, contact Holly Moskerintz.

NEW! 2018 Changes to REALTOR® Party Community Outreach Grants

Several Community Outreach grant programs underwent modifications for 2018. Due to budgetary constraints Level 3 grants for Smart Growth and Housing Opportunity programs will not available in 2018. For more information on grant funding and ideas, contact Hugh Morris and Wendy Penn, respectively.

Voice for Real Estate: What to Know for Another Shutdown

Most home sales using conventional financing could see minor delays as loan processing slows if the federal government shuts down again. That’s something that could happen because the budget bill passed two weeks ago only keeps the government open for three weeks. Households buying new construction in a flood area could see their closing delayed until the government reopens, because insurers won’t be able to write new federal flood policies while agencies are closed. More on this and why a Department of Labor rule on association health plans holds promise for the real estate industry in the latest Voice for Real Estate news video from NAR.

Educational Opportunities & Materials

New Member Orientation Materials – UPDATED FOR 2018

The REALTOR® Party New Member Orientation supplements the existing NAR Orientation Toolkit for associations, but focuses solely on the importance of the REALTOR® Party for members and the real estate industry. Just press “play” and leave the story telling to us! Questions? Contact Kyle Lambert London.

Candidate Training Academies – 10 Sessions Available

The one-day Candidate Training Academy educates REALTOR®-friendly candidates on the ins and outs of running for public office. Partner with another association or like-minded organization (think Chamber of Commerce, Builders, etc.), provide the attendees and copies of materials and NAR will provide the facilitators, their travel and lodging. This free, $5,000 value meets a Core Standard and positions your association as a leader with elected officials. Contact Kyle Lambert London to schedule your class today!

Best Practices for Choosing REALTOR® Champions – 5 Sessions Available

The 3-hour Best Practices for Choosing REALTOR® Champions educates volunteer members and trustees on tips and techniques to identify the best candidate for your association to support. Facilitators provided by NAR relay best-practices, explain the interview process and time-tested methods for supporting candidates who support real estate. This free course is a $3,000 value to your association and meets a Core Standard requirement. Contact Kyle Lambert London.

2018 Candidate & Issue Campaign Training (CICT) – 5 Seats Available
Interested in taking your campaigns to the next level? Would you like to support a local candidate or issue in 2018? Then join us for NAR’s new Candidate & Issue Campaign Training course. This hybrid webinar/in-person course consists of a seven-part, monthly webinar series leading to an intensive, in-person training in June at NAR in Washington D.C. Monthly webinars are free of charge and open to all association staff members. However, limited space is available for the full CICT certificate course. The full certificate course is $99. Visit our website for program details or contact Kyle Lambert London or John Winston.

NAR’s 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act Commemoration

Resources to Commemorate Fair Housing Act

Take advantage of the variety of communication resources to help you share with your members the importance fair housing plays in our industry. Materials include flyer and email templates; banner and social media ads; articles and written content and more. Visit www.fairhousing.realtor to learn about NAR’s commemoration activities, to find out how other associations are participating, and to share what you are doing to recognize the anniversary. Additionally, the Diversity Initiative Grants have a new Level 2 category to fund activities that support the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act.

Share Your Fair Housing Activities and Stories

Does your association have a unique history with fair housing? Are your members fair housing champions? Do you have examples of how fair housing has made your business or community stronger? Share your association’s fair housing story online and be featured on NAR’s HomeOwnershipMatters.realtor website.For more information, contact Fred Underwood at 202-383-1132.

RPAC News

RPAC Training Webinar: Major Investor Event Webforms

Planning on hosting a Major Investor event through the RPAC Major Investor Event Program in 2018? Please join Kelly O’Donnell, NAR’s RPAC Major Investor Fundraising Representative, and Jennifer Hamilton, our Aristotle consultant, Thursday, February 15 at 3:00 PM EST for a webinar that will review the latest additions to webforms and payment plans. Click here to register. For more information, contact Liz Demorest at 202-383-1030.

2018 RPAC Fundraising Goals

The 2018 RPAC Fundraising Goals are now available on realtorparty.realtor! Associations must meet or exceed these goals to achieve the 2018 Triple Crown and President’s Cup Awards. For more information, contact Lauren Facemire at 202-383-1080.

2018 President’s Circle Launched

The President’s Circle launched its first round for 2018 on January 23, consisting of six REALTOR® Champions. The RPAC Disbursement Trustees feel it is a priority to get early funding to these Champions and will release a later round consisting of National Party Committees and FPC Members of Congress. The deadline for President’s Circle members to invest their first $500 is May 31, 2018. For more information, contact Kelly O’Donnell, 202-383-7510 or Kanoa Naehu, 202-383-1268.

NAR’s Economic Outlook

December 2017 Foot Traffic – The Foot Traffic index dropped 12 points in December. The decline is likely a reflection of supply shortages and lack of affordability.
REALTORS® Confidence Index – REALTORS® report “low inventory” and “tax reform” as the major issues affecting transactions in December 2017.
December 2017 Existing-Home Sales – Existing-home sales slowed in most of the country in December, but 2017 as a whole edged up 1.1 percent and was the best year for sales in 11 years.
Pending Home Sales Tick Up 0.5 Percent in December – Pending home sales were up slightly in December for the third consecutive month. In 2018, existing-home sales and price growth are forecast to moderate, primarily because of the new tax law’s expected impact in high-cost housing markets.
Latest Housing Indicators – This infographic shows the latest housing numbers for home sales, median home prices, housing starts, and new home sales. For more information on NAR’s Economic Outlook, contact Meredith Dunn at 202-383-1207

GADFly Newsletter – February 2018