REALTOR Party News – September 2021

All Eyes on Congress

September is known for a return to normal routines as summer comes to a close. However, this September in Congress will be anything but routine. Read more about what’s in store for this month.
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100k

The Biden Administration has announced an effort to add 100,000 affordable residential units over the next three years. NAR is encouraged by the plan, but it represents only a small fraction of the units needed to fill our nation’s housing gap. NAR also sent a letter to the tax writing committees, urging Members to avoid offsets to pay for infrastructure spending that could limit real estate investment at a time when our country desperately needs more housing.
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6-3

In a 6-3 decision on August 27, the U.S. Supreme Court ended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction moratorium. This unlawful policy placed financial hardship solely on the shoulders of mom-and-pop housing providers, who provide nearly half of America’s rental housing. NAR will continue to work to streamline the distribution of rental assistance funds.
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5.1%

New listings rose 5.1 percent in the 50 largest metros, according to realtor.com®s August Housing Report. Still, housing remains tight, even with the additional inventory. U.S. housing inventory was down 25.8 percent year-over-year in August.
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5

NAR recently joined a coalition letter with other industry groups expressing strong support for H.R. 4773, the Consumer Financial Protection Commission Act. If passed, this legislation would change the governance leadership structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from a single director to a five-person, bipartisan commission.
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Central Missouri Board of REALTORS® Uses Transforming Neighborhoods Program to Address Vacant and Abandoned Properties

With 20 percent of its residential properties vacant and about a dozen empty storefronts, the City of Marshall was a prime candidate for the Technical Assessment offered by the REALTOR® Party’s Transforming Neighborhoods program. A year later, the Central Missouri Board of REALTORS® is helping the city implement many of the recommendations that resulted from the report.
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Colorado Association of REALTORS® Launches ‘Century of Opportunity’ with Sweeping Legislation

Texas REALTORS^® has been working to reform the state’s property tax system for decades. Following years of effort and a major Issues Mobilization campaign supported by the REALTOR^® Party, one In the months leading up to its 2021 centenary, the Colorado Association of REALTORS® worked with Habitat for Humanity to achieve a powerful slate of legislation – dubbed “A Century of Opportunity” – that will improve homeownership access for all Coloradans. The association used an Issues Mobilization Grant to fund extensive statewide focus groups and the Advocacy Everywhere program to issue a Call For Action to members.
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District of Columbia Association of REALTORS® Helps Protect Rental Residents and On-Site Personnel from Reckless Tenants

An especially strict eviction moratorium rendered D.C. housing providers – many of them small mom-and-pop operations – powerless to evict perpetrators of dangerous incidents in rental properties. Working with like-minded organizations, the District of Columbia Association of REALTORS® put out a Call For Action through the Advocacy Everywhere program and helped the DC City Council craft a Public Safety Emergency Amendment to allow for the removal of clear and present dangers from rental housing.
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Reminder: Community Outreach Grant Application Deadline Oct. 15

Apply for Smart Growth, Housing Opportunity, Fair Housing,  Placemaking and Rural Outreach grants by Friday, October 15. The 10 percent financial contribution requirement is waived for any association that requests reimbursement through December 31. Read success stories or sign-up for a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with staff experts via Zoom.

Questions? Contact Christine Windle at 202-383-1135.
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Join Us: Collaborative Approach to Building Communities Webinar on Sept. 21

The final session of our six-part series on transforming neighborhoods will be held Wednesday, September 21, at 2:00 pm ET. We’ll explore how arts, culture, creative organizing, and placemaking can create lasting, radical change to improve quality of life for residents. Register here.

Questions? Contact Wendy Penn at 202-383-7504.
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Expanded Criteria for Smart Growth Grants

Expanded Smart Growth Grant funding criteria now includes funding for walkability activities under Level 1. The new Level 3 will also support more comprehensive land-use, growth, or transportation initiatives.

Questions? Contact Holly Moskerintz at 202-383-1157.
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Grants Available to Educate Tenants and Landlords

Congress has allocated $46.55 billion in emergency rental assistance relief for renters and housing providers. Housing Opportunity grants up to $5,000 can cover meeting and speaker-related expenses when hosting forums to help landlords and tenants understand the application process. View the Housing Opportunity Toolkit for keys to planning a successful forum and visit NAR’s Rental Assistance resource page for more information.

Questions? Contact Wendy Penn at 202-383-7504.
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Grant Help for Fair Housing Core Standard Requirement 

Use Fair Housing Grants to support fair housing initiatives, education, and partnerships with local organizations – and satisfy the 2021 Core Standards fair housing requirement. For ideas, check out these resources, showcase stories, and REALTOR® Party success stories.

Questions? Contact Wendy Penn at 202-383-7504.
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Interactive REALTOR^® Party Resource Guide

Get the latest updates and information on advocacy grants, programs, resources, and educational opportunities with the Interactive REALTOR^® Party Resource Guide. A new design, dynamic search functions, and integrated Realtor Party Tracker data offer a complete view of the REALTOR^® Party at work in communities nationwide. Bookmark this invaluable online resource today.
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