The 4,500-member Denver Metro Association of REALTORS® (DMAR) realized that Employer-Assisted Housing was a topic that would serve both the membership and the community, so they applied for and received a $5,000 grant from NAR to fund a course in October 2010. Then, they took it to the next step by establishing the Greater Brighton Employer-Assisted Housing program. Today, the program serves this tightknit community northeast of Denver by showing employers who might not have ready cash to offer down-payment assistance that benefits like a day-off for moving, or the loan of a truck, are creative low- or no-cost ways...
Gaston (NC) REALTORS®: Small Association Thinks Big in Putting Housing Opportunity Grant to Work
When the economy crashed in Gaston County, NC, it crashed hard. Unemployment grew and the housing market suffered. As conditions began to improve last year, the 270-member Gaston County Association of REALTORS® decided to help the public understand the opportunities to be had in their recovering market by hosting a housing fair in the town’s brand new convention center. With the help of a $5,000 Housing Opportunity Grant from NAR, they drew nearly 500 people to the April event. Attendees visited booths of industry professionals ranging from lenders and home inspectors to landscapers and cabinet refinishers. The fair was such...
San Diego REALTORS® Open Housing Opportunity Doors for Foreclosure Victims, Minorities and Other Under-served Populations
From veterans and their families, to minority groups, to homeowners who lost their homes to foreclosure and are attempting to re-enter the market, the San Diego REALTORS have been there to open doors to housing opportunities.
Haywood REALTORS® Supports Smart Growth and Affordable Housing in Waynesville, NC
Bounded by the Great Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and a flood plain, sprawl isn’t necessarily an option for the Town of Waynesville, North Carolina; but using a REALTOR® Party Smart Growth Action Grant, the REALTORS® of Haywood County helped to inform its 2020 Comprehensive Land Use Plan by sponsoring a public Visioning Workshop.
St. Louis REALTORS® Channel History, Community to Celebrate Fair Housing Anniversary
In St. Louis, Missouri, REALTORS® have a profound reminder of past prejudicial real estate practices in the Shelley House, the property at the center of the landmark Supreme Court case of Shelley vs. Kraemer, which gave way to the Fair Housing Act 20 years later. In recognition of the 50th anniversary of that breakthrough legislation, St. Louis REALTORS® engaged into local projects benefiting underserved communities with grants from the REALTOR® Party and Missouri REALTORS®.
Central Oregon REALTORS® Support Mixed Use Development and Affordable Housing
As the City Council of Bend, Ore., was considering creating an urban renewal area, the proposed Tax Incremental Financing was causing confusion among residents. To clarify that it didn’t mean new or higher taxes, and to show support for the project, the Central Oregon Association of REALTORS® launched a call for action.
Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS® Uses the REALTOR® Party’s Growth Polling Program to Assess Voter Attitudes Toward Infrastructure and Housing Development
To gauge voter sentiment on a range of growth-related issues, the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS® tapped into the polling service the REALTOR® Party provides for just that purpose. The results – some expected, some surprising – are helping the association to help Greenville County as it shapes policy and sends important legislation to the polls.
North Platte Valley Association of REALTORS® Leverages Housing Opportunity Grant to Promote Financial Literacy Among Local 8th Graders
In partnership with like-minded organizations in rural eastern Wyoming, the North Platte Valley Board of REALTORS® conducted a "Reality Town" program to introduce important concepts of financial literacy to area 8th grade youth. Students from three schools in the region learned about the correlation between grades and earning potential, and real-world living expenses, from participating grown-ups in their community – including REALTORS®.
Data from Traverse REALTORS® Proves Invaluable to Downtown Development Planning for Affordable Housing
In Traverse City, Michigan’s desirable downtown neighborhoods, affordable housing is scarce, and the land base is already largely built. With a Smart Growth Action Grant, the Traverse Area Association of REALTORS® engaged a consulting firm to create a 3D economic model demonstrating the potential tax revenue from various development configurations to assist developers and the City Commission in making good decisions for the community.
Coastal Association of REALTORS® (MD) Uses Housing Opportunity Grant to Promote K-12 Financial Literacy
On Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Coastal Association of REALTORS® is working to equip the next generation with the critical thinking, collaboration, and financial planning skills that are essential for any community’s economic viability. With support from a Housing Opportunity Grant, it has established a three-year partnership with Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, hosting a mock storefront in the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park programs for young students in nine area counties.