The BCFP, formerly known as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), regulates the offering and provision of consumer financial products or services under the federal consumer financial laws and educates and empowers consumers to make better informed financial decisions. REALTORS® interact with the BCFP with respect to the Real Estate…...

The Copyright Office is responsible for administering a complex and dynamic set of laws, which include registration, the recordation of title and licenses, a number of statutory licensing provisions, and other aspects of the 1976 Copyright Act and the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act....

USDA programs and activities impact the real estate industry in two main areas. The Rural Housing Service (RHS) provides affordable housing opportunities to low- and moderate-income rural homebuyers. In addition, the Forest Service provides policies on wildfire management, land acquisition, recreational opportunities, and land management policies....

The DOC impacts REALTORS® through its activities in economic development, coastal zone management, and regulation of endangered fish species and other marine animals. These policies may have an impact on land use and development in coastal areas....

The DOD manages military bases across the nation and around the world. Any change to a military installation’s use can impact its surrounding community. REALTORS®interact and provide input with the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, during the base realignment process. They also work with the Office of Economic Adjustment…...

DOE’s Building Technologies Program partners with states, industry, and manufacturers to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings and homes; as well as public-private partnerships that enhance energy efficiency and productivity in communities....

The Department of Health and Human Services oversees the implementation and enforcement of the nation’s laws governing health care, including the Affordable Care Act. In addition to substantial research conducted by HHS offices such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the agency’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid administers the…...

DHS most directly impacts the real estate industry through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA is responsible for coordinating the federal response to floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural or man-made disasters, as well as providing disaster assistance to States, communities and individuals. FEMA also administers the National Flood…...

HUD is the agency in charge of increasing homeownership opportunities, supporting community development, and increasing access to affordable rental housing and homeownership for low-income individuals. Programs under their jurisdiction include the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) mortgage insurance program, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), and multifamily assisted housing programs, including housing…...

The activities of the DOI have their greatest impact on the real estate industry through its ability to acquire property for wilderness, wildlife protection, and recreational purposes, and it is the administration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These activities have far-reaching implications for private property rights....