June 2012

The 3,000-member Ada County Association of REALTORS® (ACAR) first used an NAR Ira Gribin Grant to develop a three-pronged housing assistance program it called Welcome Home Idaho -- providing down payment assistance for working families; zero-percent loans to help with fees and interest; and Employer Assisted Housing materials and training for the community’s REALTORS®, elected officials, and business leaders. Then, it moved on to use NAR Housing Opportunity Grants to put on a housing summit; a Fair Housing campaign; a housing trust fund for lower-income homebuyers; and more.

November 2019

It’s not every day that a community can plan its own redevelopment from scratch. Following last fall’s devastating wildfire that destroyed Paradise, California, however, that’s exactly the silver lining that the town was facing. The neighboring Oroville Association of REALTORS® is taking the lead in steering the new development toward a Smart Growth way of thinking.

January 2021

Columbus REALTORS® has also been seeking solutions to how we can become a more open and inclusive Association. In an effort to create that safe space, its Diversity & Inclusion Committee launched a Book Club for members to have open, honest (and sometimes tough) conversations about race, racism, diversity, and inclusion.

June 2016

Last summer, Mayor Steve Adler issued a challenge to the City of Austin to end homelessness among its U.S. veterans by Veterans Day 2015. The Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR) answered the call in a big way. With a $15,000 Housing Opportunity Grant, ABoR funded transiting homeless veterans into longer-term housing arrangements. The ABoR Foundation also provided $5,000 to a fund called Housing for Heroes that would mitigate risk for potential landlords.

April 2022

A Fair Housing Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped the Bay East Association of REALTORS® bring the author of The Color of Law to a virtual discussion of his work. By opening the event to other key stakeholders and real estate organizations, they strengthened relationships all around.

October 2021

The City of Big Bear Lake is dependent on the tourism that drives its economy, so when the City Council considered capping the number of short-term rental permits, the REALTORS® went to bat – for property owners, and for the economic welfare of the region. Advocacy Everywhere helped them launch an effective Call For Action.

November 2021

In Berkeley, California, legislation that would wrest control of a rental property’s destiny from its owner was successfully stalled by the Bridge Association of REALTORS® with a powerful Issues Mobilization campaign and a timely Call For Action. The proposed ordinance, which the REALTORS® called ‘eminent domain in disguise,’ was also analyzed through the Land Use Initiative program.

January 2017

When faced with the expected population boom in Bend, OR, the Central Oregon Association of REALTORS® knew it was crucial to restore balance in the city’s anti-growth City Council. Using the REALTOR® Party’s Independent Expenditure Program, the 1700 member association backed candidates who supported smart growth, fiscal responsibility, and sound solutions to the challenges our growing city faces…and won.

April 2022

As multiple municipalities in its jurisdiction had recently completed their mandated five-year comprehensive plans, the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® was determined to keep those efforts alive, rather than languishing on shelves.  With a housing summit and a deep-dive study supported by Smart Growth and Issues Mobilization Grants, it’s helping the region move its plans from paper to policy.

March 2023

With help from a Consumer Advocacy Grant from the REALTOR® Party, the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® is supporting a campaign to engage the public in economic opportunity and housing related issues in South Carolina’s Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester County region.

April 2019

Like so many U.S. urban centers, Charlotte, N.C., is facing an affordable housing crisis. To help housing stakeholders understand the full scope of the complex issue as it affects the whole region, the Charlotte Regional REALTOR® Association used a Housing Opportunity Grant to commission a State of Housing study that analyzed factors like jobs, housing supply, and affordability.

Always interested in increasing the availability of affordable housing, Columbus REALTORS® hosted a Tiny Home Forum to explore the viability of diminutive dwellings as an affordable and energy efficient alternative for buyers who might be priced out of the conventional market.  A Housing Opportunity Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped make it possible – including an on-site tiny house for participants to tour!

February 2023

Always interested in increasing the availability of affordable housing, Columbus REALTORS® hosted a Tiny Home Forum to explore the viability of diminutive dwellings as an affordable and energy efficient alternative for buyers who might be priced out of the conventional market.  A Housing Opportunity Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped make it possible – including an on-site tiny house for participants to tour!

September 2017

Using a Level 3 Housing Opportunity Grant, the Florida REALTORS® created an inspiring video to convince state legislators to fund Florida's Affordable Housing Trust Funds at the maximum levels. The association's Senior Public Policy Representative can't watch it without getting choked up.

June 2021

An ambitious effort to address housing supply and housing opportunity issues was given wings by two Issues Mobilization Grants to the Maryland REALTORS®, who used the funds for a new website, database, and publicity campaign to help get important new laws on the books. With a strong new foundation in place, the advocacy continues…

November 2021

Using the information gleaned from the REALTOR® Party’s State and Local Growth Polling program, the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® developed a plan identifying prescriptive steps to support affordable housing policy in the northern Virginia region.

December 2013

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 a hit that plans are already underway to host another one next year.

July 2013

For years, the 230-member West Metro Board of REALTORS® (WMBoR) has helped support the Neighborhood Stabilization Program administered by the City of Carrollton Housing Authority. By rehabbing abandoned homes and selling them with down payment assistance to qualified buyers, the program has been a real success in preventing and reversing blight in in the West Metro region, about 50 miles from Atlanta in the foothills of the Appalachians. But no one even knew about WMBoR involvement. So board leaders applied for and received a $2,500 Housing Opportunity Grant from NAR to draw attention to the program and their involvement in it. They erected a publicity booth at MayFest, a popular annual Carrollton event, to promote the success of the program and accompanied it with special signage to post active listings.

November 2021

When the creation of a rental registry was proposed in the city of Glendale, California, the local REALTOR® association staged an energetic opposition using multiple resources from the REALTOR® Party. The dubious and unnecessary legislation would have been seriously detrimental to private property rights and personal privacy.

January 2022

With help from a Fair Housing Grant, the Greater Baltimore Board of REALTORS® produced a compelling trio of thirty-second videos to promote fair housing on social media and over airwaves throughout the region.

January 2019

Greenville, S.C., faces significant shortages of affordable housing, and the existing supply is diminishing rapidly. Using a Housing Opportunity Grant, the local REALTORS® co-hosted a Housing Forum to show policy makers how they could break down barriers to developing housing in the essential “missing middle” range.

May 2021

With a Housing Opportunity Grant and a lot of local expertise, the Greater Lakes Association of REALTORS® has helped achieve a permanent and sustainable trust fund to support the growth of affordable and workplace housing in Crow Wing County. Aspiring homeowners, renters, developers, and employers – in fact, the whole community – stand to gain from the new source of funding for loans and grants.

September 2018

With vision, elbow grease, and a Placemaking Grant, Greater Nashville REALTORS® partnered with a local civic design organization to transform a dismal traffic triangle into a cheerful, safer pedestrian refuge.

May 2023

Working with the Antiracist Curriculum Project, the local REALTOR® association created a 20-minute video to raise awareness of redlining and racist covenants in Rochester, New York, and how the effects of these discriminatory practices perpetuate inequity to this day. A Fair Housing Grant from the REALTOR® Party supported the production.

October 2016

Living in Hawaii may seem like a dream to mainlanders, but the tropical paradise’s homeless population is the highest per capita in the U.S. With the support of a Housing Opportunity Grant, the state and two local REALTOR® Associations are working to connect Hawaii’s landlords and property managers with programs that help homeless people rent rooms or apartments.

June 2015

With the help of a Housing Opportunity Grant, the 64-member Hopkinsville Christian & Todd County Association of REALTORS® hosted a fun-filled Military Appreciation Picnic to showcase the housing opportunities in their small town.

October 2013

Out in western Kentucky, the small but resourceful Hopkinsville-Christian and Todd County Association of REALTORS® understands that the American Dream of homeownership may be a win-win for employers and employees, but that sometimes dreams need a helping hand.

August 2016

On June 2, 2016, the Hopkinsville Dog Park was opened by an official ribbon cutting ceremony, with plenty of dogs in attendance, ready to romp. It was all the idea of the 56-member Hopkinsville Christian & Todd County Association of REALTORS® and a Placemaking Micro-Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped make it a reality.

March 2022

Within Washington state, which recent census data revealed to have the lowest housing inventory in the country, the numbers in Spokane were even worse. The Spokane Association of REALTORS® stepped up to bring in a consulting team from the Counselors of Real Estate, an international organization of expert volunteers who provide objective assessments and a strong set of recommendations informed by their nationwide perspective. A Housing Opportunity Grant supported the effort.

June 2021

In the Charlottesville, Virginia and Springfield, Illinois regions, REALTOR® efforts to increase housing and homeownership continued unabated through the pandemic, with regional summits and localized education. Housing Opportunity Grants from the REALTOR® Party supported the work of these respective associations as they continued to lead their communities in housing efforts.

March 2023

To instruct its members about the barriers to adequate housing and provide a comprehensive introduction to tools and programs to overcome these obstacles, the Houston Association of REALTORS (HAR) hosted a day-long symposium focused on local housing affordability and inventory issues.  A Housing Opportunity Grant (Mega Board Level) supported the event, which accommodated twice the expected number of participants.

December 2016

Recognizing that minority representation in its leadership didn’t accurately reflect the diversity of its membership, its community and the real estate industry at large, the Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS® (HAAR) used a Diversity Grant to help revive the local chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), the historic organization founded by African-American industry professionals in 1947. In partnership, the REALTORS® and the REALTISTS®, as NAREB members are known, are moving toward a stronger future in northern Alabama.

February 2016

The Atlanta Board of REALTORS®’ Annual Chili Cook Off for RPAC has become a sellout, staple event for its 5,700 members. Local sponsors, a DJ and funds from a RPAC Fundraising Grant added additional flavor to a spicy event that raised more than $20,000.

April 2017

With multiple Issues Mobilization Grants, the Mid-Indianapolis Board of REALTORS® led the charge to establish a fund to expand transit services in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Now that the effort has cleared the last of its legislative hurdles, a new income tax dedicated to building transport infrastructure will ensure greater economic prosperity for the region, and better quality of life for its residents.

September 2018

A REALTOR® Party Smart Growth Action Grant enabled the Gallatin Association of REALTORS® to support an in-depth analysis of property tax value-per-acre in Bozeman, Montana. The resulting 3-D economic model clearly demonstrated the fiscal efficiency of concentrating growth in urban centers, rather than allowing sprawl, and will inform the development of the city’s Growth Plan.

May 2016

It’s the kind of “problem” that most cities wouldn’t mind having: companies like Amazon, IKEA and Mars Candy opening or expanding facilities within city limits. Joliet, Illinois is experiencing impressive job growth, and is seeking to convert commuters and renters into local homeowners with a new down payment assistance program, the help of Three Rivers Association of REALTORS® and a Housing Opportunity Grant.

August 2018

The seaside municipality of Laguna Beach is not the sort of place anyone likes to leave – least of all the growing number of seniors who are deeply attached to the community in which they’ve made their homes. Now, with a REALTOR® Party grant, the local REALTORS® are partnering with a community non-profit to get seniors the help they need to remain where they want to be.

May 2022

With a Consumer Advocacy Grant from the REALTOR® Party, this board serving three counties in western North Carolina is educating consumers on the key findings from recent studies that demonstrate not only the economic benefit of STRs within a community, but also that STRs are not to blame for housing shortages and affordability issues.

August 2023

Land of the Sky REALTORS® has partnered with the Buncombe Rental Assistance Collaborative (BRAC) to increase access to affordable rental housing in the Asheville, North Carolina region by encouraging landlords to accept federal rental assistance vouchers. A Housing Opportunity Grant from the REALTOR® Party is supporting the effort.

December 2015

The 650-member Greater Piedmont Area Association of REALTORS® found a way to be a valuable unbiased resource when Culpeper County, one of the five counties it serves, was beginning the arduous task of updating its most important land use, transportation and resource utilization document. Using a Housing Opportunity Grant, the association commissioned a housing market analysis and housing needs study that became a crucial part of the county’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan, proving once again to be a trusted source of information to the local government.

July 2018

To help the once-prosperous mill town of Sanford envision a future with walkable affordable housing and fresh economic contributors, the Maine Association of REALTORS® used a Smart Growth Action Grant to support a three-day charrette, in which all stakeholders had an opportunity to contribute ideas to a new downtown development.

September 2023

A Consumer Advocacy Outreach Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped the Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS® mount a campaign against the point-of-sale inspections required in two dozen jurisdictions in the region. Featuring a prominent insert in two top local magazines, it raised awareness about how the mandate is a barrier to homeownership and a detriment to local housing markets.

October 2016

Massachusetts has been the single most energy-efficient state in the country for the past five years. But when a bill in the state legislature threatened to require an energy audit to produce an energy score for all houses being listed for sale, the 24,000-member Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® leapt to the defense of the state’s homeowners with the help of an Issues Mobilization Grant.

January 2012

The Massachusetts association used NAR’s Ira Gribin Workforce Housing Grant in 2011 to help fund an advocacy campaign to sustain the Commonwealth’s Affordable/Workforce Housing Statute. The REALTOR®-supported statute enables local zoning boards of appeals to approve affordable housing developments under flexible rules. The Massachusetts association and a diverse coalition of housing groups successfully beat opponents who had obtained sufficient signatures for a recall referendum. Had it passed, this referendum would have repealed a law that helped to create more than 56,000 homes across Massachusetts for low- and middle-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities over its 40-year history. (Note: While this particular grant is no longer available from NAR, Housing Opportunity Grants and Issues Mobilization funds could be used for programs like this one.)

January 2017

The engaged members of the Medina County Board of REALTORS® help the 800-member association stay abreast of the needs of the community. With the help of the REALTOR® Party’s Housing Opportunity and Placemaking Grants, the organization has demonstrated its investment in the community by built gardens for low-income citizens, provide housing for disabled veterans and improve bike paths.

May 2018

In remembering the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in their own city 50 years ago this spring, the REALTORS® of Memphis, Tenn. marched two miles to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. But that was just the beginning of a strategic plan that shines a bright light on cultural diversity, fair housing, and anti-blight initiatives.

February 2013

With 26,000 members, the Miami Association of REALTORS® (MIAMI,) has the potential to wield a lot of power in the political advocacy arena, but it was having trouble getting members involved. So, in March of 2012, MIAMI came up with a game-changing plan. The association applied for and won a $25,000 Game Changer Grant to create a “Market Solutions through Political Advocacy” team. The team works to heighten member awareness of political issues; recommends local races to screen; and advocates for candidates during elections. It’s working. In the last year they’ve identified a number of local candidates to get behind and increased their Major Investor count from 10 to nearly 60.

August 2017

With 46,000 members, the Miami Association of REALTORS® contributes significantly to the REALTOR® Party, but hadn't been able to utilize its grant programs with any efficiency of scale. But this year the association kicked off a program that better enables the large local associations to partake in all the opportunities available with maximum impact. Now, Miami is benefiting from a range of projects from dog parks to the development of a container house prototype, all with the support of the REALTOR® Party.

July 2023

As the City of Midland, Michigan prepared its Comprehensive Plan, it commissioned an economic productivity analysis from Urban3, an innovative land-use consulting firm. The results gave them a clear road map for the kind of development that will bring the most value – including much-needed housing and tax revenue. A Smart Growth Grant from the REALTOR® Party supported the study.

April 2023

Fair housing law applies to far more than just the typical home-sale transaction. To reach developers, architects, contractors, planners, CPAs, attorneys, county assessors, lenders, social workers, property managers, and maintenance personnel – as well as REALTORS® – in central Oklahoma, the Midwest City-Del City-Moore Association of REALTORS® collaborated with a local coalition to offer training in fair housing issues.

April 2013

Where there are homes in safe areas with access to good education, good transit and other services, that’s where the jobs go. It was this kind of big thinking that led the 2,800-member Greater Nashville Association of REALTORS® (GNAR) to gather a coalition of regional partners in the housing industry last summer, to co-sponsor The Greater Nashville Housing Summit. The July 3 event at GNAR headquarters was the first of its kind, drawing housing experts and policy makers from around the state for a forward-looking “state of the housing market” program. Media relations, both before and after the Summit, were funded by an NAR Housing Opportunity Grant of $2,500, which also covered promotional graphics and printed materials, as well as a wealth of research information.

February 2012

The Nevada Association used its Housing Opportunity Grant from NAR to help sponsor "Under One Roof" – a forum addressing employer-assisted housing programs. The January 28 event drew dozens of employers, as well as government and community leaders to encourage more employers to help their workers access quality housing through employer-assisted housing, a benefit that helps employees meet their housing needs. Nevada REALTOR® Dawn Lane, who organized the event, explained that employer-assisted housing is a key component to successful businesses. "Employees who own their own homes nearer to work stay with a company longer, are more productive, have fewer absences and have more stable home lives," she said.

April 2022

Who could resist a presentation called “Am I A Jerk at Work?” With the help of the Fair Housing Grant program from the REALTOR® Party, the state associations of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania brought national speakers to their annual convention in Atlantic City to explore that question, and many more aspects of fair housing. 

August 2016

The eight neighborhoods comprising Bronx Community Board 9 (BXCB9) are 22% denser in population than the Bronx overall, and have very little vacant land available to develop. Using a series of Smart Growth Action Grants, the Bronx-Manhattan North Association of REALTORS® partnered with BXCB9 to develop a comprehensive plan, and help ensure that growth will benefit existing communities, new residents and businesses.

March 2021

The Wisconsin REALTORS® Association had a compelling report on the need for affordable workforce housing; a new collaborative grant from the REALTOR® Party is helping to get the information out at the local level, where the zoning and budget decisions are made.

September 2023

Leveraging two Housing Opportunity Grants from the REALTOR® Party, OKCMAR took action on the issue its members identified as priority #1: homelessness. Its campaign has been so compelling that the City of Oklahoma City is taking a page from the REALTORS®’ initiative, with an eye on policy solutions.

May 2022

When a small, incorporated town within the Oklahoma City limits was being left behind by the surrounding competitive real estate market, the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® used an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party to help secure two new bond packages to improve drainage, streets, sidewalks, and parks.

August 2022

Passions were high, and the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association had been tipped-off by social media to expect protesters at the public meeting it was hosting. Duly warned, they hired security, but in fact, the REALTORS® welcomed the opposition: it meant a chance to reach people who were misunderstanding the data behind a recent economic report recommending higher-density development in the small central Florida city of Oviedo. The REALTORS® were sponsoring the meeting to clarify and defend the report and its recommendations prior to the City Council’s consideration of a new comprehensive plan. Thanks to the expertise and level-headed sensitivity of the team they brought in to face the music, the contentious affair became a highly productive community conversation. A savvy mayor supported the effort, and a Smart Growth Grant from the REALTOR® Party made it possible.

July 2021

A Smart Growth Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® take part in creating a Companion Unit Handbook explaining the nuts and bolts of Accessory Dwelling Units. The one-stop resource for homeowners has earned kudos from the mayor and the Urban Design Award from the San Diego Section of the American Planning Association.

June 2019

Using a Housing Opportunity Grant, the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® has sponsored the development of a website serving as a one-stop resource for those experiencing homelessness – or near-homelessness – in the San Diego area. The project honors the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act.

February 2018

In Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "The Other America" speech 50 years ago this March, the local REALTOR® board makes all its decisions through an internalized lens of diversification. Partnering with the public school system recently, the REALTORS® recently created a calendar illustrated with student visions of diversity; proceeds from calendar sales support diversity efforts in the schools.

Through the REALTOR® Party’s new Transforming Neighborhoods Program, the Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® welcomed a team of experts from the Counselors of Real Estate® Consulting Corps to study the potential of two severely dilapidated neighborhoods, with an eye toward housing and economic development.  The team’s in-depth report will provide a road map for bringing these neighborhoods back to life.

October 2012

The city of Waterbury, Conn. had been facing a growing epidemic of neighborhood blight for decades. Some properties had been abandoned; others harbored criminal activity. Porches, lawns, and sidewalks along entire streets had fallen into disrepair. Leaders of the 650-member Greater Waterbury Board of REALTORS® met with the mayor and launched a neighborhood stabilization program to do something about it. Funded by a $5,000 Housing Opportunity Grant from NAR, which was doubly matched by the City of Waterbury for a total of $15,000, the first annual Waterbury Citywide Front Porch Day in July 2012 brought together over 300 volunteers to clean up ten blight-ridden Waterbury streets. Follow-up meetings are now occurring with neighborhood groups and a date for the 2013 Front Porch Day will soon be announced.

April 2021

In light of all that’s been learned about racial bias in the past year, the Greater Syracuse Association has been working hard to raise awareness of how the issue is at play in the real estate industry. Using a Fair Housing Grant from the REALTOR® Party, it presented Bill Dedman, the lead investigator on the Newsday “Testing the Divide” exposé, as a guest speaker at a seminar for members.

March 2017

Summary: The lack of affordable housing for Los Angeles County workers is driving businesses out of state. The Southland Regional Association of REALTORS® is responding to the crisis with REALTOR® Party-funded programs like its recent “Housing Our Workers Forum,” which brought together local stakeholders and officials to discuss solutions.

A new phone-based referral network for the Richmond region connects residents with services ranging from foreclosure prevention and elderly tax relief to stable rental housing and first-time mortgage providers. A Housing Opportunity Grant is supporting the program – and leveraging further funding from local foundations and jurisdictions.

June 2015

The Rogue Valley Association of REALTORS® in southwestern Oregon had already raised more than $100,000 for homebuyer-assistance grants. Now it needed a way to get the word out. Radio was the answer! An NAR Housing Opportunity Grant enabled the 1,000-member association to sponsor a popular local radio show and tell listeners about area housing opportunities—many of them provided by the charitable giving of their own members.

June 2023

The Sacramento Association of REALTORS® established a new Fair Housing Month tradition this year: a first-time homebuyers expo featuring information sessions, panels of new homeowners, and vendors drawn from its preferred-partner membership -- even Home Depot-sponsored activities to occupy the children! It was funded in part by a Housing Opportunity Grant from the REALTOR® Party.

March 2016

When the police department lacked funding to purchase hi-definition security cameras to help combat crime, the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® came to the rescue. Working with the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation, the 4,000-member association used a Game Changer Grant to help increase safety and improve property values in their city.

October 2019

Santa Fe, like many communities across the country, is experiencing a serious workforce housing crunch. Using two Smart Growth Action Grants over the past ten years, the Santa Fe Association of REALTORS® is helping to spur the redevelopment of a central thoroughfare with an emphasis on form-based zoning and affordable housing.

August 2014

The 690-member Santa Fe Association of REALTORS® (SFAR) wanted to help the city and housing providers make wise decisions about affordable housing in their area, where pricey second homes are the norm and many workers commute from surrounding areas. Using a $5,000 Housing Opportunity Grant, SFAR produced the 2013 Affordable Housing in Santa Fe. The 48-page report presents current information about the local economy, homeownership, rental housing, homelessness, housing trends, funding, and new affordable housing programs.

March 2020

As a key member of the broad-based Santa Fe Housing Action Coalition, the Santa Fe Association of REALTORS® secured a Housing Opportunity Grant to help fund a video project to show the public why the region needs housing options and soon.

June 2023

To drive home the compelling argument for ‘missing middle’ zoning changes in the region, the Seattle King County Association of REALTORS® gathered two busloads of elected officials and their planning staff, and brought them on a guided tour of local sites where the compact-housing concept is already in practice – and bringing desperately needed affordable housing to King County. A Housing Opportunity Grant from the REALTOR® Party helped make it happen.

March 2019

With a series of Smart Growth Action Grants, Selkirk REALTORS® supported a multi-year planning process for an integrated network of pedestrian and bicycle routes in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Complete with graphic branding and signage, the plan will enhance the local active transport scene for residents, and contribute to the region’s growing appeal to bike tourism.

May 2023

Supported by polling and an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party, the Southeast Alaska Board of REALTORS® pushed back against a 2020 Juneau ordinance that required the public disclosure of real estate sales prices, including financing and other deeds of sale. It was the thin end of the wedge, they believed, leading to transfer taxes on real estate.

May 2012

The 1,400-member Southern Maryland Association of Realtors® (SMAR) received a $5,000 NAR Housing Opportunity Program Grant to partner with the College of Southern Maryland to present Money Smart. This free event offered sound financial advice in tough economic times. Industry experts presented sessions covering topics related to real estate and mortgages; personal banking; and taxes, insurance, and financial planning.

December 2018

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®.

July 2018

The pride that comes with having served in the armed forces makes it hard for many veterans to seek help securing and maintaining housing. “If anyone’s going to do something about their housing needs, it’s going to be the REALTORS®,” says the Executive Officer of Idaho’s Sun Valley Board of REALTORS®. But first, they have to find them.

August 2012

The REALTOR® Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach, Inc. is working with the Lee County Housing Development Corporation to provide free Homebuyer Education classes to the communities it serves. Course materials are provided by NeighborWorks® America and include topics such as homeownership readiness, money management, the purchase process, and home maintenance. Under the direction of 2012 President, Marion Briggs, the 4,000-member association used a $5,000 Housing Opportunity Program grant to produce a video featuring testimonials of students who describe the benefits of homebuyer education and their experiences as homeowners. The video has been shared with the public by various community-based organizations and lenders.

Last fall, with four seats on the Town Council up for grabs, the Telluride Association of REALTORS® (TAR) made the most of the opportunity to promote candidates who espoused the values of affordable housing; sustainable growth and development; and economic vitality and vibrancy. With an Independent Expenditure, TAR conducted a campaign that helped elect three REALTOR® Champions.

March 2022

Using Smart Growth grants from the REALTOR® Party, the McDowell Board of REALTORS®, the Yancey Association of REALTORS®, and the High Country Association of REALTORS®, all in western North Carolina, commissioned assessments of small town centers with an eye toward sustainable residential and commercial growth.

May 2023

Working with the Antiracist Curriculum Project, the local REALTOR® association created a 20-minute video to raise awareness of redlining and racist covenants in Rochester, New York, and how the effects of these discriminatory practices perpetuate inequity to this day. A Fair Housing Grant from the REALTOR® Party supported the production.

September 2021

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® was seeking a powerful way to improve homeownership opportunity for all Coloradans. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity, it developed a bundle of legislation that is being funded by a combination of state funds and Federal stimulus money -- Issues Mobilization and Advocacy Everywhere helped make it happen.

December 2021

As the threat of mass evictions loomed during the pandemic, the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® equipped members throughout the commonwealth to step up and help mediate housing disputes. Grants from the REALTOR® Party supported training and a campaign to raise public awareness about the benefits of choosing mediation over court appearances.

October 2020

For years, the Traverse Area REALTORS® have worked to build coalitions focused on developing much-needed workforce housing. With the support of Housing Opportunity Grants, it is now participating in an ambitious campaign that will create a network of engaged, informed grassroots housing advocates in neighborhoods throughout the region.   

January 2020

With a Housing Opportunity Grant, the REALTORS® serving the northern Michigan region surrounding Traverse City are collaborating with like-minded organizations to break down barriers blocking the creation of new housing, and engage the public in advocating for it.

June 2014

The City of Aurora, on the west side of Chicago, has been lauded as a highly livable city. It has a strong down-payment assistance program, and plenty of affordable housing -- yet a high percentage of the employees working in Aurora commute from elsewhere. The 15,000-member Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® and the 1,500-member REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley partnered with the city and local lending institutions to get the word out.

May 2021

Utah’s REALTORS® understood that Accessory Dwelling Units could go a long way toward easing the state’s growing housing crunch. With an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party, they launched a campaign to educate the public – and pressure the legislature to pass a bill making the permitting process much easier.

May 2021

Utah’s REALTORS® understood that Accessory Dwelling Units could go a long way toward easing the state’s growing housing crunch. With an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party, they launched a campaign to educate the public – and pressure the legislature to pass a bill making the permitting process much easier.

November 2014

Raising awareness about the link between good schools and good communities – and how to strengthen both – was the focus of a day-long forum called “Connecting the Dots Between Where Kids Live and Where They Learn." The 29,500-member Virginia Association of REALTORS® used a Housing Opportunity Grant to co-sponsor the day-long forum where 200 attendees explored ways to improve school performance, which in turn, increases housing desirability and values.

December 2016

The Virginia Association of REALTORS® was first struck by the isolation and vulnerability of many rural regions across the Commonwealth when a string of tornados hit. So, when the non-profit organization Housing Virginia approached VAR to partner in a Rural Housing Initiative grant it had received from the USDA, the association agreed wholeheartedly. With 5 of its local associations and the use of Housing Opportunity Grants, the two organizations conducted a series of Rural Housing Forums across the state to address housing challenges particular to rural areas.

March 2018

When the regional Continuum of Care program serving the same 18 counties as Minnesota's West Central Association of REALTORS® created a more streamlined entry system to bring assistance to those in dire need of housing, the REALTORS® used a REALTOR® Party Housing Opportunity Grant to get the word out.

June 2022

With support from a Housing Opportunity Grant, the West Georgia Board of REALTORS® partnered with a local HUD-certified housing counseling agency to offer a ‘Pathways to Homeownership’ course for first-time buyers.  Addressing essential aspects of the home-buying process – including obstacles to homeownership – the program was so well received that the REALTORS® are making it an annual event.

August 2013

Leaders of the 125-member White Mountain Board of REALTORS® (WMBR) knew from the moment they learned about NAR’s Housing Opportunity Grants that they could put one to good use in their rural region where many jobs do not pay enough to cover housing within a reasonable commuting range. The WMBR used a $5,000 grant from NAR to host the Mount Washington Valley Workforce Housing Design Charette. The intensive design program brought together teams of planners and housing development professionals to rough out development concepts reusing and/or revitalizing existing structures, as well as developing raw acreage. Particular attention was given to how zoning regulations either work or might be modified to improve the region’s prospects for affordable workforce housing. The sessions drew 78 members of the public and 26 housing industry professionals.

February 2022

Residents of Kittitas County in central Washington State were threatened with a 100% increase in their real estate taxes, and denied a vote on the matter, to boot. The REALTORS® gave them a voice through Advocacy Everywhere, and the County Commissioners heard it loud and clear.

June 2021

When the initially reluctant City Council of Bend, Oregon finally agreed to set the ball rolling to increase its Urban Growth Boundary, the local REALTOR® association provided positive reinforcement with a supportive Call For Action. Building rapport and relationships, says the Government Affairs Director, is always a good strategy – that extends to leadership within a regional housing coalition that is raising public awareness of a growing housing crisis.