August 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.

August 2020

Mandatory point-of-sale inspections and associated escrow requirements can add significant challenges to buying a home, and the Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS® is working to get these ordinances off the books in cities throughout the region it serves. The association will educate consumers with a compelling 12-page insert in two regional magazines.

July 2016

Going into its 2015 session, the Alabama legislature was facing a serious budget shortfall. Using a significant Issues Mobilization Grant, the Alabama Association of REALTORS® (AAR) was able to keep threats to organized real estate and property rights at bay, but long-term solutions were still nowhere in sight. When the issue resurfaced at the outset of the 2016 session, the power of the REALTOR® Party was there again for Alabama, and this time it prevailed in no uncertain terms.

November 2022

Having spearheaded the effort to create a First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account program in Alabama back in 2018, Alabama REALTORS® revisited the legislation as the end of a five-year sunset clause approached.  A Call for Action reminded lawmakers how important the tax-free savings accounts are for aspiring homebuyers, and the law was not only renewed, but extended and strengthened with fraud protections and transparency measures.

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.

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.

June 2017

When a special election for a Penny Tax was called in Laramie County, the Cheyenne Board of REALTORS® rallied voters using REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts and the Consumer Advocacy Outreach Program. By approving seven of the nine ballot propositions, citizens created a funding mechanism for two new fire stations, an event center and multiple infrastructure and safety upgrades.

September 2019

After years of stagnant condominium construction in the Seattle region, a coalition led by the Washington Association of REALTORS® was finally able to convince the state legislature to ease the legal restrictions that have discouraged development of this key “missing middle” housing. The National Association’s Consumer Advocacy Outreach Program helped the Seattle King County Association give credit where credit was due – to REALTORS®.

August 2017

When the Delaware legislature went after itemized tax deductions in order to bridge a daunting budget shortfall, the Delaware REALTORS® rallied its members using the REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts. Members responded in record numbers and itemized deductions were saved.

October 2020

Earlier this year, the REALTOR® Association of Acadiana found itself dropped into the deep end of urgent legislative advocacy. Taking advantage of the Land Use Initiative and Advocacy Everywhere programs, the 1,600-member association was able to combat threats to both short-term rentals and property tax rates, achieving positive results for homeowners in Lafayette, Louisiana.

June 2022

It took some patience – and a change of governor – but Michigan REALTORS® is finally seeing its advocacy efforts pay off with the recent passage of legislation to assist first-time homebuyers, who can now prepare for the purchase with two new long-term savings features: tax-free savings accounts and income tax deductions on down payment savings.

July 2020

REALTOR® members responded in force to a Call for Action letting elected officials in Madison, Ala., know that raising impact fees on new developments would price their middle-class clients out of the housing market.  The Mayor and City Council heard them loud and clear, and are finding other revenue sources to support city services.

September 2016

Illinois REALTORS® created a statewide program called Real Property Alliance, leveraging NAR’s Consumer Advocacy Outreach Program’s Consumer Advocacy Database to drive Illinois consumers to www.realpropertyalliance.org. This program and website provides insight and analysis to Illinois property owners on important issues throughout the state and aligning property owners with REALTORS® in advocacy.

December 2022

In Blount County, Tennessee, severe zoning restrictions on housing development were on the table.  To keep the County Council from limiting residential density, the Knoxville Area Association of REALTORS® leveraged multiple resources from the REALTOR® Party: Issues Mobilization, Advocacy Everywhere, and the Land Use Initiative program.

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 2019

Short-term rentals are naturally a major issue in coastal communities. When Worcester County, Maryland proposed severe restrictions in its rental code overhaul, the local REALTOR® association got to work with a Land Use Initiative review and a call for action. The County Commission heard the message loud and clear, and sent its proposal back to the drawing board.

March 2019

REALTORS® know better than anyone that expanded internet access is the only way to increase economic opportunity and connect communities in rural and underserved areas. Harnessing the power of Advocacy Everywhere, Mississippi REALTORS® rallied voters to support the Mississippi Broadband Enabling Act, which finally permits electric cooperatives to provide broadband services in addition to electric power.

July 2022

NC REALTORS® asserted REALTOR® support of fair housing principles in a campaign they called ‘We Open Doors to Everyone,’ targeting North Carolina thought leaders, influencers, and stakeholder populations throughout April and May.   It was made possible by NC REALTORS® Issues Mobilization funds, and its reach was extended by a Consumer Advocacy Outreach Grant from the REALTOR® Party. 

August 2016

Instead of each local association individual advocacy and consumer outreach plans, North Carolina REALTORS®, the state association, used a Game Changer Grant to create a strong single program called “NC REALTORS®: The Smart Move” to promote public understanding of the value of using a REALTOR®, and to position REALTORS® as the premier real estate advocacy resource and a key community partner.

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.

June 2018

The Residential Real Estate Council (formerly the Council of Residential Specialists) was already a powerful fundraising body for RPAC, but in 2017, its investing was supercharged; its Major Investors and President’s Circle membership went up, too.

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.

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.

January 2019

The city of Peoria, Ill., was attempting to bridge a budget gap by imposing a new tax on property owners. With help from the state association, the REALTORS® used Advocacy Everywhere to call voters’ attention to the threat, and encourage calls of opposition to the City Council. Overwhelmed by the volume, the Council agreed to a compromise.

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.