January 2012

The Little Rock Association joined the local mayor’s initiative last summer to increase the city-wide sales tax from the lowest in the state (from .5 cent to a 1.5 cent sales tax). They utilized Issues Mobilization dollars to help fund the initiative. In addition, they raised $15,000 more by forming a vital coalition of real estate related professionals. They worked to support the city’s campaign, ultimately winning the ballot initiative. Every penny of the tax increase is being used for capital improvements – to make Little Rock a better place to live and work. The mayor followed up with a letter to NAR, thanking the REALTORS® for organizing this powerful coalition for the win.

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.

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.

January 2019

A statewide campaign featuring a superhero named “PAT”, short for Protect Arizona Taxpayers, helped convince Arizona voters to amend the state constitution to prohibit sales taxes on services. Thanks to an Issues Mobilization Grant, the effort was able to achieve its goal in a single bound.

In San Leandro, California, the REALTORS® were launching a campaign against a transfer tax increase on the November ballot. But they’d learned from experience that they couldn’t just throw money at the problem: they needed to launch a local grassroots effort. Despite pandemic restrictions, they’re seeing boots on the ground, from social media posts to Halloween decorations incorporating their campaign mailers.

June 2017

To prevent an extreme proposition that would curtail development in Los Angeles, the REALTORS® of Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles used the power of the REALTOR® Party's Land Use Initiative and Issues Mobilization Grant programs. These resources and an unlikely partnership helped defeat the measure and secure housing opportunities across the city.

March 2015

In a campaign involving volunteer and professional phone-banking, online advertising, yard signs, direct mailings and door-to-door work, the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of REALTORS® soundly defeated a proposed transfer tax increase that would have hit Santa Monica developers square on the chin. Owners of condos, single-family homes and apartments also would have taken a hit. With a major Issues Mobilization grant from NAR, as well as significant support from the California Association, the 7,000-member association prevented the proposed tax hike from becoming law, setting the stage to defeat similar proposals in other California cities.

May 2018

In the fastest growing region in the fastest growing state in the nation, the public school facilities could not keep up with the booming student population. An Issues Mobilization campaign helped get a $95 million bond measure approved for new schools, school expansions, and the purchase of future school sites.

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.

February 2021

In the City of Piedmont, California, the real property transfer tax was poised to become the highest in the state unless residents mobilized to vote down a proposed increase. The Bridge Association of REALTORS® leveraged an Issues Mobilization grant from the REALTOR® Party to defeat the measure at the ballot box and spare property owners the added burden.

February 2021

Although the state of California recently passed rent control legislation covering all municipalities that don’t have their own, the City of Burbank was facing a proposal that would impose severe additional measures on landlords – and cost upwards of $6 million annually. An Issues Mobilization Grant helped the local REALTORS® convince voters to object.

April 2018

Thanks to a timely Issues Mobilization campaign, northern California’s Calaveras County Association of REALTORS® was able to reverse authorization for a loan program that the FHA no longer insures. When it comes to financing energy conservation improvements, they stand behind more responsible, less risky options.

August 2022

There was no question that the wastewater infrastructure of Yarmouth, Massachusetts was overdue to be replaced, but the local REALTORS took no chances when a major plan that was years in the making was put to a final vote.  A campaign supported by an Issues Mobilization grant from the REALTOR Party reminded voters how important the new system was to the environment, the residents, and to the peninsula’s tourist economy.                    

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.

April 2013

“My Home is not UR ATM!” read one of the hand-lettered signs held high by a concerned citizen at Cincinnati’s City Hall. The lively annual debate over a proposed property tax hike was underway, and the Cincinnati Area Board of REALTORS® (CABR) had mobilized its troops. Although limiting property taxes has been an ongoing fight for the 4,200-member association, this was the first time it had REALTOR® Party resources behind it. In a two-step Issues Mobilization campaign funded by NAR, CABR produced a survey showing 74 percent of Cincinnati residents were opposed to the proposed tax increase. Then, they shared it with local radio, television, and newspaper outlets – and used it in testimony before the Council. Robo calls and REALTOR mobilization efforts added to the campaign, which resulted in the City Council backing off its ambitious proposal to a more modest one.

February 2013

Last spring, when the City of Los Angeles proposed solving its $230 million fiscal year budget deficit by doubling the documentary transfer tax rate to $9 per $1,000 of assessed value, REALTORS® took action – fast.

July 2022

Without a local internet use tax in place on sales from out-of-state vendors, the City of Columbia, Missouri and its surrounding county had been missing out on tens of millions of revenue dollars from the online shopping trend.  To help the municipality capture this income for essential services, the Columbia Board of REALTORS® used an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party to convince voters to adopt the tax.  

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.

January 2016

The Texas Association of REALTORS® pulled all the stops to ensure that Proposition 1 would pass. The ballot measure amended the state constitution, increasing the homestead exemption and banning real estate transfer tax on all real estate sales. The Issues Mobilization Program, targeted outreach and a comprehensive website helped the 100,000-member association educate its members and the public on the ballot measure, ensure its success.

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.

February 2023

Unable to wait for a legal ruling to keep an unconstitutional rent control measure off the ballot in Orange County, Florida REALTORS® launched a major campaign to discourage voters from accepting the measure.  The effort targeted the county’s renters and homeowners, saturating the respective voting pools with reasons not to adopt rent control, and demonstrated to the rest of the state that the REALTORS® are prepared to fight the issue statewide.

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…

February 2017

South Dakota REALTOR® Tom Murphy is one of 535 Federal Political Coordinators (FPCs) assigned to educate a member of Congress on important issues facing the real estate industry. When his childhood friend, Senator Mike Rounds (SD) asked for help "cleaning up" a long list of legislative regulations that may be addressed by the new Congress, Murphy, with the assistance of NAR staff, answered the call.

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.

Just north of the nation’s capital, Montgomery County, Md., voters are deciding between two ballot measures that determine how future property tax limits will be defined. The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® is campaigning for the one that maintains the county’s ability to provide important services at a level that has kept real estate values strong.

July 2019

Fresh off a win with a highly publicized teachers’ strike earlier this year, the Los Angeles Unified School District called for a 16-cent/square foot parcel tax on all residential and commercial buildings, claiming that it would support students. But the REALTORS® of the Greater Los Angeles and the Southland Regional Associations begged to differ.

December 2018

The REALTORS® of Hawai’i want high quality public education throughout their state, which suffers from extremely high teacher-turnover. This fall, they led the charge against a ballot measure that would allow for the creation of a property tax surcharge on residential investment properties to fund the Department of Education. And then they redoubled their focus on affordable housing.

December 2019

In Beaufort County, S.C., major construction, renovations, and updates were urgently needed throughout the school district, which had not had a successful bond referendum – its only source of such funding – in more than a decade. When a promising referendum made it to the ballot this year, the area’s REALTORS® stepped up to make sure it would pass.

July 2020

The last thing that property owners and prospective buyers in Howard County, Md., needed was a steep increase in recordation and transfer taxes – but that’s what the County Council was proposing. With help from the REALTOR® Party, a REALTOR® Champion, and a strong message sent by nearly 30% of its membership, the Howard County Association of REALTORS® forced the governing body to reconsider.

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.

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.

March 2020

As the region’s landlords come under increased pressure from restrictive and expensive regulations championed by a strong tenants’ rights group, the REALTORS® of Kansas City, Missouri launched a campaign focused on making rental housing more affordable – not less.

July 2014

The real estate transfer tax had been on the books in Kansas for nearly a century, and it was showing no signs of budging. But the 7,600-member Kansas Association of REALTORS® decided enough was enough and set off on a mission to educate state legislators about the discriminatory nature of the tax. It affected only those taking out a mortgage, and placed an unfair burden on Kansas families, farmers and small businesses. With an Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR, combined with funds of its own and the support of the banking industry they ran a successful campaign. On the last day of the legislative session a bill to repeal the law was passed, saving the average Kansas homebuyer $268 at the closing table.

June 2012

Late in the spring of 2012, in a heated and hard-fought legislative session rivaling any political intrigue that happens in Washington, the citizens of Kansas retained their ability to claim itemized tax deductions on their state tax returns, most notably their Mortgage Interest Deductions. The 7,500-member Kansas Association of REALTORS® combined NAR’s Issues Mobilization services, along with their own funds and grassroots support to make that happen. The Kansas REALTORS® fought the Governor’s proposed ‘flat tax’ plan that would have wiped away all itemized deductions, and they won – by two votes.

June 2016

The REALTOR® Party’s Issues Mobilization Grant provides financial assistance to state and local REALTOR® Associations to support effective advocacy campaigns on public policy issues that affect REALTOR® interests. The Kansas Association of REALTORS® is just one example of how an association has used this program to successfully stave off local property tax increases.

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.

June 2022

An Issues Mobilization Grant helped the local REALTORS® rally a Tennessee community in opposition to a proposed moratorium on new developments that would have increased the price of housing and hurt the construction and trade industries.  Advocacy Everywhere got the message through to the County Commission.

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.

October 2013

The City Council of North Las Vegas had nearly been seduced by a private firm into using its power of eminent domain to capitalize on the plight of homeowners with underwater mortgages.

October 2022

The National Association of REALTORS®’ recent Housing Affordability Study inspired the San Antonio Board to commission one of its own on a local level, with help from an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party. It used the resulting analysis of area Homestead Tax Exemption policies to convince city and county legislators to maximize tax relief for over-burdened homeowners.

May 2019

Many of Lincoln, Nebraska’s streets were in disrepair, some to the point of impassability. Using polling services and an Issues Mobilization grant, local REALTORS® took a leading role in getting them fixed.

June 2013

“Plan First, Tax Second,” was the rallying cry of REALTORS ® in Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish this spring, in response to a proposition by the school board to quadruple property taxes. The local Bayou Board of REALTORS ®, while fully supportive of education in the Parish, and mindful of the challenges faced by the school board, was concerned by the apparent lack of a well-prepared implementation plan for the expected revenue. The local board and the Louisiana REALTORS ®Association put together a campaign that included newspaper articles, direct mail pieces, phone calls and yard signs. A $10,000 Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR helped to pay for it, along with funds from the state association and local board. The proposed tax increase was soundly defeated. Now the Bayou Board is working with the school board to develop progressive ideas for improving the Parish’s overall education system.

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.

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.

November 2012

One month in to the Maryland State Legislature’s 90-day session this past winter, the Governor unveiled a proposal that would trim the state’s Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID). The 22,000-member Maryland Association of REALTORS® had to act quickly. NAR approved a $300,000 Issues Mobilization grant, which funded half the cost of an extensive advertising and public education campaign, which included polling, robo-calls, print and online advertising and plenty of media relations. The endeavor was capped by a huge rally organized by MAR outside the office windows of the Governor and key legislators in the Maryland Statehouse. Thanks to the quick and decisive action of the Maryland REALTORS®, and the strong support and deep resources from the national level, the issue resonated, the people spoke, and the proposal failed to launch.

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.)

August 2013

A proposed state sales tax on real estate services would have added $1,500 to the cost of buying and selling a $250,000 home, and the 17,000-member Minnesota Association of REALTORS (MNAR) was determined not to let that happen. Political strategists at NAR helped the state association use an Issues Mobilization Grant to craft a five-month, multi-phase campaign using a dedicated website, newspaper and online advertising, an online petition, patch-through phone calls, direct-mail and emails to homeowners. When the Governor dropped the tax on services from his proposal – thanks, in part, to the unrelenting pressure of MNAR’s campaign – the association kept up its offensive by shifting to a campaign aimed at preventing the legislature from including service sales taxes in any tax proposals later in the spring. It was a complete success.

May 2017

The REALTOR® Party provided the Mississippi REALTORS® with in-depth economic research demonstrating how a First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account tax program would strengthen communities by increasing homeownership in the state. This, together with the strong coalition the REALTORS® had built, convinced legislators that the tax incentive was a good idea: it passed with a near-unanimous vote, and has been signed into law.

November 2016

Missouri REALTORS® are no stranger to the threat of sales tax on services. With the help of a REALTOR® Party Issues Mobilization Grant and coalition support, the 20,000-member association is ambitiously attempting to amend the state constitution to ban a sales tax on services. By appealing to the general public, first to get the referendum on the ballot, and then for votes in its favor, Missouri REALTORS® are finding strength in numbers.

June 2014

For the second year in a row, the Missouri REALTORS® (MR) blocked a deep-pocketed individual from advancing his plan to eliminate the state income tax. The burden for filling the revenue void would likely have fallen on real estate sales and services, which would have hit MR’s 18,000 members square in the pocketbook, not to mention shut many home buyers and investors out of the market.

July 2023

Ventura County Coastal AOR and Santa Barbara AOR have banded together to create ‘Smart Coast California,’ an organization that provides economic, planning policy, and engineering considerations that inform effective decision-making in coastal communities facing the common threat of rising seas in California. Issues Mobilization Grants from the REALTOR® Party helped make it possible.

February 2015

The 14,000-member Nevada Association of REALTORS® put an Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR, its own well-honed campaign skills and funds, as well as its significant grassroots power to soundly defeat a massive tax on businesses. The tax would have eliminated jobs, as well as slowed the state economy...

January 2012

The New York State Association used NAR issues mobilization funds and resources to launch a successful campaign that put a statewide cap on real estate property taxes. My REALTOR® Party resources, along with aggressive involvement by REALTORS® throughout the state, helped to get the legislation passed and signed by the governor. The measure caps annual property tax increases at 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.

July 2017

When Santa Rosa, CA, recently attempted to pass rent control and just cause eviction legislation, the North Bay Association of REALTORS® used an Issues Mobilization Grant to protect the rights of property owners—and to encourage government to meet the demand for affordable housing.

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. 

October 2012

The North Dakota Association of REALTORS® (NDAR,) joined an astonishing coalition of more than 80 groups to oppose a measure that would have abolished the state’s century-old property tax. That’s right, REALTORS® worked to “keep” the tax. Why? Because getting rid of the tax would have empowered the state legislature to replace the lost income by creating new revenue sources, over which the voting public would have virtually no say. Their “‘Keep It Local, North Dakota” used funds from the state association’s own Issues Mobilization along with a grant from NAR to pay for polling and campaign advertising, including television, radio, newspaper, and social media. They also conducted 11 news conferences and numerous debates. In the end, they won with 77 percent of the voters striking the measure down.

January 2015

North Dakota recently joined Arizona, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana and Oregon as one of six states that now constitutionally abolish future real estate transfer taxes. The 1,600-member North Dakota Association of REALTORS® (NDAR) used an Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR, funding from its own coffers and plenty of polling, advertising and leg-work to convince voters by a 75 percent margin that a constitutional ban on real estate transfer taxes was the way to go.

December 2019

When the City Council of Fayetteville, Ark., proposed a zoning ordinance to restrict the width of driveways and require garage entries to be to the side or rear of a dwelling, the REALTORS® tried to reason with them. Failing that, they launched an Issues Mobilization Campaign and rallied public support to defeat the measure.

September 2017

Because an Ohio law required businesses and individuals to file taxes in every jurisdiction where they'd earned income, most Ohio REALTORS® faced a costly and time consuming administrative burden at tax time. But all that is about to change thanks to an Issues Mobilization Grant, which helped secure a streamlined income tax filing system, and defeat a threatened tax on professional services.

November 2022

With help from an Issues Mobilization Grant from the REALTOR® Party, Ohio REALTORS® and a coalition of like-minded partners convinced lawmakers to reform the state’s property valuation system – one which, unique in the country, allowed third parties to challenge the value of another’s residential or commercial property for tax purposes.

September 2022

When rent control was put on the ballot in Columbus, Ohio, the state REALTOR® association stepped in to tackle the issue before it became a home-rule free-for-all among local jurisdictions.  They used an Issues Mobilization Grant to have an expert draft the legislation, and spared the entire state from a policy that actually decreases much-needed housing.

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.

When the REALTOR® Champion running to maintain her seat on the Oklahoma County Commission faced a primary run-off, it looked like an up-hill battle: though Carrie Blumert had the advantage as incumbent, her challenger was a former state senator and statewide candidate who had held a slim lead in the primary; when neither won a majority of votes, the challenger was favored to prevail in the run-off election.

November 2017

Downtown Oklahoma City is experiencing a huge boom, but its infrastructure was crumbling. The Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® stepped in, joining the city to promote public meetings to craft bond proposals that would strengthen critical elements from sewers to the police department. A REALTOR® Party Issues Mobilization Grant helped get voters to the polls, where the bonds were overwhelmingly supported.

February 2017

Public schools in Oklahoma were struggling, and the resulting urban flight was already having a detrimental impact on local communities. Using an Issues Mobilization Grant, the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® led a coalition that supported the passage of a $180 million bond measure to get the region’s schools back on their feet.

September 2014

When Oklahoma City passed an “abandoned property” ordinance last November subjecting certain vacant properties to registration requirements, mandated fees, and municipal inspections, the Oklahoma Association of REALTORS® thought the city had gotten too big for its britches. OAR used NAR’s polling services, along with a $95,000 Issues Mobilization Grant, to put together an aggressive campaign to convince the Oklahoma state house to pass legislation eliminating fee-based property registries. It worked! The Protect Property Rights Act was overwhelmingly passed and signed into law by the governor this spring.

September 2012

Oregon’s REALTORS® came out in force in May of 2012 to let the powers that be know exactly what they think of the possibility of a new real estate transfer tax. In an energetic campaign to get a measure on November’s ballot opposing any new taxes on real estate transactions, the 12,000-member Oregon Association of REALTORS® (OAR) presented nearly 164,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office. It needed only 116,284. Combining impressive grassroots efforts with funds from OAR and NAR’s Issues Mobilization program, the campaign involved polling, an interactive web site, a signature collection firm and direct mail.

September 2013

A proposed state sales tax on real estate services would have added $1,500 to the cost of buying and selling a $250,000 home, and the 17,000-member Minnesota Association of REALTORS (MNAR) was determined not to let that happen. Political strategists at NAR helped the state association use an Issues Mobilization Grant to craft a five-month, multi-phase campaign using a dedicated website, newspaper and online advertising, an online petition, patch-through phone calls, direct-mail and emails to homeowners. When the Governor dropped the tax on services from his proposal – thanks, in part, to the unrelenting pressure of MNAR’s campaign – the association kept up its offensive by shifting to a campaign aimed at preventing the legislature from including service sales taxes in any tax proposals later in the spring. It was a complete success.

July 2018

When the thriving cottage industry of privately operated short-term vacation rental properties was threatened by a recent ballot initiative in Palm Springs, California, the REALTORS® secured an Issues Mobilization Grant. The success of their campaign to defeat the proposal was a victory for private property rights.

June 2020

Across Pennsylvania, the pandemic shut-down was leaving housing consumers in dire straits, and real estate professionals unable to provide any in-person service. With 48 other states allowing at least some form of in-person real-estate business during the lockdown, the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® worked tirelessly to convince a reluctant governor that housing is essential business.

November 2015

Pinellas County Florida holds the most flood insurance policies in the U.S. When proposed ordinance changes would have made it significantly easier for homes to be designated as “historic” and potentially increased the cost of property insurance, including flood insurance, and property upgrades, the 6,000-member Pinellas REALTOR® Organization (PRO) took action. Read more about how an Issue Mobilization campaign and coalition building helped led to a PRO victory.

August 2023

Portland Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® Defeats Capital Gains Tax and Strengthens Key Partnerships with Support from Issues Mobilization Grant® Defeats Capital Gains Tax and Strengthens Key Partnerships with Support from Issues Mobilization Grant

October 2018

One year to the day after Hurricane Harvey hit Harris County, Texas, citizens were called to the polls to vote on the region’s largest bond proposal ever: $2.5 billion for flood-control projects and flood mitigation. The measure passed with 85% support; the Houston REALTORS® helped get out the vote.

February 2013

Early in 2012, when their county council proposed easing its budget woes by increasing the real estate recordation tax – for the second year in row – the Prince George’s County Association of REALTORS® took action. After attempts to negotiate a fairer solution didn’t work out, it turned to NAR for help. The 2,800-member association used an $11,000 Issues Mobilization Grant to mount an automated call and electronic letter-writing campaign. Assistance was provided throughout by NAR consultants and program staff. The Maryland Association pitched in with a newspaper ad. The carefully timed multi-media campaign resulted in a compromise that cut the proposed increase in the real estate recordation tax in half. In addition, the association is now recognized as a worthy player in local politics.

June 2016

The REALTORS® of Puerto Rico are no strangers to challenge with a high unemployment rate at average and foreclosures up almost 90 percent since 2008. The 350-member association stepped up in a big way, successfully leading the fight to repeal a 10.5 percent tax on services that was going into effect.

June 2023

In its ongoing support of the City of Madison’s ambitious ‘Housing Forward’ plan, the REALTORS® Association of South Central Wisconsin recently faced-down a challenge to transit-oriented development. With help from the REALTOR® Party, it won approval for zoning code changes that will now allow missing middle housing in neighborhoods near bus rapid transit line and other major routes.

February 2022

When lawmakers in Madison, Wisconsin took a step towards a zoning change that would increase affordable housing, the REALTORS® generated a strong showing of public support with an Issues Mobilization campaign and a consumer Call For Action. The positive response counterbalanced vocal opposition from powerful homeowner associations and helped tip the City Council vote to a narrow win.

December 2012

When a referendum to bring light rail to Hampton Roads came back for another round in April 2012, the Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association (HRRA) got busy – again. The 3,300-member association had supported light rail proposals before, but this time they kicked their campaign efforts up a few notches with an Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR of $74,000, as well as additional funds for polling and direct mail pieces. In addition, the state association and HRRA kicked in their own funds, making REALTORS® the single largest contributor to the cause. In the end, the referendum was carried in 90 of 95 local precincts, with the approval of 62 percent of the voters.

March 2014

In Richmond, VA, REALTORS® have long understood the strong correlation between good schools and home values. Last year, they had to fight for it. The 4,000-member Richmond Association of REALTORS® put a $95,000 Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR to work on a campaign to use a restaurant meals tax on food and beverages to help fund public schools. Working with other community groups, their successful campaign prevented drastic cuts to the school system budget.

November 2018

Two local associations in California launched “decline to sign” campaigns to prevent rent-control ballot initiatives from garnering the necessary signatures to qualify for the November 6 election. While one succeeded and the other did not, both agree that it was well worth the effort.

May 2014

The Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® (SDAR) needed a lot of signatures -- 34,000 authentic and verifiable signatures, to be exact. That was the number required to get a referendum on the ballot to overturn an onerous fee increase on developers of office buildings and mixed-use residential developments.

December 2014

When the 4,000-member San Francisco Association of REALTORS® (SFAR,) learned about an additional transfer tax proposed for many of the city's multi-unit properties, it launched into action. With the help of an Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR, the association successfully got the proposal defeated. One key to SFAR's campaign was its outreach to the city's Chinese-speaking community, which constitutes a full third of the population.

September 2013

September 2013 High in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, about an hour southeast of Sacramento, Amador County, CA, was facing serious water-system issues. And, a vocal anti-growth group was fighting improvements to the system tooth and nail. The 175-member Amador County Association of REALTORS® (ACAR,) understands that a safe, reliable source of water is not only vital to homeowners, but essential to its members’ ability to market properties. So it decided to fight back. With an Issues Mobilization Grant of $10,000 from NAR, this local REALTOR® association got its message to the people of Amador County through a direct mail postcard and internet advertising coordinated by NAR’s campaign team consultants. In the end, a new water delivery system was approved and constructed, and rates were restructured to ensure that all customers pay the same amount for service and system maintenance.

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.

November 2016

Baldwin County is the largest county in Alabama and one of the fastest-growing in the country with about 31,000 students attending 45 public schools. Despite the help of a REALTOR® Party Issues Mobilization Grant, Baldwin County residents’ votes resulted in a split decision on two public school funding issues in March. The Baldwin County Association of REALTORS® is looking forward to grassroots efforts and additional help of the REALTOR® Party to ensure funding for their public schools in the future.

February 2019

In the fourth and final phase of a ten-year effort, the Florida REALTORS® were able to secure a permanent 10% cap on non-homestead property tax through an Issues Mobilization campaign supported by the REALTOR® Party. Had the limit not been approved by voters, 700,000 Florida property owners stood to be hit by a projected $627 million increase in additional property taxes annually.

December 2013

Ever since the world's first chairlift was installed at the Sun Valley Resort in the 1930s, the local economy of this idyllic resort community has been chiefly dependent on visitors. A number of these tourists will become second home owners at the highest end of the market.

August 2019

In Texas, where there’s no state income tax or a state-levied property tax, it’s the tax bills from your county, your municipality, your school district, and various other special districts that’ll get you. Texas REALTORS® have been battling the ‘Hidden Property Tax’ inherent in the system for years, and this summer, with a boost from a sweeping Issues Mobilization campaign, the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act was signed into law.

August 2021

Texas REALTORS® has been working to reform the state’s historically complicated property tax system for decades, but once the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act was passed in 2019, someone needed to inform and educate the public about the changes. The REALTORS® were ready, and a pair of Consumer Advocacy Grants from the REALTOR® Party helped them do the job.

Armed with polling results and economic research provided by the REALTOR® Party’s Issue Mobilization Grant and legislative language based on an existing model, Alabama REALTORS® convinced the state legislature to create a First-time and Second-chance Homebuyer Savings Account program.

February 2016

The San Francisco Association of REALTORS® sought the support of NAR, its state association and coalition partners as it geared up for its second Issues Mobilization campaign to ensure defeat against a proposed 30-month moratorium on new housing development in the Mission District, where housing inventory is low, and in increasingly high demand.

March 2022

When a ballot initiative in Asbury Park, New Jersey threatened to override a recently adopted rent control ordinance supported by the REALTORS®, the state association launched a campaign to rally voters to preserve the original, less restrictive legislation. They prevailed with nearly a two-to-one margin, sparing smaller landlords with buildings of fewer than five units from the burdens of rent control.

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.

August 2013

In its first-ever experiment with political involvement, the 250-member Greater Twin Falls Association of REALTORS® proved that you don’t have to be big to be effective. The city of Twin Falls needed to expand its waste water treatment plant, in order to support the growth and attract new business. With help from the Idaho Association, as well as a $10,000 Issues Mobilization grant and campaign assistance from NAR, the Twin Falls Association worked with local businesses and citizens to promote a special ballot initiative to fund expansion of the plant. They used the grant to develop direct mailers, business flyers and a live reminder phone call to voting households before the special election. In the end, nearly 70 percent voted in favor of funding the initiative.

May 2019

In the spring election season, Southeast Missouri REALTORS® and the Mark Twain Association of REALTORS® both used Issues Mobilization grants to improve neighborhoods by improving school facilities. Through energetic campaigns, they convinced the public to approve ballot initiatives that will fund major school improvements in the coming years.

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.

May 2020

With support from an Issues Mobilization Grant, the Utah Association of REALTORS® was able to convince state lawmakers that impact fees imposed on new development were not a rational source of funding for local schools – and would actually exacerbate the affordable housing crisis. Sustainable growth, the REALTORS® argue, will come from smart regional planning.

July 2019

The population of Utah is expected to double – yes, double – by the year 2040, and the state is already feeling a housing crunch. With the help of Utah REALTORS® and the support of Issues Mobilization Grants, Utah has found a way to incentivize solutions to its growing shortage rather than strong-arming municipalities with mandates.

January 2023

The Vermont Association of REALTORS® knows that increasing rent control regulations in Burlington will infringe on private property rights – and won’t fix the housing challenges.  Through an Issues Mobilization campaign supported by the REALTOR® Party, they presented the message that ultimately resonated with the governor, who vetoed a threatened rent-control ordinance.

September 2012

The price of living in paradise is occasional rough weather – and when storms the like of Hurricanes Hugo [1989] and Marilyn [1995] battered the U.S. Virgin Islands, the damage to property proved too much for owners of many of the islands’ historic homes. Over the years, the resulting abandonment of these properties has caused a blight that affects the quality of life, economic vitality, and property values of the once lovely historic rings of houses that distinguish the islands’ downtown areas. The 292-member Virgin Islands Territorial Association of REALTORS® [VITAR] led a campaign to get legislation passed that will not only preserve these endangered properties, but rehabilitate them to their highest and best use. A $44,000 Issues Mobilization Grant from NAR helped to fund a study, polling and advertising. The legislature is expected to vote on the measure this fall – and according to VITAR, it has a very good chance of passing.

June 2019

REALTORS® in Washington state knew that access to affordable housing at all income levels was being hampered by lack of inventory. Using an Issues Mobilization Grant, they’ve convinced lawmakers to tackle challenges ranging from zoning to builder-liability to spur the creation of more housing stock.

August 2023

With help from the REALTOR® Party, Washington REALTORS® mounted a public-facing "Welcome Home" campaign to focus the state’s 2023 Legislative Session on housing inventory and homeownership. The slate of bills they successfully promoted will lower barriers to creating new housing, especially in the affordable and Missing Middle range. In a separate campaign, they fought back legislation to increase real estate excise taxes.

March 2018

The Wisconsin REALTORS® Association launched two successful Issues Mobilization campaigns: the first convinced the legislature to eliminate a minor property tax dating back to the Great Depression; the other supported a new law that overturned an existing one that had been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

August 2019

With a full-on campaign called ‘Hold the Line on Property Taxes,’ the Wisconsin REALTORS® organized a powerful response to the governor’s plan to lift a freeze on municipal and country property taxes. An Issues Mobilization grant helped them convince the state senate that the move lacked tax-payer support.

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.

December 2021

When the Spokane City Council presented a Sustainability Action Plan calling for extreme limitations on natural gas implementation, the REALTORS® reacted in force with multiple REALTOR® Party resources. It was a powerful Call for Action that discouraged the plan, and they are now focused on helping the city find reasonable solutions for increased energy efficiency.

October 2022

A “Decline to Sign” campaign aimed at Montana voters helped to keep a proposed constitutional amendment off the ballot; though the initiative sought to exploit widespread public angst over residential property taxes, it would actually have replaced the state’s market-value based property tax system with an acquisition-value based system that would dis-incentivize listings and shift the tax burden to anyone buying property in Montana.