South Bend (IN) REALTORS® Lead Way Bringing New Life to Local Hispanic Neighborhood
The 495-member Greater South Bend-Mishawaka Association of REALTORS® took the lead in breathing new life into a largely Hispanic local neighborhood. With a Smart Growth Grant, funds of its own, and lots of community engagement, they hosted a Better Block Weekend last October that transformed an under-used area into a new streetscape with bike lanes, wider sidewalks, landscaping and lighting. The lively event with street vendors and music helped residents envision a new future for the area and set the stage for permanent improvements.
Partnerships and Training Create Diverse Opportunities, Engagement for Chicago REALTORS®
With the help of a Diversity Initiative Grant and training from REALTOR® Party staff, the more than 10,000-member Chicago Association of REALTORS® was able to create a diverse and inclusive environment, cultivate organizational partnerships and provide educational opportunities for its members.
Illinois REALTORS® Localize and Diversify National Program
The Illinois REALTORS® have taken the concept of NAR’s Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) program and run with it, building FPC support teams of 150 REALTORS® to cover the 18 House Representatives and two Senators of the state legislature. Each FPC serves as the human face on the issues that affect the real estate industry and let Members of Congress know that the choices they make affect the lives of their constituents back home.
Oklahoma City REALTORS® Improve Public Schools & Prevent Urban Flight
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.
Partnership Spurs Diversity for the Grosse Pointe REALTORS®
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.