Search Results for: call for action

When the mayor of Santa Fe announced that he would not be running for re-election, the 750-member Santa Fe Association of REALTORS® (SFAR) recognized an opportunity. Not only would this be a prime moment to affect change in its city leadership, but it also signaled a chance to take its involvement in local government affairs to the next level. The first thing it did was to call on NAR’s Campaign Services division to help host a Candidate Training Program, which will be held on Aug. 10 in Santa Fe. SFAR, along with the local Homebuilders Association and the Chamber of...

The 1,000-member Heartland REALTOR® Organization had its work cut out for it when the first draft of the suburban and rural district’s Unified Development Ordinance was first released. Leveraging the REALTOR® Party’s Land Use Initiative and its past relationship with the county's Planning & Development Committee Chairman, the association provided an objective review of the ordinance, which was used to draft an ordinance that preserved responsible development rights, streamlined processes and limited regulatory burdens—a win for all parties.

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.

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.

When it comes to RPAC fundraising, Tennessee is way ahead of the curve. For the past three years, the Tennessee Association of REALTORS® (TAR) has held coordinated phone bank events with about a dozen of its local associations via a live feed. This year, TAR held a super-sized version of Phone-a-Friend for RPAC program called “RPAC-A-THON,” raising more than $50,000.

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.

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.

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.

National Association of Realtors® President John Smaby issued the following statement on Friday following Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson's announcement that HUD will seek to encourage reforms to local zoning and land use regulations as a way to address affordable housing shortages. 

In the last three years, more than 45 municipalities across Florida have modified their vacation rental ordinances to be more restrictive. In Cape Coral, a seasonal residence for many homeowners, REALTORS® aided by a Land Use Initiative led a successful charge to keep additional restrictions off the books.