Smart Growth

Worcester (MA) REALTORS® Use Placemaking Grant to Restore Local Veterans’ Memorial Triggering a Surge of Civic Pride

A 65-year-old granite eagle monument to honor veterans had become an eyesore from years of neglect, and the 1,500-member Worcester Regional Association of REALTORS® decided to do something about it...

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Wilmington (NC) REALTORS® Stand Up for Home Owners to Defeat Proposed Vacation Rental Ordinance

Kure Beach, one of North Carolina’s treasured seaside communities, consists largely of investment properties whose owners rent to vacationers for most of the year....

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Akron Cleveland Association Fights Troubling Rental Housing Proposals Using NAR’s Land Use Initiative

The 5,000-member Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS® (ACAR) had taken just about enough. When troubling and overly restrictive rental housing proposals arose in two of this association’s communities, the ACAR took on City Hall. By tapping into NAR’s Land Use Initiative, ACAR was able to get a legal review of…...

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Ulster County (NY) REALTORS® Help Transform Old Network of Railways into New Hiking/Biking Trails

In its day, the City of Kingston, NY – the only urban community in Ulster County -- was a major railway hub connecting multiple corridors.  Today, with the help of an NAR Smart Growth Action Grant, the nearly 600-member Ulster County Board of REALTORS® is transforming Kingston into a hub…...

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Missoula REALTORS® Combine Dollars and Sweat Equity to Make an All-Abilities Playground Happen

The 500-member Missoula Organization of REALTORS® put a placemaking grant, as well as their muscle-power, to work to bring an all-abilities playground to their city’s McCormick Park. The NAR grant, along with funds of their own and another community grant helped to pay for the playground that features rubberized surfaces,…...

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New Orleans REALTORS® Bring Life Back to Beloved City Landmark With “Better Block” Redevelopment Project

When thousands of REALTORS® descended on the Crescent City for NAR’s Annual Conference in November this year, the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® decided to show them how a Better Block redevelopment project can make a difference in the still-recovering city. In an event featuring music, art and plenty…...

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Charleston REALTORS® Help Shape Common-Sense Historic Preservation Code

The city of Charleston, South Carolina has the oldest historic district in the nation, and the area's REALTORS® well understand the importance of historic preservation. But when Charleston County proposed overly restrictive amendments to its Historic Preservation Code early this year, the 4,150-member Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® (CTAR) couldn't…...

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Northern Kentucky REALTORS® Offer New Park Benches for Walking Trail

After hosting a successful, yet strenuous, walk-a-thon as part of its first annual Health Fair, the 835-member Northern Kentucky Association of REALTORS® (NKAR) saw the need for some places to rest along the way. Not a group to rest on its laurels – even after celebrating their 100-year anniversary this…...

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Knoxville REALTORS® Shape Local Sign Ordinance Into One That Makes Sense for All

The 3,400-member Knoxville Area Association of REALTORS® (KAAR) decided it needed some help when the city began revising its local sign ordinance. The proposal wasn’t looking pretty for the real estate community when they turned to NAR’s Land Use Initiative for valuable legal review and analysis....

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Austin (TX) REALTORS® Begin Process to Refresh High-Profile Waterfront Area

The Austin Board of REALTORS® took its experience in helping to re-write Austin’s outdated land-use development code to the next level by setting the stage for development of a near-downtown waterfront area. With a $15,000 Smart Growth Grant from NAR, the 9,500-member board sponsored a multi-day gathering of community stakeholders…...

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