When faced with the expected population boom in Bend, OR, the Central Oregon Association of REALTORS® knew it was crucial to restore balance in the city’s anti-growth City Council. Using the REALTOR® Party’s Independent Expenditure Program, the 1700 member association backed candidates who supported smart growth, fiscal responsibility, and sound…...
New York REALTORS® Turn Smart Growth Challenge into Opportunity
The eight neighborhoods comprising Bronx Community Board 9 (BXCB9) are 22% denser in population than the Bronx overall, and have very little vacant land available to develop. Using a series of Smart Growth Action Grants, the Bronx-Manhattan North Association of REALTORS® partnered with BXCB9 to develop a comprehensive plan, and…...
AL REALTORS® Defeat Flat Tax and Increased Fees with Alabama Homes Matter Campaign
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…...
Job Growth Creates Housing Opportunity
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,…...
Small in Size, Mighty in Impact: The Greater Mason City Board of REALTORS®
The 82-member Greater Mason City Board of REALTORS® in northern Iowa has prided itself on its community involvement, recently applying for a Placemaking Micro-grant. To formalize its program, the association developed a Core Standards Committee and Community Outreach Task Force consisting of a handful of REALTORS® and its one-and-a-half staff…...
Local Virginia REALTORS® Offer Valuable Resource for Future Land Use and Growth
The 650-member Greater Piedmont Area Association of REALTORS® found a way to be a valuable unbiased resource when Culpeper County, one of the five counties it serves, was beginning the arduous task of updating its most important land use, transportation and resource utilization document. Using a Housing Opportunity Grant, the…...
Virginia REALTORS® Partner with “Homes for Our Troops” to Help Injured Veterans Get Mortgage-Free Housing
One in 10 Virginia residents is a veteran or active duty service member. When the Virginia Association’s Leadership Academy was choosing a class project, supporting veterans and Homes for Our Troops was a natural fit. Together, the Leadership Academy members and Virginia REALTORS® are raising awareness and making the American…...
Springfield (MO) REALTORS® Help Restore Beloved City Park to Former Glory – and Then Some
The 1,718-member Greater Springfield (MO) Board of REALTORS® was keen to show that they truly cared about their community. They found that opportunity by helping to restore the city’s beloved 31-acre Phelps Grove Park after a major ice storm had damaged much of its landscape. With an NAR placemaking grant,…...
Coastal Carolinas Association (SC) Gets Around Sign Ordinances With Interactive App to Promote Open Houses
The 3,100 members of Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS® serving 72 miles of coastal communities in South Carolina, were bumping up against strict sign ordinances as they attempted to promote their open houses. Then, the association came up with an ingenious idea – a new interactive app showing users how…...