Washington, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — The National Association of Realtors® Issues Mobilization grants help keep you and your neighbors aware and informed about public policy changes that would impact your wallet and your home.
WHY IT MATTERS: Connects the Dots Between Content Topic and Consumer’s Family, Life, Home, Wallet.
Too often, legislators target homeowners when seeking to fund federal programs. Even recently, some tried to put the financial burden of highway and transportation programs on the backs of homeowners.
A proposal in Congress would have diverted Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s guarantee fees (sometimes called “G fees”) to pay for these long overdue national highway and transportation improvements. Each time G fees are used for unrelated government spending, America’s homeowners wind up paying more for their mortgages and America’s taxpayers are exposed to additional unnecessary risk.
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) opposed this attempt through its Call-For-Action program, pursuant to which Realtors® around the country stood up and spoke out on your behalf, telling members of Congress that guarantee fees are meant to insure mortgages — not pay for highway and transportation problems.
But NAR isn’t just working to address Realtor® issues at the national level. For over two decades, NAR has funded the Issues Mobilization Program, helping state and local REALTOR® Associations raise awareness and educate consumers and members of Congress about critical policy issues that impact state and local communities just like yours.
The Issue Mobilization program provides your state and local REALTOR® Associations with the financial and technical assistance needed closer to home, in order to conduct local public policy opinion polls and economic studies, and supports initiatives to pass laws that protect you and your home’s value.
What Are Some Examples of Successful Local Efforts?
Over the last few years, NJ Realtors has worked with local boards/associations throughout the state to amend or defeat more than 40 town ordinances so Realtors® can continue to display signs.
Much-needed attention was brought to the Passaic Valley Water Commission’s plan to replace reservoirs with concrete tanks. Through NJ Realtors® and the Passaic County Board of Realtors® efforts, the Passaic Valley Water Commission delayed their plans to drain the reservoirs and held a number of meetings that allowed for concerned citizens to voice their opinions on the matter.
Working with the Monmouth County Association of Realtors®, postcards were sent out to Fair Haven residents selling their homes asking them to contact their local officials to ask that a change be made to the ordinance to allow the placement of open house directional signs. After this mailing, the Fair Haven Borough Council adopted an ordinance allowing the placement of these signs during an open house.
