| THE GADFLY | |||||||||||||||
| February 2015 | |||||||||||||||
| The NAR Government Affairs Directors Newsletter | |||||||||||||||
| The GADFly is produced by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® to provide Government Affairs Directors (GADs) at state and local REALTOR® associations with tools, news and information to help you serve your members. To add one of your staff members to the distribution list, or to be removed, contact Kyle Lambert London at klambertlondon@realtors.org/202-383-1203. | |||||||||||||||
| In This Issue... | |||||||||||||||
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| Save the Dates | |||||||||||||||
 February 15 - Community Outreach Grant Deadline New for 2015: more application deadlines, new funding levels, and changes to grant regulations. Visit REALTOR® Action Center to learn more. |
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| Diversity Grants – Mobilize your diverse membership to lead your association in to the future. Apply for a grant of up to $5,000 |
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| Smart Growth Grants – Shape your community into the most attractive, livable, sustainable place it can be. Apply for a grant of up to $15,000. |
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| Housing Opportunity Grants – Launch innovative activities to make affordable housing more readily available in your community. Apply for a grant of up to $15,000. |
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| Increase Your Advocacy Efforts | |||||||||||||||
| February 19, 2:00 PM EST – Webinar: Don’t Be A Target: RESPA Dos and Don’ts Please Join NAR and Phil Schulman, Partner K&L Gates for a webinar entitled, “Don’t Be a Target: Marketing Agreements and other RESPA Dos and Don’ts,” discussing your obligations under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the Bureau) is the new sheriff in town enforcing RESPA and they already corralled a number of RESPA violators and issued fines in the tens of millions of dollars. Don’t be the Bureau’s next target! Register today. |
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| February 24, 2:00PM EST - Webinar: Housing and Older Adults By 2030, the population age 50 or older is projected to increase by 20 percent to over 130 million people. This dramatic increase in the older adult population has important implications for housing. NAR has partnered with National Housing Conference (NHC) to present a webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 24, to explore challenges and solutions. Experts from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, AARP, and NHC will present on housing needs of the growing older adult population, livable communities policies, and programs that combine housing and services to enable aging in place. Click here to register. |
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| February 26 - March 1 - President’s Circle Conference The conference is officially sold out! 461 President’s Circle members and their guests will be attending the Scottsdale conference—up 14% from last year. Major Investor/President’s Circle lapel pins will be available at the conference for President’s Circle investors and Platinum Rs. Round 2 of the President’s Circle, our first Round with candidates, will launch at the conference on February 27. All President’s Circle members will receive an email and text message. |
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| Tens of Thousands of REALTORS® Have Already Joined – Have Your Members? REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts is the latest way for REALTORS® to stay informed via a text message when a Call for Action is launched. In a matter of minutes, they can take action by simply following a link we send to their mobile device. Encourage them to subscribe by texting ‘REALTOR’ to 30644. |
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| Quick and Easy! Sign Up a Broker Today You can sign up a Broker quickly by asking them to text 'BIP' to 30644. They will receive a response that includes the link to sign up online (http://www.realtoractioncenter.com/brokersjoin). Go ahead and try it! |
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| RPMIC Meeting with Local Associations: Utilizing REALTOR® Party Resources REALTOR® Party Member Involvement Committee (RPMIC) members are contacting five local boards and encouraging them to use a REALTOR® Party grant or campaign services. We know not every local association will have the resources to take advantage of a REALTOR® Party program but RPMIC wants to make that connection so they know we are here to help. Please take a few minutes and look through the REALTOR® Party Resource Guide and see what is available. |
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| RPAC Updates and Materials | |||||||||||||||
| 2015 President’s Circle Update President’s Circle launched its first round of targets for 2015 last month, with an emailed link to President’s Circle members. During this round, President’s Circle members may invest $500 in one of the four national party committees in honor of any Member of Congress. FPCs have the option of contributing $500 directly to the Member of Congress they serve as FPC. (An FPC must choose either a $500 contribution to their Member of Congress OR a National Party Committee – they cannot do both.) |
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| Request Free, Customized RPAC Materials Want an easy way to meet one of the advocacy requirements found in the Organizational Alignment Core Standards? If so, encourage your association to order customized RPAC brochures. Choose from four different template options that can be tailored to include your state and local issues, logo and more. RPAC will pay for the design, printing, and delivery to your office for every member in your association. |
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| 2015 Major Investor Pins You made suggestions…and we listened! Several improvements are being made to the RPAC Major Investor Pins and unfortunately, these improvements are causing a slight delay in the distribution process. While recognition of Major Investors has begun, Major Investor pins will not be available for distribution until early March. We apologize for the inconvenience but please know pins will be ordered in advance of the fundraising year moving forward. President’s Circle members who attend the President’s Circle conference later this month in Arizona will receive their pin at the meeting. |
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| NAR Policy - Internet, Patent and Data Security | |||||||||||||||
| NAR Responds to Congressional Open Internet Hearings On January 21, the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee and the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, each held a hearing entitled “Protecting Internet and Consumers through Congressional Action.” NAR submitted comments to each Committee expressing its support of open Internet rules that will protect American business and consumers by preventing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from blocking, throttling, or discriminating against Internet traffic and prohibit paid prioritization arrangements. In the letter, NAR stated it was encouraged to see Congress acknowledge the need for action, but that the legislative process should not hold up the rulemaking currently underway at the Federal Communications Committee (FCC). NAR, together with other Main Street business, has been working with the FCC on this issue and it is believed the FCC will vote on an Open Internet Order at its February 26 meeting. |
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| President Proposes Stronger Data Privacy Laws In a speech to the Federal Trade Commission on January 12, President Obama unveiled new proposals to address how consumers’ personal data is handled. Among his proposals included “The Personal Data Notification & Protection Act” which clarifies and strengthens the obligations businesses have to notify customers when their personal information has been exposed including establishing a 30-day notification requirement from the discovery of a breach. Read more here. |
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| New Resources for REALTORS® on Internet Security NAR’s Information Central has released a three-part report which recommends a number of security practices to help keep REALTORS® and their business safe online. The new Internet Security Best Practices Guide covers three areas:
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| What is a Land Bank? |
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| Webinar: State Issues Tracker 101 On Thursday, February 26th at 2pm EST there will be a webinar for the NAR State Issues Tracker. This resource is a valuable tool for REALTOR® associations. The webinar will walk you through how to use the State Issues Tracker and answer any questions you may have. To receive information about the webinar contact Adriann Murawski at amurawski@realtors.org or 202-383-1068. |
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From NAR’s Economist Outlook Blog: |
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| David Stark Public Affairs Director, Bay East Association of REALTORS® |
In the space of a week the REALTOR® Party lost two of its heroes.
On January 27 Becky DeVaughn passed away and on January 29 Don Rettig passed.Becky was a NAR staff member who for years worked on GAD support programs and Don was a REALTOR® who served on the Bay East Local Government Relations Committee and was dedicated to Bay East charitable activities.
While Becky and Don were separated by 3,000 miles and probably didn’t know each other they had much in common.
Both were integral parts of the REALTORS® government, community and political affairs programs. Becky at the national level and Don at the local level. Both understood the importance of advocacy and both were happy to work behind-the-scenes, never seeking credit, only asking for more opportunities to help. Both were also taken before their time.
Their passing makes me question a statement I made in this column a few months ago about GADs being “lone wolves.” We are not alone in our efforts. In fact, we’re part of a powerful, committed team that includes support staff and member volunteers.
Godspeed, Becky and Don. Please know that your quiet dedication and effort will always be an inspiration and will always be missed.
| Follow the REALTOR® Action Center! |
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GAD Directory |
SAVE THE DATE
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President’s Circle Conference February 26 – March 1, 2015 | ||||||||||||
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2015 Campaign Management Training | ||||||||||||
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New AE & GAD Orientation - Spring April 13th & 14th, 2015 Washington, DC |
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2015 GAD Institute July 15-18, in Salt Lake City, Utah |
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Issues Mobilization Committee Schedule and Application Deadlines |