Hello REALTORS®,
In the last Watchdog Report, I covered the first of three elements of our government affairs program: how government affects your business. I highlighted the importance of supply, or lack of it, and the impact of rising housing prices. This week I will cover how your association represents you, and I’ll use a couple of short case studies to illustrate how your association represents Realtors.
First, it is important to know that all three levels of the Realtor organization—local, state, and national—are critical to our success.
At the Western Upstate Association of REALTORS®, we spent the last year studying our needs and creating a government affairs program that meets Realtor needs and involves Realtors in the process. A key part of that program was the creation of my position with the association.
Our work locally is supported by two groups: the Grassroots Government Affairs Team and the RPAC Committee, each with important and distinct responsibilities. The Grassroots Government Affairs Team helps guide our advocacy efforts. In fact, many members of the team are directly involved in monitoring and advocating in the jurisdictions where they live and work.
The RPAC Committee focuses on the election of business-friendly people to government office. Their role is crucial because our effectiveness relies on elected officials who understand and appreciate the work that Realtors do in our community.
Other local associations have similar programs that focus on their local areas.
The SC REALTORS® Association focuses on the General Assembly and state agencies, including the Real Estate Commission, which licenses Realtors. And the National Association of REALTORS® focuses on Congress, the White House, and the various federal agencies important to Realtors. NAR and SCR offer multiple programs that provide support to our work in the Western Upstate. The most important is RPAC, a nonpartisan political action committee. RPAC is unique among professional associations because it is a cooperative PAC where we work together at all three levels, under a single PAC, to raise funds and support candidates at all levels of government.
A great way to wrap this up is to share a couple of examples of how your REALTORS® association has collaborated to advocate for Realtors.
Short Term Rentals
In 2019, the City of Seneca changed their ordinance so that the city could enforce the covenants of a neighborhood association. They also required that the owner of a short-term rental reside at the property for at least 183 days per year and list the property as their legal voting address. Your association opposed this ordinance.
SCR supported a property owner’s challenge to the Seneca ordinance in court, which was successful. And now SCR is seeking to clarify in legislation that short-term rentals are legal, but properly licenses and taxed. Multiple programs have supported our short-term rental advocacy including lobbying, campaigns, research, and legal programs.
NIMBYism
The Not in My Backyard movement is alive and well in the Upstate. The problem with NIMBYism is that opposition to development is not anchored in public policy, but in self-interest. The common refrain is, “I am not opposed to growth, but…” That is what makes NIMBYism so difficult to address. The opponent of new development in one area will be neutral to or in support of new development in another area. NIMBYism is pervasive everywhere but particularly strong in Pickens County, especially Easley.
Your association, in coalition with the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS®, has worked together to tackle this problem head on. I have worked closely with my counterpart at GGAR, Chirs Bailey, to understand the problem and possible solutions. We recently executed a campaign based on polling research and other tools we accessed through NAR and SCR. And just this week a group of 25 Realtors attended the Easley City Council meeting to support Realtor Deb Stehle, an Easley resident, who spoke to city council about the housing needs in the city and the important work that Realtors are doing to help.
You can read about the campaign at www.GrowEasleySC.com. RPAC also participated this Spring in a special election for a vacancy on Easley City Council. Four more offices on Easley City Council will be on the ballot on November 7, including the office of Mayor.
These are just two examples of how your association, working with our affiliates, including RPAC, are working to represent you.
In the next Watchdog Report, I will write about how you can help. But there is one important way that you can help today: Contribute to RPAC. It’s easy. Your association includes a voluntary contribution to RPAC on your annual dues invoice. Pay it, and you are an RPAC supporter. If you haven’t supported RPAC this year, I encourage you to do so by clicking here.
And check out the Silent Auction to benefit RPAC by clicking here. If you win a bid, or contribute an item to the auction, you will be supporting RPAC as well.
Michael Dey, Director of Government Affairs