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The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® has partnered with the country’s leading housing industry advocates to launch “Housing America 2007,” a national affordable housing awareness campaign. The campaign aims to inform and educate decisionmakers and the general public about the state of the nation’s housing, reestablish housing as a national priority, and promote the sustainable development of affordable housing so that communities can provide residents with a wide range of housing opportunities.
For two weeks, which began Wednesday, through April 9, Housing America 2007 participants and other affordable housing advocates nationwide will sponsor activities that highlight the critical need for affordable housing programs, policies, and resources.
“NAR is encouraging the nation’s 1.3 million REALTORS® to help eliminate barriers to affordable housing and become aggressive advocates for housing opportunity programs in their states and local communities,” said REALTOR® Iona Harrison of Realty Executives Main Street in Upper Marlboro, Md., and past chair of NAR’s Housing Opportunity Advisory Board. “We hope that REALTORS® across the country can get involved and send a letter to their legislator’s office, partner with local housing organizations or contribute to groups that support affordable housing — not just for the next two weeks, but throughout the year.”
NAR’s Housing Opportunity Program, which helps REALTOR® associations create housing opportunity initiatives, will soon launch a new database compiling more than 600 examples of successful affordable housing activities and programs created by local and state REALTOR® associations. The database will be a valuable tool for practitioners and will include ideas on how to promote housing opportunities for both renters and home owners and how to get involved with affordable housing initiatives in their local communities.
The number of programs contained in the database reflects the ongoing commitment by state and local REALTOR® associations to aggressively advocate a full range of viable housing opportunities. NAR anticipates that REALTOR® involvement during the next two weeks of the campaign will help to further expand the number of programs in the database.
Why the Campaign is Needed
The campaign comes at the heels of a recent poll that shows nine out of 10 Americans agree that providing affordable housing in their communities is important. However, fewer than half of the Americans surveyed believe the nation’s current housing policy is on the right track to meet the nation’s housing needs, according to a new poll released by a coalition of public, private, and nonprofit industry groups, including NAR. The poll of 1,205 adults was conducted by telephone from March 7-9 by Zogby America.
The poll also found that Americans want the government to more actively address affordability issues. In fact, 75 percent of survey respondents said that presidential candidates’ ideas for creating more affordable housing were important in determining for whom they would vote. Nearly seven in 10 said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who articulated a detailed plan to provide affordable housing.
Who's Involved in the Campaign
Housing America 2007 participants are NAR; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; Housing Assistance Council; Local Initiatives Support Corporation; Mortgage Bankers Association; National Association of Counties; National Association of Home Builders; National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials; National Council of State Housing Agencies; National Housing Conference; National League of Cities; National Low Income Housing Coalition; and U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Source: REALTOR® Magazine Online
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