Dear CAR Member,
February is Black History Month, and it’s of particular significance for REALTORS®. As we learn more about past actions of organized real estate and policies that denied homeownership to Black people and immigrants and continue to address Black homeownership and industry challenges, we can take inspiration from stories about the often unsung heroes who fought to further fair housing for communities of color. To commemorate Black History Month, the current issue of California Real Estate magazine highlights three African American Californians who led successful efforts to fight discrimination and injustice against Black landowners. Read the article here. Additionally, in the same issue, you can read about a discriminatory practice called “redlining” here. Learning more about the history of redlining can help REALTORS® more sensitively work with clients from all backgrounds.
We all know that homeownership is a key element to building generational wealth and economic security for working families while stabilizing communities across our state. One way C.A.R. is helping to close the homeownership gap for communities of color is partnering with three regional nonprofit housing organizations to administer funds of up to $250,000 within each of their regions in 2022. Along with Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS), Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services (RNHS) and Neighborhood Housing Services of LA County (NHSLA), C.A.R.’s Housing Affordability Fund’s HAF Closing Cost Assistance Grant Program is providing closing cost grants up to $10,000 for eligible first-time home buyers from an underserved community. Grants are provided to low- to moderate-income (120% AMI and below) first-time homebuyers who use the services of a California REALTOR®. To learn more about the program, our partners and how to donate to HAF, visit on.car.org/hafclose.
The need for REALTORS® to engage with state legislators is greater than ever, and that’s why C.A.R. is hosting two Legislative Days this year. We are exactly a week away from the first one — Virtual Legislative Day, being held Wednesday, March 2. I assure you, Virtual Legislative Day will be packed with great information that will inform, inspire and engage you. The opening session features California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis as our keynote speaker. We’ll have a discussion with Los Angeles Times housing reporter Liam Dillon and a C.A.R. Center for California Real Estate (CCRE) session with USC demographer Dowell Myers, PhD about the impact of population trends on housing. We’ll also have a panel on the insurance market and a dialog on how we can increase housing supply with Assemblymember Tim Grayson. You’ll also have a chance to hear from and ask questions of C.A.R.’s new CEO, John Sebree, and C.A.R. Deputy Chief Economist Oscar Wei will give an economic update. Register for Virtual Legislative Day here, and stay tuned for more details about our live, in-person Legislative Day, which will be held April 27 in Sacramento.
Lastly, if you haven’t registered for Tech Xperience: A Virtual Summit yet, I recommend you take 5 minutes and do so now! On March 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., tech strategists and industry experts will walk you through new strategies and action items you can immediately put to work to help propel your business through tech. They’ll cover the most requested tech topics including major tech trends to watch, insanely useful tools for your biz, killer content creation apps and tools that convert, how virtual staging can help you sell for top dollar, breaking down the metaverse and what it means for you, and much more! Once you register today, you’ll have access to replay all sessions post-event at your convenience. Register now for only $15 at virtualxperience.org.
Sincerely,
Otto Catrina
C.A.R. President