IAR’s Federal Political Coordinators (FPCs) met Wednesday morning in Washington, D.C., as a kickoff for several days of meetings with Illinois congressional representatives.
The meeting gives the FPCs a final run through on issues affecting IAR’s 41,000 members. The group is in Washington for the National Association of REALTORS® Midyear meetings this week.
Members of the Illinois Association of REALTORS® pose on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on May 14, 2013, after a meeting at the office of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
Members of the Illinois Association of REALTORS® met with staff members from Sen. Dick Durbin’s office on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
Durbin was tied up in a meeting on immigration legislation, but IAR’s Federal Political Coordinators made sure that staff members knew members’ concerns over the mortgage interest deduction, rural housing and availability of credit for homeowners.
The visit to the U.S. Capitol kicks off several days of Hill visits by Illinois REALTORS®. Tomorrow FPCs will meet with Sen. Mark Kirk, and by the end of the day Thursday they will have met with most of the state’s representatives in Congress.
IAR’s FPCs are in Washington this week as part of the annual Midyear meetings. The event allows REALTORS® to get updates on federal issues in addition to lobbying on issues important to IAR’s 41,000 members.
Federal Political Coordinators area heading to Washington, D.C., this week to take part in a week of efforts to make the REALTOR® voice heard on Capitol Hill.
The FPCs, as they are called, will be taking part in the Midyear meetings held annually in the spring by the National Association of REALTORS®. This year they will get a chance to talk to elected officials about the need to make sure lending standards are favorable for prospective homebuyers, among other issues that affect IAR’s 41,000 members.
The Illinois Association of REALTORS® has FPCs assigned to every congressional district and the state’s senators. Their job is to forge relationships with elected officials at the federal level and to be a ready source of information about the housing market and its impact on the U.S. economy.
To learn more about the FPCs and the important role they play in protecting REALTOR® livelihoods, go to www.illinoisrealtor.org/government/fpc.
Look for updates on what the FPCs are up to as the week progresses.
REALTOR® opposition, the Cook County Board on Wednesday passed a measure making it a human rights violation for landlords to opt out of the federal Section 8 housing program.
The new rule passed by a 9-6 margin. Now, Illinois Association of REALTOR® advocates are trying to gain more details on how the policy will be implemented when it goes into effect Aug. 8 so the association can work with members to tell them what to expect. (See the testimony here and here).
IAR's Mike Scobey testifies before the Cook County Board of Commissioners on May 9 in opposition to a measure that provides source of income protection.
IAR’s concerns include the time it takes for the inspection process to be completed by housing officials certifying that the dwelling is acceptable for rental and the bureaucratic process that landlords would have to navigate in order to rent to a Section 8 voucher holder.
The federal Section 8 program was established in 1937 and is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Cook County Housing Authority. Historically the Section 8 program, which offers rental assistance to those with low incomes, was seen as voluntary on the part of landlords.
The Cook County Board’s move was pitched as a move to end discrimination against voucher holders. This new protection will be included in the ordinance’s “Source of Income” definition. This protection will join other protections already in place which guard against discrimination due to race, sex, age, disability and sexual orientation.
The new ordinance would apply to all rental units in Cook County. Even single-family homes that are rented are included under the provision.
The city of Chicago has had an ordinance for nearly two decades which is similar to the one passed by Cook County.
IAR’s Assistant Director of RVOICE and Local Advocacy, Mike Scobey, said a call to action yielded pressure on Cook County board members to vote against implementing the policy. In that call to action he noted: “Forcing landlords into the program means that landlords would be required to participate in a program that has many administrative requirements and problems.”
IAR Director of Governmental Affairs Greg St. Aubin briefs Illinois REALTORS® on key issues before they head to the state capitol to meet with legislators.
Hundreds of Illinois REALTORS® were out in force on Tuesday at the state capitol as they lobbied for private property rights and the real estate industry at the 37th annual Illinois Association of REALTORS® (IAR) Capitol Conference.
“You make a real difference when you come to Springfield,” IAR Governmental Affairs Director Greg St. Aubin told the crowd of REALTORS® who had come from all corners of the state.
Some of the top legislative issues on their agenda this year: