The REALTOR® Party: Shopping Local

announcer (00:04):

Welcome to the advocacy scoop, the podcast that takes you inside the advocacy work of the National Association of REALTORS® connecting 1.5 million members with their advocates in Washington for a front row seat to the fight for public policy that strengthens the ability of Americans to access property ownership.

Patrick Newton (00:25):

Well, hello everyone. Welcome back to the Advocacy Scoop podcast. I'm Patrick Newton NAR's Director of Advocacy Communications. Here again with Shannon McGann, our chief advocacy Officer. Hello, Shannon.

Shannon McGahn (00:35):

Hello, Patrick. Episode seven.

Patrick Newton (00:38):

Episode seven. It's flying by, and this is the first of three episodes that we are going to focus on the election.

Shannon McGahn (00:47):

Oh, only three episodes focusing on the election. It's just a...

Patrick Newton (00:50):

Small sort of off your election coming up. Nothing big. We're going to delve into everything that and what advocacy does regarding elections. This episode is titled The REALTOR® Party Shopping Local, because we don't just get involved here in Washington, D.C. where you and I are based, but we are in state houses and city councils and races all across the country. So, we're going to get into all of that here on this episode about the REALTOR® Party, which is not just a Party with a bunch of REALTORS®. The REALTOR® Party is actually, as we've talked about before, our fund name for some of our political work. We are the REALTOR® Party purple. So, the REALTOR® Party is critical in helping us identify and support REALTOR® champions at the state and local level, as well as advocating for critical policy issues in communities all across the country.

Shannon McGahn (01:37):

Yes, this is one of my absolute favorite things to talk about because I love parties and especially the REALTOR® Party and the work that the REALTOR® Party does all around the country. As the premier advocacy group in Washington, we are always hearing about what's happening in Washington D.C. and what are these national elections looking like. But not many people know the amount of activity that is happening around the country leading up to election time and off years as well with our grassroots roots network of more than 1.5 million members advocating on behalf of America's 86 million property owners and those who aspire to one day join them. So, a lot of great work to talk about today,

Patrick Newton (02:19):

And if you want to nerd out on it all, you go to our website, we have the REALTOR® Party resource guide, and it just goes, it's... I think it's how many,  what, 60-pages long, and it's just about every possible program grant of our advocacy work. And, you can go through all of that. But this episode, what we're going to talk about, like as you said, are some of the state and local initiatives. Our next episode we'll be talking about RPAC, our political action committee where we get involved in federal congressional races. But first, let's talk about our member and consumer involvement programs, some of our grassroots advocacy, the Advocacy Everywhere program. It's really what differentiates NAR from other advocacy organizations, the size of the network that we can rely on to weigh in with policymakers.

Shannon McGahn (03:00):

Oh, absolutely. But before we get to that, Patrick, did you just recommend that our dear listeners read a 60-page document on our website about the REALTOR® Party? That's why we are here. You don't have to go read that. You just listen to the advocacy scoop podcast like and subscribe, send to all of your friends, and if you want to dig in deeper, you have those resources available. But I haven't read anything that's 60 pages since I've had kids. It's been quite some time. So, just listen to this podcast.

Patrick Newton (03:29):

This is the guy who has the largest cliff notes library of the 1980s and nineties in his room. So, I completely agree with that,

Shannon McGahn (03:38):

But you're right to point out those resources exist. We are the most transparent and open organization that we have all of these resources available to you, but just listen to the podcast and recommend to your friends, and we'll cover this in 20 minutes. So, Advocacy Everywhere. This is our grassroots program for REALTORS® and consumers to weigh in on issues that are important to the overall real estate economy. This includes our calls for action program, email, broadcast, text messaging, social media activity, website outreach, all about mobilizing our REALTOR® membership and consumers on these key policy issues. If we go back a few episodes, we talked about one of our most recent calls for action that was very successful when we were coming up against a government funding deadline that would include the National Flood Insurance Program, and we got to think 20,000 outreach calls and emails and texts going to Capitol Hill within a matter of hours.

Patrick Newton (04:34):

And that was on a Friday night.

Shannon McGahn (04:35):

On a Friday night. Yeah, exactly. We were all glued to our phones on that Friday night getting that out the door, and then by the next day you saw massive bipartisan support. Members of Congress were reaching out saying, "Hey, is this the one that you're referring to?" And by the way, can you please stop calling? So...

Patrick Newton (04:51):

That has... I imagine in your office, Shannon, you have this golden button that's under a glass lid that you have to pick up and push and call for action. We don't do those every day.

Shannon McGahn (05:01):

We don't. It actually is very similar to that, but it's not gold, but it is an email chain that goes to a bunch of folks on our advocacy team saying, okay, it's time, and then we have to get everything moving, and especially to do that on a Friday night, but we have nothing to...

Patrick Newton (05:16):

Release the hounds. Exactly,

Shannon McGahn (05:17):

Exactly. We have nothing else. This is what we live for. So, we are very, very happy to do that, but it is worth noting that we do calls for action when they are needed. It is not an exercise. It is an important tool, and when we do need them and we do the call for action, we win.

Patrick Newton (05:34):

Oh, and my favorite thing about the calls for action you said, is that the impact they have, the influence of course, but also the fear of them because we'll have members of Congress be like, please don't...

Shannon McGahn (05:45):

We heard you.

Patrick Newton (05:46):

Please don't push the button. It's like, my staff does not want to answer 10,000 emails this weekend. Exactly. From your members. Well, we will do whatever you want. Just don't push the button.

Shannon McGahn (05:56):

Well, and especially helps with our government advocacy team because we are having those conversations day in and day out. And when you are hitting these key deadlines or an important issue that needs to come up, they do know that we have that grassroots support. And then we also have the 10 million contacts that the American Property Owners Alliance that works with all of our consumer outreach and advocacy efforts that they have the ability to work with too. So, it is definitely strength in numbers, but also the power of that collective voice.

Patrick Newton (06:23):

And we have this thing called REALTOR® Party mobile alerts. It's a texting platform that members can stay connected just over their phone via text when the legislative call for action is launched. So, we make this very easy on the membership when we launch a call for action. It's sort of just like paint by numbers.

Shannon McGahn (06:42):

Oh, exactly. And so it is a way that you can just subscribe to these text alerts too. So, this communication goes both ways that we can use REALTOR® Party mobile alerts to outreach, but also just to make sure that you are getting the information that you need. So, if you text REALTOR® to 3 0 6 4 4, you can join the list. But we also, over the last couple of years, when we've noticed that people are... they may have questions about important policy issues, and they don't always have that information at their fingertip, those 60-page resource guides available to them, especially when we're on the road and we're out giving remarks and we're trying to say, "Hey, we do have rent control resources, go to www..." No, text rent control to 3 0 6 4 4, and you will immediately get a response back with all of our rent control resources. If you text RPAC to 3 0 6 4 4, you'll get an immediate response with RPAC resources. And, if you're interested in the issues that we are focused on, if you text a, the letter A, A to Z to 3 0 6 4 4, you'll get back all of the positions that we have on a host of issues from, you guessed it, A to Z.

Patrick Newton (07:49):

I wish that worked with spouses... mow the yard death...

Shannon McGahn (07:53):

3 0 6 4 4.

Patrick Newton (07:57):

We make it very easy. Well, you mentioned, so our next episode we're going to talk about RPAC, which is Congress. This is shopping local. So, we're trying to focus a little bit on state and local side of the REALTOR® Party. And you mentioned the federal call for action where we got involved with the flood insurance program, but in 2024, we've supported 32 state association and 20 local association calls for action as of the time of this podcast. So, tell us a little bit about how we got involved in that and some of those issues.

Shannon McGahn (08:25):

Exactly. So, these advocacy everywhere programs are happening everywhere. There is advocacy. And, so in Utah, this was used to pass a major housing legislation package that was achieved through an issues mobilization grant, which we'll get into how fund those are. Iowa and Delaware both defeated rent control measures. Through these programs, Wisconsin passed legislation to remove discriminatory language from deeds. Maryland defeated legislation that would've created tax on services and passed legislation to define middle housing in the state's housing code. Nebraska defeated a document stamp tax. There's a county in North Carolina that halted restrictions on short-term rentals. And Austin, Texas passed phase two of the home initiative and other zoning reforms. And just this month, Massachusetts passed a major housing affordability package. So, all of these are with resources, funds and advocacy everywhere, program efforts that are coming from the National Association to the state and local associations to help support or defeat these policy of proposals

Patrick Newton (09:31):

And our political advocacy. We have so many resources, campaign training support for independent expenditures just to help our associations be successful in all these campaigns to elect champions, REALTOR® champions to public office. So, I just said independent expenditure, you've said that before in previous episodes, but I really want to dive into what an independent expenditure is because that's such D.C. lingo. Not everybody might understand what that... that's a very specific thing.

Shannon McGahn (10:04):

Well, it's an expenditure that's independent, Patrick. Oh, okay,

Patrick Newton (10:07):

Then let's move on. That's it. You've explained it.

Shannon McGahn (10:09):

So, some of these issues when you're talking about issues mobilization, so those are policy positions. So, those are things like ballot initiatives or issue related campaigns. Independent expenditures are independent because those are to support a candidate and they have to be done independently without any coordination with the candidate or the candidate's committee. So, this is a legal way for groups like ours to support candidates running for office that is firewalled off from the campaign according to the Federal Election Commission, where you can find all kinds of resources on the technicalities of all of these issues. The very technical definition of an independent expenditure is a communication that expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, and which is not made in coordination with any candidate or their campaign or political Party. So, this is advertising that will say, support candidate X vote for, whereas an issues mobilization will say to support ballot initiative X or defeat ballot initiative X or support this zoning reform. So those are issue-based, not based on a candidate.

Patrick Newton (11:18):

Well, let's talk scoreboard because 2020... Well, first of all, we're only halfway through the year here, a little bit more than halfway through the year, and we've already approved 216 independent expenditures. But last year, 2023, we were very successful. Tell us about our successes.

Shannon McGahn (11:34):

Yeah, so 2023, which people look at these odd number years as an off year, but no, there are still elections happening across the country. So, there were 238 applications approved with more than $6 million spent, and the results were 148 wins and 26 runoffs. So, we had a 73% success rate and some notable election day wins. Remember reporting it at our annual convention. Next was we swept all four races in Seattle, all five in Ohio, all four in New Jersey, and helped secure the reelection of Orlando, Florida, mayor Buddy Dyer...

Patrick Newton (12:09):

Which every Walt Disney World fan knows.

Shannon McGahn (12:12):

I mean, he greets you on the little subway taking you to your baggage claim. So, we all know Orlando Mayor, buddy Dyer.

Patrick Newton (12:19):

So, if you're headed to President Circle this year, which is in Orlando, or next year, I guess I should say, when you hear Buddy Dyer greets you on the moving walkway, we did that. So, we helped at least.

Shannon McGahn (12:33):

Yeah, we helped. We helped.

Patrick Newton (12:34):

That's exactly right. But yeah, so you talked about independent expenditures and then you sort of alluded to issues mobilization. So, let's talk about that now a little bit more in depth because we have what's called a state and local issues mobilizations program. It allows states to get financial and technical assistance in advocating their positions on an issue or ballot initiative. So, what kind of ballot initiative?

Shannon McGahn (13:01):

Oh, this keeps us very busy. There's always something going on around the country. So, in 2024, our wins so far are that the Illinois REALTORS® assisted by the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and NAR defeated a real estate transfer tax ballot measure in the city of Chicago, big win. That was a very big win. Washington REALTORS® defeated a legislative transfer tax. The Oregon REALTORS® helped pass and sign into law a zoning reform measure to increase housing supply. The Utah REALTORS® helped pass and sign four major housing bills. You mentioned earlier, Missouri REALTORS® secured passage of land bank legislation that will allow St. Louis and other municipalities to redevelop vacant properties. We just need NHIA to follow that one up. California REALTORS® defeated a vacancy tax ballot measure in the city of Adelanto. And then that is on top of what happened in 2023 where the program approved 82 grants shattering its previous record by 20%, and the program awarded more than 7.2 million in grant funding to associations in 26 states. Again, that's in 2023.

Patrick Newton (14:06):

And, you mentioned that too, with the independent expenditures, our 2023 stats. But it's worth reemphasizing that that was an off election year. I mean, that was not even a midterm. We have our presidential election years every four years, and then every two years between that we have the midterms, but this was between a midterm and an election year. So, that was great.

Shannon McGahn (14:29):

Even there is no year off in REALTOR® advocacy, there's not a day off that there is always something moving and we're going to be involved.

Patrick Newton (14:37):

Amazing. So, issues mobilization and independent expenditures, how is that money dispersed? How is that decided?

Shannon McGahn (14:46):

So, the way that these funds are distributed is that these are out of the NAR REALTOR® Party dues. The committees will take this up based off of the recommendations or the request of a local and state association. So, we ensure that the local, state and national association are not working against each other on a transfer tax issue, which would be very unlikely, but that we are all working on the same issue and that those funds are made available to where they're needed most similar to how the federal government operates. And, when you have an emergency or some resources that are needed that those funds are pulled together, this ensures that REALTORS® around the country are being heard in state houses and in city councils and wherever these private property and housing related issues are popping up.

Patrick Newton (15:33):

Well, I've always said that the best REALTOR® champions in Congress or in office are REALTORS®.

Shannon McGahn (15:43):

Do make great candidates.

Patrick Newton (15:43):

They do make great candidates. And so it's natural too because our NS members are engaged in their communities. They know the issues. They're oftentimes prominent members of their communities. And, so it's a natural progression for REALTORS® to run for office, and we have a program for that.

Shannon McGahn (16:01):

Absolutely. It's a tremendous program. And another way, the REALTOR® Party is making a huge difference on the political and policy landscape. This training walks potential candidates through step-by-step process from making the decision to run to fundraising and get out the vote efforts leading up to and including election day. And it's also worth noting that there are dozens of members of Congress and not to mention elected officials at the state and local level who are former REALTORS®. And, we just had the Real Estate Caucus launch earlier this year in Congress, and that includes many folks who either worked as REALTORS® or in the real estate marketplace. Maybe it was in construction or real estate developments or others, but as nearly one fifth of the economy... it's important that those voices are not just heard throughout this process, but that they are in leadership positions and helping to drive these policy agendas.

Patrick Newton (16:53):

Well, we talked about our giant REALTOR® Party resource guide, but shifting gears a bit, we have so many other policy resources available to states and local associations and our members, I mean, they include issue, spotlights, webinars, white papers and all sorts of things.

Shannon McGahn (17:10):

Oh, yes. And we have the Washington Report that is up, includes anything that's happening at the national level. And then of course, your best resource here is the advocacy scoop podcast where We'll...

Patrick Newton (17:20):

I mean, what else do you need? I mean, give us 20 minutes, we'll give you REALTOR® advocacy.

Shannon McGahn (17:26):

Exactly, exactly. But the REALTOR® Party is where you can find all of these issues that are moving through and these reports that are happening all across the country, not just in Washington D.C.

Patrick Newton (17:37):

Okay. Well, it's about that time closing time, and we've had a big couple of months here, Shannon, because as we said, it's election season and we have had the Republican National Convention and now the Democratic National Convention, both were full of twists and surprises. And you have some scoop for us on that.

Shannon McGahn (17:57):

Sure. Sure. So, NAR was very active and involved in both conventions, hosting president Kevin Sears, both in Milwaukee and in Chicago, and working with organizations like Politico and the national real estate organizations, groups like the Mortgage Bankers Association, the National Association of Home Builders, the Real Estate Round Table with our good friend Jeff Debore. He and I were interviewed by a Politico executive in Milwaukee to talk about what is happening in the state of housing leading up to the election. And then our CEO Nikia Wright interviewed in Chicago for similar conversation, our permanent, our permanent CEO. Yes, yes. And so, that announcement has gone out and we are very excited. She has been an advocate's advocate, she has been a great supporter and leader of all of our advocacy efforts, and we are very excited to see her take the helm more permanently and bring her into D.C. for some fun meetings. So, the conventions are, especially for the government advocacy team, we love 'em probably too much. They're a lot of fun. Incredibly exhausting. These events go from breakfast until three, four o'clock in the morning.

Patrick Newton (19:06):

And breakfast to breakfast...

Shannon McGahn (19:07):

Breakfast to breakfast. Exactly. You're seeing the sun come up. But what is important is that you're seeing so many influential people in the policymaking space and the political space all within a few blocks of each other. And so you're really able to communicate and make an impact. And I'm so grateful they are only once every four years.

Patrick Newton (19:26):

Yeah, I bet. And just to reemphasize, we don't get involved in the presidential races. We are at the conventions because all members of Congress are there. The whole political world is there. And like you said, we had a great discussion on affordable housing at both conventions and so that's why we're there. But to reemphasize, we do not...

Shannon McGahn (19:45):

We do not get involved in the presidential election, but the political parties and the fun events around it, we certainly can.

Patrick Newton (19:53):

Awesome! Well, thank you Shannon for giving us a scoop on that. I think most of our members would not know that we were there on the ground in Milwaukee, in Chicago. And just another example of the many ways that NAR's advocacy is working every day that you just might not know about. And I hope you feel a little more enlightened and informed about how we get involved in issues and candidates on the state and local level. And next month we will unpack RPAC.

Shannon McGahn (20:15):

Oh, that sounds very exciting.

Patrick Newton (20:17):

I know. So, RPAC, everything you've ever wanted to know, we will talk about that as we head into November and see just exactly how we're getting involved in all of that. Because we have already with RPAC, as of the time of this podcast, been involved in 354 primary contests, 331 of those, the candidate advanced to the general election. So, RPAC is a very important program. So, we'll be getting into all that next month.

Shannon McGahn (20:42):

Staying busy heading to November.

Patrick Newton (20:43):

Alright, well thanks everybody for tuning in. We will see you next time. So that's the scoop. Thank you to everyone listening to this podcast. Please be sure to subscribe and share wherever you get your podcast. And meet us right back here for more advocacy scoop next time.

announcer (20:58):

REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS® .