Smart Growth
Keeping a community attractive, livable and functioning well is a complex task. Who better to be stewards of their community than REALTORS®? Whether your community is grappling with transportation and land use issues, crowded schools or open space, or working to bring vacant properties back to productive use, NAR’s Smart Growth Program has resources to help you and your association plant seeds that will pay dividends for years to come.
Visit www.realtor.org/smartgrowth or read more about specific programs below.
Land Use Initiative
Contact: Bob McNamara at 202-383-1268
NAR’s land use initiative helps state and local REALTOR® associations conduct public policy advocacy regarding land use iand growth ssues. Upon request, NAR will provide expert analysis of the legal, planning, economic and environmental issues surrounding legislative and regulatory land use proposals.
Land Use Initiative Memo Database
Contact: Bob McNamara at 202-383-1268
The NAR Land Use Initiative Memo Database includes over 500 legislative proposals that have been received and commented on by the Land Use Initiative in a searchable database format. You can research how other areas have dealt with land use issues and the database can be searched by state, issue, date or keyword.
On Common Ground Magazine
Contact: Joe Molinaro at 202-383-1175
On Common Ground is published twice each year by the Community and Political Affairs office of NAR and is distributed free of charge. The publication presents a wide range of views on Smart Growth issues, with the goal of encouraging a dialogue among REALTORS®, elected officials and other interested citizens. Local and state associations can receive bulk copies of the magazine or provide an address list to have copies of the magazine delivered directly to individuals.
Smart Growth Grants
Contact: Hugh Morris at 202-383-1278
To increase the effectiveness of local association efforts in creating livable communities, NAR has established a grant program to fund programs and activities that position REALTORS® as leaders in improving their communities by advancing smart growth and green building policies. The grants are awarded twice a year and can be used for activities such as a smart growth conference or speaker series to educate members and local elected officials on the concepts of smart growth, development of a community vision through a community planning workshop or joining a coalition that is working toward a similar community vision.
Customized State Smart Growth Legislation Program
Contact: Bob McNamara at 202-383-1268
The Customized State Smart Growth Legislation Program provides assistance to state REALTOR® associations that wish to take the lead in writing and introducing legislation to help the state better address the challenges of growth and improve local communities. NAR will offer, at a reduced rate to the state association, the services of respected land use law firm, Robinson & Cole, to draft state legislation on Smart Growth issues. (Examples might include new zoning enabling legislation, requirements for local planning, changes in subdivision law, or open space protection.) These proposals must be related to land use and smart growth and should involve issues that can gain support from a constituency beyond REALTORS®.
State and Local Growth Polling Program
Contact: Hugh Morris at 202-383-1278
The NAR State and Local Growth Polling Program enables state and local REALTOR® associations to conduct polling on growth-related issues in their areas. The program introduces state and local associations to NAR-affiliated public opinion firms in order to perform a survey on the opinions of the local or state residents concerning growth. The surveys can be used as powerful tools to get the attention of government officials on the perceived needs of your community or to develop messages for advocacy campaigns. The cost varies depending on the detail of the poll as well as which public opinion firm. NAR will pay 50 percent of the cost of the surveys conducted by any local or state REALTOR® associations using this program.
Smart Growth E-News Quarterly Report
Contact: Bob McNamara at 202-383-1268
The Smart Growth e-News Quarterly Report is a service of NAR that provides information and status on growth related initiatives at the state and local levels. The report is updated four times per year and can be searched by state.
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