RPAC Major Investor Spotlight

John Lucero, Lucero Development Services and Owner of iMPAX Real Estate Group

John has been a REALTOR® in the Denver community for over 25 years and is deeply rooted in the community. Known as an advocate for fair housing for all, John has served on countless public and REALTOR® Association groups working tirelessly to make sure that the opportunity and availability of good housing choices exists for all.

John serves as a Federal Political Coordinator for U.S. Sen. Michael Bennett and serves as a Key Contact for numerous state elected officials for CAR. He often provides expert testimony to legislative committees on topics such as water rights, workforce housing, development projects, and private property rights.

Who are you in your professional life?

I have been a REALTOR® of over 25 years in Denver who specializes in workforce housing and fair housing for all. My parents were a bi-racial couple, and when they first tried to buy a home they experienced redlining. It stuck with my mother for years, and that has always motivated me to work hard to find housing solutions for everyone. Then, growing up and maturing in the 60s and the 70s, I always embraced the notion that it takes a real fight to change unjust things. I’ve always been attracted to that fight.

My very first closing was a month after I got my license. I helped a family get out of public housing and directly into home ownership. Through the years, I’ve been able to assist their kids and even their grandkids with buying homes. I take great professional satisfaction out of that

My family has been blue collar for generations and we all worked hard for what we’ve earned. Because of this, I love to specialize in Affordable Workforce Housing. On the development side of my business, I’m frequently searching for projects that serve the workforce housing niche and often offer a below market rate housing stock. There’s not a lot of competition in that sector, and I’m able to serve the public by delivering a quality product at a price our workforce can afford.

Who are you outside of your real estate career?

Outside of the real estate world I’m an avid gardener. In fact, I’ve earned a Master Gardener certification over the years. I grow enough food for myself and my neighbors that we very rarely have to rely on other sources for fresh produce. I also love to cook and I love to travel, two things that often go hand in hand. I recently took a Master Chef class in Florence, Italy and learned more in that class than I ever expected about food, about people, and about flavors. I love to break bread and drink wine with people from other countries and other cultures. It’s how you learn about people and how you really get to know someone.

What does RPAC mean to you?

I’ve been involved in the legislative process and public policy for not only my entire career but also most of my adult life. Having sat on numerous government affairs committees at the local, state, and national levels, I’ve learned with absolute certainty that you have to put your money where your mouth is. And by that I mean it is important to be fully vested in the causes you most care about. You can’t just pay lip service to something if it’s truly important to you. Housing and real estate is truly important to me, and RPAC is committed to making sure that real estate interests are protected. To get good policy, you must elect the right people. RPAC is very effective in working towards that goal.

What message would you like to give to other REALTORS® about why they should contribute to RPAC?

I believe that contributing to RPAC is critical to being able to make a difference in our industry. We can’t let other people do the heavy lifting for us. We must make our mark if we want to truly matter. And one of the best things about being a REALTOR® is that we can make our mark in a variety of ways – we protect property rights, we protect water rights, we advocate for infrastructure, we build communities, and we help people find homes. We have to have a voice in this world and RPAC is the very foundation of our voice. Contributing to RPAC is the best thing we can do to strengthen our voice.