Advocating 101 23 Ways to Advocate in 2023

1. Respond to a Call for Action. When there is legislation the National Association of Realtors ® or NJ Realtors ® strongly supports or opposes, we might ask you for help. Contacting your elected officials is the most effective way to participate in grassroots advocacy.

2. Sign Up for Realtor® Party Mobile Alerts. Simply text the word REALTORS to 30644.

3. Invest in the Realtors® Political Action Committee of NJ. Learn more about the importance of RPAC and how to invest at njrealtor.com.

4. Aware of a local issue? Call the NJ Realtors® Government Affairs Department at 609-341-7100. Recently, the team has worked on burdensome rent control legislation and short-term rental ordinanaces.

5. Participate in Candidate Training. Save the date: NJ Realtors® is hosting a Women’s Candidate Training in-person on April 26 at NJ Realtors® headquarters.

6. Attend the 2023 Realtors® Legislative Meetings from May 6-11 in Washington, D.C. This year, there will be a trade expo, Realtor® block party, and more. Learn more at legislative.realtor.

7. Participate in NJ Realtors® Trenton Day. NJ Realtors® annual event is typically held in June in Trenton. NJ Representatives come to speak to members and answer questions about pertinent legislation. More information about 2023 Trenton Day coming soon!

8. Apply for an NJ Realtors® Committee. From Government Affairs to Risk Management to PR & Marketing, NJ Realtors® has 15 committees to help make your voice heard, stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the industry, and make connections with other Realtors®. Applications are available every summer.

9. Sign Up to Receive Email Updates from Your Elected Officials. Did you know your State Legislators and members of Congress send emails to their constituents? Sign up for updates on what’s happening on Capitol Hill and in Trenton.

10. Read the NJ Realtors® Legislative Issues Book. Each year, NJ Realtors® Government Affairs Department dives into current important legislative topics and publishes it at issuu.com/newjerseyrealtor. Read this year’s book for information on independent contractor status, lead paint remediation, the state budget, and more.

11. Read “State of the State” Each Week in NJ Realtors® Weekly. Every Wednesday at 4 p.m. NJ Realtors® sends NJ Realtors® Weekly, a full membership weekly newsletter that includes the industry’s top lines for the week. State of the State, a special weekly feature, outlines legislation NJ Realtors® is watching, encourages you to act on certain topics, explains important issues, and more.

12. Call a Colleague and Tell Them About RPAC. RPAC is one of the top tools in NJ Realtors® arsenal. If one of your colleagues doesn’t know what RPAC is and what they do for the industry, be an advocate and tell them about issues RPAC has worked on, such as the realty transfer fee, short-term rentals, and more.

13. VOTE! This year, Primary Election Day is June 6, and the General Election will be held on Nov. 7.

14. Subscribe to the Realtor® Party Newsletter. Everything you need to know about the Realtor® Party is delivered right to your email inbox. Each month they share the industry by the numbers, Realtor® success stories, upcoming volunteer opportunities, and more.

15. Attend a Municipal Meeting. There are many meetings at the local level that might be of interest to a Realtor®, such as a council meeting or planning board. Most municipalities post a calendar of meetings on their website.

16. Follow and Share NJ Realtors® Content on Social Media. NJ Realtors® shares all the industry news you never knew you needed @njrealtors on Instagram, New Jersey Realtors® on Facebook, and @nj_realtors on Twitter.

17. Know Your Elected Officials Visit house.gov and njleg.state.nj.us to find out who represents your area.

18. Read the Realtor® Party Resource Guide. Discover Realtor® Party beliefs with its Resource Guide. It features educational resources, available grants, highlights success stories, and more. Visit realtorparty. realtor.

19. Encourage Clients to Join NAR’s Home Ownership Matters Program. Homeownership Matters is the National Association of Realtors® consumer advocacy program. Encourage your clients to join at homeownershipmatters.realtor to read up on private property issues, and take action when there’s a homeownership issue in their area.

20. Become a Mentor. Find a newer Realtor® in your office or area and consider guiding them through vital issues and the importance of RPAC so future leaders are just as knowledgeable as our current leaders.

21. Join the NAR Broker Involvement Program. This program provides brokers with resources and tools to help rally their agents when there’s an important legislative issue. Joining the program gives brokers access to the Broker Portal and will send emails to your salespeople so they’re more involved in the industry.

22. Join the Hub. Did you know there’s an online messaging board for Realtors®? Visit thehub.realtor to read the latest news on the national level and subscribe to receive emails through the Hub to stay up-to-date on important industry issues.

23. Help us Stomp Out Bias in Real Estate. NAR offers many resources to help train Realtors® on how to be aware and remove bias from the industry, including the At Home With Diversity® certification, which explains the fair housing laws and best practices for a multicultural real estate market.

New Jersey Legislative Bills

A4648 – Lopez (D19), McKnight (D31)/S3317 –Pou (D35), Ruiz (D29)

Codifies prohibition of discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals and requires real estate appraisers to complete anti-bias training.

New Jersey Realtors® Position: SUPPORT

We support this bill as it will help to end discriminatory practices during the real estate appraisal practice.

Bill History:

9/22/2022 – Introduced in Assembly and referred to Assembly Regulated Professions Committee

11/7/2022 – Introduced in Senate and referred to Senate Commerce Committee

12/19/2022 – Reported out of Senate Committee, second reading in Senate

A4824 – Jasey (D27), Lopez (D19)/ S2981 – Cryan (D20)

Establishes Home Sharing Evaluation Task Force.

New Jersey Realtors® Position: SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENT

We support this bill with an amendment to add a real estate licensee to the task force.

Bill History: 9/22/2022 – Introduced in Senate and referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee

9/29/2022 – Reported out of Senate committee with amendments, second reading in Senate

10/17/2022 – Amended on Senate floor

10/24/2022 – Introduced in Assembly and referred to Assembly Housing Committee

11/21/2022 – Passed by the Senate 36-0, received in Assembly and referred to Assembly Housing Committee

12/5/2022 – Reported out of Assembly committee with amendments, second reading in Assembly

S3066

Prohibits construction of commercial or industrial buildings within certain distance of residential homes without homeowner approval; requires development of waiver form to allow construction of commercial or industrial buildings.

New Jersey Realtors® Position: OPPOSE

We oppose this bill as it creates an unnecessary burden on the commercial real estate sector in New Jersey pertaining to new construction of commercial or industrial buildings.

Bill History: 9/29/2022 – Introduced in Senate and referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee