Advocating for You and Your Industry

By: Jeff Arakelian, RASM CEO

Simply put, your Association advocates for legislation that is good for real estate and Realtors®, and against legislation that is harmful to real estate and Realtors®. Investing in RPAC is your professional insurance to protect your livelihood. The greater the number of members participating in advocacy, the greater the impact we can have through our strength in numbers.

Our professional legislative advocates are government affairs staff at the local, state, and national levels. They constantly monitor favorable or detrimental legislation to our industry and communicate the positions of the industry to legislators.

RPAC provides political contributions to support lawmakers or candidates who are sympathetic to our causes and issues. By contributing to their campaigns, we help build relationships with these lawmakers, gain access to them, and influence their decisions on real estate issues. This is why it is so important for Realtors® to invest in RPAC. Like it or not, this is how the game of politics is played.

The third pillar of our advocacy program is grassroots involvement meaning the participation of members in calls for action on an issue or simply investing in RPAC. Our Association has the greatest potential to positively influence public policy at all levels through our strength in numbers (our members).

In this issue, you can find more detailed information about our advocacy programs, how you benefit, and how you may get involved to protect your livelihood. As it’s often said, “Those that gain the most from our industry have the most to lose.”

President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Every man owes a part of his time and money to the business or industry in which he is engaged. No man has a moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is striving to improve conditions within his sphere.” •