More than 9,000 REALTORS® are in attendance at the 2018 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo, held this week in Washington, D.C., to advance homeownership initiatives and advocate for real estate. Beginning on May 14 and running through May 20, the agenda includes Capitol Hill visits, the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, and several sessions.
 
"As real estate professionals and REALTORS®, our day-to-day business is influenced by the decisions made by our policymakers, and what happens on Capitol Hill matters tremendously to the real estate industry, our livelihood and the existing and future property owners we serve," says National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) President Elizabeth Mendenhall. "That's why NAR concentrates tremendous effort advocating for federal, state and local policy initiatives and why so many REALTORS® are here in Washington this week, focusing Congress' attention on the issues that bear significant weight on our industry."
 
Of critical importance to NAR is the extension of fair housing protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity—a cause the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) is also championing. NAR's Code of Ethics commits REALTORS® to equal professional services regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. 
 
"REALTORS® are proud to lead the way toward greater equality in housing opportunities, and we urge Congress to adopt fair housing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity," Mendenhall says.
 
Additionally, Ben Carson, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.); Danielle Hale; chief economist of realtor.com®; William "Brock" Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Mick Mulvaney, acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB); and Lawrence Yun, chief economist of NAR, will all be on hand to speak during the week. 
 
Beyond the issues and sessions, more than 190 REALTORS®—the biggest class ever—will be inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) 2017 Hall of Fame for a $25,000 (or more) investment in RPAC. Several thousand REALTORS®, plus associations at the local and state levels, will also be recognized. 
 
Last, but not least, on Wednesday and Thursday, attendees can visit the Trade Expo, which has over 100 exhibitors—RISMedia will be represented at Booth No. 515.
 
For more information, please visit www.nar.realtor. 
 
Suzanne De Vita is RISMedia's online news editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at sdevita@rismedia.com.

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