RPAC Washington Update: December 17

Advocacy Scoop from NAR Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn

In the last episode of Advocacy Scoop this season, Patrick Newton and Shannon McGahn recap the extensive list of Advocacy Wins for 2024. The fight for affordability, availability, and accessibility comes in many forms, and detail the top wins in each of the five advocacy areas: legislative, policy, judicial, state and local, and political. 

NAR Comments on FHFA's Planned Expansion of Appraisal Waiver Programs

On December 10, 2024, NAR issued a comment letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) asking them to halt the recently announced expansion of the Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s (the GSEs) appraisal waiver programs in lieu of further analysis and public input.

NAR Consumer Guides

This month, NAR announced a new series of consumer resources designed to help agents who are REALTORS® empower home buyers and sellers following recent practice changes. To date, NAR has published six installments in the series and will continue to release new resources in the weeks ahead. Read More…

Setting the Record Straight on APOA

The National Association of REALTORS® is providing the facts after a recent article in The New York Times mischaracterized a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the American Property Owners Alliance (APOA), that receives NAR funding. In this Realtor Party News article, NAR lays out the portrayal of the APOA is not only biased but, at times, factually incorrect.  Read the full article…

December NAR Advocacy Spotlight

  • NAR is urging Congress to fund the government and extend the National Flood Insurance Program prior to the Dec. 20 deadline. 
  • Shannon McGahn was included in The Hill’s annual list of top lobbyists: the list are some of the best in the business and have been go-to advocates during a year defined by unprecedented political events, legislative logjams, federal spending cut crusades, and big rulemaking swings by the outgoing Biden administration.
  • The 2023-2024 Political Advocacy talking points were updated.
  • On December 3, NAR hosted “Maximizing Impact with Community Outreach Grants and Resources Webinar.”
  • NAR sat down with FEMA for an interview that explored the implications of reauthorization and reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): Flood Insurance at a Crossroads: NFIP Reforms, Risks and Real Estate Impacts.
  • Bryan Greene, Vice President of Policy Advocacy, had an interview with Newsday on policy changes we can expect in 2025 and advice for buyers and sellers – to run in Jan. 2025.
  • On December 10, 2024, NAR issued a comment letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) asking them to halt the recently announced expansion of the Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s (the GSEs) appraisal waiver programs in lieu of further analysis and public input.