BRR friends,
We’ve had a great start to the year with our local advocacy efforts, and we’d like to share some highlights with you!
In an effort to address the needs of our rapidly growing community, we endorsed and supported the proposed local school bonds in West Ada School District and Emmett Independent School District. We helped campaign on behalf of these districts by utilizing funds from our Corporate Ally Program, as well as NAR’s Issues Mobilization grant money that we were awarded.
Thanks to BRR’s campaign efforts, the West Ada School District bond received the two-thirds majority of “Yes” votes needed and narrowly passed! This means the district can build new schools and expand existing schools, addressing the needs of families moving into the area.
Due to a recent merger between BRR and the Emmett Valley Association of REALTORS®, Gem County is now part of our local advocacy jurisdiction. Emmett was unsuccessful in passing their bond, but our efforts didn’t go unnoticed or without positive impact. Supporting and campaigning on behalf of the Emmett Independent School District bond allowed us to make new friends and prove our commitment to the growth of their community.
We’ve also hosted successful fundraising events for our REALTOR® Political Action Committee (RPAC), raising over $80,000 so far this year. These events are incredibly important for our national, state, and local advocacy efforts. Case in point, BRR’s Public Policy Committee is currently in the process of interviewing candidates for countywide elected official positions in Ada and Gem counties, in order to identify and endorse REALTOR® Champions who will receive RPAC support in their campaigns. REALTOR® Champions are those who are committed to key issues that are impacting the housing industry and our fast-growing community.
Two recent recipients of BRR’s endorsement and RPAC dollars, Boise City Council members TJ Thomson and Holly Woodings, joined us for our RPAC VIP Reception last month. It was great opportunity to learn about issues the city is working on, and for those elected officials to hear about our industry directly from REALTORS®.
Let’s not forget the quarterly “59 Minute Meeting” forum series, an exclusive event for our members where we get to hear from and discuss various topics of public policy interest with our guest speakers. In February, we hosted Cameron Arial, Director of Meridian Community Development; Clark Krause, Executive Director of Boise Valley Economic Partnership (BVEP); and Bobbi-Jo Meuleman, Director Idaho Department of Commerce, in an incredible discussion on economic growth in our region. This last 59 Minute Meeting was our most highly attended to date, with over 100 attendees! Keep the morning of May 1st open for our next 59 Minute Meeting!
One more thing! Our talented Director of Communications, Cassie Zimmerman, helped us create a fantastic infographic that highlights the tremendous success we experienced last year with our REALTOR® Party community grants. Check it out HERE and feel free to share it with your friends, family, and clients! There has never been a better time to be a member of the Boise Regional REALTORS®!
These are just a few of the things we’ve been working on over the last few months. We’ve got a lot more coming in the months ahead, that we can’t wait to share with you. If you haven’t already, register your team or sponsor a hole for BRR YPN’s Pub ‘N’ Putt on April 14th, benefitting RPAC, and join us for a fun day of mini golf!
We’ll be sharing live updates from NAR’s annual Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo as we learn about upcoming initiatives and policies, so let us know if you have questions or are interested in learning more.
The goal of our advocacy efforts is always to benefit your business and our community, and we appreciate your support in that. If you have any questions or need assistance, let us know!
