How GCAAR’s Government Affairs team is advocating for you

You might not always see it, but GCAAR’s Government Affairs team is constantly working behind the scenes to advocate for our REALTOR® and affiliate members. Even under the challenging backdrop of the pandemic, they’re continuing to work in collaboration with our members to address and accomplish many advocacy goals, with your best interests in mind. The following is a deeper dive into some of the ways GCAAR looks out for you.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the Circuit Court of Montgomery County shuttered the Land Records Office by designating its staff as non-essential. Working with our colleagues at the Maryland Land Title Association (MLTA), GCAAR’s Government Affairs team quickly sprang into action, resulting in the re-opening of the Land Records Office—and avoiding a potential multi-week delay in the recording of all documents tied to real estate transactions.

GCAAR collaborated with Maryland REALTORS® and the District of Columbia Association of REALTORS® to stay in close contact with state and local leaders throughout the pandemic to keep the industry moving forward. While regulations varied between each jurisdiction, real estate work has remained essential throughout most of the pandemic.

As our country and region battled through the pandemic, Montgomery County’s budget draft included reconsidering its tax structure. GCAAR took the following steps to ensure a recordation tax rate increase would not happen: • Urged the county executive against increasing taxes during such a difficult time. • Advocated firmly against a much more aggressive measure a few months later by the Montgomery

County Planning Board to raise recordation taxes yet again. • Took a position on proposed ballot questions A and

B for the November election when GCAAR knew it was time to work with the county on better alternatives for property taxes. • Leveraged your REALTOR® Party (also known as the REALTOR® Political Action Committee, or RPAC) investments, in partnership with Maryland REAL-

TORS® and NAR REALTOR® Party grants to mount a $200,000 ballot question campaign in favor of

Question A and against Question B. Our efforts were dramatically successful. • Vehemently voiced our opposition against any increases to the County Council. In the end, thanks to GCAAR’s combined efforts, the council voted to postpone any movement on recordation tax changes.

Switching our classes to virtual due to the pandemic meant we also had to quickly adapt our largest event of the year, REALTOR® Fest, to a virtual format. Working with Maryland REALTORS® and other area associations, GCAAR successfully got the Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC) to reconsider its guidance regarding live streaming/virtual distance learning for CE and limiting class size. This allowed for a highly successful REALTOR® Fest that included 48 CE classes and 6,285 continuing education hours reported.

In 2020 there were open seats on the county’s Board of Education. GCAAR held two forums for the candidates running for the at-large seat, including the now-elected board member Lynne Harris.

GCAAR connected with DHCD’s Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP) and, twice last year, teamed up with DHCD to host MMP webinars with over 300 members in attendance.

All of these accomplishments have been made possible by your investments in the REALTOR® Political Action Committee (also known as RPAC or the REALTOR® Party), which promotes the election of candidates who understand and support REALTOR® interests locally in Montgomery County, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

GCAAR is closely following these important local, state and national issues to ensure the best outcomes for the real estate community this year. Here’s a rundown of those issues, plus our recommendations.

The basis of much of Montgomery County’s budget is drawn from property and recordation taxes. Looking at the entire picture and working on reforms could deliver options for a more sustainable tax base.

Rising property values benefit home sellers but result in higher barriers to entry. Looking at ways to lower debt burdens or increase first-time homebuyer benefits could help lower those barriers.

Reviewing land use on a broader level could deliver the additional—and affordable—housing that our community needs as Montgomery County grows.

The DC Council is in the process of amending the Comprehensive Plan to provide new goals and strategies with stakeholder input, including creating more housing supply to meet growing demand.

The administration and the DC Council are taking steps to improve DCRA, but each have very different opinions. DCAR’s Public Policy Committee has created a DCRA Task Force to formulate proposals, from a consumer perspective, that will help improve department systems and processes.

DCAR has formed a Rent Control Task Force and has already been successful against expanding rent control to under five units. They are now making preparations on exemptions from the Eviction Moratorium and other protections for small housing providers.

GCAAR is closely working with Maryland REALTORS® on a campaign to raise the profile of housing issues, “Open Doors to Stronger Neighborhoods,” to expand housing opportunities for all Marylanders, complementing GCAAR’s own efforts to raise awareness of and to address fair housing issues.

Maryland REALTORS® is advocating for legislation that would require property managers who mostly work with single-family properties to register with the Maryland Real Estate Commission.

Maryland REALTORS® and GCAAR believe the state and the U.S. government must do more to lower cost barriers to extend high-speed internet to all Marylanders.

During the past year, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has kept tabs on the federal eviction moratorium—which has unfortunately crippled some small housing providers—and on the relief that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have provided to federally backed mortgages with forbearance. NAR has also encouraged the government to quickly disburse relief funds to struggling renters via the latest stimulus package.