NAR grants support local affordable housing initiatives

WASHINGTON – May 26, 2009 – The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has awarded $14,400 through its Housing Opportunity Fund grants program to four local Florida Realtor organizations. In total, 16 local and state Realtor associations received $49,050 through the program, which helps the organizations promote and expand affordable housing opportunities in their communities.

“Realtors build communities and are leaders in creating housing opportunities,” says NAR President Charles McMillan. “Grants from NAR’s Housing Opportunity Fund help provide state and local Realtor associations with additional resources and support to advance housing opportunities and make a real difference in their communities.”

NAR established the Housing Opportunity Fund in 2006. Grants up to $5,000 are awarded twice per year – in April and October. Since the program’s inception, NAR has awarded than 100 grants totaling over a quarter million dollars.

Grants can be used to fund a variety of activities, including housing symposia; home buyer education or housing fairs; counseling and financial literacy efforts; downpayment or closing cost financial assistance programs; public opinion surveys; and Realtor affordable housing education.

The following Realtor associations in Florida received the most recent Housing Opportunity Fund grants:

• Navarre Area Board of Realtors (Navarre, Fla.): $3,000 to host an event to attract military families to the community.

• Ocala/Marion City Association of Realtors (Ocala, Fla.): $1,400 to forge partnerships and hold an informational event for potential homebuyers.

• Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach (Fort Myers, Fla.): $5,000 to support homebuyer training and accreditation for Realtor members.

• Realtor Association of Greater Miami & the Beaches (Miami): $5,000 to hold education seminars about how changes to condominium bylaws can help condominiums comply with the new FHA and Fannie Mae guidelines and increase mortgage options for potential buyers.

To see the entire list, go to: http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/05/housing_initiatives. For more information on NAR’s Housing Opportunity Fund or to download an application, go to: www.realtor.org/housingopportunity. Applications for the next round of grants are due Oct. 2, 2009.

To help state Realtor associations or their housing foundations address the growing need for affordable workforce housing, NAR also provides funds of $50,000 or more through the Ira Gribin Workforce Housing Grants. Since its inception, the program has awarded $730,000 in grants for a variety of workforce housing programs. The program only runs during a two-year period, 2009-2010; applications and additional information are available at www.realtor.org/iragribingrant.

© 2009 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

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