Contact-less merchandise pick up is available at SPAAR during office business hours. Due to Covid, the SPAAR building is closed to members through June 30, 2021. Email spaar@spaar.com or call (651) 776-6000 with any questions. |
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In this issue of SPAAR's eNews:
- Spotlight on SPAAR: Realtors® lead the way in volunteering
- It's National Volunteer Week! Time to celebrate all that you do!
- 2021 scholarship opportunities are now available
- Take part in the Coon Rapids Realtor® Forum on April 28
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Pioneer Press publishes decision to grant preliminary injunction of Saint Paul's S.A.F.E. tenant protections ordinance
- SPAAR Presents Fair Housing to the Saint Paul City Council
- SPAAR is seeking members for a new industry expert database
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The Color of Law book series discussion starts this month; book series is one of the many Fair Housing activities to check out
- Don't delay! REALTORS® Charitable Foundation grants are now being accepted!
- Check out SPAAR’s online store
- Rent control: seeking Realtor® input and involvement
- Now open: NAR's 2022 Committee application process
- Be part of the digital food drive for Every Meals
- Housing Market Statistics
- Join SPAAR's Facebook group for members only
- Welcome, new members!
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Spotlight on SPAAR: Realtors® lead the way in volunteering |
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National Volunteer Week is April 18-24, and SPAAR member Shannon Melloy shares ways you can get involved whether in person, virtually, now or in the future.
SPAAR's weekly videos highlight timely news, events, member features and key information to help benefit members in their business. As such, these videos complement content also shared in SPAAR's newsletters, on its website and on social media.
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It's National Volunteer Week! Time to celebrate all that you do! |
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Interested in volunteering? Already a volunteer? Learn how you can get involved in volunteering. And learn how your current volunteer work counts through the National Association of REALTORS® Good Neighbor program that is seeking to tally five million hours between November 2020 and November 2021 to show the immense impact Realtors® make across the country.
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2021 scholarship opportunities are now available |
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SPAAR’s REALTORS® Charitable Foundation in 2021 will award up to five $2,000 scholarships to the children or grandchildren of current SPAAR members who will enroll as new or continuing students in college or trade school.
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Take part in the Coon Rapids Realtor® Forum on April 28 |
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SPAAR and the City of Coon Rapids are hosting an event to provide local Realtors® with information that is informative and helpful as they assist homebuyers and property owners to buy and sell properties in Coon Rapids. The City of Coon Rapids wants to ensure that Realtors® representing Coon Rapids are well-versed and comfortable about the city’s many assets, programs and projects that make this a desirable place to live and own property.
This educational offering is recognized by the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce as satisfying 2.0 hours of Continuing Real Estate Education requirements. Register here for the Coon Rapids Realtor® Forum event.
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Pioneer Press publishes decision to grant preliminary injunction of Saint Paul's S.A.F.E. tenant protections ordinance
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This morning, April 19, Federal District Court Judge Paul Magnuson granted a preliminary injunction of the Saint Paul Stable, Accessible Fair & Equitable (S.A.F.E.) tenant protections ordinance. As a result, the City of Saint Paul is prohibited from enforcing the ordinance pending a trial on the claims made in the lawsuit. More information can be found here about the S.A.F.E. Tenant Protections Ordinance, as published in the Pioneer Press.
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SPAAR Presents Fair Housing to the Saint Paul City Council |
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Realtors® Patrick Ruble and Brian Wagner presented the Fair Housing Month Proclamation to the Saint Paul City Council at the council meeting on April 14. Patrick, who also led the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance, stated “While we acknowledge April as Fair Housing Month, as Realtors®, we endeavor to be fair every day in our work to secure housing for all.” Brian noted that “The purpose of the Fair Housing Act was to prevent discrimination in housing and to reverse segregation in housing. Although the law has gone a long way towards reaching these goals, they have yet to be fully realized.”
SPAAR’s Government Affairs Directors contacted each community in SPAAR’s territory to proclaim Fair Housing. SPAAR has worked closely with Burnsville, Fridley, Oak Park Heights and Stillwater in addition to Saint Paul. SPAAR members will present the same proclamation to Ramsey County on Tuesday, April 27.
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SPAAR is seeking members for a new industry expert database |
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SPAAR’s Communications Committee is creating a Real Estate Industry Expert database made up of SPAAR members who are interested in having their contact information on file. The database will serve as a resource when SPAAR needs experts for articles, speakers, videos, media inquiries and more.
SPAAR staff will work with experts to ensure messaging and information align with Realtor® values and policies; however, this could be a great way for members to share their expertise and be a resource within the greater real estate community.
Interested to participate or learn more? Contact Jennifer Kovacich, SPAAR’s Communications Director, at jkovacich@spaar.com.
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The Color of Law book series discussion starts this month; book series is one of the many Fair Housing activities to check out
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SPAAR’s Professionalism Committee on May 6 will kick-off a four-part morning discussion series on The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. The book investigates how federal policy imposed racial segregation on metropolitan areas nationwide restricting homeownership and wealth building.
What are solutions or next steps to addressing the cultural impacts this created? Future dates in the series will be held May 20, June 3 and June 17. Each session will be held via ZOOM from 8-8:45am.
Sign up for the book series through your member portal under the events tab, upcoming meetings here.
Discussions will be led by SPAAR Realtor® member Anita Hill. A limited number of shared copies of The Color of Law are available. To borrow a copy, email spaar@spaar.com.
Extra credit: Richard Rothstein will discuss his research in a virtual session presented by Hennepin History Museum on April 21 from 7-8:30pm. For tickets, visit https://hennepinhistory.org/event/color- of-law/. Note: this is an external event.
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Don't delay! REALTORS® Charitable Foundation grant are now being accepted! |
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Applications are now being accepted for the annual REALTORS® Charitable Foundation grant, which will be awarded to the selected recipient(s) from those who qualify.
SPAAR has awarded more than $300,000 to seven recipients in the past three years.
Applications will be considered based on the criteria that it includes one or more of SPAAR’s four primary areas of focus, called Pillars, intended to create Better Agents and Better Communities.
The Pillars are:
▪ Advocacy
▪ Community Engagement
▪ Professional Development
▪ Communications
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Check out SPAAR’s online store |
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SPAAR has now added all products to its Realtor® store online for your convenience. Please place your order by 10am Monday through Friday and your order will be available for pick-up at our St. Paul location only (325 Roselawn Avenue East, St. Paul) between 2-4:30pm.
Any questions, contact the Association office at (651) 776-6000. This is our pilot period of this new service to our members. To access the online store, please click here.
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Rent control: seeking Realtor® input and involvement |
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A coalition of community groups has announced a petition to put Rent Control on the ballot in Saint Paul this November. The group, Housing Equity Now St. Paul, is proposing to cap rent increases on all residential properties in the City to three percent each year.
Rent Control has been tried around the U.S. and economists agree it produces a net negative for the cities where it has been implemented. Rent Control reduces the supply of adequate rental housing, investment in new rental housing development plummets, and maintenance deteriorates because the financial incentives to maintain a quality property are no longer present.
If you or a Realtor® you know would be willing to assist SPAAR in efforts to gather information on Rent Control in Saint Paul, please contact either of SPAAR's Government Affairs Directors:
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Now open: NAR's 2022 Committee application process |
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It's that time of year again! NAR's 2022 Committee Application Process is open now through May 7, 2021. NAR leaders are excited to see passionate members apply for and serve on the national committees. Please consider applying for a 2022 committee and encourage other members to do the same.
Below are some helpful resources for the 2022 process:
Questions? Call Member Support at (800) 874-6500.
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Be part of the digital food drive for Every Meal |
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Let’s come together while we stay apart. SPAAR supports Every Meal, which focuses on the food gaps when children aren’t able to receive free and reduced meal programs. Every Meal also provides weekend and other food gap programs serving more than 10,000 children across 300 schools.
Below are ways you can help:
Thank you. Your donation makes a difference!
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Housing Market Statistics |
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Get up-to-date housing market information here. SPAAR provides four different types of reports so you can offer your clients the most accurate housing data available. Click below to see how the market is doing:
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Join SPAAR's Facebook group for members only |
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Check out the SPAAR Facebook page created specifically for members here.
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