Illinois REALTORS® from Quincy, Springfield and Peoria to Cook County, Lake County, the Loop and southwest suburbs were invited to participate in one of three “Let’s Talk Real Estate” sessions last week.

The sessions featured U.S. Reps. Darin LaHood of Peoria, Jan Schakowsky of Evanston and Danny Davis of Chicago.

Peoria-area REALTOR® and Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) Pat McCarthy led the discussion with LaHood last Tuesday, while Skokie-area REALTOR® and FPC Marilyn Glazer interviewed Schakowsky Wednesday. On Thursday, Oak Park-area REALTOR®-FPC Tracey Royal talked with Davis.

They talked about:

• conversations with constituents about the COVID-19 pandemic
• financial relief for the unemployed
• homelessness
• financial relief for businesses
• a need for more financial assistance for cities
• a larger supply of affordable housing
• the importance of consumer confidence and
• support for the Secure Notarization Act of 2020

McCarthy works for RE/MAX Traders Unlimited in Peoria and has served on numerous committees and working groups for Illinois REALTORS® since 2007. He is the chair of the 2020 REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Trustees and is the State Legislative Contact (SLC) for State Rep. Mike Unes of East Peoria. He received the Illinois REALTORS® Political Involvement Award for 2018.

Glazer is the broker-owner of Marilyn D. Glazer, REALTOR® and president of Glazer Enterprises. From 1975 through 2019, she served on multiple Illinois REALTORS® committees. She is a past president of the Association of Illinois Real Estate Educators, a former supervisor of Niles Township, a former commissioner of the Skokie Zoning Board of Appeals and a past president for the North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS® (NSBAR).

Royal is the managing broker for Team Real Estate Services in Oak Park. She was a member of the Illinois REALTORS® 2018 Leadership Development Program, and she is the chair of the 2020 Affordable Housing and Community Involvement Committee. Also, she is the SLC for state Rep. Jawaharial “Omar” Williams of Chicago.

Background

“The Let’s Talk Real Estate series is a unique members-only benefit that allows REALTORS® to engage directly with their member of congress,” says Illinois REALTORS® Manager of Political Programs Neil Malone. “They talk about public policy issues and help lawmakers understand how those issues affect the real estate market and people who buy, sell, rent or develop property in the communities they represent.”

Each FPC is a REALTOR® member, appointed by the National Association of REALTORS® to be the face and voice of real estate for one federal lawmaker. Each of the 535 FPCs (435 matched to representatives and 100 matched to senators) work in every district and every state.

They play a pivotal role in REALTOR® advocacy, he says. They interact at least quarterly with their member of congress and report back to NAR on their meetings.

Their responsibilities include:

• Responding to NAR Calls for Action,
• Attending annual REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expos each May in Washington, D.C.
• leading meetings on Capitol Hill,
• delivering RPAC support by attending in-district fundraisers and
• developing strong grassroots contact teams of REALTORS® that provide expertise in all facets of the real estate industry and reflect the geographic, gender and racial diversity of the district.

REALTORS® should watch for an email invitation to a “Let’s Talk Real Estate” discussion in the coming weeks. Members will receive email invitations about a week before the event with their U.S. representative is scheduled, Malone says.