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Stay current on industry issues with daily news from Illinois REALTORS®, network with other professionals, attend a seminar, and keep up with industry trends through events throughout the year.
During the last week, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski met with constituent REALTORS® in separate and virtual “Let’s Talk Real Estate” sessions.
REALTOR® and Federal Political Coordinator (FPC) Kinga Korpacz presented questions to Krishnamoorthi while REALTOR® and FPC John Kmiecik did the same for Lipinski. Krishnamoorthi serves residents of west and northwest suburbs of Chicago (District 8), while Lipinski represents residents of southwest Chicago, southwest Cook County and northeastern Will County (District 3).
Discussion topics included:
- How to connect with constituents during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic
- Support for the Secure Notarization Act of 2020
- Financial relief for members through the CARES Act and Paycheck Protector Program and
- A transportation and infrastructure bill in the U.S. House.
Korpacz is a franchisee-broker for Exit Realty Redefined in Rolling Meadows. She is the chair of the REALTOR® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Fundraising Working Group, a member of the RPAC Trustees, the REALTORS® Political Involvement Working Group and the Local Government Affairs Committee. In 2018, she was a member of the Illinois REALTORS® Leadership Development class.
A REALTOR® for 42 years, Kmiecik is a broker for Century 21 Affiliated in Oak Lawn. He has served on numerous Illinois REALTORS® committees, working groups and task forces since the mid-90s and is a current member of the Advisory Council and the REALTOR® of the Year Working Group. He is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® Business Issues Policy Committee, which he chaired in 2018. He’s also served on numerous NAR committees since 1998. He was the 2003 president of Illinois REALTORS®.
Westchester-area REALTOR® Loretta Alonzo-Deubel, one of six members of the contact team for Lipinski, also reported on the housing market during the pandemic for suburban Chicago, Will County and Western Springs.
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 keep their eyes open for email invitations to “Let’s Talk Real Estate” discussions in the coming weeks. Members will receive email invitations about a week before the event with their U.S. representative is scheduled, Malone says.
