Election involvement creates opportunities

Supporting candidates in municipal elections has helped several local associations to create more real estate-friendly communities.

In Bucks County, the Bristol Township Council approved a sweeping reform of the municipality’s use and occupancy regulations, thanks to the efforts of several newly-elected Council members – Realtors® Amber Longhitano and Troy Brennan.

“By aggressively supporting elected officials who understand how to improve the local economy, we have helped clear the way for greatly improved real estate conditions in Bristol Township,” said Pamela Croke, executive vice president of the Bucks County Association.

The reforms, which have been advocated by the Suburban Realtors® Alliance and the Bucks County Association for two years, eliminate a $1,000 escrow requirement for repairs, a long list of onerous inspection items enforced by township staff and subcontractors, and a requirement that sidewalks and curbs be replaced at the point-of-sale.

“With the unfriendly ordinance now set aside, we hope to see real estate sales pick up considerably in Bristol Township,” said Bob Ramagli, owner of Real Living Ramagli Real Estate. “This will benefit current home owners, home buyers, Realtors® doing business there, and the township itself, which should experience fewer vacant properties and higher levels of realty transfer and property taxes.”

The Realtors® Association of York and Adams Counties (RAYAC) became involved in the York Township Board of Commissioners race because the township had prohibited the use of open house directional signs. The association helped elect two candidates who supported changes to the policy.

“Our involvement in the election had a direct result in allowing directional signs to go up 48 hours in advance of an open house and be taken down 24 hours after the open house was completed,” notes Kim Moyer, RAYAC Political Affairs Committee Chair. “We are pleased that the commissioners were able to include this language in the update to their Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance which passed last summer.”

In Berks County, the Reading-Berks Association helped local Realtor® Randy Corcoran get appointed to a vacancy on the Reading City Council last year. From his position, Corcoran has been an advocate to changes within the Point-of-Sale Inspection Program and helped to drastically reduce the cost to conduct a rental inspection for one to two unit properties from $505 to $140.

“Without an advocate on the local level to help eliminate onerous policies and ordinances, the real estate industry and our efforts to promote homeownership both suffer,” said Pete Champagne, president of the Reading-Berks Association.

In Lackawanna County, the Greater Scranton Board was successful in reducing a realty transfer tax increase through a targeted direct mail campaign and grassroots effort.  After the battle, the association recognized the importance of getting involved in municipal elections in order to elect industry-friendly candidates.

“Our experience with the realty transfer tax fight showed us how important it is to have elected leaders who understand our industry and the impact their decisions have,” said Ann Cappellini, president of the Greater Scranton Board. “That’s the major reason we are interviewing candidates for mayor and city council in preparation for the municipal primary.”

Associations interested in learning more about how they can get involved in the upcoming municipal primary election should contact Jennifer Shockley at [email protected].