Programs That Advocate for You
PAR has created programs to help you and your associations advocate on behalf of your industry and consumers.
These programs include an active grassroots system, the Issues Mobilization program and partnering with local associations to assist with advocacy in local government.
Issues Mobilization Program
PAR’s Issues Mobilization Fund provides advocacy campaign assistance on issues that have a statewide impact on private property rights and/or homeownership.
What’s an issue advocacy campaign? It’s an organized effort to educate the voting public on an issue and to mobilize voters to support your position. In an issue campaign, no candidate is running. It’s the issue or policy that’s competing.
Local associations can access matching funds through Issues Mobilization to help support or oppose issues in your area.
Financial support is provided for initiatives such as:
- Ballot-measure campaigns
- Grassroots lobbying
- Mass media advertising
- Educational efforts
- Legal review of municipal ordinances
- Data collection/research
Review the Issues Mobilization Fund Guidelines before submitting a request.
Download the Issues Mobilization Fund request application.
Contact Emme Reiser, politcal programs manager, for more information.
Local Affairs & Field Staff Programs
The PAR local affairs program monitors local ordinances and works with local associations to develop and implement advocacy campaigns. Some associations maintain their own government affairs program, led by a Government Affairs Director (GAD), to present a unified voice for the real estate industry.
PAR’s Field Staff Program provides local associations across the commonwealth with government affairs representation. The field staff attend local association meetings to provide legislative updates, promote and raise funds for RPAC, monitor local ordinances and grassroots organizing, and coordinate candidate interviews for municipal elections, among other activities. The field staff help local associations reach their advocacy requirements outlined in the National Association of Realtors® Core Standards.
The Field Staff Program includes 25 local associations covering nearly 1,600 municipalities and representing 6,000 Realtors®. For more information, please contact Chuck Liedike, PAR field operations and grassroots manager.
Field Program Regions & Associations
Northcentral
Associations: Bradford-Sullivan, Central Susquehanna Valley, Lebanon County, North Central Penn, Schuylkill County & West Branch Valley
Staff contact: Chuck Liedike
Northeast
Associations: Greater Scranton, Luzerne County, Pike/Wayne, Pocono Mountains
Staff contact: Hailey Betham
Northwest
Associations: Allegheny Valley Board, Clearfield-Jefferson, Elk-Cameron, Greater Mercer, Lawrence County, McKean County & Warren County
Staff contact: Kelly Stroup
South Central
Associations: Allegheny-Highland, Cambria-Somerset, Centre County & Huntington County
Staff contact: Alex Marquis
Southwest
Associations: Beaver County, Butler County, Greater Allegheny Kiski & the Realtors® Association of Westmoreland, Indiana and Mon Valley
Staff contact: Justin Capouellez
Tools
Common Level Ratio – visit the State Tax Equalization Board (STEB) for current common level ratio information.
Key Contact Program
The PAR key contact program is a coordinated grassroots effort. The objective of this network is to promote high quality contacts with individual legislators on matters of importance to the real estate industry. As a participant in this program, you are the “Voice for Real Estate” with your designated state legislator. When a key issue is being considered in committee or on the floor, members of the key contact program are mobilized to relay the industry’s position.
The foundation of this network is the belief that by working together, as a team, Realtors® can have a profound influence in shaping public policy. By generating quality contacts with each of the 253 members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Realtor® message will undoubtedly be heard.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact PAR or your local association.
If you’ve had a meeting with your legislator, don’t forget to tell us about it. Complete the Legislative Visit Form to notify PAR about your interaction.