LGBTQ+ REAL ESTATE ALLIANCE CALLS ON NAR AND RPAC TO CEASE FUNDING THOSE WHO SUPPORT ANTI-LGBTQ+ LEGISLATION
St. Paul, Minn. (June 29, 2022) –LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance CEO Ryan Weyandt and President Dave Gervase, on behalf of the organization’s 13-person Board of Directors, Officers, and 2,500-plus members, have sent a letter to National Association of Realtors® (NAR) President Leslie Rouda Smith and Realtor® Party Director Hagan Stone calling on NAR and the Realtor® Political Action Committee (RPAC) to cease funding local, state or nationally elected officials or candidates who participate in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric or publicly support or vote for anti-LGBTQ+ bills.
“It has become increasingly difficult for The Alliance to remain silent as NAR and RPAC actively continue to support candidates who are involved in anti-LGBTQ+ behavior which is unfortunately becoming more and more aggressive as the days pass,” Weyandt said. ““NAR, as the nation’s largest trade organization, cannot allow elected officials it financially supports to violate the anti-discriminatory spirit of its own Code of Ethics. Frankly, it’s puzzling that an organization can require its 1.6 million members to abide by its code, but seemingly suspends it when endorsing political candidates. Pulling funding from those who discriminate will be a major statement to our nation and hopefully act as an impetus for change and greater acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Weyandt pointed to Article 10 of NAR’s Code of Ethics that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. He also pointed out that in the last 1½ years there have been more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed in statehouses around the nation.
The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance recently released its second annual LGBTQ+ Real Estate Report that shared that 72% of Alliance members believe their local real estate industry has placed an increased emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
“It is incredible that while NAR has pushed to be more inclusive and that local, regional and state Realtor® associations are the doing the same, member dollars are going to fund politicians seeking public office who are blatantly opposed to this kind of work,” Weyandt said. “It makes no sense. If elected officials cannot support all people – even those with gender identities or sexual orientations different from their own – they simply should not be supported by NAR or RPAC. Housing policy requires fair policy for all.”
A copy of the letter can be accessed here.
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