The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) and WomanUp! Partner to Provide Real Estate Professionals the Opportunity to Take a Leadership Role in Eliminating Hate and Discrimination
Houston, Texas (September 26, 2023) – Four of the major diversity organizations within the real estate industry have joined forces to launch Stop Hate in Real Estate, a multi-pronged effort to allow real estate professionals the opportunity to stand for positive change in the face of increased division, discrimination and hatred currently seen across the nation.
Leaders of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), and WomanUP! participated in a press conference today to debut StopHateinRealEstate.org and other facets of the initiative. The four groups have nearly 75,000 combined members.
The event preceded tonight’s start of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance’s annual Experience: The Alliance conference in Houston. Several families participated to share how anti-LGBTQ+ bills, laws and rhetoric forced them to flee the state.
The major focus of the initiative is StopHateinRealEstate.org. The site includes a pledge for real estate professionals to sign that reads:
By participating in Stop Hate in Real Estate:
- I believe we have the power to help change the trajectory of our nation so that we don’t have to wake up each morning to headlines of discrimination and hate.
- I want to advance the right to homeownership for all.
- I support the positive impact the real estate industry can make in stamping out discrimination and hate.
- I believe that I can be a positive influence within my sphere of influence and community and do what I can to combat discrimination and hate when I see it.
The Stop Hate in Real Estate initiative will include future events showcasing how discrimination is impacting diverse home buyers and sellers. Leaders of the four major real estate diverse groups will now meet regularly to help identify and work to rectify discriminatory activities. They will also deliver a variety of industry-related events.
QUOTES FROM REAL ESTATE DIVERSITY LEADERS:
Erin Morrison, President, LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance
“It is unfortunate that the hate, discrimination, and vitriol that is evident today has forced us to create Stop Hate in Real Estate. This is the first major initiative that the four major real estate diversity groups have engaged in. We all believe that the overwhelming majority of real estate professionals are anti-hate and anti-discrimination. But their voices have been dwarfed by a vocal minority. I truly believe that real estate professionals, as leaders in our communities, can take a leadership role in bringing this period of divisiveness to a close.”
Kurt Nishimura, President, AREAA
“The AANHPI community is changing where and how we want to live. Not only are we growing in numbers, but we are seeing increased migration to more affordable parts of the country. But at the same time, we have seen dramatic increases in hate crimes against our community since the pandemic and now bills and a law in Florida that aim to limit Chinese property ownership under the guise of national security. Of course, we want to protect our nation’s security. But these bills and the already in-place law prevent the entire AANHPI community from feeling safe, secure, and welcome. We can’t allow more barriers to go up against AANHPI people on their journey to homeownership. Those fostering the anti-Chinese movement are welcoming even more discrimination against our entire community. AREAA is proud to join with the other diverse organizations to launch the Stop Hate in Real Estate effort.”
Nuria Rivera, 2023 President, NAHREP
“Our nation is changing, and by most accounts will become a majority diverse nation in the early 2040s. The Hispanic community is the largest diverse demographic with about 65 million people. Yet our homeownership rate remains incredibly low at 49 percent. There are a lot of reasons for this including discrimination. Since NAHREP’s founding in 1999, we have worked to improve the lives of our community while educating and empowering the real estate professionals who serve Hispanic homebuyers and sellers. The Stop Hate in Real Estate initiative is really important. It gives our members, those in the other diverse organizations, and so many good people in our industry the opportunity to band together and stand up against hate and discrimination.”
Sara Sutachan, SVP & Chief Strategy Officer, C.A.R./WOMANUP!
“We need Stop Hate in Real Estate both to corral discrimination within our industry and to allow the real estate community to be an impetus for change in our nation. While WomanUp! was founded in 2017 to support the journey of women to the top of their careers, unfortunately sexual discrimination continues to stand in the way of so many. It must stop. We cannot allow those who do not see women as equals be propped up and given positions of authority. Many organizations will need systemic change and a reinforcement of values and proper training. Our industry is made up of more than 60% females, but their path to success is usually much harder than for their counterparts.
ABOUT THE LGBTQ+ REAL ESTATE ALLIANCE
The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance is a 501(c)6 non-profit dedicated to empowering the LGBTQ+ community on the path to homeownership as we also advocate on behalf of the community on housing issues. The Alliance, founded in June 2020, is an all-inclusive organization that works to improve the professional lives of its members through a public-facing Alliance Referral Community. The Alliance began accepting members in October 2020 and has more than 3,800 members and dozens of chapters in North America. It was named the 2022 Inman News Innovator of the Year in the MLS, Association, or Industry Organization category. It was nominated for the same award in 2023. Its consumer facing LGBTQplusHomes.com provides information on home buying and selling along with allowing the LGBTQ+ community the opportunity to easily contact Alliance members for their real estate needs. For more information visit realestatealliance.org.
About NAHREP:
The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals® (NAHREP®), a nonprofit 501(c)6 trade association, is dedicated to advancing sustainable homeownership for the Hispanic community in America. NAHREP has a network of over 40,000 real estate professionals and 100 local chapters nationwide, hosting several national events per year and publishing multiple industry cornerstone reports annually and multimedia content. Join us in advocating for policies that grow sustainable Latino homeownership, read our 2023 policy priorities here.
ABOUT AREAA
Founded in 2003, the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) is a national nonprofit trade organization with more than 18,000 members dedicated to improving the lives of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community through homeownership. Visit areaa.org for more information.
ABOUT WOMANUP!
WomanUP!®, an initiative of the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, exists to support the journey of women to the very top of their careers. Women account for about two-thirds of REALTORS® in California but represent only a fraction of executive and brokerage positions. Founded in 2017, WomanUP!® touches thousands across the nation through events, connections and community.
