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BOSTON (November 2, 2018) — Friday, at the 2018 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Boston, Massachusetts, the National Association of Realtors® hosted its 2018 Regulatory Issues Forum. The forum, officially titled, “Realtors® Regulatory Priorities: The Administration’s Perspective,” focused on a range of regulatory concerns, initiatives and priorities under the new administration.
The forum began with NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall’s conversation with featured speaker, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long. U.S. Treasury Counselor to the Secretary Craig Phillips, and Executive Vice President of Ginnie Mae Maren Kasper followed with their own remarks.
The forum’s most notable moment came when Mendenhall and Long joined to sign a Memorandum of Agreement on Natural Disaster Preparedness. The MOA represents a partnership effort between FEMA and NAR to educate and help the nation better prepare for disasters and allows Realtors® to continue supporting and building the Realtor Disaster Relief Fund.
“We’re so excited and honored to be here today to sign this agreement. Flooding is the most common disaster in the United States, one that affects Americans in communities both coastal and inland every year. Being able to serve as a conduit of information between federal agencies, local governments, Realtors® and the public will help ensure critical resources like disaster preparedness, insurance, and assistance reach those who need it most. I’d like to thank Administrator Long for helping facilitate the Memoranda of Agreement between the National Association of Realtors® and FEMA,” said NAR President Elizabeth Mendenhall, a sixth-generation Realtor® from Columbia, Missouri and CEO of RE/MAX Boone Realty.
In their conversation, FEMA’s Long spoke on the future of National Flood Insurance Program, a priority for NAR as another reauthorization looms at the end of November.
“Insurance is the first line of defense for disaster recovery,” said FEMA Administrator Brock Long. “It is the best way for homeowners, renters and businesses to financially protect themselves from losses caused by floods, fires and other disasters.”’
Phillips’ address explored the Treasury Department’s Reform Agenda, delivering remarks titled, “A Financial System That Creates Economic Growth.” He highlighted the Treasury’s plans for strengthening the U.S. economy through properly structuring regulation of the U.S. financial system, encouraging vibrant financial markets, and streamlining unnecessary regulatory burdens.
Concluding the event were remarks from Maren Kasper, the Executive Vice President of Ginnie Mae. In her address, titled “The Mortgage Market and Affordable Housing,” Kasper dove into the role of Ginnie Mae in today’s mortgage market and its mission of expanding affordable housing by providing liquidity to federally sponsored mortgage lending programs.
The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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