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With the Monsoon Season in full swing, The Santa Cruz County Board of REALTORS is hosting an open Facebook forum with John Hays of the Santa Cruz County Flood Control Department. The purpose is to encourage the community to have an open dialog with Mr. Hays with any flood control issues and/or concerns. The organizations have been working together in the past few months to help reduce the cost of flood insurance by implementing new procedures for REALTORS and by creating new disclosures for the public. Login to Facebook and join us at Facebook.com/SCCBRnews on Saturday, July 14^th at 10:00am.

In addition, the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 was passed late last week as part of a transportation funding bill and has been signed into law by the president. The legislation extends NFIP authority through September 30, 2017.

According to NAR, Realtors® have been advocating a long-term reauthorization of the NFIP for years. The 5-year reauthorization will end the uncertainty of NFIP stopgap extensions and shutdowns and will help bring stability to real estate markets.”

NAR has long supported the NFIP, which protects property owners in more than 21,000 communities where flood insurance is required for mortgages. More than 5.6 million property owners rely on the program against flood-related disasters, which claimed more lives and property than any other natural disaster in the U.S. over the past century. In fact, floods are the most common natural disaster in the country; since 1990 floods have been declared in every state, along rivers and anywhere rain falls or snow melts.

Without the NFIP, families and business owners across the U.S. would go without essential flood protection, since the private market cannot guarantee the availability or affordability of flood insurance. The NFIP also saves taxpayers money, since it serves as an alternative to expensive federally funded disaster relief for flood victims.

For some time now, Congress has been approving short-term extensions of the NFIP authority to issue flood insurance policies. Since September 2008 there have been more than 17 extensions, and authority has been allowed to expire two times, delaying or cancelling 1,300 real estate transactions each day of the lapse, according to NAR research. During the June 2010 lapse, NAR survey data estimates that more than 40,000 home sales were delayed or cancelled, which undermined home buyer and investor confidence.

Visit: NAR News Releases for more details.

April 2012 marks the 44th anniversary of the 1968 landmark Fair Housing Act. Each year REALTORS® recognize the significance of this event and reconfirm our commitment to upholding fair housing law as well as our commitment to offering equal professional service to all in their search for real property.

Here are key points of what everyone should know about equal opportunity in housing:

The sale and purchase of a home is one of the most significant events that any person will experience in his or her lifetime. It is more that the simple purchase of housing, for it includes the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and economic destiny of those involved.

THE LAW

Civil Rights Act of 1866: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits all racial discrimination in the sale or rental of property.

Fair Housing Act: The Fair Housing Act declares a national policy of fair housing throughout the United States. The law makes illegal any discrimination in the sale, lease or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

Americans with Disabilities Act: Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in places of public accommodations and commercial facilities.

Equal Credit Opportunity Act: The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes discrimination unlawful with respect to any aspect of a credit application on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or because all or part of the applicant’s income derives from any public assistance program.

State and Local Laws: State and local laws often provide broader coverage and prohibit discrimination based on additional classes not covered by federal law.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The home seller, the home seeker, and the real estate professional all have rights and responsibilities under the law.

For the Home Seller: As a home seller or landlord you have a responsibility and a requirement under the law not to discriminate in the sale, rental and financing of property on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. You cannot instruct the licensed broker or salesperson acting as your agent to convey for you any limitations in the sale or rental because the real estate professional is also bound by law not to discriminate. Under the law, a home seller or landlord cannot establish discriminatory terms or conditions in the purchase or rental; deny that housing is available, or advertise that the property is available only to persons of a certain race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

For the Home Seeker: You have the right to expect that housing will be available to you without discrimination or other limitations based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin

This includes the right to expect:

• Housing in your price range made available to you without discrimination
• Equal professional service
• Ehe opportunity to consider a broad range of housing choices
• No discriminatory limitations on communities or locations of housing
• No discrimination in the financing, appraising, or insuring of housing
• Reasonable accommodations in rules, practices and procedures for persons with disabilities
• Non-discriminatory terms and conditions for the sale, rental, financing, or insuring of a dwelling
• To be free from harassment or intimidation for exercising your fair housing rights.

For the Real Estate Professional: Agents in a real estate transaction are prohibited by law from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. A request from the home seller or landlord to act in a discriminatory manner in the sale, lease or rental cannot legally be fulfilled by the real estate professional.

THE REALTOR® FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® has developed a Fair Housing Program to provide resources and guidance to REALTORS® in ensuring equal professional services for all people. The term REALTOR® identifies a licensed professional in real estate who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Not all licensed real estate brokers and salespersons are members of the National Association, and only those who are may identify themselves as REALTORS®. They conduct their business and activities in accordance with a strict Code of Ethics.

The Code of Ethics: Article 10 of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Code of Ethics provides that “REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. REALTORS® shall not be a party to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national originREALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.”

A REALTOR® pledges to conduct business in keeping with the spirit and letter of the Code of Ethics. Article 10 imposes obligations upon REALTORS® and is also a firm statement of support for equal opportunity in housing.

IF YOU SUSPECT DISCRIMINATION

Contact the Arizona Association of REALTORS®: AAR will accept complaints alleging violations of the Code of Ethics filed by a home seeker who alleges discriminatory treatment in the availability, purchase or rental of housing. AAR has a responsibility to enforce the Code of Ethics through professional standards procedures and corrective action in cases where a violation of the Code of Ethics is proven to have occurred. To learn more, visit www.aaronline.com/Disputes

Contact the Southwest Fair Housing Council: Southwest Fair Housing Council is a non-profit agency funded by memberships, donations, HUD, the Arizona Department of Housing, and CDBG funding.

SWFHC works to ensure fair housing by providing a variety of services directed toward education and enforcement:

• Investigating individual complaints of housing discrimination.
• Obtaining evidence to support enforcement action by public agencies conducting legal or administrative actions.
• Initiating complaints and litigation to serve fair housing goals.
• Informing and advising community residents of their fair housing rights, including presentations at community meetings and special events.
• Conducting mediations.
• Conducting conferences, training programs, and seminars to inform housing professionals about housing laws.
• Assisting businesses, neighborhood groups, agencies, and units of government in the development of fair housing goals, plans and strategies, and actions.
• Providing information and referrals for persons and families with housing needs.

There is no charge for SWFHC services.

For any of these services, visit www.swfhc.com