Each year as winter gives way to spring here where the Valley meets the Bay, the Northern Solano County Association of REALTORS® takes a week to celebrate one of the fundamental aspects of the American Dream – homeownership and private property. For generations, these ideas have played a role in long-term financial security for individuals and families; they’ve helped create safe and strong neighborhoods and provided consistency to communities. With “American Home Week,” we take the time to share what it means for all of us who live, work and play in Fairfield and Suisun, Vacaville and Dixon, Rio Vista and rural Solano County.
This year, we’re honoring homeownership by protecting the dream for low-income families in our communities. Our non-profit arm – Housing American Families – has selected Rebuilding Together Solano County as the primary recipient of our fundraising efforts. It’s a terrific partnership – REALTORS® are your friends and neighbors who live and work right here in Northern Solano, and they’re committed to giving back to these communities. Rebuilding Together’s local arm shares a nationwide mission to “transform the lives of low-income homeowners by improving the safety and health of their homes and revitalizing our communities.”
Just as we have in years past, we won’t just be putting money toward the mission; our REALTOR® members will be investing sweat and a lot of elbow grease to make sure these homeowners can stay in the homes they’ve worked so hard to call their own.
As differing political goals and beliefs divide the nation, REALTORS® will remain focused on the fundamentals – fighting for high ethical standards in the real estate transaction, ensuring affordable housing options for all segments of the population and protecting the Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction, a critical tool in making homeownership possible for so many Americans.
Earlier this year, we started strong in addressing the growing concerns about affordability here in California with a summit that drew together economists, housing professionals and elected leaders to find solutions. With California ranking 49th in homeownership and affordability, we have our work cut out for us. We need to work together to address the jobs/housing imbalance in our communities – where finding a job with a decent wage requires a long commute from home. We’ll also be part of the conversation about the growing housing shortage – we quite simply don’t have enough housing units in California to meet the demand – and that makes affordability for too many Californians impossible to overcome.
We’re proud to be part of the “REALTOR® Party” – a bi-partisan effort to address these and other common concerns. Our team is on the ground in our nation’s capital, fighting for homeownership and private property rights, just as professional real estate has been doing for a century. We’re focused on the issues that build and strengthen safe communities, the issues that impact us all.
Join us as we celebrate American Home Week at a special lunch with Geoff McIntosh, the 2017 President of the California Association of REALTORS®. We’ll talk more about “Friends, Family and the Future of Real Estate” and raise much needed funds for a worthy organization making a difference here at home.