Message from the President
by Rebecca Van Dorn
50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act
This year, the National Association of REALTORS will join with us, our
partners and allies in a year-long commemoration of the 50th
Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. The
commemoration will focus on three key elements of Fair Housing:
- Acknowledging the
organization’s past role in the fight for fair housing;
- Understanding how we as a nation
are constantly improving our commitment to fair housing; and
- Embracing REALTORS role at the forefront
of advancing fair housing, leading efforts to address community fair housing
issues.
Housing plays a large role in defining a person’s quality of life.
Where you live affects your access to social, cultural, educational and many
other community amenities such as schools, transportation, employment, medical
services, retail and professional services, recreational and entertainment
opportunities and much more Housing discrimination is an illegal obstacle to
housing choice and denies people the opportunity to fully experience and enjoy
the “American Dream” of choosing, owning and being responsible for their own
house and home.
Fair Housing Makes US stronger. Please take a moment to review the REALTOR Fair Housing
Declaration and for more on the Fair Housing Issues use this link to the
National Association of REALTORS site.
As your president, I am available, 24/7/365 so please feel free to email me.
REALTOR Emeritus Luncheon
BNAR Members are invited to our Realtor Emeritus luncheon on Wednesday, May 2,
2018 from noon until 2:00 pm at the Buffalo Launch Club, Grand Island,
NY. Our honorees this year are Sharon Bearfield, Judy Civiletto, Theresa
Costanzo, Diane DiMatteo-Carney, Sarah Heitzman, Barbara Kivi , Joan Strong and
Robert Wojcik. The cost is only $13.00 for our REALTOR-Emeritus and $25.00 for
their guests. Please RSVP by Friday, April 20. Here is a pdf registration
form to print and send in with your check to the BNAR – attention Pam.
Help us Keep a Convicted Felon
in Jail for the Shooting of Fellow Realtor Member Gayle Wolfer Sprague
Here is the link to sign the Petition to keep Cutner in
prison so that Gayle and others in the community can feel safe https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/help-us-keep-a-convicted-felon-in-jail
On March 25, 1988, Gayle Wolfer Sprague, a REALTOR from
Arcade, NY was shot three times, along with her client, by Edward Beauford
Cutner. The assailant’s intent was to kill Gayle and likely would have been
successful if his gun had not misfired. Gayle’s assailant was sentenced to
prison in 1989. He is up for parole this year and Gayle is scheduled to attend
a victims’ meeting before the parole board on April 6, 2018. The more
signatures Gayle can gather, the better chance that her assailant will not be
granted parole. Please join us in signing the petition to keep Cutner in prison
so that Gayle and others in the community can feel safe.
Walk for Cystic Fibrosis
Walk for a healthier you and at the same time fundraise for Cystic Fibrosis. Great strides is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations largest fundraising event. It provides opportunities for all people within a local community to get involved walking with friends, family and colleagues. Walks are in May, June and September at different locations. Use this link to a walk/team and search for "BNAR REALTOR Walk Team" and choose your location. Fundraising tips and toolkits are also available on their site.
Link to walk
Link to Tips and Tool kits
NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation Individual Grant Programs
Qualifying individuals can apply for grants to assist with closing costs and/or down payments. The grants are gifts with no payback requirement and are available to low-to-moderate income families in New York State. Here is the link to the Eligibility Requirements and application. Any inquiries should be made via email to nysar@cfgcr.org.
