There is a committee at the WRA that does wonderful and beneficial things that few members seem to know anything about: the WRA Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee. This committed, active bunch is constantly looking for ways to promote cultural diversity among the membership and leadership and to better enable REALTORS® to successfully work with culturally diverse clients and customers. They are that constant reminder of those scenarios that members should avoid to steer clear of fair housing law violations, although they don’t like to think of themselves as the equal opportunity law monitor for the association.
Members sometimes comment that they are not in need of such services because they have no minorities in their communities, but that is rarely the case. The cultural diversity mission is comprehensive and involves more than just racial minorities. Fair housing and equal opportunity principles clearly apply to and protect groups such as the elderly, those with disabilities, families with children, and the LGBT community — all present in areas that may appear on the surface to be without diversity and with no need for protection from discrimination.
Did you know about the … ?
NAR Diversity Initiative Grant: The WRA and its Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee was awarded a grant to have the consumer-friendly explanations of the residential listing contract and offer to purchase translated into Spanish. The committee will work with a coalition of local REALTOR® associations to promote the completed tools to local Hispanic community groups and groups working with homebuyers. The Spanish translations will be available to all REALTORS® and all others for free on the WRA website.
Partnership for Success Program: This is one of the “best kept secrets” at the WRA, and brokers often remark they know nothing about it! This program forges a partnership between the applicant, the sponsoring broker, the local or regional association, and the WRA. Applicants must be of a minority race, color or national origin, and must demonstrate a commitment to becoming successful real estate licensees. The sponsoring broker provides a mentor and in-house training for the program recipient to optimize the success of the new licensee. The program offers a variety of benefits for fledgling REALTORS®, including educational opportunities, REALTOR® dues waivers, MLS fees and other start-up assistance features. The fees paid by the WRA must be repaid to the program within three years so that awards may be made to additional deserving recipients. See www.wra.org/Education/Scholarships/PSP/WRA_s_Partnership_for_Success_Program for more information.
Wisconsin Fair Housing Network Conferences and Luncheons: The WRA is a major participant in the Wisconsin Fair Housing Network, a coalition of representatives from private and public agencies as well as organizations dedicated to fair housing education and the promotion of Equal Housing Opportunity. These network-sponsored annual April events feature presenters, often of national stature, addressing the various ways fair housing concerns influence land use, planning, mortgage financing, landlord-tenant relationships and real estate practice.
Poster/Essay Contest and Calendars: A popular annual Network project, a contest is held each year for students to create fair housing posters and essays based on a youth-friendly theme. The posters and essays were featured in a calendar each year that was distributed throughout the state. This last year, 2012, budgetary constraints suspended this practice for the time being.
NAR Diversity Committee Participation: One or more members of the WRA Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee have served on the NAR Cultural Diversity Committee each year. This participation on the national level keeps Wisconsin in step with federal trends and changes.
Groundbreaking Article 10 Amendment: The WRA Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee was a key participant in the efforts to amend Article 10 of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. See “Amendment to Article 10: An Achievement of Cooperative Effort” in the December 2010 Wisconsin Real Estate Magazine, at www.wra.org/WREM/Dec10/Article10.
Accessibility Features Report: the frustration experienced by persons with disabilities and those using a wheelchair in finding a property that they can fully enjoy has weighed on the minds of the committee throughout the years. That is why they have not just once, but twice, worked to provide accessibility features reports to provide property feature information of interest to those with special needs. See page 9 of the November 2010 Legal Update, “Growing Market for Accessible Housing” at www.wra.org/LU1011, and check out the Accessibility Features Report forms and instruction sheets at www.wra.org/Disabilities.
At Home with Diversity® Course: At Home with Diversity® is a NAR course designed to present a picture of the changing face of the real estate industry. More importantly, the class teaches REALTORS® how to work effectively with and within a rapidly changing multicultural market. The committee sponsored the course in Madison for $15 per person in 2010 and plans to sponsor it again at an attendee-friendly cost within the next biennium. For more information about the course, visit www.realtor.org/designations-and-certifications/at-home-with-diversity.
April Fair Housing Month Promotions: The committee is fond of promoting the spirit of fair housing and cultural diversity with magazine articles, Hottips and Legal Updates each April reminding members of the rewards of a diverse practice embracing all groups and the negative repercussions of illegal discrimination.
Fair Housing and Equality Opportunity Resources: The WRA website includes resource pages with a wealth of helpful information. There is a page to facilitate cultural awareness and interactions in business dealings, one with resources for transactions involving buyers with disabilities, a page with general fair housing resources and one devoted to translation concerns and resources. Visit www.wra.org/Resources/FairHousing/Fair_Housing_and_Equal_Opportunity_Resources_Overview.
In the end, this is all about enhancing the ability of REALTORS® to provide equal professional service without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap or disability, familial or family status, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, lawful source of income, age, ancestry, or any other class protected by law in Wisconsin communities. Good business practices embrace all clients and customers and lead to a successful and rewarding real estate practice.
Debbi Conrad is Senior Attorney and Director of Legal Affairs for the WRA.