NAR to Sponsor Multicultural Real Estate Policy Fellows

NAR to Sponsor Real Estate Policy Fellows
Last update: 10:54 a.m. EDT Oct. 20, 2008

WASHINGTON, Oct 20, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- To help more young professionals gain a solid foundation in legislative advocacy and national housing policy, the National Association of Realtors(R) is funding a fellowship in the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

NAR's funding will enable each of these organizations to provide a unique public policy learning experience and to encourage young professionals to consider careers in public service policy work focused on housing and community and economic development. The three fellows who have been selected to focus on these specific policy issue areas are Gregg Orton from Arcadia, Calif.; Major Clemens III from Durham, N.C.; and Tonantzin Mitre from Gilroy, Calif.

"As the leading advocate for private property rights, homeownership and housing issues, NAR is proud to sponsor these fellows, who were selected through a highly competitive process," said NAR President Dick Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif. "All of them will receive firsthand experience and education on how policy is developed and enacted into law. Our goal is to help encourage and prepare these emerging leaders for a successful future in public policy."

Working with NAR, each organization will provide background on how America's largest trade association gathers information and develops and advocates a range of important public policy issues that affect homeownership and the real estate business.

For the past three years, NAR successfully worked with CHCI fellows through their "Hispanic Ownership, A Growing American Reality" program. The HOGAR fellows participated in housing discussions at NAR, which led NAR to offer similar opportunities to APAICS and CBCF fellows. All three fellows are working full time in the office of a member of Congress. During the nine-month placement from September 2008 to May 2009, the fellows will gain hands-on experience as they help develop legislative and public policy initiatives at the national level.

APAICS fellow Orton, who is Asian American, is working in the office of Rep. Al Green, D-Texas. Orton graduated from Vassar College with a degree in political science. CBCF fellow Clemens is working in the office of Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. Clemens earned his J.D. in law from North Carolina Central University. CHCI fellow Mitre has been placed in the Office of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. Mitre attended Milano New School for Management and Urban Policy in New York City where she earned her master's in urban policy and management.

Each organization develops its fellow's education program to best meet the needs of the community it serves. In addition to a 40-hour work week, the fellows may also be required to participate in leadership training sessions and community service. NAR advisers and Realtors(R) will continue to work closely with them throughout their placement. At the end of the nine-month program, the fellows will write a public policy brief on the issues surrounding foreclosures.
The National Association of Realtors(R), "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Information about NAR is available at http://www.realtor.org/. News releases are posted in the Web site's "News Media" section in the NAR Media Center.

REALTOR(R) is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS(R) and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all real estate agents are REALTORS(R). All REALTORS(R) are members of NAR.

SOURCE National Association of Realtors http://www.realtor.org/