Recent efforts by professional sports organizations seek to do what real estate agents have been doing for more than a year: pledging to go the extra mile to build inclusive communities.
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As I got ready for the day, I watched the recent Today Show to get my spirits up. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman join host Craig Melvin in a joint #TimeOut Against Hate event. Announced.
They were just four of the nation’s sports leaders, along with players from MLS, NASCAR, WNBA and NHL, to rally to call a time out on hate in this country. They used the iconic “T” gesture to get their point across.
“Of course, this country has made tremendous progress in so many ways, but when you look at the data, whether it’s anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim, anti-Blackness, anti-LGTBQ, , as Robert said, that data looks like this: If you look at the direction this country has gone in the last few years, it’s scary,” Silver said that morning.
“Time Out Against Hate” is great, and certainly benefits from the high-profile sports world that shines a light on the horrific effects of discrimination, but real estate professionals should remember: , we were a year ahead of them on “Stopping Hate in Real Estate.” (SHIRE) initiative is signed and supported by many of you today.
Eliminate hate in real estate
A little more than a year ago, the American Asian Real Estate Association (AREAA), the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), and WomanUP! Recognizing this as an attack on real estate, we created “Stop Hate in Real Estate.”
Since SHIRE was launched in September 2023, housing discrimination has not slowed down.
AREAA collaborates with the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc., and the Fair Housing Center of Greater Palm Beach to challenge Florida’s state law SB 264. filed a fair housing discrimination lawsuit in federal court in Miami alleging This would result in an almost complete ban on Chinese nationals and people residing in China from purchasing real estate in the state. The Alliance was asked and honored to be the official sponsor of Rep. Brad Schnieder’s (D-IL) House bill and Sen. Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) Senate bill, the Fair and Equal Housing Act. received and signed. Hispanic immigrants have faced numerous political attacks, with President Donald Trump blaming them for soaring home prices.
Although HUD recently announced that $22 million will be available to housing organizations across the country to address housing discrimination, it is safe to say that discrimination is an unfair barrier to increasing levels of diverse homeownership.
Diverse home ownership rates
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Second Quarter Housing Vacancy and Homeownership Report, the homeownership rate for non-Hispanic whites was 74.4 percent, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) 62.8 percent, and Hispanic That was dramatically higher than the 48.5 percent among ethnic groups and 45.3 percent among black communities. Meanwhile, the Williams Institute at UCLA continues to report that the LGBTQ+ homeownership rate is 49.8 percent.
To date, more than 2,000 people in the industry have taken the End Hate in Real Estate pledge, which includes:
When you join Stop Hate in Real Estate:
We believe we have the power to change the trajectory of our country so that we no longer have to wake up every morning to hateful headlines. I pledge my support for the mission of real estate agents to “preserve, protect, and advance everyone’s right to real estate.” I support the real estate industry in making a positive impact to eradicate hate. I believe in making a positive impact within my sphere of influence and community, and when I see hate, I will do everything I can to combat it.
I would like to remind you that 2023 Alliance National President Erin Morrison, a visionary and engineer for the SHIRE initiative, once wrote in Inman:
“There are approximately 1.5 million real estate agents. The majority are anti-hate and anti-discrimination. We have people in our industry who want to find solutions and compromise rather than live in a divided country. There are a lot of them.
Who better to lay the foundation for change than those of us in real estate?
Real estate professionals have extensive networks and local influence that allow them to speak out against hate and attacks against minority communities. The equipment is already in place. We understand fair housing. From redlining to denial of service, we understand the importance of eliminating bias and building an industry that truly serves everyone. ”
My goal…no, my hope…public opinion generated from the sports world takes a pledge at StopHateinRealEstate.org to remind real estate and national leaders to show that the real estate industry is tired of hate. That’s it. And discrimination.
We are better than that. we are above that.
After all, we cannot help build a community while allowing a vocal minority to continue to destroy and dismantle that very same community.
Ryan Weyandt is the CEO of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the LGBTQ+ community on the path to homeownership through advocacy on behalf of the community on housing issues. Founded in June 2020, the Alliance is an inclusive organization that strives to improve the professional lives of its members through a public Alliance referral community.
