Event Coverage
SILVAR REALTORS® Advocate for Homeownership and Property Rights at Legislative Day
On Wednesday, SILVAR leadership and members joined thousands of REALTORS® throughout the state for the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) Annual Legislative Day. Held in Sacramento, the event provides an annual forum for REALTORS® to engage with state legislators on key real estate issues, including homeownership, property rights, and other issues impacting clients and homeowners. This year's theme celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.
Legislative Day began on Tuesday with a REALTOR® block party featuring music, food trucks, and entertainment. On Wednesday morning, members convened at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center to hear from C.A.R. officials and special guests, including California Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Assembly Member Heath Flora, and Congressman Jim Costa (via Zoom).
C.A.R. President Heather Ozur thanked members for attending Legislative Day and acknowledged their commitment to the REALTOR® Party and their advocacy for policies promoting homeownership.
"It's our voices uniting that makes us stronger," she said. "The fact is we as REALTORS® make a difference every single day in the communities we serve."
Flora, representing the 9th Assembly District in the Central Valley, told REALTORS®, "When we talk about community connections and relations, there's nobody more connected than all of you. It helps us as elected officials to communicate with you more, especially when we talk about issues like crime rate and homelessness."
McGuire, representing the 2nd Senate District in the North Coast, stated, "Without housing, nothing works. Thanks to so many of you, we're making progress, but we've got more work to do. So it's more important than ever to come together to build a bright future in the fourth largest economy in the world."
Following a joint luncheon with SILVAR members and the San Mateo County and Santa Clara County Associations of REALTORS®, members met with legislators to advocate for SB 448, which aims to streamline property reclamation from squatters and address unauthorized residential occupancy. REALTORS® also supported legislation to expedite permitting for new home construction to alleviate California's housing shortage.
Assembly Member Patrick Ahrens expressed his support, noting that the 26th Assembly District, which he represents and includes Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and parts of San Jose, is among the state's most expensive areas to buy or rent.
"A huge burden is how long local rules and state rules have made everything jam up," he said. "This, plus the cost of wood, shouldn't cause a public policy disaster and ruin it for the industry. It's crippling our economy and it's high time we fight to improve it."
Ahrens thanked SILVAR CEO Paul Cardus and SILVAR leadership for their work on local real estate and homeowner issues, adding, "We need to continue to have these kinds of conversations to move things forward."
Senator Josh Becker of the 13th Senate District, covering much of San Mateo County and northern Santa Clara County, pointed out that bureaucratic obstacles can cause unnecessary delays even when land is available for development.
"Land is the most expensive part of California," he said. "We have to force our agencies to do more. For example, in Woodside, there are about five acres off I-280 where they actually want to build more homes. But it's owned by Caltrans and they've made it very difficult."
REALTORS® also opposed AB 1157, which was introduced by Assembly Member Ash Kalra of the 25th Assembly District in San Jose and would impose permanent statewide rental control on most types of rental housing. Kalra was absent from Legislative Day, and the bill was successfully removed from the housing committee meeting that same afternoon, a move considered a major success.
REALTORS® from all three Associations voiced strong opposition to AB 647, which would allow up to eight units on any single-family parcel through ministerial approval. Elected officials also expressed their shared opposition due to its potentially negative impact on existing neighborhoods and infrastructure from increased corporate acquisition.
"The single-family home market is infiltrated by corporate actors," said Assembly Member Alex Lee of the 24th Assembly District, serving parts of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties. "I say that as a renter myself. How can we make sure first-time homebuyers have the resources to build their roots here? The bedrock is to build opportunities for homeownership."
Along with Ahrens, Becker, and Lee, REALTORS® met with Assembly Members Diane Papan (21st Assembly District), Marc Berman (23rd Assembly District), and Senator Dave Cortese (15th Senate District). In a smaller group, members also met with Assembly Member Gail Pellerin (28th Assembly District) at the Capitol.
VIEW EVENT PHOTOS ON SILVAR'S FACEBOOK PAGE
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.