On Thursday, April 15, NAR and the Memorial Foundation presented a special event, “The Past, Present, and Future of Fair Housing.”  In conjunction with the event, and in recognition of Fair Housing Month, 2021 NAR President Charlie Oppler released the following statement to members, reiterating the national association’s commitment to fair housing, diversity, and inclusion:

When you pick up a newspaper or watch the news or read social media, it could seem at times that there is more that divides than unites us as Americans. But I wake up every day believing in the spirit and goodness of humankind. And I believe REALTORS® are and can be a force for good and bringing people together.

We do, after all, represent the full fabric and diversity of America in every sense of the word. We come from small towns and suburbs and big cities. From the coasts to the heartland.  From poverty to very comfortable economic means. From different life experiences defined in no small part by our race, our religion and our education.

In all that, we as REALTORS® share the common bond of making the dream of homeownership possible for people no matter who they are and no matter where they come from. That is no more evident than it is during Fair Housing Month, as we celebrate the opportunity for everyone to have a shot at that dream and to level the playing field to make that possible.

It is my hope that each of us as REALTORS® will hold sacred each day our obligation to that greater purpose. And that we as REALTORS® embrace a higher standard as citizens of the United States of America. Our Code of Ethics says it well when it notes that the term REALTOR® has come to connote competency, fairness, and high integrity resulting from adherence to a lofty ideal of moral conduct in business relations. 

So, as you conduct your professional and your personal business, I ask that you always remember what you represent as a REALTOR® every time you go out into the community, every time you post on social media, every time you work with someone on a home purchase or sale. In those moments, every American – no matter where they come from or what they believe – is counting on each of us to be consummate professionals and advocates for everyone’s homeownership dreams.

I am incredibly proud of REALTORS® and the work we do. We represent the best of all that America is and all that America can be. Let us continue to work together among ourselves and in our communities to lean in more each day to what unites us.