Happy Almost Spring, Fellow Realtors and Affiliates,
This week's monthly meeting via Zoom (on Thursday, March 18 at 1 pm) may be our last all virtual meeting, as we will return to a hybrid meeting in April (in person and available via Zoom). I am looking forward to seeing your faces in person! Katie will send an email with a Zoom link Thursday morning. I hope that you will join, especially if you are an affiliate member, as we will shout out to you, expressing appreciation, at the end of meeting, allowing you to speak a minute or two to Realtor members.
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| Keith Hatcher |
Our March guest speaker is Keith Hatcher.
Keith Hatcher is a contract lobbyist with thirty years experience working with the Georgia General Assembly. Keith spent twenty nine years as the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Georgia Association of Realtors(GAR) before starting his own consulting firm.
Keith is proud to have spent years working to protect private property rights and the free enterprise system. He ran a statewide campaign to defeat a ballot initiative which would have doubled the real estate transfer tax and oversaw a Realtor independent campaign to elect Casey Cagle Lt. Governor. He has twice served as Chairman of the Real Estate Trade Group, a coalition of real estate related business groups.
Keith has received the GAR President's award and was recognized and honored on the U.S. Senate floor by Johnny Isakson on his twenty fifth anniversary with GAR.
Despite his total devotion to the “game” of golf he remains a twelve handicap but he did manage to work his way through college with a pool cue.
I know Keith will have some informative news for us and a great presentation.
Tadmore Elementary Check Presented
This past year under President Judy Presley's leadership and Community Outreach Chair Jamie Bishop, the successful virtual golf tournament allowed for a check presentation to our Partner in Education, Tadmore Elementary School. We presented a check for $10,000 to Tadmore Elementary School Principal Robin Gower.
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| Presenting the check to some students and Principal Robin Gower on right were (L to R) Treasurer and Past President Sue Gross, Public Image Chair Pat Harrell, Immediate Past President Judy Presley, AE Katie South and President-Elect Chris Simmons. |
REALTOR DAYS AT THE DOME
“Virtual” Days At The Dome was held on March 4, 2021 headed up by
GAR’s 2021 President, Dorrie Love with special messages from former US
Senator Johnny Isakson, Governor Brian Kemp, and Lt Governor Geoff Duncan.
Three newly elected REALTOR Legislatures were introduced:
-Representative Clint Crowe (Jackson)
-Representative Beth Camp (Concord)
-Senator Clint Dixon (Buford)
***Currently there are
11 ACTIVE REALTORS
in our GA Legislature:
-9 in the House
-2 in the Senate.
Jeff
Ledford gave a Legislative Advocacy update on several Senate and House
BILLS that are in the process of being “codified”. These laws directly
relate to “executive actions” taken by Governor Kemp during Covid
pertaining to our real estate industry.
The University of West GA is currently studying regulations and restrictions across the State of Georgia and their economic impact (in each county) of the housing prices. They have found regulations and restrictions DO IMPACT resulting in higher prices. More info to follow.
GEORGIA REMAINS THE #1 STATE TO DO BUSINESS!
This report at the end of this message "2020 GAR Advocacy Victories" is directly from GAR. Please take a look or click here for your own download.
Help Wanted
Thank you for being a part of Hall County Board of Realtors. We are only as good as our members' engagement and we continue to have a need for you to plug in with our board. I understand we are all busy, and I wouldn't ask you to do something I wouldn't do myself. In fact, I am facilitating the GRI online class all day Monday and Tuesday. While I am not asking you to give up a whole day, I hope you will consider helping out on a committee. Feel free to contact me anytime to see where you might engage your time and talents or AE Katie South. Facilitation of a CE Class is easy to do, and accomplished by auditing a class. GREAT NEWS is that NOW you get CE credit for facilitating a class. Click here to learn more about becoming a Certified GAR Facilitator or email PIE@garealtor.com.
Upcoming Deadlines
We want to have the opportunity to recognize you for your great work in 2020, and we can only do that if you send in the forms. Please refer to our last message for information on Circle of Excellence (formerly known as Million Dollar Club) forms due March 28. Also, please review the Awards that we will present later in the year at our Awards Celebration. I know that you know some who are worthy for these awards. Also, in that last message, you will find upcoming CE opportunities.
I hope to see you on Thursday (virtually via Zoom) and that you are enjoying a super productive year, so far.
All the best,
2021 President
Hall County Board of Realtors
770.540.3788
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615 Oak St. Gainesville GA 770.534.1564 |
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2020 GAR Advocacy Victories
What we were able to regather and get passed once we reconvened:
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● “Right to Rent” addresses private property rights and housing affordability. SB 442 grandfathers rental
properties when an HOA, through the approval of its members, places new restrictions on rental
properties. It does not bring in new rentals, but preserves current owners and their renters.
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● “Construction Materials” has been a primary focal-point since the 2018 Session. HB 777 advances the
greater use of mass timber, a cost-effective alternative construction material.
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● Waiver of Sovereign Immunity for local governments in civil actions will now appear on the ballot this
November. If it passes, it will allow citizens to more easily sue local governments for zoning decisions that
adversely impact their private property rights.
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● HB 857 bans the burning of creosote in biomass plants. This issue has become a problem in the
northeast corner of the state.
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● “Lien Waiver and Contract Enforceability” became a concern following a recent court ruling. SB 315 fixes a
loophole in Georgia law that has been exploited to not pay subcontractors for work they had performed.
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● Condominium owners will now have the right to request insurance information from the HOA related to
water, or potential water damage, under HB 1070.
What we were able to block:
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● The freezing of rental rates and stymying of development in areas defined as “naturally occurring
affordable housing.”
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● The repeal of a 2018 victory protecting the use of wood as a construction material
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● Language that would have allowed HOA management companies to charge up to $350 for a closing letter
and removed the waiver of lien rights for failing to provide such a letter within 5 days.
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● A requirement of consent by all heirs and beneficiaries for a benefiting party to be able to receive
compensation, or a referral fee in the settling of an estate.
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● The granting of chiropractors the ability to lien real property for unpaid services.
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● A tax exemption for multi-family properties owned by a nonprofit entity, but used as income producing
investments.
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● The ability of out-of-state licensees to practice real estate in Georgia without a Georgia license.
What did not exist until the June portion of Session, but in shifting gears, we got done:
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● SB 359 provides liability protections for responsible licensees, businesses and HOAs from lawsuits related
to COVID-19. This bill does not provide protections when there is gross negligence, or reckless behavior.
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● HB 426 removes Georgia from the (very) short list of states without a hate crimes law. This bill has already
been signed by the Governor and is active Georgia law adding additional penalties to bias-motivated
crimes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, sex, national origin, religion, or physical or mental
disability.
What kept the industry alive amidst the State of Emergency:
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● Working with the Governor’s Office, Georgia REALTORS® were considered critical infrastructure. So too
were the related industries that support real estate. Thus, Georgia REALTORS® were able to legally
transact business during the mandatory shelter-in-place.
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● In a dual effort working with the Office of the Governor and the Georgia Supreme Court, Georgia
REALTORS® were able to conduct virtual closings and use remote online notarization.
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● The Federal CARES Act brought some additional financial resources to support small businesses and
contractors. We worked closely with the Labor Commissioner, the Governor and other state entities to
ensure Georgia REALTORS® were able to benefit from these resources.
