CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF YOUR REAL ESTATE BUSINESS - GO GLOBAL!

EVENT DATE & TIME
August 2, 2019
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

EVENT LOCATION
PSAR | South Service Center
880 Canarios Ct. #100
Chula Vista, CA 91910

BUILDER FORUM
- Meet Builders, Brokers & Agents from other Countries
- Learn and earn as you Network with International Agents
- Enjoy Free Food & Live Music

FREE TO ATTEND | RSVP REQUIRED
1PM - 2PM ......... Forum Begins
2PM - 4PM ......... Food & Networking

SPONSORED BY 
- PSAR Global Real Estate Council
- Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS®

Last Years Event

Congratulations to PSAR. Your Association has been honored for its leadership role in a housing initiative that is continuing to assist disabled military veterans achieve the American dream of homeownership.

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) Award, a watchdog organization that promotes accountable, cost-effective and efficient government, recently presented a Golden Watchdog Award jointly to PSAR, the San Diego chapter of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) and the San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s Office.

The SDCTA award, called “Better Serving 100% Disabled Veterans,” recognized the efforts by PSAR officials to assist more than 8,000 local disabled veterans in 2018, an increase of 28 percent from the previous year. The award, top honors in the “Public-Private Partnership” category, was presented May 16 at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel. SDCTA’s 24th annual Golden Watchdog and Fleece Awards recognized the best and worst in local government spending, decision-making and efficiency in San Diego County.

PSAR 2019 President Robert Calloway played a key role in assisting Ernie Dronenburg, San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, on the program that is helping disabled military veterans achieve homeownership. Initiating the program was Jordan Marks, Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate with the Assessor’s Office. 

The SDCTA award said the Assessor’s Office partnered with representatives from the disabled veterans community and PSAR to educate the community about a little-used California property tax exemption for disabled veterans and their spouses. Under an initiative that promoted homeownership, housing affordability and property tax refunds, the County served more than 1,400 more disabled veterans than the previous year. As a result of the program, disabled veteran homeowners benefited from $1.9 million annually in annual property tax savings.

The little-known California property tax exemption, California Constitution and Revenue and Taxation Code Section 205.5, provides a property tax exemption on the home of some disabled veterans or an unmarried spouse of a deceased disabled veteran. The exemption is available to a disabled veteran who, because of an injury incurred in military service, is blind in both eyes, or has lost the use of two or more limbs, or is totally disabled as determined by the VA or by the military service from which the veteran was discharged.

The SDCTA entry for the Golden Watchdog award said: “To increase program participation, the Assessor’s Office partnered with Robert Calloway, a Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption (DVET) recipient, and his two organizations, including PSAR and VAREP, to educate REALTORS®, veterans organizations and the community about this benefit for qualified disabled veterans and their spouses. This program, started in March 2018, was conducted without using any additional taxpayer dollars. This program leveraged private partnerships, speakers from the Assessor’s Office, media outreach, cross-county department education and resources from already budgeted campaigns.

SDCTA said through Calloway’s leadership and partnership with the Assessor’s Taxpayers’ Rights Office, a campaign demonstrating collaboration among the public and private sector and promoting the DVET exemption resulted in a savings for qualified veterans or spouses of up to $2,002 annually off their property taxes. This program helps veterans achieve homeownership, allows them to stay in their homes and, in some cases, receive refunds of close to $10,000 for property taxes.

Calloway, who serves as an advisor to the Assessor’s Office on disabled veterans issues, said, “This award from the Taxpayers Association is a great honor for PSAR, VAREP and the overall real estate community. We are ready to help local government officials anytime with advice and assistance that will help all homeowners, including disabled military veterans who have given so much and risked so much in service of the nation.”

“It was an honor and a pleasure working with Robert and PSAR,” said Dronenburg, who has served as County Assessor since 2010. “It was especially gratifying to help disabled veterans, these modern-day heroes who have selflessly shared so much and have sacrificed some of the best years of their lives, putting themselves in harm’s way to fight for liberty and keep everyone safe.”

As the County Assessor, Dronenburg oversees assessing the value of real estate and personal property, which in San Diego includes planes and boats. Every county resident who owns property or rents is affected by what happens at Dronenburg’s office. He oversees assessing the value of real estate and personal property, which in San Diego includes planes and boats. Property taxes constitute the largest share of revenue for the county. His work also involves registering business names and issuing marriage licenses, birth and death certificates. The office has a $71 million budget with 405 employees and five offices in San Diego County. Dronenburg was re-elected in June 2014, when he received 59 percent of the vote, and in June 2018, when he received 63 percent of the vote, resulting in no runoff elections either year. 

For the past 73 years, the SDCTA has been providing information to help educate the public and safe the region’s taxpayers millions. Public opinion polls consistently rate the SDCTA as the most “influential” and “trusted” public policy institution in San Diego.

Photo captions:

-- PSAR 2019 President Robert Calloway poses with Ernie Dronenburg, San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk (wearing bow tie) and William Jimenez, Division Chief, County Assessor’s Office.

-- PSAR 2019 President Robert Calloway poses with San Diego County Assessor’s Office staff who worked with San Diego disabled military veterans on the Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption.

By Ditas Yamane

Being in the real estate industry, the business commands a lot of time that makes life busy. Because of our irregular schedules as real estate professionals, it’s hard to find the time to volunteer and it’s easy to make the excuse of not being able to volunteer.

However, I’m here to tell you that sharing a little bit of your time can go a long way. Robert Calloway, as PSAR President, declared this year’s PSAR theme as “Salute to Service.” And I believe that this theme involves all of us at PSAR.

Volunteering is part of my existence in life. For me, it provides a sense of purpose and a sense of fulfillment that makes me happy. Being kind and helping people in need, improves your health and gives you happiness. 

Growing up very poor in a small town in the Philippines, often times, there was no help available for us. So, I made a promise that when I grow up, I would help others in my own little way. I studied hard, worked hard then along the way, I started to volunteer in my community. I also have encouraged my siblings and now my children to volunteer by giving back and helping people in need. As a result, they have built relationships with other volunteers and are happy to be a part of improving the quality of life.

My volunteerism has helped me grow in so many ways as a person. I have more confidence and have built great relationships, both personal and business aspects of my life. So, however, busy my life becomes, I set-aside time to volunteer and help. As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world.”

So, I encourage you to volunteer at PSAR. Start by choosing a committee that you have interest in and put a little time, effort and commitment. It’s a good way to use your extra time to share your skills and talents and I guarantee you that the return of your little investment will be priceless.

By volunteering at PSAR, you will learn new skills, meet new friends, develop friendships and build network.

Volunteer at PSAR and you’ll learn new things and you’ll get information and know about available resources to use in your business and share to others.

Volunteer at PSAR and your voice will be heard in helping to grow the PSAR community. It will give you the opportunity to advocate for issues and concerns that you believe is right and are in line with PSAR’s mission to change for the better.

Volunteering means you will have a seat at the table; otherwise you’re on the menu!

Believe me when I say that the rewards of volunteering at PSAR are endless. The best time to volunteer is now.

Come-on fellow Real Estate Professionals. Come and volunteer and help us grow.

Together we can do it.

We are PSAR!

Ditas Yamane has been in the real estate business since 2002.

This course is designed for the agent who is looking to work in Commercial Investment Property! During this 2-hour course you will learn:

• The language of the investor and what to say to show you're knowledgeable.

• Terminology such as GRM, CAP, ROE, ROI, OM, C.A.R., A.I.R., L.O.I., expenses and vacancy factors. 

• Dynamic scripts for communicating with Commercial Brokers. 

• Strategies to help Sellers understand that they could be getting a better Return on Equity.

• Strategies to help Buyers understand that they could be getting a better Return on Investment.

This course will teach you how to effectively stand out, get business, and get paid!

Event Details: Thursday, June 13th, 2019
Time: 1 PM - 3PM | PSAR East County Service Center
1150 Broadway #100, El Cajon, 92021

Cost: $25

Space is limited. 

Salute to Service: By Shonee Henry

Life is short and it is here to be lived. Which is a main reason why I believe that passion is so important. Passion is what energizes life. It turns the impossible into the possible. I’m passionate about volunteering and staying involved with PSAR. And, here’s why you should join me.

I don’t think twice about volunteering. It’s natural for me to do it. God made me to be a helper and volunteer. People might think I’m crazy, but I don’t feel wholesome if I don’t help.

I didn’t realize how effective I could be at volunteering until I actually started volunteering. Does that make sense?

Let me explain: I have been fortunate to volunteer at the national level with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Starting in 2009, I began serving as NAR’s President’s Liaison to the Philippines. Four years later, I was appointed regional coordinator to Asia Pacific, and United Arab Emirates from 2013-2016 representing the NAR President.  In my collaborative role, I helped establish partnerships in other countries to promote NAR educational programs and professional designations, including the International Realtor Membership (IRM) and Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS).

Serving with NAR forced me to make public speeches. Before then, I had never been a public speaker. But, I was passionate about helping to lay a global foundation for our real estate industry. I believe success in business is possible only with passion, vibrancy, energy and enthusiasm. Passion is the instinct that drives all great souls. Passion is the fuel which generates pride, ambition and dreams. Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion of conviction. Your passion for success must be greater than any fear of failure.

So, as a result, my public speeches were filled with passion. Then, after the speech, people said to me, “You’re really good at this. Your speech was inspiring. You really made a difference.” All of that was news to me. Then, I realized my purpose and what I was created to do in life. Passion and purpose go together. The more purpose driven you are, the more you know your purpose for both living and leading as a volunteer. So, only after I started serving did I realize how effective that someone could be and the impact you could make as a volunteer.

Also, volunteering can make you a better REALTOR®. That’s because when people see the passion you have for volunteering, then they will choose to do business with you and your business will grow organically. I have never volunteered for the purpose of increasing my business. However, I have seen that volunteering and sharing the lessons you’ve learned in life has led to new friends and trustworthy contacts and, eventually, to new clients. By sharing your talent, you’re creating a better atmosphere for our industry. So, let me encourage you to share your experience and your talent. Help from the heart.

Because the more focused you are, the more effective you will be. And volunteering helps you to focus. There’s awesome power in a focused life. For example, diffused light doesn’t have much of an effect on what it touches. But, when you focus light, like the rays of the sun through a magnifying glass, you can ignite a piece of paper or grass. If you can focus it even more, it becomes a laser. And, lasers can cut through steel and destroy cancer. The same is true with your life. If you’re directionless, you’ll just drift through without much impact. But, if you focus on a few key goals, such as volunteering, then you can make more of a powerful impact in the world.

Time is your most precious gift you have because we have only a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you give someone your time in volunteer service, then you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your volunteer time.

Let me encourage you to allocate part of your time to PSAR, increase your passion, expand your participation and volunteer with our Association. Yes, as a PSAR, you can make a difference and be a change-maker for the betterment of our Association.

Sometimes you might think you have the knack for something, but you’re not sure quite where to start. I would say to just face your fears, think outside the box and jump-in with both feet and try it anyway. There are so many opportunities to serve to help others and many ideas that need to be cultivated. Small can turn out to be a big deal. Little can turn out to be much. 

Start with the needs of others. If you want to connect with people, start with their needs, their hurts, what they want. Seek to understand before seeking to be understood. Life is all about relationships. Remember, the world does not revolve around you.

You’re braver than you know. You might not think of yourself as courageous, adventuresome, fearless and unafraid. But, I think you should give yourself credit for bravery when you volunteer. Don’t listen to the voices that say, “Who do you think you are?” or, “It can’t be done,” or “Forget about it.”

Maybe you’ve tried to volunteer in the past and it didn’t work-out well. Let me encourage you to try again. We must not permit the failures of the past to defeat victorious living today. Failures of the past do not nullify purposes in the future. Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you. Do not allow the fears of the future to rob us of passion today. Instead, explore and discover your hidden talents. When you volunteer, you will discover the better part of yourself.

You were created for more than just selling real estate. I started in real estate to help me achieve my dream of sharing wealth and wisdom with those less fortunate. Life is not about things. You’ve got to maintain the right perspective about possession, or you’ll be possessed by your possessions. The greatest things in life aren’t things. But, passion as a volunteer helps you get out of bed in the morning. It’s because you know there’s something bigger than you are and you can hardly wait to get at it again. So, get involved and take action today about volunteering with PSAR.

Shonee Henry began her real estate career in 2002. 

The lowest mortgage interest rates in more than a year boosted California’s housing market and kept home sales level in March 2019, after a stronger performance the previous month, according to the latest housing market report for home sales and prices from the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R).

After hitting the lowest level in 12 months in February 2019, the statewide median home price bounced back and reached the highest point since October 2018. The statewide median home price rose 5.9 percent to $565,880 in March 2019 from $534,140 in February 2019 and was up 0.2 percent from a revised $564,820 in March 2018.

The statewide median home price in March 2019 was $565,880, down 5.9 percent from February’s $534,140 figure and up 0.2 percent from March 2018’s figure of $564,820.

In San Diego County in March 2019, the median single-family home price of $623,800 was 0.2 percent lower than the $6250,000 figure for February 2019 and 0.3 percent lower than the $62,400 figure for March 2018.

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 397,210 units in March, according to information from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2019 if sales maintained the March pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

“The lowest interest rates in more than a year gave would-be buyers the confidence to enter the housing market and provided a much-needed push to jump-start the spring homebuying season,” said C.A.R. President Jared Martin. “Pending sales also showed healthy improvement in March, which suggests a brighter market outlook could be in place in the second quarter.”  

“The median price has been softening since it reached a peak last summer, and March’s year-over-year price increase was the smallest in seven years,” said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “The flattening home prices, coupled with low mortgage rates, bode well for housing affordability and may bring more buyers who may have given up back to the market.”

Other key points from the March 2019 resale housing report included:

-- The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home rose from 16 days in March 2018 to 25 days in March 2019. This compares to 33 days in February 2019 and 37 days in January 2019. Meanwhile, in San Diego County, the median number of days a home remained unsold on the market stood at 19 days in March 2019, compared to 22 days in February 2019 and 12 days in March 2018.

-- Home sales in the Inland Empire declined 10.4 percent from a year ago as Riverside and San Bernardino counties posted annual sales declines of 9.3 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively. In the Southern California region, home prices increased in San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura while they declined in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

-- Active listings continued to climb from the prior year, increasing 13.4 percent from last March. It was the 12th consecutive month active listings rose year-over-year and the ninth month in a row they grew double digits from the prior year. The pace of increase, however, was the slowest since July 2018, and the growth rate has been decelerating since December 2018.

-- The Unsold Inventory Index (UII), which is a ratio of inventory over sales, improved on a year-over-year basis but decreased on a month-to-month basis. The Unsold Inventory Index was 3.6 months in March, down from 4.6 months in February but up from 3.0 months in March 2018. The index measures the number of months it would take to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. The jump in the UII from a year ago can be attributed to the moderate sales decline and the sharp increase in active listings.

-- The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 4.27 percent in March, down from 4.44 percent in March 2018, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate also declined in March to an average of 3.83 percent from 3.65 in March 2018.

In other recent real estate and economic news, according to news reports:

-- The number of San Diego County homebuyers who had their first offer accepted skyrocketed in the first quarter of this year, according to real estate firm Redfin. In the first quarter last year, only 38 percent of local homebuyers got their first offer accepted. That figure climbed to 53.4 percent in the first three months of 2019. Nationally, 56 percent of homebuyers got their first offer accepted in the first quarter, according to Redfin, the highest first offer acceptance rate in the past three years.

-- San Diego County's home inventory rose 20.4 percent year-over-year in March, significantly outpacing the national inventory growth of 1.2 percent, according to a recent Zillow report. Zillow said the increase is not because there are many new listings, but rather homes are staying on the market longer. Despite an increase in the total pool of for-sale inventory, the number of new listings on the housing market has fallen year-over-year in each of the past four months, Zillow said.

-- Median home prices were unaffordable to 71 percent of average wage earners in the U.S. in the first quarter. According to Attom Data Solutions latest report, median home prices in the first quarter of 2019 were not affordable for average wage earners in 335 of 473 U.S. counties analyzed in the report. Attom said San Diego County's annualized weekly average wage figure of $61,269 means an individual or family would have to spend 65.4 percent of their income to afford a median home price of $540,250. It's recommended that no more than a third of income should be spent on housing in any given month.

-- The number of San Diego County homes in foreclosure remains at a low level. Attom Data Solutions found local foreclosure filings amounted to 1,040 in the first quarter. While it marked a 280-unit quarter-over-quarter decline, it was up by nearly 150 foreclosures from a year ago. Foreclosures both in San Diego and nationally are still at or near 11-year lows.

-- Millennials are struggling to come up with a down payment to pay for a home, according to Clever Real Estate, a referral service. Nearly half of Californian millennials pay less than the traditional 20 percent down on a home. This leads to high monthly payments and, sometimes, buyer’s remorse. Also, a lack of funds to start with means many use credit cards, or loans, for home renovations.

-- San Diego County is the seventh most favored rental market in the nation. According to HotPads, monthly rent in San Diego County, combining both single-family units and apartments, has reached $2,740. Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta are currently the most popular rental markets in the United States, said HotPads.

-- The unemployment rate in San Diego County was 3.7 percent in March, edging up from a revised 3.5 percent in February, according to a monthly jobs report from the California Employment Development Department. During the same period, the unadjusted unemployment rate was 4.6 percent for California and 3.9 percent for the nation.

-- California’s population growth in 2018 was the slowest in state history, as births declined, student enrollment fell and the death rate continued to climb as baby boomers aged. According to the state Department of Finance, the state added 186,807 residents last year, bringing California’s estimated total population to 39,927,315 people as of Jan. 1. The overall growth rate slipped to .47 percent last year from .78 pecent in 2017, the slowest since data collection started in 1900. Births in the state in 2018 were down by more than 18,000, compared with the previous year.

 3rd Annual Realtor Games!

Friday, June 21, 2019
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Come Tailgate & Cheer on Your Favorite Team!
16 Teams will be competing in Mental & Physical challenges for Charity. Enjoy Games, Awards, Raffles, Food and Fun!  BYOC - Bring your own Cooler!

The first 100 Realtors to arrive will receive a free food truck lunch ticket!

SCOBEE PARK | Chula Vista, CA 91914

Team Check-in at 11:30 am.
Tailgate/Realtor Appreciation at 12:00 pm.
Realtor Games begin at 1:00 pm sharp!

$250* PER TEAM OF FIVE ($50 per team member)
Cost includes: Taco plate and T-shirt.

4 PHYSICAL CHALLENGES:  Sack Race, Balloon Launch, Cornhole and Free Throw Contest
4 MENTAL CHALLENGES:  Spelling Bee, Jenga, Puzzle and Realtor Feud


                                                                             

VIEW FLYER  |  SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Product, Service and Equipment Sponsors

Preferred Home Inspections
Cafe Tazza
Fine Wood Finishing
Pacific Drain & Plumbing
Minuteman Press
Award Sign Company
William Fagan - DJ
First American Home Buyers Warranty
Elsa Flores Photography

INCLUDED WITH THIS COURSE
• Agency, Ethics, Trust Funds, Fair Housing, Risk Management
• The new Management & Supervision course
• Course material will be made available via downloadable PDF files
• Optional review to prepare to take the easy exams
• Instructions to take the exam online

REQUIREMENTS
Once you register, you will receive your PDF file from Duane Gomer. Please provide your email address and DRE license when registering. DRE Regulations state that you may take no more than 15 hours of exams in a 24 hour period and start testing 5 days after the receipt of your study materials.

Anyone who fails an exam can take a second test at no cost any time within one year from date of registration or take the class again at no cost. Courses are for all licensees. These courses are approved for Continuing Education Credit by the California Department of Real Estate. However, this approval does not constitute an endorsement of the view or options which are expressed by the course sponsor, instructor, author or lecturers. DRE VENDOR #0054

CHECK-IN ....... 8:45 am - 9:00 am
REVIEW .......... 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

REGISTER HERE  |  VIEW FLYER

QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ANSWERED
- Backflow Prevention Requirements
- Fire Flow Services
- Development Improvements
- Do's & Don'ts of Plan Checks
- Subdivisions
- Individual Projects

VIEW FLYER

EVENT DETAILS
Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center 
140 East 12th Street
National City, CA 91950

A light breakfast will be served.

REGISTRATION
Please RSVP to Alessandra Angelone
aangelone@sweetwater.org  |  619-409-6721

Congratulations to PSAR. Your Association is compassionately taking an active role in the community efforts to help homeless people. 

The El Cajon City Council at its April 23 meeting hosted a presentation that recognized a $5,000 grant from PSAR to the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The PSAR grant helped pay for creating a website featuring resources intended to assist homeless people living in the East County.

PSAR representatives at the presentation included: Robert Calloway, 2019 PSAR President; Kay LeMenager, PSAR member and Communications and Marketing Committee chair with the East County Homeless Task Force; Tracy Morgan Hollingworth, PSAR Government Affairs Director.

Representing the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce at the presentation was Joe Mackey, interim CEO. Also attending were: Anna Marie Piconi Snyder, Consulting Project Director, East County Homeless Task Force; Carol Lewis, Coordinator, El Cajon Collaborative.

Since its founding in November 2016, the  East County Homeless Task Force has been working collaboratively as a grass roots effort involving more than 300 East County community leaders to develop solutions to reduce homelessness in the East County communities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, Lakeside, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley and Alpine.

The Task Force’s organizational structure has 10 “solution groups.” Officials said the Access to Services Solutions group and the Communications and Marketing Committee group worked together to create a website offering ways a homeless person could get help in the East County and provide a way for the public to contribute to those solutions.

The website, www.ECAssist.org, is a one-stop online resource that allows users to navigate services based on either location or need. At the website, people looking for food resources can go to a column on the left and find links to pantries in various East County locations. Another click leads to phone numbers for various hotlines to medical care and shelters.

“I’m very proud of our Association’s efforts to assist in finding solutions to reduce homelessness,” said Calloway. “This website is an excellent resource that will help the homeless and near homeless in the East County.”

“It’s very rewarding to be part of the Homeless Task Force,” said LeMenager. “Our group discovered that helpful information was not organized and accessible to our homeless population. That’s when the idea of a homeless resources website came together.”

“Access to information and communications powered by technology is nearly universal in today’s world,” said Hollingworth. “The presentation at the El Cajon City Council meeting demonstrated how important organizations such as PSAR can make significant contributions to our community.”

The $5,000 from PSAR went to the East County Chamber Foundation, the Chamber’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation. 

Studies have confirmed that a majority of people experiencing homeless have cell phones providing access to the Internet. One study said that 70 percent of homeless patients visiting emergency departments had cell phones. Another study conducted by researchers Melody Kim, Melissa Cameron and Alex Fung found that 8 out of 11 homeless people in San Diego County had cell phones and the other two were seeking replacements.

It’s estimated that East County has more than 1,000 homeless residents, according to a 2018 study, called the Point In Time Count, conducted by the San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The presentation at the El Cajon City Council meeting was scheduled for the month of April in recognition of Fair Housing Month, as declared by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2018, the Fair Housing Act celebrated its 50th anniversary. The act is designed to protect Americans from discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing based on color, race, national origin, religion, sex and disability.

(from left to right) Tracy Morgan Hollingworth, Joe Mackey, Robert Calloway, Kay LeMenager, Carol Lewis, Anna Marie Piconi Snyder.