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Associated Press
28-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
NCJAR Celebrates Fair Housing Month and Honors Bill Flagg as NAR Fair Housing Champion
Recognizing Leadership in Equity and Inclusion as Fair Housing Month Comes to a Close MORRISTOWN, NJ, UNITED STATES, April 28, 2025 / / -- As Fair Housing Month comes to a close this April, North Central Jersey Association of REALTORS® ( NCJAR ) reflects on the significant strides made since the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. This month served as a reminder of the ongoing work to ensure equity, inclusion, and access in housing, values that NCJAR and REALTORS® across the nation strive to uphold every day. NCJAR is proud to celebrate the achievements of one of its own, Bill Flagg, who has been recognized as a 2025 recipient of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Fair Housing Champion Award. Bill's dedication to furthering the mission of fair housing through advocacy and action spans over four decades. Notably, his leadership in organizing Newark's first successful Homeownership Fair, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Baptist Church, has left a lasting impact on the community and serves as a model for others to follow. 'Bill Flagg's work exemplifies the heart of what Fair Housing Month is all about,' said Jeff Jones , NCJAR 2025 President. 'His tireless efforts to bring opportunity to underserved communities continue to inspire REALTORS® and remind us that we each have a responsibility to be champions of inclusion and access.' As we move forward, NCJAR urges its members to carry the spirit of Fair Housing Month into every day of the year. REALTORS® have a unique opportunity to not only abide by the law but to actively work to eliminate bias, promote inclusivity, and foster conversations that lead to lasting change in our industry and communities. This month's theme, 'Being the Change,' underscores the importance of REALTORS® taking an active role in confronting bias, fostering inclusivity, and leading conversations that propel the industry toward greater equity. 'We all have the power to make a difference in the communities we serve,' added Jeff Jones. 'Whether through training, education, or simply engaging with our neighbors, we can continue to build a future where everyone has an equal opportunity to pursue homeownership.' As Fair Housing Month draws to a close, let us celebrate the accomplishments of individuals like Bill Flagg and renew our commitment to promoting fair housing and leading with integrity every day. For more information about NCJAR and its ongoing efforts to promote fair housing, please visit and About NCJAR: North Central Jersey Association of REALTORS® (NCJAR) is dedicated to advocating for the real estate industry and promoting the values of fairness, equity, and access for all in every community we serve. Through education, outreach, and ongoing professional development, NCJAR strives to create a real estate market that serves all people equally. About Homebuyer NCJAR Homebuyer NCJAR is your go-to resource for homebuying in North Central New Jersey. Powered by NCJAR, we connect you with expert REALTORS® and provide essential tools and insights to make informed decisions throughout your homebuying journey. Ella Mae Gading-Delacruz NCJAR +1 973-425-0110 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube TikTok X Other Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A real estate perspective in the Hoosier property tax debate
Indiana lawmakers are trying to find a balance between rising property tax bills and local governments' need for revenue to provide services. (Getty Images) Any Hoosier who has bought or sold a home in recent years can attest to the rising price of putting down roots in Indiana – our statewide median home price is up 60% since 2018 to hit $250,000 in January. Rising property values are a good thing: Indiana is growing, attracting new residents, employers and investment. And housing budgets still go much further in Indiana, with costs nearly 40% lower than the national average. But if you aren't in the market to move, the most tangible effect of higher housing prices is higher property assessments and tax bills. For seniors on fixed incomes, young families who have worked their way into starter homes and a growing number of moderate-income Hoosier homeowners, Indiana's growing property tax burden represents a real hardship. REALTORS® understand the importance of a fair and affordable property tax climate and we've championed significant and lasting residential tax relief through the years. So we're grateful for the leadership of Gov. Mike Braun and the many lawmakers who embrace the cause of pro-homeowner reform. Senate Bill 1 is a blueprint for reducing homestead taxes. Homeowners have essentially been hit with a $2 billion property tax increase in the past six years, and we support efforts to ease their burden. But with two-and-a-half months left in this session, there's plenty of debate and discussion left on the topic of property taxes. Senate Bill 1 has already changed significantly, and the House will certainly have their say. With that in mind, we offer a few considerations on behalf of the 21,000 REALTORS® who have long been a leading voice of taxpayers at the Statehouse. REALTORS® proudly stood with then-Gov. Mitch Daniels to fight for a constitutional cap on homestead property taxes at 1% of a home's assessed value; the caps have saved taxpayers more than $11 billion since 2010. Current proposals range from targeted relief for certain groups of taxpayers to a broad-based maximum tax liability credit or scaling up homestead assessed value deductions across the board. The momentum for property tax relief is on the right trajectory, but whatever approach ultimately becomes law, it must preserve uniform and objective methods of taxation – property assessments should fairly reflect value. Before 2000, Indiana's assessment system was based on arbitrary adjustments to largely outdated estimates of how much a home cost to build. The system bred inequitable taxation, provoked a seven-year court battle and nearly a decade of chaos for taxpayers before 2008. We should learn from this history, and leave artificial caps on assessments out of any serious negotiations on restructuring. Local officials are concerned about the revenue losses that come with lower property taxes. REALTORS® recognize a healthy balance between cost of living and quality of life: Communities demand and deserve quality public services and physical infrastructure. But Indiana's system of local government was designed in the age of horse-and-buggy, not high-speed internet. Overlapping layers of government push property taxes rates up while creating a confusion of duplicative bureaucracies. Eliminating township government, consolidating administrative offices while keeping policymakers accountable to voters and stopping the runaway creation of special taxing districts can all help our cities, counties and school districts live within a limited tax base. In 2024, 13,000 homes were available across our eight MLS marketplaces on a given day. This number was nearly 40,000 ten years ago. Indiana has underbuilt new homes for more than a decade – since 2014, we've grown by more than 250,000 new households while building less than 173,000 new housing units. This long-term housing shortage explains why we were already seeing statewide home prices rising faster than the U.S. before the pandemic. Looking ahead, the only sustainable way to keep homeownership affordable and assessments in check is ramping up new home construction to match supply with demand. We're pleased that the plight of homeowners has taken center stage at the statehouse. REALTORS® have worked with governors, lawmakers and local partners to build one of the nation's most competitive property tax climates – and this year, we see opportunities to put Indiana even further ahead. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
