The NAHREP Policy Department is currently working long hours to make sure the State of Hispanic Homeownership Report is ready by March 2022. A critical component of the report is the annual list of policy priorities that serves as the basis for our advocacy work for the rest of the year. While these priorities focus on national advocacy, a critical component of our policy priorities is actually local.
We haven’t done any wonky terms of the week in a while. So, in light of it still being January, the month of the year when we are still gung-ho about self-improvement, I thought we would focus on our financial health and the power of stock market investments. NAHREP 10 Principle #5: INVEST AT LEAST 20% OF YOUR INCOME IN REAL ESTATE AND STOCKS because they are the best and safest ways to build wealth (investing in other businesses does not count). If you read the State of Hispanic Wealth Report, you’ll see that Latinos are driving homeownership growth and are increasingly becoming real estate investors. However, Latinos are less diversified in their assets today than they were prior to the housing crash!
Like most of you, I spent this past weekend thinking about my New Year’s resolutions. I know I’m not alone in including “working on my health” as one of them. But my decision this year was to think about health beyond the traditional “working out and eating less processed food.” I want to think about getting healthier as moving, exploring, and just plain LIVING. I want to go on more hikes, and run and rollerblade by the ocean. I want to swap gym visits for dance parties in my garden. I want to swim more and skip around. A slight change in mindset, as all of you know, can lead to seismic changes in results. Thinking about my health as living and moving makes it much more exciting to me.
As we’re all getting ready for “Noche Buena” tomorrow, I thought I would share some of my own reflections from this past year, hoping to hear some of yours in return. This has nothing to do with politics, policy, or advocacy. Just a few of my own personal takeaways from this past year.
14 December 2021, San Diego – The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) announces the appointment of Danny Hastings as Artist-in-Residence for 2022-23.
A creative dynamo, Hastings has designed over 150 album covers and directed over 40 music videos working alongside artists as diverse as P. Diddy, Taylor Momsen, Marc Anthony, Jodeci, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, KRS-One, Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest and Jeru the Damaja.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the national labor shortages. Many have blamed the extended unemployment benefits and are quick to think that people might be “too lazy” to go back to work after receiving COVID-relief benefits. However, I challenge you to consider this: An unprecedented amount of people, particularly young people, have started their own businesses over the past two years.
Recently, some of our NAHREP leaders were asked: “How would you describe NAHREP to elected officials?” I think the most important thing to remember in answering that question, is that when you describe NAHREP to elected officials or to any community leader in general, it is important to establish what we are, what we stand for, and why we matter in 30 seconds.
NAHREP submitted a comment letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on November 29, 2021, encouraging a reevaluation of the proposed changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While we are heartened to see DHS make efforts to preserve and strengthen DACA, we offer recommendations that will bolster the program even further. We encourage DHS to secure work authorization for DACA recipients, recognize them for their economic contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and update DACA eligibility standards.
Just wanted to drop a quick hello to mi gente hermosa on Thanksgiving. I hope no one is burning the turkey yet and that the turkey is accompanied by tamales, pozole, arroz con gandules, pastelón or lechon. Hopefully there will be some good dancing after dinner and that you make yourselves heard over your loudest relative. (I don’t know about you, but our Thanksgiving dinner gets LOUD.)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—November 19, 2021— The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals® (NAHREP®) applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for taking the important step of passing the Build Back Better Act earlier today.