Jul82021

NAC Blog: Reconciliation, no not forgiveness

NAC

It’s time for another wonky policy term of the week explained. If any of you want to understand what in the world is happening right now in Congress with this infrastructure bill that seems to be moving at tortuga speed, let’s try to define another term the politico types throw around like pizza dough: reconciliation. What the heck is reconciliation? No, its not what happens with your significant other after she/he/they pissed you off and then cooked you your favorite meal to lure you through your stomach. In this case, it’s a tool used in Congress to get tough things passed.

Read more
Jul12021

NAC Blog: Infrastructure Deal Struck? It’s all politics now

NAC

Infrastructure. This term has been thrown around a lot. This is all that Congress is talking about, all that President Biden is talking about, and quite frankly, a lot of what we’ve been focused on this year as the National Advocacy Committee. But what is infrastructure? We usually think of bridges, roads, and transportation when we think of infrastructure, public projects that get us from one place to another. By this definition, broadband and internet are definitely infrastructure – as that is the way we travel (zoom meetings!) and communicate in today’s world.

Read more
Jun242021

NAC Blog: Somos Latinos, from sea to shining sea

NAC

Who saw In the Heights? If you haven’t, que carajos esperan? Listen up, if we want representation in Hollywood, and we want to change the narrative about Latinos, showing up at the box office when we’re on the main screen is the least we can do. Lin Manuel Miranda shared our stories, one of familia, comunidad, and powerful sueñitos that keep us alive and hungry (in a good way). “Start small, dream big.” Isn’t that how we all got started? Seeing those choreographed scenes of beautiful Latino faces dancing to the vibrant beat of our music, filled my heart in a way few things have during this past year.

Read more
Jun172021

NAC Blog: Fill to Bust

NAC

Raise your hand if you hear people talk policy and you zone out mostly because they keep using strange words that you don’t understand? I spent over a decade in Washington D.C., a town where people talk in acronyms. Before NAHREP, I spent 6 years working at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where it was seen as perfectly normal to say something like, “Since the HMDA working group finalized the ANPRM, there’s an OPM meeting at the EEOB to discuss collaboration between FHFA and the CFPB. Make sure you bring the RESPA proposal!” Como dice mi mama, “Apenas se puede creer!”

Read more
Jun102021

NAC Blog: Lumber shortages fuel the housing inventory crisis

NAC

What is more valuable than gold right now and is adding fire to our housing inventory crisis? You got it: LUMBER! First, we were out of toilet paper, then we couldn’t find any disinfectant wipes anywhere, and now, lumber. I know many of you have seen the memes or the TikToks by now of just how crazy this whole “run on lumber” has gotten, so I thought I would give you a quick timeline of how we got here:

Read more
Jun32021

NAC Blog: The 2-minute Latino homeownership narrative

NAC

I have a challenge for all of you: Let’s show the country how powerful our network actually is. We put a lot of work into our State of Hispanic Homeownership Report. It’s how we measure progress, how we get the country to see the power of investing in the Latino community, and it is also the way we change the narrative about Latinos in the U.S. Latinos are the engine behind the housing market and therefore, behind the U.S. economy. It is time more people realized that.

Read more
May272021

NAC Blog: Passing a bill in a divided Congress

NAC

First of all, a major shout-out to everyone who participated in NAHREP’s 2021 Capitol Hill Visits over the past two weeks. In total, NAHREP did 42 meetings and 202 of you participated in at least one meeting. Major kudos to our chapter leaders from around the country and our Government Affairs Directors. From Illinois to Texas, California to Florida, we traveled the country virtually, passionately advocating on behalf of our mission. But it doesn’t end there!

Read more
Apr292021

NAC Blog: Housing is Infrastructure

NAC

So, have you heard? 70% of all new homeowners over the next 20 years will be Latino. That’s a pretty big deal. If you haven’t memorized that data point yet, put it on a post on your computer or mirror, because it will be the foundation for our advocacy and our work. And if you haven’t done so already, download the latest State of Hispanic Homeownership Report!

Read more