There is lots of hoopla and many gala events at the National Associationof Realtors' annual Convention. You could have met David Hasselhoff of Knight Rider fame yesterday. You can take advantage of the live coverage and see interviews and photos of the happenings.
Take note of this: An historic vote will take place at NARdiGras 2010 in the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM on Monday, November 8th.
At the NAR mid-year meeting in May,The Board of Directors passed a change to Article 10 of the NAR Code of Ethics barring REALTORS® from denying equal professional services on the basis of sexual orientation or from discriminating against any person on the basis of sexual orientation.
Also amended was the Standard of Practice 10-3 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in any advertisements for selling or renting property.
How did one ActiveRain Post play a big part in getting this?
Sychronicity and activism: Jeff Berger, founder of the National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP), who spearheaded the Article Ten effort back in 2007 read Eric Kodner's ActiveRain blog post of December 5, 2007 entitled,"Tell NAR It's Time to Rewrite Article 10 of the Code of Ethics" and invited Eric to join the Board of NAGLREP. Their collaboration resulted in bringing this proposal before the WRA Board on March 6, 2009.
This picture is Eric and Jeff at the Judiciary Committee Office in May.
Many of you may have read Eric's post of May 23, 2010, in which he states:
"The effort to get Article Ten amended to include sexual orientation has truly been the work of many people. Since the Wisconsin Realtors' Association Equal Opportunity in Housing Committee first introduced this proposed amendment, it has been examined and approved by the WRA Board (including WRA President Bill Malkasian), the NAR Equal Opportunity - Cultural Diversity Committee, the NAR Interpretations and Procedures Subcommittee, the NAR Professional Standards Committee and most recently the NAR Board of Directors."
Eric goes on to give credit to many others who asssisted in moving this proposal forward, "including Fred Underwood (NAR Director, Diversity and Community Outreach Programs) who offered consistent support on the Article Ten issue. Wisconsin Realtors Association Director of Legal Affairs Debra Peterson Conrad provided sound legal and procedural advice, along with Kevin King of the NAR Professional Standards Committee. And former NAR President Dick Gaylord was a tremendously helpful advisor during the entire process."
There was also a lot more not written about on ActiveRain about the tireless behind the scenes efforts by Jeff and Eric. 
Below is Eric in Rep. Tammy Baldwin's office
A single ActiveRain Post can make a big difference.
As Eric further explained, he received a comment on the subject matter from someone who dismissed the the anti-discrimination provisions in the Realtor Code of Ethics as "a lot of PC garbage" and boasted that he could discriminate against gays all he wanted, because "there's a loophole in the Code". Eric finished off with, "Well, it looks like that loophole is closing. And when that happens, it will be a great source of personal satisfaction to me."
When the vote goes before NAR's delegate body during their annual meeting for final review, it's passage will change in code will take effect January 1, 2011.
Here's the article with amended language, which is underlined.
REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation. REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation.
REALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation.
Also the Standard of Practice 10-3 was approved as well. The changes are as follows:
REALTORS® shall not print, display or circulate any statement or advertisement with respect to selling or renting of a property that indicates any preference, limitations or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or sexual orientation.
Are you attending the convention? ActiveRain and many Rainmakers and Ambassadors are! If you wish you could be in attendance for the vote, as do I, hopefully the live coverage will be recording this historic event.
We applaud the National Association of Realtors and the many people involved in making this important change in the Code of Ethics. It will be history in the making on Monday, November 8, 2010.
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