Pete's Committees & Assoc.
Who you network with matters.
District of Columbia Association of REALTORS®
2023 Public Policy
Committee Member
The Public Policy Committee deals with pending legislation, possible future legislation and standing laws that might be subject to revision. This committee works directly with Associate Government Affairs Director Evan Loukadakis, and it shapes DCAR’s official stance on many crucial issues, including hefty matters of interest the past few years such as the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Benefit, TOPA, the Real Estate Guaranty Fund and eviction procedure.​
​
The Committee worked through several nuances of each issue, such as what an acceptable percentage of Area Median Income (AMI) threshold for the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Benefit would be and what the ideal fix for TOPA would be. Other regulations and restrictions are frequently discussed, and few individuals in the city are more in touch with real estate legislation than DCAR’s Public Policy Committee.
​
Members also have access to DC Council hearings, and they are occasionally called upon to testify in front of the Council on behalf of DCAR.
​
The committee meets officially once a month at our Dupont Circle office, and members are expected to be active in the Association’s work. In exchange, those members are able to express their interests to the rest of the committee, and the DCAR Board of Directors.
GCAAR's Young Professionals Network (YPN)
2023 Committee Member
YPN is a member-driven organization that helps young real estate professionals excel in their careers by giving them the tools and encouragement to become involved in four core areas:
​
-
REALTOR® association. Attend REALTOR® conferences and pursue leadership roles within their local, state and national associations.
-
Real estate industry. Take an active role in policy discussions and advocacy issues; be informed about the latest industry news and trends.
-
Peers. Network and learn from one another by attending events, participating in online communication, and seeking out mentoring opportunities.
-
Community. Become exceptional members of their community by setting a high level of REALTOR® professionalism and volunteering for causes they feel passionate about.
DCAR represents more than 2,800 REALTORS® in the District of Columbia, and every day we work to improve the lives and careers of those REALTORS®. It’s why we call ourselves the voice of real estate in DC. The vast majority of our work as a state-level association centers around advocacy and legislation; our local associations handle the bulk of the education responsibilities.
Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®
The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®, one of the largest local REALTOR® associations in the U.S., represents more than 11,000 REALTOR® members from Washington, DC and Montgomery County, MD, as well as industry-related professionals who support the real estate business.
​
Mission
-
We are the local voice for real estate.
-
We promote and protect private property rights, and the right to own, use, and transfer real property.
-
We advocate professional and ethical service to the public and members.
-
We provide the resources for members to succeed.
​
Vision
Through collective efforts with the state and national associations of REALTORS®, GCAAR's vision is to be the leading real estate organization that provides outstanding value and exceptional service to our members and communities, while expecting the highest level of professionalism.
Equity Chamber of Commerce
The Equality Chamber of Commerce DC Metro Area (ECCDC, or just “the Chamber”) is the non-profit, not-partisan network of several hundred queer and allied (Q&A) businesses and business leaders in the DC metropolitan area. Through its extended network of community partners and event participants in the capital area LGBT community, it regularly reaches approximately 5,000 individuals through it's messaging, networking events, and workshops.
With the continued advancement of the LGBTQ rights movement, however, “gay and lesbian” no longer reflects where we should be as a community nor where the Chamber is as an organization. We could not think of a better time than in 2019 – the 50th anniversary of Stonewall – to announce that we are changing our brand to reflect both the progress we’ve made in being a more inclusive Chamber and where we want to continue to grow.
The Chamber is an affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and was awarded Chamber of the Year in 2012. It has been ranked in the top 20 of Washington Business Journal’s List of Chambers of Commerce for multiple years.
GCAAR Diversity & Inclusion Champion
I'm a proud D&I Champion!
GCAAR established the Diversity & Inclusion Champions Program to give participants the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion and achieve personal growth and support your business.​
​
The National Association of REALTORS®, representing more than 1.4 million REALTORS® in diverse communities across the country fully embraces perspectives from all walks of life. NAR commits to bringing out the best in themselves, uncovering hidden talents and celebrating differences in day-to-day interactions. These beliefs are essential in serving its members, who help fulfill the dream of home and property ownership in America.
​
As your REALTOR® association, we are doing our part to identify opportunities for diversity and inclusion conversation and education, and to promote the practice of inclusion and equity among our leadership, members, staff and within the industry.
​
GCAAR established the Diversity & Inclusion Champions Program to give participants the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion and achieve personal growth and support your business.
​
The program features three key diversity training elements:
-
The At Home with Diversity® (AHWD) certification course
-
NAR’s Fairhaven fair housing simulation​
-
NAR’s Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing video
Peter M. Parente
Title Insurance &
Real Estate Marketing Expert