The Mortgage Action Alliance (MAA) is a voluntary, non-partisan and free nationwide grassroots lobbying network of real estate finance industry professionals, affiliated with the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).
Congress is currently in recess, as members are in their districts meeting with constituents. As you may have seen in the past few weeks, MBA and MAA had a presence at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. This included a number of events and, in particular, two separate real estate media events at each Convention. These panels were hosted by The Hill newspaper and sponsored by a broad coalition of real estate-focused trade associations. MBA Vice Chairman Rodrigo López moderated a panel at the Republican Convention event and MBA President and CEO David Stevens moderated a parallel panel at the Democratic Convention.
With election season now fully underway, we are excited to launch a new feature on MBA’s Advocacy Action Center, the Elections Page. On the Elections Page, you are able to easily look up the federal and state candidates running for office in your area, information about the election, and even register to vote. Go to Action.MBA.org to visit the Elections Page and try it out for yourself!
You can also connect with MAA on social media. Please check out MAA’s Facebook page. Check-in with MAA often to stay up-to-date on the happenings in Washington, D.C. and your state capital. We will post the latest political news as well as MAA “Calls to Action.” You can also join MAA’s group on LinkedIn to connect with fellow advocates and expand your network!
The Mortgage Action Alliance recently sent out a letter asking members about any personal relationships they may have with their elected officials. These relationships can be incredibly valuable to our advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry. Please consider joining MAA and helping us leverage your personal relationships to advocate on behalf of our industry. The industry’s ability to navigate and manage these policy challenges will be critical to our efforts to serve consumers. Visit MAA’s Web site to learn more.
Getting involved with MAA allows industry professionals to play an active role in how laws and regulations that affect the industry and consumers are created and carried out by lobbying and building relationships with policymakers. It only takes a moment to get started, and you do not have to be a member of MBA to enroll. The larger the group, the louder the voice!
If you would like to run an MAA campaign, please contact Peter Shapiro at (202) 557-2933 or e-mail [email protected] to receive an Enrollment Campaign Kit and learn more about how you can engage your colleagues and employees in MBA’s advocacy programs.
Real estate finance industry professionals who wish to join or learn more about MAA can do so at Action.MBA.org. If you have any questions regarding MBA’s advocacy programs, please contact MBA’s Director of Political Affairs Annie Gawkowski by phone at (202) 557-2816 or e-mail [email protected].
Fowler Williams is chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Mortgage Action Alliance. He is also president of Atlanta, Ga.-based Crescent Mortgage. He may be reached by phone at (800) 851-0263 or e-mail [email protected].
This article originally appeared in the August 2016 print edition of National Mortgage Professional Magazine.
