Real Estate Industry & Hurricane Relief

Real Estate Industry Gives Nearly $8M for Hurricane Relief. REALTORS® and their industry collectively have donated almost $8 million toward relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims in the less than three weeks since the natural disaster struck the Gulf Coast, in addition to the industry's donations of goods and services and countless hours of aiding in temporary housing efforts. Of the $8 million, $3.6 million is from direct contributions to the REALTORS® Relief Foundation, administered by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. State and local REALTOR® associations and MLSs have contributed an estimated $1.7 million, some to RRF; some directly to the three state REALTOR® associations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi; and some to other aid groups, such as the American Red Cross.

Millions more are coming from the large real estate companies, who've announced donations to a variety of relief organizations, including the American Red Cross and the United Way. The total monetary contributions from the REALTOR® family is expected to continue to climb in the coming weeks as individual REALTORS®, REALTOR® associations, and real estate companies continue their fund-raising drives and make additional donations. In addition to donating money, REALTORS® are providing assistance in a number of other ways. They have been especially instrumental in efforts to provide temporary housing to displaced victims of the hurricane. In addition to individual efforts to find vacant listings, warehouse space, and any other structures that can serve as temporary housing in the weeks following the hurricane, two Louisiana REALTORS® launched HurricaneHousing.net, which is now serving as the federal government's central clearinghouse for information about available housing for hurricane victims.

Posted by Donald Urschalitz P.A. at September 21, 2005 04:54 PM