Committees

Apply for the 2022 Community Service Committee. 

The Community Service Committee identifies and plans community service activities with GCAAR’s strategic charitable partners and other non-profits that fall within GCAAR’s charitable priorities.  The committee also nominates the annual GCAAR Good Neighbor Award winner.   

Membership

Committee members should demonstrate a commitment to community service.  Members attend monthly meetings and attend or lead at least one community service activity per year. This committee meets the second Wednesday of every month from 1-2pm. 

2021 focus

• The 2021 Community Service Committee will focus on supporting the work of our strategic charitable partner(s). 
• The committee will work with staff to increase participation and awareness of community service events among the general GCAAR membership.  
• The committee will also devote time to awareness of the GCAAR Good Neighbor Award.

2022 focus

• Support the work of our strategic charitable partners and identify volunteer opportunities with both our partners and other non-profits.  
• Increase participation and awareness of community service events among the general GCAAR membership.   
• Raise awareness of the GCAAR Good Neighbor Award.   

Contact staff liaison:  Kayla Neiderer
Chair: Samuel Medvene
Vice Chair: Dan Cumberland, Jr. 

Personal growth:

• GCAAR will create safe spaces for education and conversation centered around diversity and inclusion. 
• Continue the History and Power of Real Estate webinar series. 
• Provide resources to navigate and best engage in challenging conversations. 
• Support, promote and collaborate with NAR multicultural groups to strengthen resources and opportunities for our members.

Business development:

• Demonstrate that diversity is good for business and establish expectations. 
• Promote and offer the At Home with Diversity certification to our members. 
• Raise awareness about paths to homeownership for traditionally excluded communities. 
• Seek opportunities to partner with governmental and non-governmental organizations supporting homeownership programs for traditionally excluded communities.

Membership

Members should demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  They should also be GCAAR D&I Champions.  Members attend monthly meetings and work between meetings individually or in subcommittees.   

2022 focus

• Building educational and business resources that can be shared with the membership through a communication campaign, website, or other channel.   
• Identifying and advising staff on ways that diversity, equity, and inclusion can be a thru-line in GCAAR’s daily work.   
• Identifying History and Power of Real Estate webinar topics and speakers. 

Contact staff liaison:  Katherine Gordon
Co-Chair: Dale Mattison
Co-Chair: Tiffanyanne Tomlinson

Apply for the 2022 Forms Committee.

The mission of the Forms Committee is to review the association's current forms and make recommendations for revisions. Forms can be reviewed in response to legislative or regulatory requirements, and/or significant changes to either market conditions or industry best practices.

Membership

REALTOR® members must demonstrate extensive experience with GCAAR forms as evidenced by transaction counts over the past three years, or in the case of the broker/manager or team leader/trainer, the number of transactions processed in the office or by the team. Prior experience on another GCAAR committee is preferred, but not required.

Apply for the 2022 Grievance Committee.

The Grievance Committee is the Grand Jury for ethics complaints, arbitration requests, and SentriLock violations. The committee reviews filed documents and determines whether to forward cases to the Professional Standards Committee for hearings.

Membership

Members are appointed for three-year terms and should have a deep understanding of and commitment to the Code of Ethics (COE). Members attend 2-hour monthly meetings. "Homework" between meetings includes reading and analyzing cases filed and attending the professional standards training seminar in January.

2021 focus

• Chairperson will ensure that all members are fully engaged and participating in the discussion of case reviews.  
• Have one or more meetings dedicated to additional training using NAR’s Professional Standards Training & Information Resources.
• Members must attend monthly meetings for a three-year term. “Homework” between meetings includes reading and analyzing cases filed and attending the professional standards training seminar in January.

2022 focus

• Grow the number of trained ombuds people and increase the utilization of ombuds services to promote dispute resolution between parties
• Promote member awareness/education regarding their ethical obligations and understanding of the grievance process (i.e., ethics, arbitration, SentriLock).
• Increase training opportunities for the committee to further their COE education.

Contact staff liaison: Elizabeth Butler
Chair: Dana Hill
Vice Chair: Andrew Hill

Apply for the 2022 Professional Standards Committee.

Professional Standards Committee members sit on hearing panels for cases involving Code of Ethics complaints, arbitration requests, and SentriLock violations.

Membership

Members must attend quarterly training meetings focusing on case studies and exercises from the NAR Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual and serve on hearing panels, as necessary (up to three hearings per month). In order to serve on the Professional Standards Committee, a member must have served on the Grievance Committee for three (3) years. "Homework" for this committee includes analyzing assigned case files prior to each hearing as well as drafting hearing panel decisions.

2021 focus

• Increase the number of trained Chairpersons for ethics and arbitration hearings. Currently, there are 30 members on the committee and only 8 members are trained as Chairpersons.  
• Maintain regularly scheduled quarterly meetings that focus on additional training using case studies from the NAR Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual, and exercises in NAR’s Professional Standards Training & Information Resources. 
• Review current professional standards documents (ethics citation program, disciplinary guidelines, etc.) for possible revisions and updates.
• Members must attend quarterly training meetings and serve on hearing panels as necessary.

2022 focus

• Grow the number of trained chairpersons for ethics and arbitration hearings.
• Promote REALTORS®' professionalism in the practice of real estate.
• Increase the number of training opportunities for committee members.
  

Contact staff liaison: Elizabeth Butler
Chair: Mark Butterfield
Vice Chair: Leslie Dembinski

Apply for the 2022 Property Management Committee.

The Property Management Committee is for members who want to make a positive impression on the rental property community.  This committee comprises local leaders who review and make amendments to applicable GCAAR/DCAR property forms.  A second core function is reviewing and making recommendations to the Public Policy Committee on housing provider-tenant legislation. Moreover, the committee creates new forms as needed (determined by market conditions and changing regulations and standards). 

The committee also helps set the standard for best practices and protocols in the property management space. The aim is to enhance members’ businesses with an emphasis on community stewardship.  

Membership

Members must attend monthly meetings. Members must be ready (or willing to learn) to actively contribute toward conversations surrounding forms and public policy affecting housing providers. Assignments between meetings may include reading, proofing and/or editing forms and legislation. 

2021 focus

• Assign one or two members to provide updates to the committee on local and legislative issues regarding property management issues in Montgomery County and DC.  
• Maintain subcommittees to review and update forms, checklists and rental guides for Montgomery County and DC.

2022 focus

The pandemic placed the rental housing community in the limelight. This past year, the Property Management Committee has taken a more active role in monitoring and reviewing legislation affecting housing providers, and we expect this to continue. As always, the committee will continue to focus on improving forms for members.  

Contact staff liaison: Evan Loukadakis

Chair: Risha Williams

Vice Chair: Scott Sachs

Apply for the 2022 Public Policy Committee.

GCAAR’s Public Policy Committee discusses the impact of proposed legislative and regulatory changes on real estate business and the housing market and decides whether to take a position on those proposals. The committee focuses its advocacy efforts on those issues of greatest and most direct impact to the REALTOR® community.  

Membership

Members must attend monthly meetings, scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month, participate in county or state task forces and attend hearings.

2021 focus

• Members must attend monthly meetings, participate in county or state task forces and attend hearings. 

2022 focus

In 2022, the committee will likely review proposed zoning changes being considered by the Montgomery County Planning Board and County Council, intended to spur new ‘smart growth’ development.  

Contact staff liaison: Zac Trupp and Scott Reiter
Chair: Barbara Nalls
Vice Chair: Vilruza Iranpur

Apply for the 2022 YPN Committee.

YPN helps young or young-to-the-industry real estate professionals excel in their careers by giving them the tools and encouragement they need to become involved in four core areas:

Membership

Members must attend quarterly in-person meetings, monthly call-in meetings, and GCAAR YPN-related events. Committee meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. 

2022 focus

See what YPN is up to on their webpage.

Contact staff liaison: Kayla Neiderer
Chair: Tiffanyanne Tomlinson
Vice Chair: Paul Basto