NORTH CAROLINA REAL ESTATE COMMISSION COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY

The recent deaths of numerous persons of color in our nation have awakened many of us to racial inequities which have always been present but not widely considered or discussed. The North Carolina Real Estate Commission members and staff remain deeply troubled by these senseless losses and the many inequities faced by persons of color. These ongoing events, and the resulting protests, have affected all of us, have made us think and question our own actions and reactions, and have shown the importance of compassionate and open discussion about issues of racial equity. The Commission welcomes the resulting discussions and changes that have begun and will continue in our community and nation.

Those involved in real estate brokerage are a diverse community. The Commission is committed to the principles of excellence, fairness, and respect for all people. It is our goal to ensure that brokerage activities are conducted in fairness to all, to ensure equal housing opportunities, and to end discrimination in the sale or rental of all real estate. Everyone should feel safe in their communities and should feel and be free from discrimination.

We stand with those who seek equal justice for all and will do our part to encourage and support our community in making necessary changes to make sure racism and disregard for the dignity of people of color become a part of our history and not our present. We vow to listen, learn, and work with others to promote equality, inclusion, and acceptance.

The Commission is committed to examining its rules to ensure that they address discriminatory conduct by licensees in the real estate profession and to being a leader in moving the profession forward. To that end, in the past year, the Commission has

• embarked on a rulemaking to directly address broker misconduct on the basis of race and other protected classes;
• participated in racial equity training for all members and staff to better understand unconscious bias, inequality, and institutional and structural forms of racism;
• revised its Investment Policy to require that a larger portion of Commission funds are deposited in minority-owned depository institutions (MDIs);
• received and considered comments and complaints on its website about racism and discrimination faced by consumers and licensees in real estate transactions; and
• included in the next Update courses substantial material addressing racial equity in real estate transactions, including Fair Housing, Commission rules, and related topics and scenarios.

Please continue to help us better understand the experiences you have faced as a real estate broker or consumer around racism or other discrimination in any real estate related activities by contacting us and/or filing a complaint. We cannot stress enough the importance of providing us with this information. Suggest a Rule Change / File a Complaint