ARA Co-Founder & Board Member On Hiring Former NAR Leader, NYC Taxes & Affordability

In this episode, Byron Lazine and Tom Toole sit down with ARA co-founder Jason Haber and board member Danielle Garofalo to break down the association’s biggest move yet: hiring longtime NAR lobbyist John Blount.

Then they get into the NYC pied-à-terre tax Jason fought on the steps of city hall, and why ARA’s stance on private listings puts it at odds with Compass.

⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 – 03:01 – Intro
03:35 The ARA Hire That Made Byron Pay Attention
04:43 How John Blount Actually Landed at ARA
07:51 What John Blount Actually Brings: The Ear of Congress
15:12 ARA Is a Nonprofit and Nobody’s on Salary
16:58 None of the Eight Board Members Take a Dime
18:53 ARA Just Crossed 30,000 Members
19:32 Why Compass Gets Complimentary Access and Nobody Else Does
23:55 Lisa Chinatti Wants to Know What Her Agents Actually Get
26:42 Why ARA Spends 50% on Advocacy
32:30 Jason Takes on the NYC Pied-à-Terre Tax at City Hall
37:23 The Ghost Units Nobody Wants to Talk About
41:47 If You Want Middle Class Families to Stay, Why Restrict Their Access?
43:04 Private Listings Compared to Ten Different Streaming Subscriptions
47:07 Compass Is Doing the Exact Thing ARA’s Policy Opposes
48:59 How Far Will the Ban on Private Listings Spread?
52:26 What Should Agents Actually Be Watching Over the Next Few Weeks?
56:44 The Real Criticism of Association Leaders