Follow the Money: Michigan Realtors PAC, influence peddling, the cost of housing and housing policy

As anyone who has lived in Michigan over the past 20 years knows, the housing market has skyrocketed. 

Too many people are being priced out of the ability to even buy a home, and rental costs are also out of reach to thousands of families and individuals. While housing costs have gone up, income and wages for most have stagnated or have not increased anywhere near the increase in housing.

None of this matters to the Real Estate industry, which is why the Realtors PAC of Michigan continues to make significant amounts of campaign contributions to both Republicans and Democrats across the state. 

According to the most recent campaign contribution data from the State of Michigan, and the July campaign finance data, the Realtors PAC of Michigan has made contributions to hundreds of different candidates. Here are some of the larger contributions Realtors PAC of Michigan has made within the past 6 months:

• National RPAC – $34,650.00 
• House Republican Campaign Committee – $32,875.00
• Michigan House Democratic Fund – $22,875.00
• Andrew Fink for MI Supreme Court – $20,000.00
• Kyra Harris Bolden for – MI Supreme Court – $20,000.00
• Senate Republican Campaign Committee – $15,000.00
• Transformational Leadership Fund – $10,000.00
• Greater Kalamazoo Assoc. of Realtors – $5,748.63
• MI Forward Fund – $5,500.00

There are also a fair amount of contributions to candidates from Kent County and Grand Rapids, particularly those who are on the August 6th Primary Ballot:

• Fitzgerald for Michigan PAC – $3,500.00
• Committee to Elect Kristian Grant – $3,000.00
• Lindsey Thiel for Kent County Commissioner – $2,000.00
• Dan Burrill or Kent County Commissioner – $1750.00
• Friends of Bryan Posthumus – $1,500.00
• Friends of Phil Skaggs – $1,500.00
• Robin Halsted for Kent County Commissioner – $1,500.00
• Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen – $1,500.00
• Dean Pacific 1st Ward Grand Rapids City Commissioner – $1,400.00
• Friends of John Fitzgerald – $1,250.00
• Huizenga for MI Leadership – $1,000.00
• Friends of Stephen Wooden – $1,000.00
• David LaGrand for Mayor of Grand Rapids – $1,000.00
• Committee to Elect Angela Rigas – $750.00
• Ben Greene for Kent County Commissioner – $750.00
• Citizens for Stan Ponstein – $750.00
• Monica Sparks for Kent County Commissioner – $750.00
• Stan Stek for Kent County Commissioner – $750.00
• Katie DeBoer for Kent County Commissioner – $550.00
• Brinks Majority Fund – $500.00
• Roger Victory for State Senate – $500.00
• Lisa Posthumus Lyons for Kent County Clerk – $500.00
• Peter MacGregor for Kent County Treasurer – $500.00
• Bing Goei for 3rd Ward GR City Commission – $400.00
• Carol Hennessey for Kent County Commission – $250.00
• Dave Hildenbrand for State Senate – $250.00
• Elizabeth Morse for Kent County Commission – $250.00
• Michelle McCloud for Kent County Commission – $250.00
• Robert Womack for Kent County Commission – $250.00
• Melissa LaGrand for Kent County Commission – $250.00

It is rather instructive to see how many local State Legislators, Kent County and Grand Rapids candidates received funds from the Realtors PAC. You can bet that the Realtors PAC of Michigan wants to make sure that candidates from Grand Rapids and Kent County don’t make social housing or even truly affordable housing a reality. Always follow the money!