“Placemaking” – One Way REALTORS Help Make Your Community a Better Place To Live

Across our nation, homeowners are coming together, taking ownership of their communities in order to make things better for everyone.

It’s called “Placemaking.”

Placemaking helps people develop a strong stake in their community and a commitment to continuously make things better. Strong communities draw an ethnically, culturally, and socially diverse population, which in turn, helps make communities more vibrant.

How do you initiate a Placemaking project? Look to REALTORS®! They are prime candidates to lead or initiate the efforts needed. REALTORS® are motivated stakeholders with deep knowledge and historical perspectives of their neighborhoods.

The National Association of REALTORS®’Placemaking Initiative provides grants ranging from $500 to $2,500 to help state and local REALTOR® Associations plan, organize, implement, and maintain Placemaking activities in their communities.

Some Examples

With funding from NAR, the Michigan Association of REALTORS® awarded $20,000 in Placemaking grants to nine applicants from the Greater Lansing Area. Grants of $500 to $2,500 were given to projects for the first phase of MAR’s Lighter Quicker Cheaper (LQC) Placemaking initiative. Projects include:

• The historic Dimondale Walking Tour: Residents and visitors can now take a walking tour of Dimondale and learn about historic places and events. New signs along the trail provide the historical perspective, and new benches provide opportunities to stop and rest, or simply reflect.
• The Trowbridge Village Neighbor Station: Amid the hustle and bustle of Michigan State’s south campus, the Trowbridge neighborhood established a free library, along with a comfortable place for residents of all ages to relax, learn, and share.
• The Barnes Street Community Garden: Multiple local groups and volunteers joined in the effort to build a community garden and gathering area that enables neighbors to grow fresh produce and enjoy art in the company of friends.

Your state and local REALTORS® are leading Placemakingprojects and partnering with other organizations to enhance neighborhoods and make a difference for you and your family.