What a summer! Not only was the weather ridiculously hot but so was RECSA’s advocacy efforts. We continued to weigh in and be involved on so many levels and on numerous issues facing our industry. We were very engaged with the City of San Antonio Planning Department on the new Annexation and Growth Management Policy. This collaborative effort took several months to work through. However, the result was a document that will help shape our city for decades to come, all while protecting private property rights and encouraging responsible development, and ensuring the city got what they needed in a growth management policy. We were also engaged in making sure we had adequate technical representation on the Planning Community Technical Advisory Committee (PCTAC), Stormwater Management Advisory Board, SAWS Capital Improvement Advisory Committee (CIAC), and many other committees over the past few months. Thank you to all the volunteers who put time and effort into making sure our industry is represented on all these important committees and ensuring we have a seat at the table. We couldn’t do it without your help! You can see a full update of our Government Affairs initiatives in Trey’s column below.

The 2023/24 Leadership Development Program (LDP) Class has also been selected and is starting their journey through the program. As always, the class is comprised of a cross section of young, motivated up-and-coming individuals within the many facets of our industry. I look forward to watching their accomplishments not only during the program but also after graduation. Congratulations to all those selected. I look forward to getting to know all of you better. If you or your candidate was not selected, please don’t be discouraged. The competition is fierce, and I encourage you to apply again next year.

As you all know, we have sent out information regarding an increase in RECSA membership dues for 2024. This is never an easy thing to do, but after much discussion the Executive Committee felt not only was an increase in dues warranted but also needed for the continued viability of the organization. We have seen skyrocketing costs for all our events and especially our signature programs. This minor increase in dues will ensure we are able to provide the level of advocacy that you all expect from RECSA, while allowing us to continue to provide quality and fun programs and events to our membership. In addition to making the financials and accounting easier, we’re also adjusting the timing of membership renewals so the annual membership coincides with the calendar year. Membership will go through December 31^st, with renewals occurring on January 1^st of the next year. This will take some time to work through but by January 1, 2025, all memberships will be on the same renewal cycle.

As you can see there is a lot going on at RECSA. Thank you all for your patience as we work through some of these changes and for your commitment to the organization. You, our members, are what makes this a great organization to be involved in. Your continued support and faith in RECSA is the heartbeat of everything we and you do for our industry. If you’re reading this and you’re not involved, please reach out to me or any of our great staff and let us know how you would like to be involved. We need volunteers! As you can see there is always a full slate of issues to work through and we need your help!

Until next time….

Individually, each of the little things we work on doesn’t seem that important. However, when you add them all up and look at them together, it’s quite impressive. This has been the story of 2023. When we accomplish a “win” we quickly forget about it and move onto the next thing. At this point of the year, as we exit the summer months, it’s important to look back and reflect on the fruits of our labor. This year, we have been busy with the following things:

As always, here is my elevator pitch. We need your help. You might notice the multiple members that are serving on committees mentioned above. For about half of them, this will be their first time serving on a committee as a RECSA representative. It starts with a simple email to Stephanie Reyes and me. “My name is _____, I work for _____, my expertise is _____, please keep me in mind if I can help with something.”

Our Legacy and Leadership program on September 7^th was a huge success. This fireside chat with Marty Wender helped highlight what a visionary and legend Mr. Wender is. Gene Dawson moderated the program and was entirely sold out. Programs like this help provide funding for your organization to continue its advocacy efforts for our Real Estate Industry.

Our last luncheon for the year is the annual Philip Barshop Award Luncheon on November 14 at The Witte. This is one of the Real Estate Council's signature events, so please reserve your spot immediately.

The Programs Committee and the RECSA staff have also been planning the Industry Holiday party at The Pearl. This holiday party is packed with surprises, and we encourage everyone to RSVP as soon as possible.

Your Programs Committee is constantly exploring new ways to add value to your membership and the industry. If you have any suggestions or ideas for future programming, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for supporting the Real Estate Council of San Antonio and our Programs Committee, and please show support by attending our quality programs.

It’s hard to believe we are already heading into the 4^th quarter of 2023! This summer the Membership Committee has continued to work hard to recruit new members and to maximize our current members’ benefits through advocacy, education, and networking.

New Members – 3^rd Quarter 2023

C.E.O.