CAAR Foundation

08/31/2026

When you renew your CAAR membership this year, you have the chance to make an even bigger impact.

The CAAR Foundation is working to address our region’s affordable housing crisis by helping families at or below 80% of the AMI overcome barriers to homeownership.

By adding a donation to the CAAR Foundation when you pay your annual dues, you’re directly supporting local housing solutions that change lives right here in our community.

Together, REALTORS® can make home possible for more of our neighbors.

Renew your dues, check the box to donate, and join us in building more affordable housing. Feel free to include the suggested $40 donation, or edit the amount to give more! Every dollar makes a difference.

08/27/2026

First-time homebuying can feel overwhelming: financing, credit, paperwork, timelines.

That's where our Homeownership Navigators come in. Trained REALTOR® volunteers walk alongside first-time buyers, offering trusted guidance every step of the way.

📌 12 volunteers trained in our first cohort, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville.

Want to guide a family home? Become a Navigator. https://www.caarfoundation.org/get-involved

08/24/2026

Join us for the 2nd Annual "Opening Doors to Affordable Housing" Benefit Concert on Thursday, October 1, from 5:00-8:30 PM at Pro Re Nata Brewpub & Music Hall!

Come out for an unforgettable evening with 300+ fellow REALTORs®, affiliates, friends, family, and community members, all for a great cause. 🏡

🎤 Live music by Aaron Evans & Friends, featuring members of Indecision
🍔 Food, drinks & good vibes
🎟️ Just $50/ticket: includes food, music, and one free drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic)

📅 Schedule:
5:00-6:15 PM: Doors Open / Happy Hour
6:15-6:30 PM: Presentation
6:30-8:30 PM: Live Music

Every ticket helps power the CAAR Foundation’s Homeownership Navigators Program, guiding first-time homebuyers on their path to homeownership.

🎫 Get your tickets now: http://tinyurl.com/CAARFdnConcert

08/19/2026

Housing affordability isn't just a Charlottesville issue. It's an economic development issue, a workforce issue, a community health issue.

The CAAR Foundation sits at a unique intersection: REALTORS®, lenders, builders, nonprofits, and local government, all working toward one goal: expanding housing opportunity across our region.

Since launching, the Foundation has:

• Helped 8 families become first-time homeowners in newly built, below-market homes
• Awarded grant funding to AHIP - Home Repair Nonprofit (Albemarle Housing Improvement Program), Piedmont Housing Alliance, and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville
• Advocated for a 50%+ increase in Albemarle County's Affordable Housing Trust Fund

Investment today helps fund innovative housing initiatives, expand volunteer navigator programs, and build long-term capacity for regional impact.

Learn more about the CAAR Foundation: https://www.caarfoundation.org/

08/14/2026

The CAAR Foundation is dedicated to strengthening our community by supporting local housing initiatives, nonprofit organizations, and programs that make a lasting impact. We're honored to have them as a Gold Sponsor of the 2026 BRHBA Parade of Homes!

Through their commitment to giving back, the CAAR Foundation helps build stronger communities and create opportunities for individuals and families throughout our region.

Learn more about the CAAR Foundation and its mission at www.caarfoundation.org - and plan to attend their Benefit Concert on October 1 at ProRe Nata.

Join us October 3/4 & 10/11 for the 2026 BRHBA Parade of Homes!

08/13/2026

Lunch & Learn: Virginia Housing 🏡 Helping clients achieve affordable homeownership starts with knowing what resources are out there! Join the CAAR Foundation on Tuesday, September 15 (11:45 am–1:00 pm) at the Hillsdale Conference Center Ballroom (550 Hillsdale Dr.) for a session with Frank Webster, Business Development Officer at Virginia Housing.

Learn how Virginia Housing helps make homeownership more accessible, from down payment and closing cost assistance to programs that lower monthly mortgage payments and boost buyer eligibility.

You'll walk away with a clearer path to help your clients become Mortgage Ready!
📍 Hillsdale Conference Center Ballroom, CAAR
🍽️ Lunch included
🆓 Free to attend, open to CAAR members, affiliates, and the public
📝 RSVP required: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H2FKZWT

Thank you to our Lunch & Learn sponsor, Virginia Housing, for making this session possible!

08/11/2026

Affordable housing is more than a policy issue; it’s about ensuring our neighbors have a place to call home. 🏡

Did you know?
👉 A family of 2 earning $85,450 or less is considered at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) in 2026.
👉 For a family of 4, that number is $106,800.

Yet, less than 15% of homes currently on the market are affordable for families earning around the median household income.

At the CAAR Foundation, we’re working to change that, helping more local families access safe, stable housing through grants, partnerships, and community support: https://www.caarfoundation.org/

08/06/2026

Keshia Washington of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville (also a CAAR Foundation Board member) joins former CAAR Foundation Board Chair Michael Guthrie on his "Real Estate Matters" radio show to discuss the Foundation's Homeownership Navigators Program and how it's leveraging the resources of the REALTOR® community to make the dream of homeownership possible for aspiring first-time homebuyers.

Listen here: https://cvillerightnow.com/podcasts/creating-affordable-and-workforce-housing-with-keisha-washington

Want to help fund this work? Join us October 1st for the 2nd Annual Opening Doors to Affordable Housing Benefit Concert — proceeds directly support the Navigators Program.

Get tickets: https://www.caarfoundation.org/events/2nd-annual-opening-doors-to-affordable-housing-benefit-concert

07/29/2026

New research from UVA's Ben McCartney shows a direct link between housing costs and voter turnout. When housing markets collapsed, financially strained homeowners, especially those carrying heavy mortgage debt, were significantly less likely to vote. When money's tight, people focus on "putting out fires at home" first.

Read more on 29 News:

A UVA professor says housing costs from rising rents, mortgage burdens, or falling home values, can affect if people vote on Election Day.

07/24/2026

Just one week left to sponsor our 2nd Annual "Opening Doors to Affordable Housing" Benefit Concert! Thank you to our newest sponsors: Fulton Bank, Keller Williams Alliance, Southern Development Homes, Loring Woodriff Real Estate Associates, Sally & Peter Neill, and Craig Builders.

Every sponsorship supports the CAAR Foundation's Homeownership Navigators Program, helping more families find a path to affordable housing.

Contact Dave Norris by July 31st or visit https://www.caarfoundation.org/events for more information.