We believe everyone deserves a place to live.
The CAAR Foundation has its roots in the CAAR Workforce Housing Fund, created in 2003 to provide downpayment assistance to teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters.
Over time, as those loans were paid back, CAAR opted to establish a non-profit Foundation to champion affordable housing in the Charlottesville community. The CAAR Foundation established its By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation in 2017, received its 501(c)3 tax-exempt status in 2021, commissioned a Strategic Plan in 2023, and hired its first Executive Director in early 2024.
Mission
The CAAR Foundation works to be an effective mechanism for REALTORS® to donate their time, talent, and resources to impact, sustain and support community initiatives.
Goals
The CAAR Foundation leverages the resources of the Charlottesville-area REALTOR® community and our partners to make a meaningful impact on our region's affordable housing crisis through four programmatic focus areas: Funding, Volunteer Engagement, Awareness-Raising/Education, and Policy Advocacy.
This Strategic Plan focuses on establishing the CAAR Foundation as a trusted guide and resource for connecting people to safe, housing opportunities.
Strategic Plan
Programmatic Goals and Activities
Funding
The CAAR Foundation raises funds from within the REALTOR® community and from other sources in order to make targeted investments in carefully vetted projects that allow lower- and moderate-income households to access quality affordable housing and build wealth through homeownership.
Volunteer Engagement
The CAAR Foundation recruits and trains CAAR members to serve as volunteers for local affordable housing initiatives, including a new Homeownership Navigators program whereby dedicated CAAR volunteers will mentor and support aspiring first-time homebuyers along their path to homeownership.
Awareness-Raising/Education
Tapping into the expertise and passion of the CAAR membership and its partners, the CAAR Foundation raises awareness in the community about local affordable housing needs, resources, and opportunities – by, for example, launching a comprehensive new Online Housing Resource guide in collaboration with Charlottesville Tomorrow.
Policy Advocacy
The CAAR Foundation champions policies and laws that increase the supply of affordable housing (including deeply affordable housing) and expand access to homeownership for the hard-working folks who make this community function – like teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and more.
CAAR Foundation Staff
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Dave Norris
CAAR Foundation Executive Director
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Abby Tammen
CAAR CEO and Secretary to the CAAR Foundation Board
Board of Directors
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Michael Guthrie - Chair
Roy Wheeler Realty
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M.K. King - Vice Chair
Long and Foster
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Jeff Gaffney - Treasurer
Real Estate III
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Greg Slater - Past Chair
Nest Realty
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Ginny Barefoot
eXp Realty
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Christopher Brement
Bramante Homes
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Rachel Burns
REMAX Realty Specialists
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Tim Carson
Real Estate III
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Matt Coyle
North Star Homes
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Ashley Davies
Riverbend Development
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Marcela Foshay
Nest Realty
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Erin Garcia
Loring Woodriff
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Alex Mahone
Mahone Mortgage
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Peter McFarren
Roy Wheeler Realty
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Steven Reese
Heritage Real Estate