As real estate professionals in the community, you know what is working – and what is not. But you may not know how to address the issues that arise.

To provide you with the tools you need to address thoes issues, GAAR is offering NAR's "Smart Growth for the 21st Century" class on June 9th from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Smart growth is about recognizing and understanding the various facets of a vibrant community and maintaining balance among them.

The smart growth approaches taught in this class will help you become a more informed real estate professional and citizen – and will enable you to play a larger role in the community’s discussion about its future, especially on pressing projects like ABQ's ART project, Santolina and the ABC-Z Comprehensive Plan rewrite.

This class was designed to provide residential and commercial REALTORS® and civic leaders an overview of what smart growth is, how it works, why and to whom it is appealing, and how its understanding and support can improve our community and your real estate business.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Describe and discuss the key principles of smart growth.
• Compare smart growth precepts to other planning approaches currently in use.
• List how smart growth benefits various constituencies.
• Conduct a compelling conversation that explains and advocates implementation of smart growth policies and practices.

Through this course, you will acquire the knowledge and tools to make our community a better place to live, work and do business.

The class is free and open to members and non-members alike.

Click here to register

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About the Instructor: Janet Tharp

Janet is a NAR-trained instructor for the Smart Growth course and comes to us with extensive knowedge in innovative city plannig principles.. Her primary job is that of a city planning consltant.

Janet has over 30 years of planning experience, specializing in project management, comprehensive and special district planning, ordinance drafting and public outreach and values research. Janet has practiced in both the public and private sectors, and has experience directing large and mid-sized city planning departments. While working for the city of Dallas she managed the development of the ForwardDallas! Comprehensive Plan.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Janet is currently a private consultant and has worked as an associate with Fregonese Associates, and has served as the local project manager on projects in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Janet served as the project manager for the Waco Downtown Plan, PLANiTULSA, the Tulsa Comprehensive Plan, and several parish plans in Louisiana. In addition, she was a part of the management team for the East Baton Rouge Comprehensive Plan, Louisiana, and the Dallas TOD Project. In this role, Janet is readily available for day-to-day coordination with clients and can be onsite quickly as required. Janet has also drafted numerous zoning and subdivision ordinances and managed a citywide Complete Streets Initiative for Dallas.