Real-Estate Round-Up: politics and real estate value

Politics and real estate are not mutually exclusive. Most everything that happens in politics which becomes governance, impacts property. I am reminded of the Realtor Code of Ethics Preamble that begins: “Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization.”

Much of what I grew up believing is being challenged today, and if I am completely honest, has been challenged as far back as I can recall. We moved to Bonsall in 1992. One of the things that attracted us to the area was the great schools. In 1992, Fallbrook schools were the top schools in San Diego County. Fallbrook was a thriving town bustling with businesses that had existed for years. Fallbrook was sleepy, but it was healthy and alive.

Much has changed since then; much has stayed the same. But over the past 10 years I have experienced a major shift in the health and vitality of Fallbrook. I had to ask myself, why? What has changed that I can personally attest to, that could have caused some of the changes that are now full grown as we enter 2022? Enter politics or governance.

Thirty years ago, Fallbrook had a conservative voice, a generous voice, a voice that spoke for the community as a whole. Decisions seemed to be made based on what was best for as many people as possible. We were all concerned for our children and protecting our schools; we were all concerned with growth and finding ways to sustain our agricultural heritage; we all were concerned with the health care for our residents and fire protection for our properties.

The North County Fire Protection District was formed in 1987 with a mission based on saving lives and protecting property. They collaborate quite often with the Fallbrook Regional Health District that once governed Fallbrook Hospital, but now works with the county and the community supporting various community health issues and needs.

The Fallbrook Union High School District and the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District have mission statements that focus on providing educational opportunities that create academic excellence so that the students will be empowered to become assets to themselves and their communities.

The Fallbrook Planning Group’s role is to review and research projects, land development, and building projects to ensure that they meet the general plan requirements, then make recommendations to the County of San Diego.

Fallbrook Public Utility District and Rainbow Municipal Water District both seek to provide efficient and reliable water services to our community.

About now you’re probably asking yourself, what does any of this have to do with real estate in Fallbrook. I’m glad you asked. Remember the Realtor Code of Ethics Preamble? “Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and or of civilization.” The groups I mention above all either contribute to or diminish the value of the land. Sound decisions increase the value of the land. Decisions not aligned with each group's mission statement or vision, diminish the value of the land.

Full disclosure. I am a member of the Fallbrook Community Planning Group. I do not represent the Fallbrook Community Planning Groups opinion in this piece. I am a Realtor, a homeowner, a business owner, and mom, who loves her village and wants to make sure everyone who reads this is aware of the importance of the election in November 2022. Everyone of the groups mentioned above will have open seats for their Board of Directors. You, yes, you, need to ask yourself, can you serve your community by running for a seat on one of these boards?

Friends, much is changing in Fallbrook. Just like the rest of the state and the nation, as I said previously, things we perhaps took for granted are being challenged. Not necessarily by the majority, but by those who are willing to make their voices heard. If you don’t get involved, the loudest, most persistent voices will challenge many of the things you care about.

As I look back at our schools and their decline, what I see is a change in the make-up of the school boards. I can remember the year I voted for the SOS group. I was convinced that it made good sense to vote for people who had either been teachers or were related to teachers, because certainly they would know how to bring our schools back. Boy was I wrong. That was the beginning of the end for our children and the beginning of the teachers becoming the focus of the school board. We’ve had some strong voices who continued to speak for the children, but the majority membership of the board had gone to the teachers.

This same thing can happen with the other boards if you don’t get involved. Speaking personally, the Fallbrook Planning Group is under attack by the San Diego County Supervisors ever since 2021. I wrote about this a few weeks ago, but Chair Nathan Fletcher put forth an ordinance that opened the door to legal marijuana growing, processing, and selling in the unincorporated areas. As a planning group we have provided our recommendations to the Supervisors that would put guidelines on marijuana in the unincorporated areas, but given a different make-up of planning group members, those recommendations could be very different.

Chair Fletcher has also put forth a recommendation to search for ways to open up parcels of land for denser growth in Fallbrook. For now, the local recommendations have aligned with what many of you expect of Fallbrook. But given a change of board membership, that all can change.

This application is the same for the two school boards in Fallbrook, the North County Fire Protection District, the Fallbrook Regional Health District, and Fallbrook and Rainbow Water Districts. This is not the time to sit on your heels and hope the next guy or gal gets involved. This is the time for you to get involved.

I shared with some friends the other night this message: passionately speaking at a lectern to a board of directors can make you feel good, make you feel like you’ve done what you can to make a difference. Please don’t misunderstand me, because letting your voice be heard is critical right now. However, if you get yourself elected to a position on any of the boards I’ve mentioned, you have not only a voice but a vote. Now is the time. Now is your time. Make your voice count. The value of the land, your community, your home depends on it.

Kim Murphy can be reached at [email protected] or 760-415-9292 or at 130 N. Main Avenue, in Fallbrook. Her broker license is #01229921, and she is on the board of directors for the California Association of Realtors.