March 11, 2020
Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
We have all been experiencing the effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in our community. Many of us have had conferences cancelled or postponed. Meetings are being conducted online or live-streamed. There are certainly a lot of concerns and growing uncertainty as to what will happen in the coming weeks.
The leadership and staff of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS® (SFAR) shares these concerns. There is no "crystal ball" as to what will happen, although a few things are clear. The situation will probably get worse before it gets better, but it will get better. Most people will not be affected by the virus.
Coronavirus is a significant societal issue and we can and should all work to decrease the spread of the disease. NAR and CAR have suggested several practices for REALTORS® which complement recommendations provided by the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, San Francisco Department of Public Health, and Office of San Francisco Mayor London Breed. All are available via links below and on our website.
As the safety of members and staff is our first priority, we are taking these precautionary measures:
1. Beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020, SFAR's physical office will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This will allow staff to avoid prime commuting hours, with the goal of reducing their contact with the public. That said, SFAR staff will continue be available to answer emails and phone calls during our standard business hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
2. Effective immediately, all SFAR committee meetings and events will be conducted virtually or postponed. You may have already been contacted by your committee leadership about alternative arrangements. Please also check our Events calendar for updated information.
3. If you have an inquiry for SFAR staff, we encourage you to reach out via email first, and then via phone if needed.
Here are department-specific email addresses:
Membership: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Billing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Communications and Events: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
All other topics: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
While I do think there will be more event cancellations, I also think things will settle down in the coming weeks as more information becomes available. The virus is going to run its course one way or the other. It’s a big wake up call for everyone, in my opinion. The main thing is to stay calm.
Having said these things, we intend to remain focused on our members, clients, and colleagues, and to do our best to conduct business as usual.
- Marc Dickow, President
