Policy Development
The SAR Government Affairs Department works year–round in the public policy and advocacy arena, making sure that REALTORS® professional interests are protected and promoted in the halls of local, state, and federal government.
Members of the Government Relations Committee, appointed by the President of SAR, review issues throughout the Sacramento region, and recommend actions to the Board of Directors.
SAR confines its efforts to issues affecting private property rights and private property values. Leadership does not take positions on any issues that do not have an impact on REALTORS® or the housing market.
Political Action
The third arm of policy development is the Local Candidate Recommendation Committee Trustees (LCRC). The LCRC Trustees focus on elections: directing funds to local candidates who support private property rights and the REALTOR®'s ability to do business.
The LCRC Trustees have a long history of involvement with SAR and are well versed on real estate issues and local, state and national politics. LCRC Trustees also contribute to the REALTOR® Action Fund (RAF) and encourage all SAR Members to do so. The LCRC is a significant element of SAR’s public policy success.
Policy Issues
The Sacramento Association of REALTORS® (SAR) provides members an opportunity to have their voices heard on local government issues. SAR tracks policy issues that affect REALTORS®, so they can focus on running their business. SAR also protects REALTORS®‘ clients on private property rights and private property values. They do this through focusing on such issues as: business license fees, gross receipts tax on commissions, point of sale regulations, design and zoning regulations, rental inspections, energy issues, private transfer taxes, repeal of the mortgage interest deduction, and flood control policies.
The Citrus Heights City Council has a five member non-partisan council who are elected at large to overlapping terms of four years. The Council elects one Member to serve as Mayor, who serves at the Council’s pleasure.
Location: City Hall 6360 Fountain Square Drive, Citrus Heights, CA 95621
Time: 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7:00pm
Phone: (916) 725-2448
Website: citrusheights.net
The Elk Grove City Council has a four member non-partisan council who are elected at large (despite having council districts) to overlapping terms of four years. Council members must live in the district they live in, but the elections are held at large. A Mayor is directly elected by voters every two years.
Location: City Hall 8400 Laguna Palms Way, Elk Grove, CA 95758
Time: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 6:00pm
Phone: (916) 683-7111
Website: elkgrovecity.org
The Folsom City Council has a five member non-partisan council who are elected at large to overlapping terms of four years. The Council elects one Member to serve as Mayor, who serves at the Council’s pleasure.
Location: City Hall City Hall 50 Natoma Street, Folsom, CA 95630
Time: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 6:30pm
Phone: (916) 355-7270
Website: folsom.ca.us/depts
The Rancho Cordova City Council has a five member non-partisan council who are elected at large to overlapping terms of four years. The Council elects one Member to serve as Mayor, who serves at the Council’s pleasure.
Location: City Hall 2729 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Time: 1st and 3rd Mondays at 5:30pm
Phone: (916) 851-8700
Website: cityofranchocordova.org
The Sacramento City Council has a non–partisan Mayor elected at large to a four year term and eight non-partisan Council members elected by district to overlapping terms of four years.
Location: City Hall 915 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Time: Every Tuesday at 5:00pm
Phone: (916) 808-7200
Website: cityofsacramento.org
The West Sacramento City Council has a non-partisan Mayor elected at large to a two year term and four non-partisan Council members elected at large to terms of four years.
Location: City Hall 1110 West Capitol Avenue, West Sacramento, CA 95691
Time: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 7:00pm
Phone: (916) 617-4500
Website: cityofwestsacramento.org
The five Sacramento County Supervisors are non–partisan and elected by district to four year terms.
Location: Board Chambers 700 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Time: Various Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9:30am and 5:00pm View Calendar
Phone: (916) 874-5411
Website: saccounty.net
It is important to be a good steward with real estate sign placement and use discretion and common sense when putting signs up. Signs are never allowed in the public right-of-way (which includes sidewalks) and balloons are not to be attached to signs in any jurisdiction throughout Sacramento County or the City of West Sacramento.
California Civil Code Section 713 sets the legal ground work for real estate signs. This section states that an owner of property, or their agent, is allowed to advertise the sale or lease of a property on site in plain view of the public. This advertisement may include directions to the property, the owner or agent’s name, address, and telephone number. Local governments are permitted to regulate the display or placement of these signs on public and private right–of–way.
Citrus Heights
Real estate signs are allowed without a permit, on–site residential signs can be up to five square feet, and must be set back ten feet from the sidewalk or public right–of–way.
Freestanding directional signs should be limited to one per driveway, and one per service entrance. Directional signs are to be less than four square feet and thirty inches tall. These signs need to be set back at least five feet from the public right–of–way.
Open house signs are permitted with property owner permission, but are never allowed in the public right–of–way (in sidewalks, on the street, etc).
Commercial property may have signs up to sixteen square feet, set back at least ten feet from the public right–of–way.
Elk Grove
Real estate signs are allowed on private property, they must be set back at least five feet from the public right–of–way and out of any required vision triangle.
Residential property signs cannot be more than six square feet, and are limited to three riders per sign.
Open house signs are permitted with property owner permission, and are never allowed in the public right–of–way (in sidewalks, on the street, etc.). One sign per directional turn is permitted for a maximum of five signs. These open house signs will have a maximum area of no more than six feet.
Directional open house signs are allowed on weekends and holidays. One sign may be placed for each change in direction, to a maximum of five signs. The open house signs may not be more than six square feet.
Commercial property may have one on–site sign per street frontage with a maximum sign area of thirty–two square feet for parcels with less than one acre, and forty–eight square feet for parcels larger than one acre with an eight foot height limit.
All signs must be removed no later than close of escrow.
Folsom
All signs must be set back five feet from the public right–of–way and remain out of the vision triangle.
Residential signs need to be less than six square feet, and no more than three riders per sign.
Open house signs are allowed on weekends and holidays, one sign for every change in direction, with a maximum of five signs. Open house signs may not be larger than six square feet.
Commercial property is permitted to use one sign per street frontage. For property less than one acre these signs must be no more than thirty–two square feet. Parcels larger than one acre may use a forty–eight square foot sign, with an eight foot height limit.
Rancho Cordova
One sign per property frontage is permitted. These signs are limited to ten square feet and must be set back from the public right–of–way and cannot obstruct corner visibility requirements.
Open house and directional signs are permitted on weekends and holidays when open house sales activities are ongoing. One sign may be placed for each change in direction to a maximum of five signs. Directional signs are not to exceed an overall size of nine square feet, including supports, and not exceed a height of thirty inches. Directional signs are not to be placed in the public right–of–way.
Commercial signs are limited to a maximum of thirty-two square feet and ten feet tall. They must be set back a minimum of three feet from the right–of–way.
City of Sacramento
One sign per parcel is allowed or exceed six square feet. Signs should use black ink on a white board. Signs may be placed in the area between the face of the street curb and the street side edge of the sidewalk (commonly referred to as the planting strip or mowing strip). The sign must be removed within seven days of sale, rental, or lease.
Any non–confirming signs will be removed at no cost to the City, including a real estate sign that remains up after the expired time, is in the public right–of–way, or on public property without a valid revocable encroachment permit.
West Sacramento
One sign per property is permitted but must remain entirely on the property it applies to, be smaller than six square feet, and cannot be directly illuminated. This sign must be removed within seven days of sale, rental, or lease of the property.
Off–site directional signs are allowed for property events that are sponsored by a real estate agent or property owner. The signs may only be displayed on event days, and will be displayed no earlier than 8 am on the day of the event and removed no later than 4 pm the day of the event. These signs are only allowed for existing properties that are available for sale, lease, or exchange.