CASE STUDY
Homeownership Matters Gubernatorial Forum
The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) is one of the largest state associations in the United States representing more than 200,000 real estate brokers, agents and affiliated industry professionals. One of the premier benefits members receive is advocacy representation from the Government Affairs Team.
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Challenge
Launching the Member Education Program
C.A.R. leaders were concerned that a lack of awareness regarding Government Affairs Team activities could impact overall membership satisfaction and hinder member retention and recruitment. Randle was hired in 2001 to develop a membership education program that would inform REALTORS® about C.A.R. Government Affairs Team activities and detail how these actions support REALTOR® efforts to sell real estate.
Key Initiatives & Results
2.8 million
views of digital ads among target audience.
>3,200
signed petitions urging lawmakers to increase the housing supply.
3
major newspapers called for increased housing supply during End-of-Session campaign.
Solution
Randle developed a communications plan with its proven formula: solid research and powerful message development. Combined, these elements would create a persuasive direct mail campaign complemented by consistent graphics for use in online and media outreach.
Results
Each year, C.A.R. and Randle collaborate closely with C.A.R.’s policy and advocacy team in Sacramento and communications team in Los Angeles to develop a comprehensive communications plan that combines traditional and digital communications to better inform and engage REALTORS® to be a part of C.A.R.’s Government Affairs team. Randle has worked closely with C.A.R. over the past nearly two decades, and while the issues faced by the association may have changed over the years, one thing has remained the same, the results.
Supporting Legislative Day
Each year, Randle supports C.A.R.’s Annual Legislative Day Event, including promotion leading up to the event and real-time coverage the day of through a comprehensive social media strategy to extend the voices of more than 2,000 REALTORS® that gather at the Capitol each year to champion homeownership.
Calling on #CALeg to “Get Serious on Housing Supply”
In early 2019, lawmakers failed to act on serious solutions to address California’s housing supply crisis in 2019. As the champions of homeownership and housing, the C.A.R. Government Affairs Team was uniquely positioned to lead this call for action. The legislative session is extremely saturated with all kinds of advocacy groups attempting to break through to reach lawmakers.
Randle developed the “Let’s Get Serious on Supply” campaign that took advantage of the void in advocacy activity during the summer recess to set the stage for legislative action during the legislative end-of-session and the following year. The campaign “followed” lawmakers to their home districts during the recess to drive home the message of increasing the housing supply. The campaign utilized digital advocacy, grassroots and earned media to position C.A.R. as the leading voice calling on state lawmakers to increase the housing supply.
As a result of this campaign:
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Digital display ads seen 2.7 million times among target audience.
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Twitter ads seen 362,233 times in target lawmaker districts.
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Animated video views surpassed 300,000 views
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HousingforCalifornia.com received 17,522 page visits.
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3,216 REALTOR® signed petitions urging lawmakers to increase the housing supply.
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A Los Angeles Times editorial called for increased housing supply using “Let’s Get Serious” messaging.
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Three major newspapers called for increased housing supply during End-of-Session campaign.
Securing Homeownership Funding in the 2022-2023 State Budget
With the housing supply and affordability crisis persisting, and the stark reality that only 1 in 5 Californians can afford to buy a home, Randle developed an integrated strategic communications and public affairs campaign aimed at securing funding in the 2022-2023 budget to support pathways to homeownership for Californians. The integrated campaign included use of display ads, organic and paid digital advocacy, traditional earned media and video storytelling to urge the Governor and legislature to prioritize funding to support pathways to homeownership. This, coupled with traditional advocacy efforts, led to the outcome of $750 million in homeownership funding, including:
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$250 million for CalHome, which will directly increase the supply of affordable ownership housing.
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$500 million for Toni Atkins’ new California Dream for All Program, which will make homeownership more attainable for the state’s working families and support traditionally underserved communities as they build generational wealth.
Client
SERVICES
Client
SERVICES
Challenge
California’s housing crisis continues to dominate public discourse, with policy conversations largely centered on increasing supply, streamlining regulations, and expanding affordable housing. While these efforts are critical, this framing has increasingly pushed homeownership out of legislative conversations, despite its essential role as a driver of economic mobility, generational wealth-building and long-term community stability.
Solution
Recognizing this gap, Randle Communications, in partnership with the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.), launched Homeownership Matters, a long-term, integrated public affairs campaign designed to reclaim and elevate homeownership as a central pillar of California’s housing future. From the outset, the campaign combined paid, earned, and owned strategies, with early activations including the launch of the Homeownership Matters website, the release of compelling homeownership data, and a 2026 Super Bowl ad that brought the message to Californians statewide.
Key Results
122
media placements statewide, driving broad and sustained coverage across Sacramento, the Bay Area, Central Valley, Los Angeles, San Diego and the Inland Empire, cementing homeownership as a top-tier issue across California’s diverse media markets
12
distinct, on-the-record candidate commitments, with gubernatorial contenders publicly pledging to elevate homeownership as a core priority of their future administrations, transforming campaign rhetoric into measurable accountability
3,580+
live stream views statewide, extending the forum’s reach far beyond the room and ensuring real-time access to the critical conversation for audiences across California
This was not a traditional awareness effort. It was a coordinated strategy to redefine the terms of the housing debate, ensuring homeownership was no longer an afterthought but a priority.
The campaign set out to:
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Reposition homeownership as a core policy priority by equipping legislators and staff with compelling data, clear messaging and a refreshed, modern campaign identity that made the case for ownership as essential, not optional.
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Influence gubernatorial candidates at a pivotal political moment by establishing C.A.R. as the leading authority and most credible voice on homeownership in California, ensuring candidates understood that protecting pathways to ownership is both a policy and political imperative.
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Break through a crowded and reactive media environment by developing a proactive, narrative-driven media strategy that didn’t just respond to the news cycle but shaped it.
Execution
At the end of 2025, the Homeownership Matters campaign unfolded over several months, strategically building momentum, credibility and visibility across policy, media and public audiences, culminating in a defining moment at the 2026 Homeownership Matters Gubernatorial Forum.
This high-profile Sacramento event convened leading gubernatorial candidates for a focused, solutions-oriented discussion on housing, with homeownership positioned squarely at the center.
The forum was intentionally designed to:
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Force prioritization of homeownership in the gubernatorial race by creating a high-visibility platform where candidates could clearly articulate their positions and commitment to advancing pathways to ownership.
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Create an on-the-record media moment, ensuring candidates publicly aligned themselves with homeownership in front of the Sacramento Capitol Press Corps, turning campaign rhetoric into documented positions.
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Establish C.A.R. as the definitive voice on homeownership by reinforcing the organization’s role not just within the industry but within the broader policy and political landscape.
Reporters from across California attended, reflecting both the strength of longstanding media relationships and the effectiveness of a sustained, strategic earned media approach.
Results
The 2026 Homeownership Matters Gubernatorial Forum elevated homeownership to a central issue in the public narrative, moving it from the margins to a consistent and prominent theme in both media coverage and candidate dialogue.
It delivered strong earned media impact, generating widespread coverage across local, statewide and national outlets, which amplified the campaign’s reach and credibility. The program was also live-streamed across California for maximum reach and viewership.
Strategic digital and social amplification extended engagement far beyond the room, expanding audience reach and prolonging visibility.
Importantly, the forum also secured clear candidate alignment, with all participating gubernatorial candidates publicly acknowledging the urgency and importance of expanding pathways to homeownership.