Brittany Eddy elected first Black president of Women's Council of Realtors Columbus

The new president of a local association that represents women real-estate agents hopes to be an advocate for strengthening communities so that women of different backgrounds can build wealth and create legacies.

In the 61 years since the Women's Council of Realtors Columbus was established, it has never had a Black woman president ‒ until Dec. 5, when 34-year-old Brittany L.B. Eddy was elected by local members to lead the Columbus chapter of an organization that has a nationwide network of 1,300 members. Its mission is to advance women as business leaders in real estate and the communities they serve.

"I decided to get into real estate to help people build wealth and ensure they are advocated for," Eddy said. "Really, that's at the core of what I think Realtors are and should be.

"We're not just helping someone buy a house. We're helping people build community. We know that when we impact or support women that we change communities, we enhance families and we reach further and create legacies."

Eddy grew up in Merion Village on Columbus' South Side. She now lives in Gahanna and works as a real-estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty.

She became an agent in February 2016 after completing her degree at Hondros College in Westerville and studying real-estate law for a year at Capital University Law School.

She also earned a degree in communications studies from Ohio Dominican University, and she spent a year in Geneva, Switzerland, working for the United Methodist Church's General Board of Global Ministries, and on women's and girls' initiatives for the United Nations.

"I was interested in addressing discriminatory practices that still exist in real estate," Eddy said.

In addition to being a two-year member of the Women's Council of Realtors Columbus, Eddy is on the board of directors for Columbus REALTORS, a professional trade association established in 1908 that comprises more than 9,400 real estate professionals in residential sales and leasing, commercial sales and leasing, property management, appraisal, consultation, real estate syndication and land development.

Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley said it's important that organizations like the Women's Council of Realtors Columbus have leadership that reflects the diversity of prospective homebuyers and Realtors in the region.

"It is important because, since the inception of the council, there has never been a Black woman in this space and we have Black Realtors," Crawley said. "But beyond that, Brittany is a champion for women in the business place. She’s a leader.

"She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. She understands the implications when it comes to policy that impacts people's abilities to purchase homes and stay in homes."

As Women's Council of Realtors Columbus president, Eddy said she intends to work to bring a greater voice for women of different backgrounds, including those working as real-estate agents and prospective homebuyers.

She said efforts need to focus on reducing the impact of evictions on women, particularly women with children.

Lark Mallory, president and CEO of the Affordable Housing Trust, told The Columbus Dispatch last March the Columbus area was facing a "housing crisis" as the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County, the city, Franklin County and JPMorgan Chase had announced a new partnership aimed at quelling the region's affordable-housing shortage by helping minority and female developers build more homes.

"Especially during the time frame in our economy where the market is shifting and there is a lot of housing insecurity out there, we've talked about that even in our county and our state that women, especially with children, are being impacted by eviction rates," Eddy said. "It matters a lot because most of those communities being impacted are communities of color."

Eddy said as a Black woman leading the Council for Women Realtors Columbus and serving on the Columbus REALTORS Board of Directors, she can help ensure women with different backgrounds have a seat at the table and and can work to provide them fair access to homeownership and affordable housing.

"(Women of different backgrounds) can know their perspectives are appreciated and their perspectives feed into changing communities, enhancing families and creating legacies," she said.

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Eddy becomes first Black woman elected president of Realtors council