One on One with Michael Johnson
By Gina Dostler
Michael Johnson, an agent for Villa Real Estate and president of the 800-member Laguna Board of Realtors, was asked for comment about the role of realtors in the recent uproar over rehab facilities opening in Laguna’s residential neighborhoods.
Johnson declined to be interviewed, but issued a statement in answer to two questions: his reaction to a call to boycott realtors involved in deals with rehab operators, suggested publicly by a person who attended a town hall meeting earlier this month; and are agents legally bound to sell property to any potential buyer.
To the former question, Johnson said, “The members of the Laguna Board of Realtors are committed to the communities we serve. Our members serve on charitable boards, city commissions and neighborhood associations.”
To the latter, Johnson answered thus: “As agents licensed by the state, we are bound to abide by the Fair Housing Act and committed to following the law. Any violation on the part of an agent exposes them to multiple fines and sanctions, as well as the possibility of losing their license. The Fair Housing Act and the ‘protected classes’ set in the Act are established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the courts, and we must adhere to the state and federal laws.”
CONTACT INFO
Michael Johnson
Laguna Board of Realtors
939 Glenneyre Street
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Office: (949) 497-2474
Fax: (949) 376-9744
mjohnson@villarealestate.com
