By Ric Frost
By Ric Frost - Former Policy Analyst New Mexico State University

The issue of as to whether or not nonprofit land trusts and conservation acquisitions should have a real estate brokers license is something I've worked on for the past 15 years. Land Trusts loath even the very concept of being regulated. Furthermore, if you listen to their "take", they consider their actions "above the law".

Something to keep in mind as you walk this policy minefield is:

Can you legally practice law without a license Pro bono publico?

Can you legally practice medicine without a license Pro bono publico?

If that answer is "no", then why would the law allow land trusts to practice real estate transactions without being licensed as real estate brokers as they claim "Pro bono publico"?

A tax exempt non-profit organization status does not mean they are above the law or without scrutiny or regulatory oversight, does it?

As an economic and environmental policy analyst (about 10 years ago) for New Mexico State University, I studied and wrote on this subject extensively.

Today I'm a policy consultant for a land and water policy organization out of Colorado, and currently live in Nevada managing an irrigation district and infrastructure for a Native American Tribe. My point of telling explaining this, is to allow the reader to be aware of my background on this- and related issues. I've been at it for 25 years.