Yearly Archives: 2016

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $3.6 million in funding is available to increase access to solar energy in low- to moderate-income communities across the state. The funding will help affordable housing providers and community organizations overcome barriers they often face in advancing solar and clean energy projects. Solar energy helps New York meet its nation-leading Clean Energy Standard for 50 percent of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030.

s the report and audit overwhelmingly positive, it found that there were no material deficiencies and “commend(ed) County officials for designing and implementing effective controls over property tax exemptions.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Vicki Been and Department of Finance Commissioner Jacques Jiha today announced that DOF sent letters notifying owners of 3,103 multi-family rental buildings, with 37,141 apartments, that their 421-a tax benefits will be suspended if they don’t comply with the requirements of the 421-a program

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the grand opening of a $2.62 million supportive housing project in the Finger Lakes. The project will provide permanent and transitional housing for homeless veterans and individuals suffering from a substance abuse disorder in Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties. Residents will be able to access the necessary services to help achieve stability in their lives and be active participants in their community. This project is part of Governor Cuomo's unprecedented $20 billion Homelessness and Affordable Housing Action Plan

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York today issued its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, which reported that total household debt increased modestly by $63 billion (a 0.5% increase) to $12.35 trillion during the third quarter of 2016. There were increases across every type of non-housing debt, with a 2.9% increase in auto loan balances, a 2.5% increase in credit card balances, and a 1.6% percent increase in student loan balances this quarter.

Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, Senior Member of the House Financial Services Committee, released the following statement on President-elect Trump's nomination of Dr. Ben Carson for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD

Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, released the following statement in support of NYS Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi’s Home Stability Support (HSS) initiative to address New York’s growing homeless crisis

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner James S. Rubin today announced a $2 million pilot program to address the prevalence of older, dilapidated mobile and manufactured homes and preserve an important source of affordable housing in New York. The Mobile and Manufactured Home Replacement Pilot Program (MMHR) assists homeowners to remove and replace dilapidated mobile or manufactured homes with new, energy efficient manufactured, modular or site built homes.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that two Brooklyn landlords have pleaded guilty to scheme to defraud and unlawful eviction for forcing or attempting to force rent-stabilized tenants out of their homes by destroying their apartments and making them uninhabitable in order to collect significantly higher market-rate rents.

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Christina Scaringi, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”), today announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging five defendants

U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio today announced $265,536 in federal funding for New York City. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program to provide homeless veterans access to affordable housing. Specifically, the New York City Housing Preservation Department will use the federal funds to reserve a total of 24 apartments at three new building complexes for homeless veterans.

The New York Power Authority today announced the completion of new energy-efficient lighting projects in Buffalo’s City Hall and on its downtown streets that will save the city more than $65,000 in annual energy costs. The new LED fixtures will last thousands of hours longer than incandescent and fluorescent bulbs and use a fraction of the electricity, helping the city reach its goal of becoming 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State has secured international certification of nearly $100 million in new "Green Bonds" to drive the development of housing that has a positive impact on the environment and climate. New York is now the first state in the nation to have its affordable housing bonds certified by The Climate Bond Standards Board, on behalf of the Climate Bonds Initiative, an international not-for-profit organization supporting financing for projects around the world that help reduce the impact of climate change

Standing with veterans, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced his support for bipartisan legislation that would provide to-and-from-home health care services to any veteran with a service-connected disability rated 70 percent or more. Schumer said that expanding these health services would help improve the quality of life for countless veterans across the country, as it would allow them to ‘age in place’ and remain in their homes as they grow older

Home sales in the Empire State dipped slightly from one year ago, but still hit the second highest total on record for October, according to the housing market report released today by the New York State Association of REALTORS. The 11,201 closed sales in October 2016 represents the second highest total for the month after the 12,003 sold in October 2015. The statewide median price growth trend continued with a 3.8-percent increase from October 2015

More than four years after Superstorm Sandy touched down in many areas of New York, decimating the city’s homes, businesses and shoreline, five members of Congress have asked the Army Corps of Engineers to give citizens an opportunity have a stronger voice in the recovery and resiliency effort. On the cusp of the deadline set by the Army Corps of Engineers for comment on the Draft Integrated Hurricane Sandy General Re-evaluation Report, U.S. Reps.

Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc. NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), the City of Syracuse, elected officials, and partners celebrated the ribbon cutting of Salina Crossing, a mixed-used development that has created 49 modern, safe and affordable housing units for low-income households and nearly 6,000 square feet of commercial space to revitalize two neighborhoods connected by Salina Street, a main thoroughfare that spans the Northside and Southside of Syracuse

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the state has allocated $771 million in tax exempt bond capacity to New York City – a critical resource used for the construction and preservation of affordable housing. This year’s financing is virtually the highest allocated to New York City in 10 years, $80 million more than last year, and nearly $150 million above the average of the last 10 years

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced today the indictment of Brooklyn real estate developer Daniel Melamed, 40, his employee Carmen Morales, 51, former employee Denise Morales, 29, and associates Curt Joseph, 48, Christopher Magliocca, 29, Abraham Perez, 66, and David Soufeh, 37, for their roles in multiple schemes involving alleged residential mortgage fraud and larcenies throughout Brooklyn

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the grand opening of the $24.4 million Ebenezer Square apartments in West Seneca, Erie County. The mixed-use development replaces a long vacant and blighted big box store and offers 25 affordable apartments integrated with a 75-unit licensed residential program serving individuals with behavioral health concerns

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC), join Monadnock Development, Signature Urban Properties, and GTIS Partners for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of construction of the first two of ten planned buildings at Compass Residences in the Bronx.  Project partners also in attendance included MBD, Community Housing Corporation and Dattner Architects

The New York Department of State will host a public meeting of the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council on Friday, December 9, 2016, 10:00 a.m. at 99 Washington Avenue in Albany; 123 William Street in New York City; and 65 Court Street in Buffalo. The meeting will be held via videoconference at all locations.

Earlier This Year, Velázquez & Schumer Urged HUD to Revise ‘Small Area Fair Market Rent Rule’ & Work With Affordable Housing Community in NYC. Lawmakers Announce: HUD’s Revised Rule Will Make Any Metro Area--With Vacancy Rate of 4 Percent or Lower—Exempt from SAFMR Rule; New York City’s Vacancy Rate is 3.45 Percent; Big Win For City & Working Families

U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer today stood in front of the shuttered Holley High School and urged the National Parks Service and its state partner, the NYS Office of Historic Preservation, as well as the Treasury Department and its state partner, the NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal, to allocate more than $3 million in historic preservation tax credits and $700,000 in housing tax credits to redevelop the old Holley High School.