New York RealEstateRama

New York, NY - May 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York City District Council of Carpenters announced today that it has reached an agreement with its largest employer association--the Association of Wall, Ceiling & Carpentry Industries of New York (Wall & Ceiling Association)--to implement the new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday, May 22, 2013.

New York, NY - May 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded the U.S. Courthouse in Buffalo a high performance energy-efficiency plaque for energy-efficiency projects that will cut energy costs by $289,000 annually.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - May 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- City Comptroller John C. Liu today warned that New York faces a looming crisis as the elderly population rises and rents skyrocket, and offered a comprehensive strategy to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing options

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced his support for a plan on Long Island that uses Sandy Supplemental federal funding to stabilize property taxes in order to prevent a heavy burden from falling onto the shoulders of non-Sandy effected homeowners. The plan will also provide tax breaks to homeowners hit hard by Sandy. Schumer fought hard to secure this Sandy relief funding and today praised the plan for using these federal funds to help local taxpayers on Long Island

Albany, NY - May 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor directs use of approved HUD CDBG disaster recovery funds to cover 25 percent non-federal share of Irene and Lee buyout costs Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State will use available funds from the recently approved HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery program to cover the 25 percent non-federal match requirement of property buyout costs associated with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

New York, NY - May 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The State Board of Real Property Tax Services will meet at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The meeting will be held in Conference Room A on the second floor of Building 9 on the W.A. Harriman State Campus in Albany.

Chicago, IL - May 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A noted investment strategist, a top economic forecaster and the CEO of a major property group tackled the question of demand for real estate investment -- or lack thereof -- at The Counselors of Real Estate’s recent midyear conference in New York City. The discussion took place during the invitation-only professional association’s panel discussion titled “Economic Point-Counter Point – and Another Point,” at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - May 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Bloomberg’s homeless policies have failed both the homeless and the communities asked to accept homeless shelters, according to policy papers released this week by the office of Comptroller John C. Liu.

NEW YORK, NY - May 9, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today published anop-ed in the New York Daily Newsurging President Obama to appoint a new acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to replace current Acting Director Edward DeMarco, whose policies have stifled the delivery of relief to thousands of Americans facing foreclosure. The op-ed notes that, while the President awaits the confirmation hearings of his nominee for FHFA Director, he can replace Acting Director DeMarco with a deputy director. The following are excerpts of the article

New York, NY - May 9, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Federal District Court Judge Richard M. Berman today issued a decision and order approving a new five-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that provides a 16.6% wage and benefit increase for members over the life of the contract. Following the April ratification of the agreement by the District Council’s Delegate Body, Judge Berman’s consent was the last step needed before the contract could go into effect.

NEW YORK, NY - May 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced his intention to sue Bank of America and Wells Fargo for repeatedly violating the terms of the National Mortgage Settlement. Signed in 2012, the Settlement required the five largest mortgage servicing banks in the United States to improve their customer service practices by complying with new mortgage servicing rules, known as the Servicing Standards. Among these are four standards dictating the timeline for banks to process mortgage modification applications. Attorney General Schneiderman’s office has documented 339 violations of those standards by Wells Fargo and Bank of America since October 2012

New York, NY - May 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York State Senate today passed bills that would continue to promote the construction of environmentally-friendly buildings and the cost-saving benefits of net metering for utility bills. Both bills are sponsored by Senator George D. Maziarz (R-C, Newfane), and would help reduce the consumption of limited natural resources, promote the use of renewable energy, and lower energy costs

Albany, NY - May 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $91 million in awards for shovel-ready projects to build affordable housing across the state. The low-interest loans and tax credits will build and preserve 2,060 units of affordable housing and are expected to leverage more than $485 million in grants, loans and private resources.

New York, NY - May 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, at the Chautauqua County Veterans Services Office, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched a two-pronged plan to help ensure that veterans returning home to Chautauqua County from Iraq and Afghanistan are receiving critical benefits that will allow them to afford a home and live stable civilian lives. Schumer highlighted data that shows that more than 7,000 of the roughly 14,000 veterans in Chautauqua have not applied for the property tax benefit for veterans that is available to them and worth hundreds of dollars a year, and a disconnect in communication between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and localities that administer federal and state benefits are to blame.

Albany, NY - May 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - in response to a request from the Cuomo Administration - are unveiling a new mortgage relief program to protect victims of Superstorm Sandy from large spikes in their mortgage payments

NEW YORK, NY - May 1, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today applauded President Obama for nominating Mel Watt as the permanent head of Federal Housing and Finance Agency (FHFA), the agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but called on him to take immediate action to replace acting FHFA Director Edward DeMarco with a new acting director who will allow principal relief for struggling homeowners

Albany, NY - April 29, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled the Community Reconstruction Zones (CRZ) program, a bottom-up, community driven initiative that will empower localities that were severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, or Tropical Storm Lee to develop comprehensive and innovative local rebuilding plans that will be funded by the state and federal government. The program will be funded by Federal Supplemental disaster aid fought for by Governor Cuomo and approved by Congress and signed by the President earlier this year.

New York, NY - April 29, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York City District Council of Carpenters’ Delegate Body ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement Thursday that provides a 16.6% wage and benefit increase over the life of the contract.

Greenbelt, Maryland - April 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Emeka Udeze, age 38, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with two separate mortgage fraud schemes which resulted in over $2,013,478 of actual losses to mortgage lenders.

Albany, NY - April 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced federal approval of New York State’s recovery action plan to help struggling homeowners and businesses following Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee. Funded through HUD's Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG – DR) program, New York State’s recovery action plan calls for a combined $1.7 billion investment in a variety of housing, infrastructure and business recovery activities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to increase the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for victims of Superstorm Sandy on Long Island—one of the nation’s most expensive housing market. A wide variety of people use this program including homeless veterans and victims of domestic violence fleeing their abusers.

NEW YORK, NY - April 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced his office’s rollout of a new series of public service announcements aimed at highlighting free legal assistance and housing counseling available to New Yorkers who are struggling to fight foreclosure. The statewide advertisements are intended to publicize the Attorney General’s Homeowner Protection Program, a $60 million initiative to support housing counselors and legal services providers working with homeowners statewide.

New Windsor, NY - April 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), The New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF), SONYMA, Orange County Trust, Riverside Bank, First Sterling Financial Inc., Jonah Mandelbaum, residents, and elected officials today celebrated the completion of Amber Grove, a newly constructed development featuring 84 state-of-the-art units of senior housing

Albany, NY - April 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), at the request of the State of New York, has approved a 28-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program beginning on May 1st, which was the deadline for the last extension granted earlier in April. This new extension allows eligible survivors from Superstorm Sandy who cannot return to their homes to stay in participating hotels or motels.

New York, NY - April 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- This morning, New York State Homes and Community Renewal released a set of proposed new rules and regulations for rent law enforcement. This comes nearly two years after the passage of 2011's Rent Act, which mandated that HCR "promulgate rules and regulations to implement and enforce all provisions of this act and any law renewed or continued by this act."