Yearly Archives: 2017

“We've taken a significant step towards building a permanent memorial for the historic Harlem African Burial Ground and providing affordable housing and good jobs for East Harlem residents. We're grateful for the support of Community Board 11 and neighborhood residents, and look forward to continuing our partnership with Speaker Mark-Viverito and the Harlem African Burial Ground Task Force to make this project a reality,"

Standing in Chelsea at NYCHA apartments, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer local housing advocates from the newly-formed “No Cuts Coalition” and NYCHA Chair Shola Olatoye today voiced their strong opposition to the Trump administration’s proposal to cut $6 billion from the budget of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which would directly hit New York City. Schumer and the advocates will launch a new push against these cuts, which include an estimated 68 percent reduction in HUD’s public housing capital fund and estimated 13 percent reduction in HUD’s public housing operating fund.

To kick off Earth week, today Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the completion of environmental remediation on the 500th tax lot under NYC oversight since his administration began in 2014, achieving 75% of his OneNYC cleanup goal 18 months ahead of schedule. Each of the remediated properties has achieved rigorous state cleanup standards.

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer today led a tour of North Shore Plaza in Staten Island with Deputy Commissioner Vito Mustaciuolo and the graduating class of HPD Code Enforcement inspectors. They will be joined by Don Capoccia, principal of BFC Partners, which has worked with HPD to rehabilitate and preserve affordability at the four-building complex since acquiring it in 2014 in partnership with K&R Preservation.

To protect water quality this spring, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today is urging New Yorkers to practice sustainable lawn care by going phosphorus free, using native plants and grasses, and reducing fertilizer use. DEC has launched the "Look for the Zero" campaign to encourage New Yorkers to purchase phosphorus-free lawn fertilizer, as more than 100 water bodies in New York State cannot be used or enjoyed as a result of too much phosphorus.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, with 41 Senate colleagues, urged federal appropriators to include $3.3 billion in federal funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget. CDBG is a federal program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs.

Standing with Saratoga County homeowners and amidst rising local anxiety, today U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer launched a push to preserve popular, but increasingly at-risk tax deductions Saratoga homeowners and taxpayers depend upon to keep the Capital Region’s cost of living in-check. Whether new Saratoga homeowners, longtime owners, or those looking to buy right now, Schumer said locals are in tax jeopardy as newly-confirmed U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin has suggested threats to mortgage, state and local property tax deductions.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $5.8 million to construct, rehabilitate and improve the homes of 338 income-eligible families across New York. The funds are awarded through New York State Homes and Community Renewal's Affordable Home Ownership Development Program, administered by the Affordable Housing Corporation. To date, the program has awarded nearly $174 million to create or improve more than 9,000 homes

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer today announced enhanced resources for housing lottery applicants. HPD launched a new informative video series on the affordable housing lottery process. The first video in the series, "Applying to a New York City Affordable Housing Lottery: Video Guide" , gives an overview of the application process.

Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo today announced that the Department of Financial Services (DFS) is encouraging property/casualty insurance companies to submit disaster preparedness courses for approval by DFS so that homeowners and renters who enroll in such courses may seek appropriate DFS-approved policy discounts from their insurance providers.

Rep. Tom Reed is supportive of making changes at the federal level that would lessen the property tax burden across upstate New York. “For too long Albany has pushed its responsibility to fund Medicaid onto local county governments. This shift is responsible for the unreasonably high property taxes in our state. It is time to fix this problem so that younger people stop fleeing our state and the elderly are not unfairly burdened with these taxes,” Reed stated.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Housing Committee Chair Steven Cymbrowitz today announced that the Assembly's budget proposal for SFY 2017-18 provides a plan for the investment of $2.5 billion in funding that was dedicated for supportive and affordable housing development in last year's enacted budget. The plan also includes a new rental assistance program for low income seniors funded by a 2.5 percent tax on multi-million dollar real estate transactions. It also expands and increases funding for the Tenant Protection Unit and increases funding for foreclosure prevention services.

Last Major Auction Planned by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery Acquisition Program Offers 54 Homes in New York City, 25 on Long Island and 3 Upstate Auction to take place Thursday, May 11 at Hilton New York JFK Airport

New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer today announced the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) that seeks experienced non-profit and for-profit organizations to rehabilitate and manage occupied or vacant buildings. This RFQ is a part of the City’s larger effort to transfer ownership of city-owned and foreclosed properties back into the private sector and make more safe and affordable housing opportunities available for New Yorkers

Earlier today, David Gotterup was sentenced at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, to 15 years in prison for leading a loan modification scheme that defrauded distressed homeowners.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the grand opening of the $7.5 million Riverview Apartments development in the City of Cortland. The two-story, 39-unit building provides affordable housing for low-income families and for individuals in need of behavioral health services.

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President James Patchett and Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer today announced a commitment to bring deeply affordable housing to the site of a former MTA bus depot on East 126^th Street in East Harlem.

The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) voted today to approve the first phase of the Value of Distributed Energy Resources order, reaching a milestone in New York’s long-term vision of a modern energy system that puts customer participation and clean energy at its center

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the indictment and arraignment of Channel Francis, 40, of Rosedale, on charges related to her fraudulent use of credit cards in the names of three elderly residents of the Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation in Queens

Earlier today, David Gotterup was sentenced at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, to 15 years in prison for leading a loan modification scheme that defrauded distressed homeowners. Gotterup pleaded guilty on June 16, 2016, to conspiring to commit wire, mail and bank fraud. In addition, as part of the sentence, the Court ordered Gotterup to pay $2,500,050 in forfeiture.

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) remind building owners of free federal grants available to correct health hazards in buildings constructed before 1960. The Primary Prevention Program offers grants averaging $10,000 per apartment to support lead paint hazard repair work. Peeling lead paint is the most common cause of lead poisoning in young children.

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer and New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Eric Enderlin today announced the opening of the Housing Connect lottery for 104 affordable apartments at Essex Crossing Site 5 located at 145 Clinton Street in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan

The New York Power Authority announced today that the opportunity for school districts in New York State to “go solar” will be expedited with the selection of two additional solar power vendors. Schools can reduce their energy costs by participating in Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s K-Solar initiative, a first-of-its kind program launched in January 2014, to combat climate change by promoting renewable energy use.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that a $460 million project to upgrade the Lewiston Pump Generating Plant in Western New York has officially reached the halfway mark. The multi-year plant modernization project allows the New York Power Authority to continue to provide low-cost power to businesses in the region, generating nearly $33 billion in capital investments to the state’s econom