Brooklyn, NY - December 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas, New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Marc Jahr, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chairman John Rhea, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) New York Hub Multi-Family Director Teresa Bainton, and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joined SKA Marin, the Calvary Church of God, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens, and partners to celebrate at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Riverway Apartments. Located at 230 Riverdale Avenue in Brooklyn, this new development provides 115 units of affordable housing with onsite supportive services to seniors 62 years of age and older

Albany, NY - December 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that federal funding has been approved for an innovative resiliency project on a 150 acre span along Spring Creek and Jamaica Bay in Queens to better protect homes and businesses from destructive storm surges. The project will use an initial $3 million for engineering and design work, and once approved, an estimated $47 million toward resiliency efforts. Approximately 3,000 homes in the Howard Beach neighborhood suffered serious damage as a result of Superstorm Sandy.

New York, NY - November 27, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, at 33 Pulaski Street in the Town of Dickinson, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer was joined by local law enforcement and other officials to push legislation that would crackdown on the recent rash of scrap metal theft in the region that threatens private property, local residents, and taxpayers. Due to the high price of iron, copper, and other metal, Broome County has seen a significant number of scrap metal burglaries and larcenies in the area, including multiple cases just this month.

New York, NY - November 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) recognized four engineering firms in New York City for achieving double the required energy savings on projects completed through the Multifamily Performance Program (MPP).

Bronx, NY - November 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) joined CPC Resources, Inc. (CPCR), L+M Development Partners, Lemle & Wolff, The New York Housing Partnership, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), and partners to celebrate the groundbreaking of Soundview Family Housing, located in the Soundview section of the Bronx. Immediately adjacent to Soundview Park, one of the Bronx’s largest parks, the eight-story building will house 120 low-income families and is the first in a multi-phase development.

New York, NY - November 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- On Friday, November 22, 2013 at 9:30 AM, the New York State Tenants & Neighbors Coalition, Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal, allied elected officials, and rent controlled tenants from across New York City will hold a rally and press conference outside 22 Reade Street before a hearing on a proposed 8.3% increase to the ceiling rent for rent controlled tenants. The event and the testimonies at the hearing will focus on the need for rents to be kept affordable for rent controlled tenants, many of whom are elderly and are living on fixed incomes.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Excerpt: I urge the Senate to vote on the president’s nominees to judicial courts, Jeh Johnson to be Secretary of Homeland Security, and Congressman Mel Watt (D-NC) to head Federal Housing Finance Authority.

Albany, NY - November 21, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that National Grid will invest approximately $4.2 million in infrastructure upgrades to the Ohio Street corridor in Buffalo with the potential for another $10 to $12 million in the next several years. This investment will ensure that the corridor from Michigan Avenue to the Ohio Street lift-bridge is shovel-ready in order to attract mixed-use development. National Grid’s contribution complements the more than $10 million investment being made by state, city and federal governments to turn Ohio Street into a tree-lined parkway linking Buffalo’s inner and outer harbors. Ground was also broken today on the City of Buffalo’s recently approved streetscape project, which includes the reconstruction

New York, NY - November 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $4.8 million in awards for projects that explore new technologies to make buildings in New York State more energy efficient while helping to expand the building sector economy

Albany, NY - November 20, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York State housing market continued to impress by showing gains in closed sales, pending sales and median sales price in October compared to the same time last year. According to the housing market report released today by the New York State Association of REALTORS, closed sales were up 17.1 percent, pending sales rose 23.9 percent, and median sales price was up 12.3 percent compared to October 2012

New York, NY - November 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- More than a thousand building service workers will come out support their union brothers and sisters at 286 and 295 Madison Avenue, who will strike Wednesday afternoon to protest their employers’ unfair labor practice charges.

Albany, NY - November 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that homeowners in the Ocean Breeze neighborhood on Staten Island will now be eligible for buyout assistance under the NY Rising Housing Recovery Programs. Under the buyout program, properties purchased will be maintained as open space or transformed into coastal buffer zones, parks or other non-residential uses that will help protect nearby communities from the impact of extreme weather. With today's announcement, up to 129 properties in Ocean Breeze will now be eligible for buyouts (map of neighborhood with eligible properties available here.) Participation in the program is completely voluntary and state officials were on hand at today's event to assist interested homeowners apply for the program

New York, NY - November 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE), hosted a roundtable today at Baruch College in Manhattan to discuss proposed changes to federal housing and mortgage finance laws with national leaders in the real estate and mortgage industries, as well as housing experts. The panelists weighed on in the national implications of completely removing the federal government’s financial backing of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – a current proposal in Congress that could result in mortgages becoming far too expensive for many Americans.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)announced today that it is charging the East River Housing Corporation in New York, NY,with violating the Fair Housing Act by denying a request from a tenant with disabilities to reside in her apartment with a medically-prescribed support animal. HUD’s charge alleges that East River employees ignored the woman’s many requests to keep her emotional support dog in her apartment and moved to evict her when she refused to get rid of the dog.

STATEN ISLAND, NY - November 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Rep. Michael G. Grimm (R,C-Staten Island/Brooklyn) issued the following statement: “Today marks one year since President Obama came to Staten Island and toured the damage in New Dorp Beach. On that day, promises were made by our President, our Governor, and our Mayor. While the State’s housing recovery program seems to be in full swing, far less can be said about the City’s Build-it-Back Program.

WASHINGTON, DC - November 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Michael G. Grimm (R,C-SI/Brooklyn) sent a stern letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg calling on the City to reprioritize its CDBG funding plan to better meet the recovery needs of homeowners. Currently, the City spreads its funding across housing, resiliency, and mitigation. With so many people out of their homes or lacking the funds to repair their home, Rep. Grimm is calling on the City to put the people first and make them the top priority.

Long Island City, Queens - November 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises, hosted a roundtable today at the United Nations Federal Credit Union in Long Island City to discuss proposed reforms to federal housing and mortgage finance laws with members of Queens’ real estate and mortgage industries, as well as housing experts.

New York. NY - November 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundation will receive a $38,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically from the Housing Preservation Grant program. This funding will be used in all twelve units owned by the Bishop Sheen Housing Foundation to replace roofs, furnaces, and address accessibility issues, like installing handicap ramps

New York, NY - November 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundation will receive a $38,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically from the Housing Preservation Grant program. This funding will be used in all twelve units owned by the Bishop Sheen Housing Foundation to replace roofs, furnaces, and address accessibility issues, like installing handicap ramps.

New York, NY - November 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) today announced the selection of a development team to begin work at six of NYCHA’s project-based Section 8 properties. This transaction is part of a mixed-finance project that will both provide funding for critical work to improve the apartments and buildings to improve residents’ quality of life, and use energy more efficiently. NYCHA expects the development team to provide residents with dedicated daily maintenance and upkeep before, after and during the complete renovation of their apartments, buildings and property that it will undertake.

Albany, NY - November 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the disbursement of $4.6 million in Farmland Protection Implementation Grants to complete projects that will permanently protect 2,200 acres of farmland in five counties. The funding is provided through the State Environmental Protection Fund and administered by the State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Since the program began, more than $128 million has protected approximately 51,000 acres of farmland on 220 farms across New York State.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 1, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, (NY-05) Senior Member of the House Financial Services Committee released the following statement:

WASHINGTON, DC - October 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- On the one year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and a bipartisan coalition of members today announced they will introduce the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act which will protect millions of homeowners from facing huge flood insurance premium rate hikes and require FEMA to complete an affordability study and propose real solutions to address affordability issues before any flood insurance premiums can be raised in the future. The bill is sponsored by Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and co-sponsored by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senators Mary Landrieu (D-AR), David Vitter (R-LA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Hoeven

BUFFALO - October 31, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced more than $12.4 million in grant funding for land banks in Erie County/Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Chautauqua County, Newburgh, and Suffolk County. The grants represent the first round of competitive funding awards under the Attorney General’s Land Bank Community Revitalization Initiative. This two-year, $20 million program provides funds from last year’s National Mortgage Settlement with the nation’s largest banks to help communities rebuild and restore neighborhoods hit hard by the housing crisis

NEW YORK, NY - October 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) partnered with the NYC Department for the Aging for its 5th Annual Summer Donation Drive, which received more than 400 battery-operated and hand-cranked radios, whistles and batteries from REBNY members. The items will be distributed to senior citizens through the New Dorp Beach Senior Center Friendship Club on Staten Island, which was devastated by Hurricane Sandy.