BRONX, NY - December 23, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Standing on the steps of the Bronx County Supreme Court, Senator Klein, joined by dozens of Bronx homeowners and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo (D-Bronx), announced that a lawsuit charging fraud, conspiracy, breach of contract and negligence had been filed against members of an elaborate scheme targeting first time, minority homeowners. Homeowners allege that the defendants, working in concert, (referenced to as the “Tota-Kash Group” in the complaint), bilked them for millions of dollars by inducing them to purchase homes in the Bronx without valid certificates of occupancy and with shoddy workmanship

New York, NY - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York State Supreme Court Justice Melvin L. Schweitzer has issued two rulings in favor of landlord Getty Properties Corp. in a gas station holdover dispute, holding the defendants in criminal and civil contempt. Defendants in the case consist of 19 limited liability companies (the LLCs), Robert Del Gadio, who is the principal of, and the attorney for, the LLCs, and Frank Mascolo. The landlord was represented in the proceedings by Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. founding partner Warren A. Estis and partner Howard W. Kingsley.

ERIE COUNTY, NY - September 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz reminded residents to take action to ensure that they are registered in the new STAR Registration Program, part of Governor Cuomo’s initiative to protect New York residents against the costs of fraudulent or inappropriate STAR exemptions. The new program requires all homeowners eligible for and/or currently receiving a Basic STAR exemption to register with the NYS Tax Department in order to receive the exemption for 2014 and subsequent years. This exemption is not automatic, and eligible homeowners must register to qualify

SYRACUSE - August 29, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the indictment of two attorneys, an appraiser and two others for their roles in a mortgage fraud ring that operated for years and netted more than $1 million by preying upon first-time home buyers and institutional lenders. The five defendants bilked consumers by advertising a rent-to-own opportunity in which first-time home buyers with low credit were offered the chance to own their own homes with no down payments and no closing costs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- “Introductory Number 1120 is sponsored at the request of the Mayor in conjunction with Speaker Quinn and Council Members Oddo, Recchia, Ignizio, Vallone, Chin, Comrie, Dickens, Eugene, Fidler, Gentile, Koo, Koslowitz, Richards, Williams, Wills, Halloran, Nelson and Dromm.

Hauppauge, NY - August 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the Suffolk County Legislature has approved legislation presented by the County Executive to strengthen Suffolk County’s occupational licensing law to protect the residents of Suffolk County by increasing the liability insurance requirements of contractors who are undertaking an elevation project.

New York, NY - July 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- With More Young Vets Returning Home From Iraq & Afghanistan, It’s Time for the Feds to Ensure That Vets Use Local Property Tax Benefits – Worth Thousands a Year in Westchester County – And Other Critical Benefits They’ve Earned

WASHINGTON, DC - June 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee, issued the following statement upon today’s introduction of the “Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2013” by Sens. Robert Corker (R-TN) and Mark Warner (D-VA).

WASHINGTON, DC - June 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, along with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), introduced the Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) Act in order to extend critical federal civil rights protections to individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or familial status, disability, or source of income. Today, many in the LGBT community, many people paying rent with government housing vouchers, and numerous others routinely experience housing discrimination by landlords, banks, and real estate professionals.

New York, NY - June 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, at the Dutchess County Office Building, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer launched a two-pronged plan to help ensure that veterans returning home to Dutchess County from Iraq and Afghanistan are receiving critical benefits that will allow them to afford a home and live stable civilian lives. Schumer highlighted county data that shows that about 40 percent of the over 20,000 veterans in Dutchess have not applied for the property tax benefit for veterans that is available to them and worth hundreds of dollars a year. A disconnect in communication between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and localities that administer federal and state benefits are to

New York, NY - June 11, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York State Senate passed 14 regulatory reform bills today as the first part of a major initiative, that includes statewide public forums, to identify and eliminate thousands of costly and unnecessary government regulations that inhibit job creation and drive up local property taxes.

- June 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- NYC Tenants and grassroots organizations from around the city will gather at a rally in support of stronger regulations for rent law enforcement, in order to prevent illegal overcharges, harassment and eviction. Immediately following the rally, tenants will testify at a hearing to review the state housing agency's proposed amendments the rules regarding rent regulation enforcement.

New York, NY - June 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senate Republican Conference Leader Dean Skelos and Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein today announced that the Senate Majority Coalition will begin an unprecedented initiative to identify and eliminate thousands of costly and unnecessary government regulations that strangle business and job growth and drive up municipal and school property taxes.

New York, NY - May 28, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Finance Commissioner David M. Frankel today announced a $90.3 million reduction in property taxes for homes and businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The reduction is a result of reassessments that the Department of Finance conducted to ensure that the final values reflected damages to homes and businesses, as well changes in market value following the storm.

New York, NY - May 21, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The New York State Senate today passed legislation to encourage the building of more “green” homes by creating a property tax exemption. The bill (S1710), sponsored by Senator Mark Grisanti (R-I, North Buffalo), would help increase demand for environmentally friendly housing by allowing local municipalities to offer a real property tax exemption of 35 percent for a maximum of 20 years.

Albany, NY - May 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a comprehensive agreement settling multiple, long-standing disputes between the State of New York, the Oneida Nation of Indians, Oneida County and Madison County

New York, NY - May 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- New York State Taxpayer Rights Advocate Camille Siano Enders today encouraged homeowners, businesses and others who own property to review their assessments before the deadline, which is May 28 in most communities

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.

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.

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."

Albany, NY - April 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today called on Congress and the Administration to reject proposals included in federal budget discussions that would cost New York taxpayers billions of dollars on their annual tax bill.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today launched a two-pronged plan to help ensure that veterans returning home to Staten Island 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 one in three veterans on Staten Island 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

New York, NY - March 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, at the Veterans Outreach Center’s “Stars and Stripes” Retail Store in Rochester, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer launched a two-pronged plan to help ensure that veterans returning home to Monroe County from Iraq and Afghanistan are receiving critical benefits that will allow them to afford a home and live stable, civilian lives.

New York, NY - March 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The State Board of Real Property Tax Services will meet at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 19th, 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.

News York, NY - March 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos and members of the Senate Republican Conference today unveiled the Family Tax Relief Act, a package of tax relief and reform measures designed to provide a major economic boost to New York’s struggling middle class families.