New York RealEstateRama

An eleven-count indictment was unsealed today in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging David Gotterup, also known as “David Gott,” and Jason Green with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud homeowners who were attempting to modify their mortgage loans, and related mail fraud counts.

More than one in twelve dwellings in New York City – a total of 272,533 homes – are crowded, according to “Hidden Households,” a new report released today by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. All told, that means that a total of 1,476,746 New York residents lived in a crowded or severely crowded dwelling in 2013, at a ratio of 5.42 persons per crowded household

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its changes to a cleanup plan originally issued in 1996 to address soil and groundwater at the AVX property at the Olean Well Field Superfund Site in Cattaraugus County, Olean, NY. Soil and groundwater at the AVX property located at 1695 Seneca Avenue are contaminated with volatile organic compounds, which are often found in paint, solvents, aerosol sprays, cleaners, disinfectants, automotive products and dry cleaning fluids

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its changes to a cleanup plan originally issued in 1996 to address soil and groundwater at the AVX property at the Olean Well Field Superfund Site in Cattaraugus County, Olean, NY. Soil and groundwater at the AVX property located at 1695 Seneca Avenue are contaminated with volatile organic compounds, which are often found in paint, solvents, aerosol sprays, cleaners, disinfectants, automotive products and dry cleaning fluids.

In response to a question from Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) during a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee, Director Richard Cordray this week said that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will consider issuing a clarification to ensure co-ops are included in the CFPB’s new Integrated Disclosure rule for mortgages.

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) today announced that $7.9 million is being awarded to The Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse to construct 128 units of permanent supportive housing in Onondaga County. The announcement was made during the grand opening of the Rescue Mission’s 183-bed homeless shelter, which was constructed with a $3.4 million grant from OTDA, and highlighted as part of Governor Cuomo’s “Capital for a Day” in Central New York

I want to thank Chairman Torres for calling this hearing on the New York City Housing Authority, and for inviting me to testify. And I want to thank members of the Committee on Public Housing and the Committee on Contracts for being here.

New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Vicki Been reminds residential building owners of their legal obligation to provide tenants with hot water year-round and heat when the outdoor temperature warrants it. The 2015-2016 “heat season” begins today, October 1st, and continues through May 31st 2016.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner James S. Rubin, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Vicki Been, Settlement Housing Fund President Alexa Sewell celebrated the start of construction of a mixed-income 11-story complex at 1561 Walton Avenue in the Mt. Eden neighborhood of the Bronx. As a result, sixty households, including nine for homeless individuals, will have quality affordable housing, including on-site supportive services provided for the formerly homeless

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced $11.5 million in new funding for more than two dozen legal services organizations statewide to help prevent foreclosures, keep families in their homes, and rebuild communities hit hardest by the housing crash.

Kelly T. Currie, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, David A. Montoya, Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Frederick W. Gibson, Acting Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, announced the filing of a civil suit against the Rainy Day Foundation, Inc., a purported charitable “counseling fund,” together with its associated business entities and principals. The case was filed today in federal court in Central Islip and has been assigned to United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco.

Our resident expert Julia Rosner did a timely disaster training yesterday via webcast for legal services providers in California, focusing on the most common post-disaster legal issues and how to participate in a regionally coordinated disaster legal services pro bono effort

New York City’s Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) joined Barrier Free Living (BFL), Alembic Community Development and Foxy Management to celebrate the grand opening of Barrier Free Living Residences for Families and Individuals in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx.  The project reflects the City’s ongoing efforts to expand supportive housing for its most vulnerable residents, and is BFL’s first permanent supportive housing development.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the New York City Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) joins the Acacia Network, the Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), and partners to announce the opening of 92 West Tremont Avenue in the Bronx. The newly constructed six-story development will serve as a safe and affordable home for 60 senior citizen households, age 55 or older.

Commissioner Rubin delivered the keynote speech at the Rural Housing Coalition’s Housing and Community Development Conference in Oswego on September 17th. Attendees included 200 housing and community development professionals from Rural Preservation Companies (RPCs) around the state.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $175 million in awards for five large-scale clean energy projects that will help the State meet its Reforming the Energy Vision goals to increase the amount of electricity generation from renewable energy sources. The projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the resiliency of New York’s electric grid and energy infrastructure while decreasing the state's reliance on fossil fuels leading to a cleaner, healthier environment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is providing $400,000 to the City of New York to supplement the city’s program to clean up contaminated Brownfields properties throughout the city. This grant, which will be added to New York City’s Revolving Loan Fund, will help fund hazardous substance cleanups in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, creating jobs while protecting public health and the environment.

New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen, New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Commissioner Gilbert Taylor, and New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Gary Rodney join the Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC) and partners to break ground at the Landing Road Residence. This development will be the first project created under Mayor de Blasio’s HomeStretch program to finance the new construction of a co-located permanent supportive affordable housing development and new homeless shelter.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 53 state-supported projects are underway or set to begin in New York to provide clean, resilient on-site power for hospitals, schools and other buildings, as well as reduce demand on the state’s power grid. When completed, these projects will increase the total number of combined heat and power systems in the state by approximately 10 percent.

Mandatory Inclusionary Housing would require permanent affordability in new major zoning actions Zoning for Quality & Affordability would promote better buildings and architectural quality while reducing costs of building affordable and affordable senior housing

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $750,000 in federal funding for the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York and the Unity House of Troy. Specifically, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York will receive $400,000 to strengthen civil and criminal legal assistance programs for adult and youth victims of domestic violence and the Unity House of Troy will receive $350,000 to a broad range of holistic, victim-centered transitional housing options and supportive services. The funding was allocated through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office on Violence Against Women

New York State closed home sales, selling price and pending sales all continued to grow during August, according to the housing market report released today by the New York State Association of REALTORS®. Closed sales grew by 4.3 percent compared to last August, while the median sales price jumped 7.4 percent and pending sales were up 10.8 percent.

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma), Sunnking, Time Warner Cable and the Rush-Henrietta High School Natural Helpers announce a free electronics recycling event on Saturday, October 17. Residents can drop-off and properly dispose of electronic devices free of charge between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Rush-Henrietta High School at 1799 Lehigh Station Road.

Today, at a community forum at the Touro Law Center, Empire Justice Center released its most recent report, “The Lingering Storm: Mortgage Lending Disparities on Long Island,” analyzing mortgage lending in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Governor Cuomo announced $3.6 million in grants are available to businesses in New York’s fishing industry affected by the impacts of Superstorm Sandy. Funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the grants will reimburse sectors of New York’s fishing industry that suffered a loss of revenue due to the storm.