New York RealEstateRama

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and David Saltzman, Executive Director of Robin Hood—New York’s largest poverty-fighting organization— today announced the Come Home NYC program, a public-private partnership that will match 300 homeless families with apartments they can afford. Come Home NYC is led by Enterprise Community partners, a national affordable housing and community development organization, in cooperation with New York City’s Department of Homeless Services, Single Stop, and more than 25 private and non-profit affordable housing landlords

New York City is alone in imposing a local commercial rent tax – a 6% tax on rents for Manhattan office and retail space that are already the most expensive and heavily taxed properties in the country. The city lost more than 100,000 middle wage jobs between 2008 and 2013, and the high cost of office space is a primary reason. If the City Council wants to help save those jobs, it should eliminate the commercial rent tax for all employers. Job-saving tax relief cannot be for just ‘small’ businesses.

Benjamin M. Lawsky, Superintendent of Financial Services for the State of New York, is delivering remarks today at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s National Secondary Market Conference & Expo in New York, NY

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) joined with Volunteers of America-Greater NY and The Housing Collaborative LLC to announce the completion of Creston Avenue Residence at 2388 Creston Avenue, in the Fordham section of the Bronx, the first supportive housing residence in New York City funded with the State’s Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) savings

Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) today praised legislation to reduce homelessness among veterans. The Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act excludes payments that disabled veterans receive for in-home aid and attendance from being considered as income when determining eligibility for HUD housing assistance.

Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) and City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown joined the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of New York in announcing the award of a $300,000 grant to Belmont Housing Resources for Western New York to help finance the Bellamy Commons project, which involves the conversion of a vacant former community center into 30 affordable housing units.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today that 11 banks, mortgage companies, and credit unions representing nearly 70 percent of the New York market will adopt a set of best practices to help combat the neighborhood blight and economic damage caused by vacant and abandoned "zombie properties" in New York State.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (Westchester/Rockland), the Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, today was joined by elected, labor, and business representatives to highlight how Congressional failure to enact a long-term reauthorization of the Highway Trust Fund, which is set to expire May 31, would adversely impact the Ashford Avenue Bridge construction project in Dobbs Ferry and thousands of transportation projects throughout the country.

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano today announced a free workshop, “Making Home Buying a Reality,” sponsored by Liberty National Title Agency, Ciao Baby Restaurant & Lounge, the Long Island Housing Partnership and the Nassau County Office of Housing and Community Development. The free workshop will take place on Monday, June 1st from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Ciao Baby Restaurant & Lounge located at 5074 Sunrise Highway in Massapequa Park

Demonstrating retailers’ continued interest in New York City’s hot retail market, ground floor asking rents for available retail space in Manhattan’s prime shopping destinations increased in the first quarter of 2015 in all but one of the 17 corridors surveyed, year over year, according to The Real Estate Board of New York’s (REBNY’s) Spring Retail Report

In a joint announcement, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chair & CEO Shola Olatoye announced a sweeping overhaul of the agency’s inventory system, following the release today of an audit by the Comptroller that uncovered numerous weaknesses in how the Authority tracks, stores and manages its inventory. As part of the announcement, NYCHA agreed to establish a working group to modernize its supply chain systems with input from the Comptroller’s office and outside experts.

Representative Eliot L. Engel, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Rep. Ed Royce, the Committee’s chairman, today applauded House action to advance their legislation that would require the Department of Defense to consider the feasibility of imposing a no-fly zone in Syria

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today obtained a default judgment in New York County Supreme Court against two law firms and their lead attorney for participating in a fraudulent mortgage rescue scheme. The judgment ordered Litvin Law Firm; Litvin, Torrens & Associates, PLLC; and the firms’ principal attorney Gennady Litvin to immediately halt their illegal business practices, including preying upon financially vulnerable consumers by claiming to provide a comprehensive legal services plan that would allow consumers to avoid foreclosure

Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member Mark Levine, Housing and Buildings Committee Chair Jumaane Williams, and the New York City Council announced the creation of an Affordable Housing Preservation Taskforce to develop neighborhood-based strategies and citywide policies to preserve and increase affordability in local communities.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) finalized a consent order requiring Northrop Grumman to address elevated levels of groundwater contamination originating at its Bethpage site, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today

After conducting a thorough review of the application, supporting materials and public comments on the Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) Project, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a Water Quality Certification, and a Freshwater Wetlands and a Stream Disturbance permits to reconstruct portions of the federally regulated Algonquin Pipeline that traverse through Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties. Construction of the project is subject to the conditions in the Water Quality Certification and permits

“This dilapidated eyesore will no longer greet residents and visitors as they enter the City,” said Mayor David. “As we invest millions in the Front Street Gateway Project, demolishing this building will provide a fresh start for the First Ward. These two projects will radically change first impressions of Binghamton.”

Building on Mayor de Blasio’s comprehensive plan for a sustainable and resilient city, “One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City,” New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Vicki Been and New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Gary Rodney announced the new Green Housing Preservation Program to assist owners of small- to mid-sized multifamily properties across the city in undertaking energy efficiency and water conservation improvements as well as moderate rehabilitation to improve building conditions, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and preserve affordability.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced today the conviction of Steven Essig, a licensed appraiser and the owner of an appraisal company in Syracuse, on a felony charge stemming from making false entries in an appraisal report. The falsified report was used to obtain a mortgage as part of a million dollar mortgage fraud scheme.

“Investing in our roadways is one of the fastest, most effective ways to boost our local economy and this project is another great example of the collaborations that are underway in Buffalo with a focus on getting things done and making our streets even stronger,”

State Senator Tony Avella announced today that his bill that would allow homeowners to apply for a “green buildings tax credit” unanimously passed the Senate.

Tom Reed applauds tonight’s House passage of the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, H.R. 1732, which protects landowners from intrusive government and ensures the protection of personal property.

Schumer Urges National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to Swiftly Approve Town of North Hempstead’s Application for LI Sound Study Funding. Senator’s Support Highlights Importance of a Resilient Hempstead Harbor for Regional Stability— Expeditious Grant Approval Will Allow for the Strengthening of the Ecology of the Harbor, Moving Forward on Goals Delineated by the Long Island Sound Study

Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro has announced applications are being accepted for Dutchess County’s Senior Citizen Property Rehabilitation Program, which provides funding and project assistance to senior citizens to complete minor to moderate rehabilitation on their homes

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than $141 million in awards for affordable housing developments across the state. The low-interest loans, grants and tax credits will build or preserve 2,160 affordable apartments and are expected to leverage more than $469 million in grants, loans, and private resources.