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June 2022

Weekly Report for June 24, 2022

Election Day is Tuesday, June 28 for Democratic and Republican Primaries
Democratic and Republican primary elections for Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, and State Assembly seats are this Tuesday, June 28 – Don’t forget to vote if you are enrolled in either party. A number of incumbent Assemblymembers are facing competitive primary challenges, several from Democratic Socialists. Newly appointed Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado is being challenged by activist Ana Maria Archila who is endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Governor Hochul is leading in the polls in the Democratic primary for governor, whereas polling remains tight in the four-way Republican primary. Read more here.

NYC Rent Guidelines Board approves highest rent increase in 9 years
The New York City Rent Guidelines Board on Tuesday approved a 3.25 percent rent hike for one-year leases in the city’s nearly 1 million rent-regulated apartments – the highest increase in nearly a decade, and the first rent vote under Mayor Eric Adams. The board voted 5-4 on the proposal, which also permits a 5 percent hike on two-year leases signed on or after Oct. 1. Read more here.


Weekly Report for June 17, 2022

Governor Hochul extends statewide state of emergency through July 14
On Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced an extension of the state’s Covid-19 emergency declaration until at least July 14. This is the seventh extension of this particular state of emergency issued by Governor Hochul in November of last year. The prohibition on cold calling and telemarketing continues to be in effect through at least July 14 pending any further extension of an emergency declaration.

REALTORS® testify at DOS hearing on cease and desist zones in Brooklyn – Submit your own comment today
REALTORS® testified at a public hearing held last week in Brooklyn by the Department of State to discuss whether there is a need for additional cease and desist zones to address repeated real estate solicitations. The Department held a similar hearing in January where Brooklyn REALTORS® testified in opposition to any additional cease and desist zones. NYSAR opposes the measure and has expressed its concerns to the Department on the negative impacts cease and desist zones have on law-abiding licensed real estate professionals. REALTORS® living and working in Brooklyn are encouraged to submit your own written comment opposing any new cease and desist zones by emailing the Department of State at [email protected]. You can read NYSAR’s full testimony here. 

Register for FEMA webinar on changes to flood insurance on June 22 at 10 a.m.
Join FEMA on June 22, 2022, at 10 a.m. to hear from industry leaders on how they are navigating changes to flood insurance under Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, a major update to the National Flood Insurance Program. Learn effective strategies for communicating the importance of flood insurance and risk to clients and overcoming challenges to build upon your reputation as a trusted advisor. Register for free here.

Early Voting for Primary Election Begins Saturday
Early voting in the first of two primary elections this summer will begin Saturday, June 18th. In addition to the Democratic and Republican primaries for Governor, several incumbent Assemblymembers are facing primary challengers in the June 28th election. Primaries to decide who will run for the State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives are scheduled for August 23rd, due to successful legal challenges to the State’s redistricting process. Contact your county board of elections to find out where you can vote early. You can read more about the June 28th primary elections here.

NYC Mayor Adams releases city housing plan
This week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams released his Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness plan to address the city’s housing shortage.  The plan calls to accelerate the creation of 15,000 supportive housing units for middle and lower-income residents, provide additional funding for NYCHA, and reduce homelessness. Last week, Mayor Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced their first budget agreement, a $101 billion spending deal for the 2023 fiscal year beginning July 1, reflecting an increase of about $2.3 billion over last year’s budget.


Weekly Report for June 10, 2022

State legislative session concludes for the year
The State legislative session concluded on Friday, June 3rd with both the Senate and Assembly wrapping up scheduled activity for the year. Lawmakers approved more than 1,000 bills this session, which will be sent Governor Kathy Hochul for consideration. It’s the highest number of bills to be approved in both chambers in almost three decades. Several bills that NYSAR opposed did not pass, including good cause eviction, the “all-electric building act” and a bill that would prohibit landlords’ agents from collecting broker fees from tenants. You can read a full summary of real estate-related legislation and progress here. 

Register for FEMA webinar on changes to flood insurance
Join FEMA on June 22, 2022, at 10 a.m. to hear from industry leaders on how they are navigating changes to flood insurance under Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, a major update to the National Flood Insurance Program. Learn effective strategies for communicating the importance of flood insurance and risk to clients and overcoming challenges to build upon your reputation as a trusted advisor. Register for free here.

DOS holds public hearing on cease and desist zones in Brooklyn
The state Department of State held a second public hearing Thursday evening to discuss whether there is a need for additional cease and desist zones to address repeated real estate solicitations in Brooklyn. DOS held a virtual hearing earlier this year in January where Brooklyn REALTORS® testified in opposition to any additional cease and desist zones. NYSAR opposes the measure and has consistently expressed its concerns to the Department on the negative impacts cease and desist zones have on law-abiding licensed real estate professionals. Read more here.

NYC bill looks to accelerate phase out No. 4 fuel oil
New York City Council Member James Gennaro has introduced a bill (Int. 470) to phase out No. 4 fuel oil by 2030. Over 3,000 buildings in the city currently rely on this type of fuel. The acceleration of the phase out is aligned with the state’s goal of reducing carbon emissions. Other real estate groups in New York City currently support the bill.


Weekly Report for June 3, 2022

End of Legislative Session
State lawmakers are poised to adjourn this year’s legislative session Friday, a day after their scheduled departure. The State Senate left Albany in the early hours of Friday morning while the Assembly is expected to conclude their work later Friday. Notable bills that failed to advance this year include a proposal that would have prohibited landlords from charging broker fees to tenants, “good cause” eviction legislation, and a bill that would have required all new construction to be all electric by 2024. NYSAR strongly opposed these measures, expressing our concerns through the waning days of this year’s session. NYSAR will provide a more detailed summary of the end-of-session legislative activity in the coming days. Read more here.

Over a dozen candidates running for new 10th Congressional District
More than a dozen New York City Democrats are currently running to represent a newly redistricted open congressional seat in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. The primary election for congressional races was moved to August 23, 2022 following court approval of new district maps last month. Democratic candidates for the new 10th Congressional District currently include former Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Mondaire Jones who currently represents the 17th Congressional District, Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, City Council Member Carlina Rivera, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, former City Comptroller Elizabeth Holtzman, former federal prosecutor Daniel Goldman, Legal Aid attorney Maud Maron, and several other candidates. Read more here.