IMPACT Articles
BLOG | Insurance Insights — Proceed With Caution: Options For Lowering Your Insurance Premiums
By: Ken Fuirst and Jason Schiciano Levitt-Fuirst Insurance (TARRYTOWN) Our June/July Impact column – “Property Owners: It’s Your Turn for Big Insurance Premium Increases” – outlined the many factors combining to cause significantly higher insurance costs for all property owners, including owners of commercial buildings, apartment buildings, […]
BLOG | Co-op and Condo Corner: Today is a Good Day to Join the CCAC!
By: Jane Curtis Chair, The Cooperative and Condominium Advisory Council (CCAC) (MOUNT VERNON) Serving on a co-op or condo board can be both a rewarding and a daunting experience. Members of the Board of Directors of a co-op or condo are volunteers who typically do not earn our […]
“Good Cause” Is Bad Law. Examining the Proposal For Universal Rent Control Throughout N.Y. State
Many legislators in the State Senate and Assembly have proposed adding to the limitations imposed on Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) landlords by bringing virtually every other landlord in the state under a restrictive universal rent control system. Essentially every property that is rented in […]
New York’s “SHIELD ACT” – A Reminder of The Importance of Having Cyber/Data-Breach Liability Insurance
The “SHIELD” Act compliance requires any business maintaining “…computerized data which includes private information of a resident of New York shall develop, implement and maintain reasonable safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of the personal and private information including, but not limited to, […]
NY State Rent Law Revisions Slams Landlords
The following is an analysis of the main provisions of the HSTPA by attorneys with Finger and Finger, A Professional Corporation. Finger and Finger, is Chief Counsel to The Builders Institute (BI)/Building and Realty Institute (BRI) 1. A significant change is the fact that […]
Builder Confidence “Holds Firm” According to NAHB Report
Current Market Conditions Component rose two points from the previous quarter to 55 according to a recent NAHB report. ❖ Major Additions and Alterations increased four points to 53; ❖ Minor Additions and Alterations and the Home Maintenance and Repair Components both held steady at […]
Renewal of NY State Rent Regulations- Not Fair To Landlords
Under the new legislature, with the 2019 renewal, look for the (IAI) Individual Apartment Increase to be lost or limited, as well as the loss of limitation of building wide Major Capital Improvement (MCI) Increases. Read more in the February/March issue of Impact https://www.buildersinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Impact_FEBMAR_20190325.pdf
Lower Interest Rates Stabilize Builder Confidence
Due to falling mortgage rates, builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose two points to 58 in January on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Read more in the February/March issue of Impact https://www.buildersinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Impact_FEBMAR_20190325.pdf
Supply-Side Headwinds Limiting Single Family Gains in 2019
While speaking at the NAHB Home Show in Las Vegas, Chief Economist Robert Dietz stressed that a chronic lack of construction workers, shortage of buildable lots, onerous regulations, tariffs on lumber and other key building materials as well as a slow growth in acquisition, development and […]
The BRI Agrees to A New Labor Contract with SEIU Local 32-BJ
Termed as “a note worthy victory for employers,” the BRI recently agreed to a new labor contract with SEIU Local 32-BJ. This agreement runs from October 1, 2018- September 30, 2022 A summary of the contract can be found by clicking on this link: https://buildersinstitute.org/bris-collective-bargaining-group-contract-summary/ […]
Westchester County & Co-op Council Clash & then Come to A Compromise
The Board of Legislators approved the compromise cooperative bill at its General Session on Nov. 19th. It passed with a 13-4 vote. To read more click this link https://www.buildersinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Impact_SEPTOCT_20181120.pdf
NY State Imposes Sexual Harassment Policy Adoption & Training for All Employers
Effective October 2018, all employers in NY must adopt a Sexual Harassment Policy & must complete Sexual Harassment Training by April 2019. To read more:https://www.buildersinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Impact_SEPTOCT_20181120.pdf