Posts tagged Bronx Realty Advisory Board
Unions call on lawmakers to tackle affordable housing
April 17, 2024 // Michael Heller, president of the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives & Condominiums, said he was happy to see the strike averted. “We’re delighted this was avoided and we hope our co-op boards and our co-op leadership can continue to have a productive relationship with their unionized employees for a full three more years,” Heller said. In a statement, realty board president Billy Schur said rising interest and insurance rates, vacancies, and other issues arising from the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act were to blame for a hostile environment for property owners throughout the borough. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz disagreed. “That’s a lot of nonsense,” Dinowitz said. “They’ve been bellyaching about the HSTPA for the past five years. But they certainly didn’t complain when the laws were so heavily skewed toward landlords, when they were making money hand over fist.” The root of the problem, Dinowitz said, is rents are too high. “The solution to everything is not necessarily in Albany,” he said.
NEW YORK; Union authorizes strike if contract reopened
April 2, 2024 // But Billy Schur, the president of the Bronx Realty Advisory Board, says the union is not considering the whole picture. “Last night’s vote by 32BJ fails to address the fundamental fact that rising expenses in the real estate industry, coupled with the devastating effects of the 2019 Housing Stability Tenant Protection Act have created an unsustainable downward spiral for Bronx property owners,” he said, in a statement. “Building service workers along with residents of the Bronx must join with property owners to call for action and the pursuit of alternatives that will protect housing affordability while allowing for the survival of Bronx buildings.” Schur said the combination of “draconian regulations” as well as a complete collapse of the Bronx housing courts, have created an environment where expenses have surpassed revenue, and where most Bronx rental properties are headed toward financial collapse. “We hope the union will work alongside property owners instead of encouraging grandstanding as the Bronx begins to burn,” Schur said.