Cnyc Inc

SUPPORT HOUSING COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS

2021 WAS STILL A YEAR DOMINATED BY COVID. ONE CNYC STAFF MEMBER CONTINUED TO WORK PRIMARILY FROM HOME. EFFORTS FOCUSED ON BRINGING BACK LAPSED MEMBERSHIPS AND ON ADVOCACY FOR IMPROVEMENT IN PROPERTY TAX LAW, ENERGY AND CARBON REDUCTION REGULATIONS, ETC, TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS AND NEEDS OF HOUSING COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS. REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS TOOK THE FORM OF FREQUENT E-BLASTS, WITH NOTICES SUBSEQUENTLY POSTED ON THE CNYC WEVSITE. AGAIN, ALL CNYC'S CLASSES AND ANNUAL CONFERENCE WERE PRESENTED VIRTUALLY.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS IMPROVED, SO THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR DUES WERE PAID BY 977 COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS, INCLUDING 10 NEW MEMBERS. 60 PROFESSIONALS RENEWED THEIR AFFILIATION WITH THE COUNCIL AND 5 NEW PROFESSIONALS JOINED IN 2021. THEY ALL RECEIVED CNYC NOTICES AND PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF 2019 OPERATING COST, AND WERE ABLE TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE BENEFITS OF THE ORGANIZATION AT NO COST OR AT SPECIAL MEMBER AND AFFILIATE RATES. SINCE 2017, MEMBERSHIP IN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOUSING COOPERATIVES (NAHC) BECAME MANDATORY FOR CNYC MEMBERS. THE NEW PROGRAM GIVES ALL CNYC MEMBERS FULL MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS AT NAHC, WHOSE ADVOCACY FUNCTION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CNYC.

ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH, CNYC HELD ITS 41ST ANNUAL HOUSING CONFERENCE AS AN ALL-VIRTUAL EVENT. CONFIDENT, AFTER THE PRIOR YEAR'S SUCCESSFUL VIRTUAL CONFERENCE, CNYC OFFERED 40 CLASSES IN THREE TIME FRAMES PLUS A PLENARY SESSION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. 68 KNOWLEDGEABLE VOLUNTEER SPEAKERS SHARED THEIR EXPERTISE WITH 374 CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS, AND IN THE PLENARY SESSION, MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT GALE BREWER AND QUEENS ASSEMBLY MEMBER ED BRAUNSTEIN WHERE THE HONORED GUESTS.

D. CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNCIL'S GOALS OF ENHANCING MEMBER COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS' ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY, AFFORDABLY AND SAFELY, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, THE COUNCIL CONDUCTED 13 EVENING CLASSES IN THE COURSE OF THE YEAR WHICH, IN THE AGGREGATE, WERE ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE. WHEN THE TRAGIC COLLAPSE OF A FLORIDA CONDOMINIUM SHOCKED THE NATION, CNYC BOARD MEMBERS QUICKLY PREPARED EVENING SEMINARS HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE CAUSES OF THE DISASTER AND ADVISING ON PRUDENT PLANNING AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR OWN BUILDINGS. E. THE COUNCIL COMPILED AND PUBLISHED ITS ANNUAL COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BUILDING OPERATING COSTS WHICH INCLUDED DATA GLEANED FROM THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF OVER 1200 COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS, REPORTED IN EIGHT CATEGORIES, EAST SIDE COOPERATIVES IN MANHATTAN), WEST SIDE COOPERATIVES (IN MANHATTAN) , MANHATTAN CONDOMINIUMS, CONDOMINIUMS OUTSIDE OF MANHATTAN, LARGE COOPERATIVES OUTSIDE OF MANHATTAN, SMALL MANHATTAN COOPERATIVES, SMALL BROOKLYN COOPERATIVES, AND LOFT COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS. THE COMPARATIVE STUDY HELPS MEMBERS DETERMINE IF THEIR OWN BUILDINGS ARE OPERATING EFFICIENTLY AND ENABLES THEM TO TARGET AREAS WHERE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO REDUCE CURRENT COSTS. FOR A FIFTH YEAR, CONSULTANTS AT DECISION FISH PREPARED FOR THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE AN ONLINE TOOL TO FACILITATE COMPARISONS IN THE STUDY. IN ADDITION TO ITS USE BY CNYC MEMBERS AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATES, THE ANNUAL COMPARATIVE STUDY IS USED BY BROKERS, APPRAISERS, JOURNALISTS AND ECONOMISTS IN STUDYING NEW YORK CITY'S COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS. F. THE COUNCIL'S AWARD WINNING WEBSITE, WWW.CNYC.COOP COMPLETED ITS 26TH YEAR IN OCTOBER. LINKS TO HUNDREDS OF WEBSITES OF RELATED INTEREST AND SCORES OF "PAGES" OF INFORMATION ABOUT COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS MAKE THIS A POPULAR INFORMATION CENTER. IT CONTINUED TO GROW AND FLOURISH, PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION TO SURFERS OF THE INTERNET AND ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS VIA E-MAIL THE INTERNET SUFFIX DOT COOP CONTINUES TO BE EFFECTIVE IN CALLING ATTENTION TO COOPERATIVES AND IN FURTHER 'BRANDING' CNYC SERVICES. G. THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT CNYC ON SOCIAL MEDIA INCLUDING FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. H. CNYC CONTINUES TO URGE THAT THE CITY'S STRONG EFFORTS AT CARBON REDUCTION BE IMPLEMENTED WITH MORE EQUITABLE PROCEDURES, CITING FOR GUIDANCE THE BLUEPOINT FOR EFFICIENCY, PREPARED BY THE URBAN GREEN COUNCIL SUMMARIZING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ENERGY TASK FORCE THAT IT HAD CONVENED IN 2017. THIS DOCUMENT ADVOCATES CAREFUL ATTENTION TO BUILDING'S DENSITY, USE, ETC, IN THE DETERMINATION OF PROGRESSIVE PERCENTAGES OF REDUCTION IN RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS. THE COUNCIL EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE CLIMATE ADVISORY BOARD FORMED WOULD MAKE REVISIONS TO THE CURRENT LAW FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES. CNYC'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SERVED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON TWO OF THE VOLUNTEER WORKING GROUPS HELPING THE ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LOCAL LAW 97 TO FORMULATE EQUITABLE RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW, THE MULTI-FAMILY WORKING GROUP AND THE COMMUNICATIONS WORKING GROUP. I. THROUGH ITS ACTION COMMITTEE FOR REASONABLE REAL ESTATE TAXES, CNYC CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE TO FACILITATE COMPLIANCE WITH MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1996, SORTING OUT CONFUSION RELATING TO THE PRIMARY RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT INSTITUTED FOR THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 2013. IN 2017 NEW ONLINE REPORTING FORMS WERE INTRODUCED, WHICH REQUIRE BOTH COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS TO CONFIRM ANNUALLY THAT THEIR BUILDINGS WISH TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ABATEMENT PROGRAM. LEGISLATION ENACTED IN 2021 AND SIGNED INTO LAW ON LABOR DAY BY GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL FURTHER AMENDED THE ABATEMENT PROGRAM TO REQUIRE THAT MANY COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS WITH HIGHER ASSESSED VALUE CONFIRM THAT ALL BUILDING SERVICES WORKERS ARE PAID PREVAILING WAGES IN ORDER FOR QUALIFYING SHAREHOLDERS AND UNIT OWNERS TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE ABATEMENT. J. THE COUNCIL CONTINUED TO WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK CITY TO MITIGATE THE COST OF VARIOUS FILINGS AND BUILDING MODIFICATIONS REQUIRED BY LAW, AND TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANTS, ABATEMENTS AND OTHER INCENTIVES TO DEFRAY THE COSTS OF COMPLIANCE FOR THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH THESE COSTS. K. THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO HELP MEMBERS COPE WITH CITY LAWS THAT REQUIRES ALL BUILDINGS OF 25,000 SQUARE FEET OR MORE TO 'BENCHMARK' THEIR WATER AND ENERGY COSTS AND TO PROMINENTLY DISPLAY THEIR LETTER GRADES ON THIS BENCHMARKING. L. THE COUNCIL WORKED TO PROMOTE LEGISLATION TO CLARIFY THAT HARSH RENTAL LAWS PASSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN 2019 DID NOT APPLY TO HOUSING COOPERATIVES IN SITUATIONS WHERE NO LANDLORD/TENANT RELATIONSHIP EXISTS. THE CLARIFYING LEGISLATION PASSED BOTH HOUSES IN JUNE AND WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR IN DECEMBER. M. THE COUNCIL WAS PLEASED THAT ITS CHAMPIONS REINTRODUCED THE CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED LEGISLATION TO ENABLE SENIORS IN HOUSING COOPERATIVES TO TAP THE EQUITY IN THEIR HOMES THROUGH REVERSE MORTGAGE LOANS, WHICH GOVERMOR CUOMO HAD VETOED IN 2019. THIS LEGISLATION PASSED BOTH HOUSES IN JUNE AND WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR HOCHUL IN DECEMBER. IT GOES INTO EFFECT AT THE END OF MAY 2022, ONCE APPROPRIATE FORMS AND REGULATIONS ARE PREPARED BY THE DIVISION OF FINANCIAL SERVICES AND COUNSELORS ARE TRAINED ON SPECIFIC CO-OP ISSUES. CNYC IS OFFERING ITS HELP WITH THESE. N. CNYC CONTINUES TO CONSULT WITH LEADERS OF DIVERSE ORGANIZATIONS FOR HOUSING COOPERATIVES TO COMBAT LEGISLATIVE ATTEMPTS AT STATE AND CITY LEVELS TO CONTROL THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HOUSING COOPERATIVES, WHERE OWNERSHIP IS SHARED AND ALL SHAREHOLDERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY. O. THE COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CONTINUES TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE REALTY ADVISORY BOARD ON LABOR RELATIONS INC. (THE RAB) WHICH REPRESENTS PROPERTY OWNERS IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH SERVICE EMPLOYEES. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE RAB HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SECURING COOPERATION BETWEEN UNION AND MANAGEMENT ON ADJUSTMENTS IN SCHEDULES AND IN BUILDING PROTOCOLS TO MEET THE NEW NEEDS IMPOSED BY THE PANDEMIC. P. THE COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALSO SERVES ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF 32BJ'S THOMAS SHORTMAN TRAINING FUND'S SCHOOL FOR UNION MEMBERS. THIS SCHOOL QUICKLY DEVELOPED STATE-OF-THE-ART TRAINING PROGRAMS IN CLEANING AND DISINFECTING PROCEDURES, WHICH IT SHARED WITH OTHER UNIONS. Q. THE COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS A MEMBER OF THE RESIDENT MANAGEMENT COUNCIL OF THE REAL ESTATE BOARD OF NEW YORK R. THE COUNCIL CONTINUED TO PROVIDE COURSES THAT QUALIFY FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR CPAS IN NEW YORK STATE AND CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION ACCREDITATION FOR QUALIFYING CLASSES. S. THE COUNCIL RAN ITS THREE-SESSION SEMINAR ENTITLED SELF-MANAGEMENT 101 TO HELP VERY SMALL COOPERATIVES AND CONDOMINIUMS UNDERSTAND THEIR MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS THE PHYSICAL PLANT, THE FINANCIAL REALM AND LEGAL REQUISITES, AND ONE CYCLE OF ITS TWO-SESSION CLASS ENTITLED INTRODUCTION TO CO-OP BIARD RESPONSIBILITIES: AN INTENSIVE SEMINAR FOR NEW DIRECTORS, PLUS TWO SESSIONS OF ITS FREE WHEELING WORKSHOP FOR BUILDING TREASURERS, WHERE QUESTIONS BROUGHT BY PARTICIPANTS SET THE DISCUSSION AGENDA. T. THE COUNCIL CONTINUED TO BE REPRESENTED ON THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE OF THE NEW YORK STATE CHAPTER OF THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS INSTITUTE, JOINING FORCES WITH OTHER COOPERATIVES, CONDOMINIUMS AND HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS STATEWIDE TO WORK TOGETHER ON LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. U.. THE COUNCIL'S TREASURER CONTINUES TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOUSING COOPERATIVES, WHERE THE COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHAIRS THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THE COUNCIL'S ASSISTANT TREASURER VOLUNTEERS HIS SERVICES. NAHC CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR PASSAGE OF CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO ENABLE FEMA TO MAKE GRANTS TO HOUSING COOPERATIVES, CONDOMINIUMS AND HOME OWNER ASSOCIATIONS WHEN DISASTERS DESTROY BUILDING-WIDE SYSTEMS OR DEVASTATE COMMON PROPERTY AND LEGISLATION TO ENABLE VETERANS TO USE THEIR LOW INTEREST LOAN BENEFITS TO PURCHASE HOMES IN HOUSING COOPERATIVES. V. THE COUNCIL'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SERVES ON THE BOARD OF THE URBAN HOMESTEADING ASSISTANCE BOARD (UHAB), INC. WHICH PROVIDES FUNDING AND TRAINING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, REFURBISHING AND MAINTAINING OF COOPERATIVE HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES. UHAB LEADERS PRESENTED THREE CLASSES AT CNYC'S VIRTAUL 41ST ANNUAL HOUSING CONFERENCE. UHAB ALSO ARRANGED FOR 36 OF ITS MEMBERS TO LOG ON TO CLASSES AT THAT CONFERENCE.