At the State Assembly in Albany are, from left, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn); Dil Gillani, SIBOR president-elect; Claire Besignano, SIBOR secretary-treasurer; Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island); Dawn Carpenter, a SIBOR past-president; Laird Klein, president of SIBOR; Assemblyman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore), and Sandy Krueger, SIBOR CEO.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (June 23, 2014) – Representatives of the Staten Island Board of Realtors (SIBOR) traveled to Albany earlier in the month, joining with 300 other REALTORS from across the state to urge lawmakers to approve legislation they believe vital to the well-being of the housing industry.
“Staten Island Realtors never miss an opportunity to voice the interests of homeowners, homebuyers and sellers to legislators who can make a difference,” said Laird Klein, president of the Staten Island Board of Realtors. “Lobby Day, coordinated by the New York State Association of REALTORS®, is an annual event that provides an effective forum for important real estate-related issues to be brought to the forefront of the state capitol; and, for us, it’s particularly important that the concerns of Staten Islanders are included among lawmakers’ top priorities.”
In addition to Klein, Islanders attending the daylong event included Sandy Krueger, SIBOR CEO; Dil Gillani, the organization’s president-elect; Claire Besignano, secretary/treasurer, and Dawn Carpenter, a SIBOR past-president.
During the June 10 event, the SIBOR members met with elected officials, including State Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn); State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island); Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn); Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore); Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island), and Assemblyman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore).
“We have very good relationships with all the Staten Island state elected officials, but this is a special opportunity to address statewide, as well as local, issues,” SIBOR CEO Krueger said. “Thanks to Assemblyman Cusick, this year we also received a special tour of the State Assembly floor. It’s a special place.”
NYSAR-supported bills propose to: Bring greater transparency to the process of buying and selling cooperative apartments by setting up a mandatory timeline for the acceptance and/or rejection of a purchase application; ensure availability of FHA loans in New York state; require any homebuilder who is contracting to construct a one- or two-family residence, under three stories in height, to provide the buyer with information prepared by the Office of Fire Prevention and Control regarding the installation of fire sprinklers prior to entering into a contract for construction of such dwelling; establish a comparative negligence standard for claims under Labor Law 240 and 241, also known as the Scaffold Law, and more.
NYSAR members also expressed opposition to multiple pieces of legislation that extend and impose new county mortgage recording taxes and transfer taxes.
About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)
The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.
SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.
Comprised of over 1,700 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.
SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.
All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).
SIBOR may be reached at 718-979-0007 and viewed online at siborrealtors.com. SIBOR may also be visited on Facebook and on Twitter.
Media Contact: Barton Horowitz
Relevant Public Relations, LLC
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Mobile: 917‑715‑8761
Email: Bhorowitz@RelevantPR.com
