LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: Tell the Westchester Board of Legislators to Pass the Co-op Bill Now

Co-op fair housing legislation is critical to ensuring affordable and available housing to everyone including those designated as a protected class under federal, state and local fair housing law.

HGAR was successful in lobbying to have a law passed in Rockland County that requires a 45-day time period in which a board must accept or reject a tenant from the time that an application is submitted. This was a great credit to Legislator Alden Wolfe and Rockland County Executive Ed Day.

In Westchester we have been attending monthly meetings of the Board of Legislators to speak in favor of the county co-op bill, which includes the 45-day time period as well as a reason in writing stating why a tenant or buyer is being denied from purchasing the co-op. We need Realtors and buyers to send us their stories detailing if and when they have been discriminated against.

We also need Realtors to respond to the HGAR Call for Action, which has gone out in e-mails and social media. This is critical. The only way we will get legislation passed is if the legislators hear from Realtors and from their constituents.

We also urge you to write letters and make phone calls if necessary. If you have any potential buyers who you believe were discriminated against, the Board of Legislators wants to hear from them. Have them document what happened to them. Have them speak at a Board of Legislators meetings.

Stay tuned for further updates on this legislation.

Philip Weiden
Legislative Affairs columnist Philip Weiden is the Government Affairs Director for the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors.