Governor Hochul Signs Legislative Package to Combat Housing Discrimination
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a legislative package late Tuesday totaling nine bills aimed at combating housing discrimination. Included are increases in the required training for real estate professionals relating to Fair Housing laws and housing discrimination and a requirement for standardized intake procedures to be used by real estate professionals. You can find a complete rundown of the new bills and what they mean for REALTORS® HERE.
NYC Vaccine Mandate Effective December 27, 2021 for Licensees Performing In-Person Showings & Open Houses in NYC
By order of the New York City Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene (“City Health Commissioner”), effective Monday, December 27, 2021, workers in New York City who perform in-person work or interact with the public in the course of business must show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Workers will then have 45 days to show proof of their second dose (for Pfizer or Moderna vaccines). Employers must exclude from the workplace any worker who has not provided such proof, unless an exception due to a religious or medical accommodation applies, or a worker only enters the workplace for a quick and limited purpose. 
 
A workplace is considered any location including property being shown or open houses where you work in the presence of at least one other person. Brokerages, their employees and independent contractors that work or conduct business in NYC (even if the office is not in NYC but you show property in NYC) are subject to the requirement.

NYC has provided a webpage with information on compliance as well as an informative FAQ. You can find that information HERE.
LIBOR Raises $9,000 for Long Islanders in Need with REALTORS® Against Hunger Campaign
LIBOR recently contributed nearly $9,000 to support community hunger relief programs in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties this holiday season. Funds were collected through LIBOR’s 14th Annual REALTORS® Against Hunger (RAH) Virtual Food Drive held from November 15 – December 17, 2021 to benefit Island Harvest and City Harvest. LIBOR also made a significant contribution to supplement the drive. Learn more.
NYS COVID-19 Protocol and Mask Mandate Update
Effective December 13, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul announced masks must be worn in all indoor public places in New York unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement. This mandate is in effect until January 15, 2022 after which the State will re-evaluate based on current conditions. Learn more.
Code of Ethics Requirement Deadline, 12/31/21
Reminder - the current National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Code of Ethics (COE) training cycle expires on December 31, 2021. REALTORS® are required to complete at least 2.5 hours of Code of Ethics training that meets specific learning objectives and criteria, every three years. Don’t wait, visit www.lirealtor.com/ethics to check your status and view Code of Ethics training options today!
 
To celebrate all those who have completed their NAR COE requirement, LIBOR is conducting monthly prize drawings. Decembers' winner will receive a $150 Amazon Gift Card! Learn more.
LIBOR Honors Vincent Alessi as the 2021 REALTOR® Spirit Award Recipient
Congratulations to Vincent Alessi, LIBOR’s 2021 REALTOR® Spirit Award recipient! Vincent is being recognized for his tireless volunteer work with the Long Beach Latino Civic Association and his extraordinary commitment to his community. Read about Vincent’s selfless efforts HERE.
NYSREEF Scholarship Application Deadline Approaching
Want to earn a national designation? A New York State Real Estate Education Foundation scholarship will pay for half of the tuition! Learn more and apply at NYSREEF.org. Deadline to apply is December 31, 2021. 
GE Appliance Store
Wrap up the year with free delivery on orders over $299 and additional savings on select GE appliances through 12/29/21. Plus, save up to 50% on small appliances through 12/31/21 and get free shipping. See Store for details HERE. 
Free Leigh Brown Ethics Replay
Only Three Classes Left this Year!
Fulfills your NAR COE Training needed by 12/31/21

  • Monday, Dec 27, 12:00PM - 2:30PM
  • Tuesday, Dec 28, 6:00PPM - 8:00PM
  • Wednesday, Dec 29, 12:00PM - 2:30PM

Buying and Selling
Pandemic-related mortgage forbearance programs are expiring, but hundreds of thousands of homeowners continue to struggle with payments.
 
Leadership Communication
Joining senior leadership comes with all kinds of new challenges. Here’s how you can rise to the occasion.
 
Holidays
Arm yourself with these coping strategies if the holiday season brings sadness, stress, or struggles.
Governor Hochul Signs Legislative Package to Combat Housing Discrimination
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a legislative package late Tuesday totaling nine bills aimed at combating housing discrimination. Included are increases in the required training for real estate professionals relating to Fair Housing laws and housing discrimination and a requirement for standardized intake procedures to be used by real estate professionals. You can find a complete rundown of the new bills and what they mean for REALTORS® HERE.
NYC Council End of Year Legislative Actions
The New York City Council concluded its legislative actions for the year on Wednesday before a new class of lawmakers take office in January with many City Council Members being term-limited, including Speaker Corey Johnson. One bill that did not get a vote was Int. 2047, which would have blocked landlords from running criminal record checks on potential tenants before leasing their units. NYSAR strongly opposed the legislation and actively engaged REALTORS®, local REALTOR® boards, and residents in New York City to contact their City Council Members expressing their opposition. It is expected that this bill will remain an issue in the City Council and NYSAR will continue to meet with lawmakers to express our concerns. Other bills that did not pass that NYSAR opposed include: Int. 1977, Int. 471 and Int. 1796, which would have imposed a system of commercial rent stabilization in the city. 
The City Council did pass an amended bill (Int. 2317-A) that bans the use of fossil fuels such as natural gas in new buildings, which NYSAR also opposed. Learn more.
Climate Action Council Develops Draft Scoping Plan to Reduce Statewide Emissions
A draft “scoping plan” has been developed by the state Climate Action Council, which was established under law by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), passed in 2019. The Climate Action Council has been tasked with developing recommendations to reduce the state’s overall emissions and provide an impact analysis on which those recommendations may have on businesses, consumers and the overall economy. NYSAR is closely monitoring actions being taken by the Climate Action Council and will update members on developments. Learn more.
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