GRAR Member Update
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Hello GRAR Members,

We hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend.

The first phase of reopening in our region of the state is well underway, as you know. It is important that you continue to follow the guidelines that were established for our industry prior to Phase 1 and apply to real estate until Phase 2 begins. The exact start date of Phase 2 is yet to be announced.

We applaud you for the agility you've demonstrated during this time as you adhere to the state's guidelines while working to meet the your clients' needs.

The Department of State has contacted some brokers and agents across the state inquiring about their activity. It is very important that you follow the Governor's Executive Order guidelines until he officially shares new guidelines and the safety template to follow during Phase 2 and beyond.
New Fair Housing Guidelines
Equally important for all to follow are the new Fair Housing Guidelines which become effective on June 20, 2020. Please take a few moments to read through the information below.
Loan Program for Small Landlords
Governor Cuomo announced a new $100 million small business loan program called the New York Forward Loan Fund . This program targets small businesses that did not receive COVID-19 assistance, such as small landlords. See below for more information. Pre-application opens today, May 26, at noon.
GRAR Bylaws Vote Results
The recently proposed GRAR Bylaws changes were passed with a 93% approval.
Please reach out to us at GRARHelpDesk@grar.net with any questions and check your Member Portal for general news items. 
Andy Kachaylo,
GRAR President
Jim Yockel,
GRAR CEO
Fair Housing -
New Regulations
NYSAR
There are new Fair Housing regulations going into effect on June 20, 2020. These regulations affect all licensees. Be sure to understand the requirements and take the necessary steps to comply.

Each licensee is required to provide the  New York State Housing Discrimination Disclosure Form   to “…a prospective purchaser, tenant, seller, or landlord upon first substantive contact…”

Licensees are also required to display the  Fair Housing Notice  as described in the  Final Adopted Text  of the new rules..

NYSAR's email dated May 19 contains all of the information you need to know. An excerpt is below along with a link to the original email.

The following related forms are now available in TransactionDesk:

  • Disclosure - (Fair) Housing Discrimination NYS (4/20)
  • Disclosure - Agency + Fair Housing Bundle NYS (4/20)
  • Fair Housing Notice


From NYSAR's email dated May 19:

The new Fair Housing regulation is divided into three sections, Housing and Anti-Discrimination Disclosure Form, Fair Housing Notice and video and audio recording of all Fair Housing continuing education courses. Below, please find guidance in the form of questions and answers as to how to comply with each section.

Brokers and licensees will need to provide a link on their website to the Fair Housing Notice (FHN) by June 20, 2020. “All websites created and maintained by real estate brokers, associate real estate brokers, real estate salespersons and any real estate team…shall prominently and conspicuously display on the homepage of such website” a link to the FHN provided by the DOS. By prominently and conspicuously, the link should appear “above the fold” and should not require a consumer to scroll down the webpage to find the link.  

New York Forward
Loan Fund (NYFLF)
The New York Forward Loan Fund (NYFLF) is a new economic recovery loan program aimed at supporting New York State small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords as they reopen after the COVID-19 outbreak and NYS on PAUSE.   
Contact Tracing
The NYS Contact Tracing Program works with confirmed positive COVID-19 people to determine who they have been in contact with. Trained specialists reach out to those contacts about possible exposure. If you have been identified as a contact, you will get a call from “NYS Contact Tracing” (518-387-9993). Click the flyer below if you'd like to download/print.
GRAR will be sending updates related to COVID-19, as needed, until further notice.

Please visit the GRAR Coronavirus page for all updates, other related information, and links to NAR, NYSAR, and the New York State Coronavirus pages.
Also, please join the GRAR Members Only Facebook Group to get updates from GRAR as well as view and participate in discussions. GRAR Members Only Facebook Group .
Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS® | grar.org