While in Albany, officials and members of the Staten Island Board of Realtors® press for approval of a first-time homebuyer savings account program, and other legislations

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (May 12, 2023) – Representatives of the Staten Island Board of Realtors® (SIBOR) were among over 350 Realtors® from across New York state who recently gathered in Albany to address important real estate-related issues with lawmakers.

The Realtors were there to ask state legislators to support initiatives that are vital to the industry, advocating for public policies in support of Empire State buyers, sellers and renters.

During the Albany visit in early May, SIBOR members met with Assembly members Charles D. Fall, Sam Pirozzolo, Mike Reilly and Michael Tannousis, State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, and John Turoski, chief of staff for State Sen. Andrew J. Lanza.

Among the Island Realtors were SIBOR CEO Sandy Krueger; SIBOR 2023 President Rosanne La Fata; President-elect Fran Reali; Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Chairman Frank Reali; SIBOR directors Steven Caro, Daniel Fausak and Coleen M. Siracusa, and SIBOR Legislative Committee Chair Robert Kelly. 

The SIBOR representatives advocated for several important legislative proposals, such as a First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account Program which, if enacted, would set the foundation to help future generations of Staten Islanders and other New Yorkers overcome financial barriers to becoming homeowners.

Additionally, SIBOR Realtors showed their support for proposed legislation that builds on fair housing measures implemented in 2021 and 2022; the measures are designed to bring greater transparency and fairness to the application and homebuying process when considering the purchase of cooperative (co-op) housing shares in New York.

The Island Realtor organization strongly opposes legislation that would impose statewide rent regulation of all rental housing except for owner-occupied buildings with fewer than four units, which would severely hurt small rental property owners and ultimately impact the availability of livable rental units.

SIBOR supports equal opportunity in housing and is committed in its opposition to all forms of illegal discrimination in housing. Maintaining the integrity of fair housing policies on Staten Island is of the utmost importance to SIBOR Realtors.

“We had good meetings with all of our state elected officials and we maintain good communications with them back on the Island as well. The statewide Realtor community remains committed to working with the state legislature to identify and enact meaningful solutions to the state housing crisis,” said SIBOR CEO Sandy Krueger.

About the Staten Island Board of Realtors® (SIBOR) and the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS)

Established in 1915, the Staten Island Board of Realtors® (SIBOR) is the largest professional 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 promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of approximately 2,500 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 275 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 5,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR Realtors belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR and the Staten Island MLS may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at MLSsiny.com. Social media content pertaining to SIBOR and the Staten Island MLS is available on Facebook at Staten Island Board of Realtors, LinkedIn at Staten Island Board of Realtors, Twitter via @SIBOR and Instagram at SIBOR REALTORS (siborrealtors).

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Media Contact: Barton Horowitz

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