Real Estate Board of New York

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) was formed in 1896 as the first real estate trade association in the state. The purpose of the board was to "facilitate transactions in real estate, such as buying, selling, leasing, mortgaging, and insuring of property and other business pertaining thereto."[1]

Today the board is made up of New York City’s real estate professionals. REBNY works on behalf of its members to promote public and industry policies and frequently speaks before government bodies to, among other things, "expand New York’s economy", encourage the development and renovation of commercial and residential real property, enhance the city’s appeal to a specific class of investors and residents and facilitate property management for this same class. The group conducts professional education programs including state-certified required courses for licensing, continuing education courses and free seminars to help members hone their professional skills. REBNY also undertakes a wide variety of research projects studying the current residential and commercial conditions within the city and maintains the largest collection of real-estate related information of any city trade association in its Seymour B. Durst library, located at its office in midtown.

The group are known to back candidates friendly to real estate companies. For recent races in Brooklyn, they created the Jobs for New York PAC, a pro-development political action committee in 2013 to support political candidates such as controversial Brooklyn councilwoman Laurie Cumbo.[2][3][4][5] By the end of August 2013, the latter's campaign for a city council seat had received at least $80,000 from Jobs for New York PAC, an unpopular move with residents in an already rapidly gentrifying area.[6] (In an AARP-sponsored discussion a week later Cumbo claimed that she received no money from REBNY, and that they have given no contributions to her campaign.[7])

In early 2015, REBNY represented the landlords of unsafe buildings in council member Margaret Chin's downtown district and pushed back when approached about having to pay to relocate tenants while the buildings were being fixed with REBNY president Steve Spinola saying, "This legislation would better protect tenants by strengthening the existing (Department of Housing Preservation and Development) program to relocate tenants instead of cutting into funds used for building repairs and maintenance."[8]

References

  1. ↑ New York Times, Feb.7, 1896: Board of Brokers Organized
  2. ↑ "Laurie Cumbo Says 'Knockout' Attacks In Brooklyn Caused By Resentment Of Jewish Success". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  3. ↑ "NYC councilwoman’s talk of black-Jewish resentment, 'knockouts' called racist". NY Daily News. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  4. ↑ http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/07/8548901/councilwoman-funds-expansion-museum-she-founded
  5. ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/congresswoman-slams-cumbo-comment-asians-nycha-article-1.2165681
  6. ↑ Upadhye, Janet (August 27, 2013). "Pro-Development PAC Donation Causes Bad Blood in 35th District Race". DNAinfo.
  7. ↑ Goldstein, Sasha (September 6, 2013). "Brooklyn: Attacks continue at last-minute debate for hotly contested District 35 City Council race". NY Daily News.
  8. ↑ Tcholakian, Danielle (Jan 21, 2015). "Bill Would Force Landlords to Pay for Displaced Tenants' Temporary Shelter". DNAinfo New York.

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