SAVE THE DATE: January 28, 2014 at 2 p.m.,
Complying with the Affordable Care Act Employer Mandate. ABO and the New York State Builders Association will be launching a private health exchange for members to help them meet reporting and insurance requirements. Unlike the State and Federal Exchanges, the ABO exchange will offer both builder and associate members the ability to manage a full array of defined benefits, including health insurance, the EHIC renewal process and handle all the reporting requirements of the law. You can join the exchange and still maintain your current broker relationships. Get all the details at this important seminar for members and your human resources staff. Be sure to bring them. The location will be announced next week. Please let us know how many to expect from your office by email to associatedbuilders@abogny.com.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced two appointments of particular interest to developers: Alicia Glen, head of the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs and a former assistant commissioner at HPD will be the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development. Kyle Kimball will continue as president of the Economic Development Corporation. Kimball has been with EDC since 2008 and became President last summer.
Michael Bloomberg was still Mayor, Monday, when he signed legislation updating the City Fire and Building Codes to comply with 2009 International Codes and make changes in resiliency standards inspired by Hurricane Sandy.
With all the changes at City Hall it is worth keeping an eye on Albany where Republican Senator Charles Fuschillo resigned New Years day. Democrat Senator Eric Adams also left to become Brooklyn Borough President, but the departures make the significance of the Independent Democratic Conference for control of the chamber even greater.
New York remains a tough place to do business according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The New York Times reports this weekend that the FHFA has rescinded an adverse market fee on mortgages everywhere but the tri-state area and Florida. The adverse market condition FHFA is concerned about is the time it takes to get a foreclosure through the courts: New York holds the record with an average of 820 days, more than twice the national average.