CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER PETER VALLONE STARS AT THE FEDERATION'S 44th ANNUAL TRADE SHOW AND SEMINARS

Mark your calendar now! Sunday, March 25, 2001, the Federation will celebrate the new millennium with the longest running trade show and seminars in the real estate industry. If your cooperative or condominium pays for three or more directors to attend the Trade Show and Seminar, your board president comes free of charge. Here is an opportunity to see several vendors all in one location. You can prequalify them to see if that vendor is right for your building. . Best yet - lunch will be provided.

Click here for More Details and Registration Forms.

SPEAKER PETER VALLONE TALKS TAX ABATEMENTS

City Council Speaker Peter Vallone will address the luncheon attendees on the Coop/Condo Real Estate Tax Abatements which are due to expire on June 30, 2001. He will give us an update on the progress on extending the Tax abatements.

This program proves to be the most exciting one yet! Here is what we have for our members and guests:

Our popular Attorney's Round Table  Update your knowledge on the latest law cases affecting cooperatives and condominiums. Federation Executive Vice President Al Pennisi will lead a panel of attorneys to answer your questions. Had a legal question but were afraid to pay? Come to our exciting round table discussion.

Professional Round Table -- ask your questions. Our panel of experts, consisting of attorneys, managing agents, accountants, refinancing experts and engineers will answer your questions on issues you want to know about, not the usual seminar topics focused on, what they want you to hear.

Your Corporate Documents -- Federation Executive Vice President Al Pennisi, will discuss with updating your building's Occupancy Agreement, Bylaws, Proprietary Lease, etc.

Energy Conservation -- The Federation has joined engineer Herbert Hirschfeld, P.E. in obtaining a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), under the New York Smart Energy Program. This grant will pay for your building's feasibility study and more. Come to this seminar to find out why submetering of electric is for you.

Board Responsibilities -- Attorney Stan Dreyer will deliver his popular seminar on the Board and how it works. Questions such as, what make's a good Corporate Secretary? How much power does a Board President have? You will get answers.

Discrimination: Where You Least Expect It -- Attorney Howard Schechter will explain --- a) reasonable accommodations for the disabled person and b) sexual harassment. He will explain how to protect yourself and what the many open items are.

Planning for the Future (Budgets/Capital Improvements) --Accountant Rick Montanye will discuss the impact on higher energy costs and how they impact on your budget. How you can plan for future major capital improvement projects.

Legislation in Albany: How It is Affecting Us Today -- National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC) Executive Director Doug Kleine will moderate a discussion on pending Albany legislation that will affect us all. Scheduled to appear is Assemblyman Mark Weprin and State Senator Frank Padavan

High Tech in Buildings -- North Shore Towers President Chuck Robbins will moderate a discussion on new technologies that will and can affect us all. Companies like ADI will present the new "wireless internet" and Buildingslinks will present how your building can link up to their website to better communicate to your shareholder/owners, the board and management.

Preventative Maintenance for You and Your Super -- Renowned building systems expert Richard Koral of the Apartment Institute will make a presentation on how a good preventative maintenance plan can save your building money, especially fuel dollars. It might be a good idea to bring your super or someone on the building's staff.

Financial Ramifications of Aging in Place -- Join Nat Yolowitz and others in a presentation of how we can care for our older residents who want to stay in place and not be sent elsewhere. The social, physical and economic implications for the resident and the building as a whole will be discussed.

Program subject to change.

These seminars are rated "C" for Coop and Condo Owners. Adults only!

Director of the Year nomination entry form is enclosed for your building's Director who went over and above the call of duty. The prestigious "Charles Rappaport Director of the Year" will be chosen after judging and confirming the entries. Good Luck to All.

PLEASE NOTE: YOUR INVITATION/REGISTRATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU UNDER A SEPARATE MAILING.

THE FEDERATION APPEALS TO ALL VETERANS

In an ongoing effort of fairness, so that shareholders, unit owners and home owner of single, two-family and three family home owner are treated the same, the National Association of Housing Cooperatives (NAHC) asked the Federation to support and enlist the help of our membership to encourage all veteran association to past the attached resolution. This resolution will allow shareholder the same benefits of a VA  guaranteed share loan, which presently avails to homeowners.

PLEASE INTRODUCE THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION TO YOUR AMERICAN LEGION OR OTHER VETERAN ASSOCATION.

WHEREAS, housing cooperatives represent an important homeownership option in New York City and several other major metropolitan areas; and

WHEREAS, persons buying into a housing cooperative usually require a loan (commonly called a share loan) secured by a membership or share of stock in the cooperative; and

WHEREAS, the Loan Guaranty Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs does not currently have statutory authority to guaranty a share loan in a cooperative; and

WHEREAS, veterans in New York City and other major metropolitan areas would benefit from having the option of a VA-guaranteed share loan;

Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, by Post Number __, The American Legion, Department of New York, in regular meeting in ________, New York, on (month) (date), 2001, that Congress enact legislation and the Department of Veterans Affairs adopt regulations to allow veterans to obtain VA-guaranteed share loans in housing cooperatives.

Please give a copy of the adopted resolution to the Federation so we can follow up.

TAX ABATEMENTS EXPIRE JUNE 30, 2001

Through the Action Committee for reasonable Real Estate Taxes which is supported by the Federation and the Federation's Executive Director, Gregory J. Carlson, was one of the original members and is on the Action Committee's Board, shareholders and unit owners have enjoyed several years of tax abatement. The Federation is reaching out to our membership. In order for the Action Committee to do it's advocacy (on both the New York City and State levels) we need money. With a little investment of your building's dollars, your Board can help in the continuation of the Real Estate Tax Abatements. We recommend a Dollar a unit but whatever amount you send will be appreciated. Please send you contribution to the Federation, and mark your check "TAX ABATEMENT". The Federation will forward these monies on the Action Committee, which will be used for the advocacy on both the State and City Levels.

NEW MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

A BULK OF THE FEDERATION'S TIME HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO OFFERING OUR MEMBERSHIP SERVICES THAT MAY HELP TO SAVE YOU MONEY OR HELP YOUR BUILDING.

THESE SERVICES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

The Federation's web site is now online in its' infancy stage. We will be mailing to all our members, an opportunity to list their building's information at our web site. Right now, the site provides a legal corner, event list with links to other cooperative sites, legislative issues, a question and answer page where you can ask your questions directly to the Federation and the Federation Newsletter. Please visit our site at "FNYHC.ORG", let us know what you think and don't hesitate to ask us questions.
The Federation has started a list server forum. This is a place were you can go on the Internet and exchange ideas, experiences and to gather information for you cooperative. It's the Federation's "Co-op Forum" and it's free to join. To subscribe to the "Forum", simply go to the Federation's web site (WWW.FNYHC.ORG); you will see a box about joining. Just follow the instructions and you are part of the "Forum". When someone writes to the forum, you get an email to all those who subscribe. You can answer, give your opinion, or just read the email. The Federation will oversee the "Forum" to ensure that correct answers are being given and the emails are about cooperatives and condominiums. Please join now  and be part of this new exciting experience.
The Federation has signed on to the Durnan Group Managers Workers Compensation Safety Group. One of the line items' on all of our member buildings with staffs is workers compensation insurance. The Federation has been studying different workers compensation insurance providers and has concluded that the Durnan Group best fits the needs of our membership. With discounted premiums up-front and a substantial dividend at the end of the year, this makes the safety group the best deal around. Each claim is investigated thoroughly, which is why this group can offer the best workers compensation package in the state. To find out more information or to sign up, please call the Durnan Group Managers at 1-212-768-9191 and make sure to tell them you are a Federation member.

ANNUAL TRADE SHOW AND SEMINAR TAPES AVAILABLE

Did you come to the Federation's Annual Trade Show and Seminar and missed a session? The Federation has prepared audiocassettes for the seminars listed below. If your building attended the Federation's Show, you can order a session listed below for a cost of $60.00 per session. Please note, these audiocassettes are available only to attendees of the show.

THE FOLLOWING ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE FEDERATION:
ATTORNEYS ROUND TABLE; PROFESSIONAL ROUND TABLE; YOUR CORPORATE DOCUMENTS; MANAGEMENT/BOARD RELATIONS; BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES; DISCRIMINATIONóWHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT; SAFEGUARDING YOUR ASSETS AND NATIONAL & LOCAL LEGISLATION  WHAT NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP MEANS

ELECTRIC DEREGULATION

With all the confusion concerning electric deregulation, a new Energy Service Company (ESCO) is consumer oriented. 1st Rochdale Cooperative is an energy company that is owned by buildings who belong to 1st Rochdale. They are not just an energy provider, as the other ESCO's. Similar to what happens when you belong to a cooperative, there are no investors, so the consumers are the owners. In addition, they will do energy audits on your building to see what can be done to diminish or reduce your demand side electric bill, which will save you kilowatts and money. Now is the time to think about this phase in the deregulation process, which started in April 2000. Start now in preparing your building, talk to all the "ESCO's" and talk to 1st Rochdale, you will be surprised in what you hear. For further information, please call 1st Rochdale at 1-212-673-3900.

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