Presidents Message – Jul/Aug
Our latest battle
By Jeffrey Decatur, 2021 GCAR President
At GCAR, we take seriously the role of being The Voice For Real Estate – and REALTORS®. Our latest battle is against good cause eviction. Despite our best efforts, Local Law F was passed by the Albany Common Council on July 19th. The bill limits evictions, prohibits rent increases of more than five percent, and grants tenants the right to lease renewals. In an effort to fight the bill, GCAR in conjunction with the New York State Association of REALTORS, launched an issues mobilization campaign that included a campaign website, robo texts/calls to Albany residents, a postcard, and online advertising in an attempt to get the word out to residents.
So, please, it is of utmost importance to PUSH the button for those Calls for Action and share them with your colleagues so that we don’t lose our next fight.
The call for committee applications will be issued in August. Please get involved with GCAR, the Association is only as strong as those who contribute and there are many opportunities. Learn more about these opportunities on page 9.
Award season is coming. The nomination deadlines for the GCAR Good Neighbor Award and the REALTOR® of the Year are coming up soon so start thinking about who you would like to nominate and get those applications submitted. Learn more about the GCAR awards on page 5.
As pandemic restrictions are lifted, the housing market is hot. Just ask any agent if they’re getting time to enjoy the summer weather and you’ll be sure to hear that they are too busy!
I encourage you to keep an eye on the GCAR calendar for upcoming in-person events. There will be several exciting things coming up in the late summer/fall months. GCAR’s annual Trade Show will be held in person on October 13th at the Albany Capital Center. The Trade Show Committee has worked tirelessly to put together an outstanding event for us, see page 12 for more information.
With the busy summer real estate season in full swing, I wish you all good luck and hope that you can find time to enjoy yourselves.
