Real Estate Board of New York

The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) is "the leading trade group advocating on policy changes in the real estate industry," a trade association for the real estate industry in New York City. Formed in 1896, its current president is James Whelan. History and overview The board was formed in 1896 to "facilitate transactions in real estate, such as buying, selling, leasing, mortgaging, and insuring of property and other business pertaining thereto. Among the current board members are the president John Banks, Fredrik Eklund and Daniel Brodsky. Today, REBNY works to promote industry-backed policies. Its members frequently speak before government bodies to, among other things, expand New York's economy, encourage the development and renovation of commercial and residential real property, increase the city's appeal to a specific class of investors and residents, and facilitate property management for this same class. To help members hone their professional skills, the group conducts education programs, including state-certified required courses for licensing, continuing education courses, and free seminars. The group also performs research on residential and commercial conditions within the city. In early 2015, the association represented the landlords of unsafe buildings in Councilmember Margaret Chin's downtown district and pushed back when approached about having to pay to move tenants while the buildings were being fixed. REBNY president Steve Spinola said, "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."