Major changes are coming to New York City government. It all begins with the September 11th primary, which will likely be closely followed by a Democratic Mayoral runoff, and then in November, New Yorkers will select a new mayor, a new Public Advocate, a new Comptroller, at least four new Borough Presidents and at least 37 new City Council representatives. As all these new elected officials take on their new roles, we will need to make certain that they understand issues important to New York's considerable population of homeowners in housing cooperatives and condominiums.

Close to 300 individuals have qualified as candidates for office in our city. The New Yorkers who take the time to vote will determine which of them will actually lead our city into the future. How can we be sure to support the candidates who will work for the issues most important to us?

CNYC is doing its part. Together with the Coordinating Council of Cooperatives and the Federation of New York Housing Cooperatives, it has formed the Co-op/Condo Housing Issues Task Force, which is reaching out to all candidates for City Council, inviting them to attend a seminar on co-op and condo issues and then seeking their positions and those of all other candidates on co-op and condo issues through a questionnaire. Responses can be found on the websites of all three organizations.

This is a fine beginning, and CNYC is optimistic that the Task Force will help focus attention of every candidate for city office on cooperative and condominium housing issues citywide. But it is equally important that you take the next steps. When candidates approach you and ask for your support, you, in turn, should learn where they stand on issues important to you as an individual New Yorker, to your own cooperative or condominium, and to your neighborhood.

When we buy our homes in New York cooperatives and condominiums, we are making a deep commitment to our city. We work here, play here, shop here, pay taxes here and educate our children here. And we consistently express our commitment to our city by taking part in the elections. Candidates for local office should welcome an opportunity to learn more about you. Does your neighborhood school need better after school programs, or a new heating system? Is a traffic light appropriate on a local street corner? These are issues that you should raise with the candidates along with continued progress towards property tax fairness for homeowners in cooperatives and condominiums, ensuring the viability of minimally converted cooperatives and condominiums, and acknowledgment of the different status of homeowners in multiple dwellings from that of renters in lawmaking and in the courts.

As we all do our parts to select new leaders who will recognize the needs of their constituents and do their best to run our city in ways responsive to these needs, we help improve our city and our own lives.

In the pages of the CNYC Newsletter, you will find information on the issues that CNYC is pursuing on your behalf. We enthusiastically seek your support in promoting these important issues. If you are a candidate for city office please respond to the Co-op/Condo Housing Issues Task Force questionnaire. If you know candidates, please encourage them to do the same.

We look forward to welcoming representatives of your building at our meetings on these issues and at our 21st Annual Conference on Sunday, November 11th. Every CNYC member cooperative and condominium can send one person to the Conference at no cost, provided that CNYC receives their registration by November 7th. The Conference Brochure is inserted opposite page 10 of the Summer 2001 Newsletter. Please select the workshops of interest to your building and quickly register a team from your cooperative or condominium to take advantage of early rates.