A noteworthy legislative amendment was the exclusion of “squatters” from the definition of “tenant” under the current tenancy laws.
It is important to note that while the new Good Cause Eviction Law went into effect in New York City immediately, other municipalities throughout New York State will need to opt-in by enacting this legislation if they so choose.
Every year in July, HGAR sends out a request for applications for open seats on our Board of Directors, including Director and Officer positions. Officer positions include President-Elect, Treasurer and Secretary. The other two officer positions that comprise the Executive Committee are Immediate Past President (that will be me next year!), and President which will be filled by our current President-Elect, Crystal Hawkins-Syska. Are YOU ready to step up?
Our By-laws stipulate that some experience as a Director is required to fill an officer position. Directors, however, may come forward from the general ranks of all members. Many Directors start their involvement in the association by volunteering to serve on a committee, maybe attending some events, or simply because someone suggested they would be a good contributor and asked them to jump in. In my experience, it’s those personal invitations that have been the impetus for many of our greatest contributors to get started volunteering. So here it is, this is my personal invitation to YOU to get involved!
Committee work is the heart, mind and spirit behind an organization like ours that relies so heavily on volunteerism. It’s within the committees, work groups and task forces that goals are set, ideas are generated, hashed out, fine-tuned and emerge as recommended action plans to be considered by our Board of Directors. Our committees must work together as effective teams, committed to a common purpose and common goals.
The Board of Directors typically convenes for 10 meetings annually at which the Directors consider opportunities, engage in discussions, review committee recommendations, and ultimately decide any direction the association takes. Clearly, being a Director is an extremely vital role in HGAR, and one that comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility and commitment. At the start of each year, every Director commits to a fiduciary obligation to the association, resolving to put aside their own individual interests and make all decisions solely in the best interest of the association.
The Board of Directors is our governance structure for the association, while our staff is the management and execution side of the organization. Once an action plan or strategy is identified and receives its approval from the Board of Directors, staff along with volunteers set out to implement the plan. We are extremely fortunate to have amazing staff members who support all member services, execute on initiatives, and keep things running on a day-to-day basis.
I know, now you’re thinking, “What do I get out of this?” For many, volunteering and finding ways to give back is part of their DNA, it’s a mission and a passion. In some cases, it starts with a desire to learn more about how things run in general, or an interest in a specific project or segment of services. For others, it may start with wanting to network and morph into greater participation. Whatever the initial reason, the outcome is infinitely greater than the first intent. I will say, personally, that I have learned SO much from my peers and our incredible staff over the many years of my involvement. The people I’ve met, the experiences, the exposure to our industry at all levels, and the abundant knowledge are all things I would never have achieved if I had just kept to myself and my own business, and hadn’t accepted that first invitation to get involved.
We are looking to diversify our leadership, introduce more perspectives, broaden our horizons, and move our organization forward with commitment, integrity and enthusiasm. When you see that application in your e-mail inbox, I only ask that you consider if you have something to contribute. Or maybe you know someone who does; if so, encourage them. We really do need YOU!
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