15 November O&R: Information and Awareness Are The Best Tools To Avoid Being Scammed November 15, 2022 By Town Clerk . Community News, General 0 O&R: Information and Awareness Are The Best Tools To Avoid Being Scammed. Related Articles Fair Housing Information Fair Housing Information Fair housing refers to free and equal access to residential housing – i.e., housing choice. The federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of a person’s race, familial status (presence of children under age 18), color, national origin, religion, disability (physical or mental), or sex. Fair Housing FAQ What kind of housing is covered by the Fair Housing Act? Most housing is covered by the Fair Housing Act. In some circumstances, the Act exempts owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, single family housing sold or rented without the use of a broker, and housing operated private clubs that limit occupancy to members. Illegal Actions Fair housing laws apply to the sale or rental of housing and also to mortgage lending. They cover some very specific actions. Some typical examples include Refusing to rent, sell, finance, insure, or negotiate for housing; Making housing unavailable; Setting different terms or conditions, or providing unequal services; Printing or circulating a discriminatory advertisement; Refusing to make or provide information for a loan, or imposing different terms or conditions for a loan; or Harassing, threatening, intimidating, or coercing anyone, including sexual harassment. Those with Disabilities Are Protected Under the fair housing laws, a landlord may not: Refuse to make reasonable modifications to a dwelling or common use area to accommodate a person’s disability; or Refuse to make reasonable accommodations in policies or services if necessary for the disabled person to use the housing. In addition, any multi-family housing built after 1991 must comply with accessibility requirements to ensure that public and common use areas and units are accessible for people with disabilities. Fair Housing Links Laws New York Human Rights Law: https://dhr.ny.gov/law Federal Fair Housing Act Link: https://www.justice.gov/crt/fair-housing-act-2 What information do I need to provide to file a fair housing complaint? If you suspect that you have been discriminated against with regard to housing, file a complaint as soon as possible because there are time limits on when a complaint can be filed with HUD after an alleged violation. Try to include the following information, if possible, when filing a complaint: The name and address; The name and address of the person(s) or Company the complaint is against; The address or other identifying information of the housing or program the complaint is being filed against; A brief description of what happened that caused you to file the complaint; and The date(s) of the alleged discrimination. How can I file a fair housing complaint? Fair housing complaints can be filed with or with the NYS Attorney General’s Office or the NYS Human Rights Division: https://hcr.ny.gov/fair-housing-information#:~:text=A:%20You%20can%20file%20a,[email protected]. If you have questions or believe you have been a victim of housing discrimination, you may also contact the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York State Attorney General's Office at 212-416-8250 or [email protected]. Complaints related to discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status may be filed with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by telephone, online, email and by mail. Phone 1-800-669-9777 1-800-927-9275 for TTY users only Online English: https://portalapps.hud.gov/FHEO903/Form903/Form903Start.action Spanish: https://portalapps.hud.gov/AdaptivePages/HUD_Spanish/Espanol/complaint/complaint-details.htm Other languages: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/complaint_filing_languages_other_english O&R: Heating Prices Rise as the Winter Approaches; Planning Remains the Key to Saving Money, Energy PEARL RIVER, NY Nov. 1, 2021 4:30 p.m. --- Orange & Rockland (O&R) is urging its 130,000 natural gas and its 226,450 electric customers to use energy efficiently this winter with bills projected to be higher than last winter. The increase is due mainly to higher natural gas supply costs for both natural gas and electric customers as natural gas is one of the main fuels that power the production of electricity. O&R does not set supply costs and does not make a profit on the supply. The company analyzes supply and demand forecasts and uses a variety of buying methods, including short-term and long-term contracts, to get the best natural gas prices for its customers. O&R provides the commodity to customers at cost. The cost of natural gas has increased as the demand for the commodity has increased, exports have increased, and severe weather has hindered production in the Gulf of Mexico area. These and other factors have caused a decline in the amount of gas in storage in the United States. Based on comparing the forecasted winter 2021-2022 to the prior three-year average of bills, the following would be the increase: A residential customer using on average 600 kWh per winter month will see an average monthly bill increase from $122.97 to $144.20, or 17.3% as compared to the average of the prior three winters. A residential customer using on average 177 Ccf per winter month will see an average monthly bill increase from $232.52 to $273.92, or 17.8% as compared to the average of the prior three winters. The key to controlling home energy costs is managing usage. That becomes more important with costs rising. To help O&R’s natural gas and electric customers further manage their winter energy costs, O&R offers the following O&R Advises To make natural gas work harder for you, it makes sense to have a qualified heating contractor or plumber clean and inspect your heating system before winter sets in. An efficiently burning heating system not only makes your natural gas dollars go farther, but it’s cleaner and safer. Taking steps to tighten up insulation by using weather-stripping at all attic stairwells and access points and stopping cold air infiltration from electric switch and plug outlets by using draft blockers can also pay off. In addition, double-checking all points where heat enters a room to make sure, draperies, furniture or other obstacles do not interfere with the free flow of heat is a practical, easy way to help. And, you can take advantage of your smart meter by viewing your detailed energy usage and customized energy savings tips located in your online account at www.oru.com to more effectively manage your household energy dollars. Those tips, and other energy conservation and efficiency steps, gain greater importance if extreme cold weather, or other supply factors develop over the winter. What can residential customers do to further control their energy costs? Shop for alternate energy suppliers which may or may not provide you with a cheaper price on energy purchases. For more information about energy shopping, go to www.oru.com and the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) website at www.newyorkpowertochoose.com. In addition, to better manage the monthly utility bill to avoid unpredictable bills that result from seasonal usage variations, sign up for O&R’s Budget Billing program. Budget Billing does not reduce your overall energy expense. It simply lets you spread out your annual energy expense over a 12-month period (with updates every six months) and lets you know ahead of time what your monthly payment will be. That makes managing the household budget much easier. And for convenient shopping for energy-saving household products, it’s hard to beat the My ORU Store www.myorustore.com. It’s a digital marketplace that offers O&R’s residential customers a wide variety of energy-saving household products including LED lights, water/energy saving devices, advanced power strips, smart thermostats and connected home products. The My ORU Store makes saving energy and money, both easy and affordable. For additional information about other energy efficiency and free winter energy saving tips, visit O&R’s website at www.oru.com/save. O&R reminds the public that anyone who smells natural gas should leave the area immediately and call 911 or O&R’s emergency gas hotline at 1-800-533-LEAK (5325). Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. O&R is a regulated utility that provides electric service to approximately 300,000 customers in southeastern New York State (where its franchise name is Orange & Rockland) and northern New Jersey (where it’s Rockland Electric Company), and natural gas service to approximately 130,000 customers in New York. New York State Police Recruitment Information Please click here for information regarding New York State Police Recruitment Information. Public Comment Sign-Up for Public Information Session RE: Orange County Dinosaur Park 4-18-22 The Public is welcomed and encouraged to sign up to speak on April 18th, 2022 at the Orange County Dinosaur Park Public Informational Session by calling the Town Clerk’s office between the hours of 8am & 4 pm on Thursday 4/14, or between 8am & 2pm on Friday 4/15. Please call 845-783-1900 ext. 203 – Your Name, as well as the Town you reside in is welcomed. Thanks for your understanding. The Monroe Town Board. Cordially, Tony Cardone 2022 Early Voting Information 2022 Early Voting Information Memorial Day Parade Information Memorial Day Parade Information Comments are closed.