Long Island's Largest Real Estate Office Teams Up with Leading Non-Profit Housing Advocate

April 25, 2016

Charles Rutenberg Realty Offers Scholarships to First-Time Homebuyers Participating in Community Housing Innovations' Classes and Counseling Sessions

The region's foremost non-profit housing advocacy and services organization, Community Housing Innovations, Inc. (CHI), has teamed up with Long Island’s leading Real Estate Agency, Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc., to help first-time homebuyers fulfill their dreams of owning a home. As a program administrator for New York State, CHI provides down payment assistance grants of up to $25,000 to qualified first-time homebuyers.

The organization's collaboration with the Real Estate Agency includes multiple levels of involvement from the firm, its Brokers and Agents. Among these is participation in CHI’s First-Time Homebuyer Orientations, which will be attended by Charles Rutenberg Realty RE Broker/Owner Joseph Moshé, or by the firm’s Office Manager, Ruth Pfeffer. Participating agents will have the opportunity to sponsor clients’ mandatory attendance in CHI Homebuyer Orientation by providing a $50 scholarship towards the $99 fee for HUD-certified counseling. If a CHI client ultimately purchases a home through a Charles Rutenberg Agent, that Agent (known as a Buyer’s Agent) will donate 15 percent of their commission back to CHI.

"This collaboration seeks to help first-time homebuyers successfully realize the American Dream,” says Alexander Roberts, Executive Director, CHI. "As the top-selling Real Estate office on Long Island, with the largest footprint, Charles Rutenberg can help our first time homebuyers wherever they choose to buy. I look forward to seeing this relationship grow."

"Though homeownership is once again on an upward trend across Long Island, there are still those among us who cannot afford to buy a house," adds Mr. Moshé. "Through our sponsorship of CHI, we aim to help the organization’s clients learn what they need to do before making that purchase, what the home buying process entails and how much house they can afford. One of our greatest pleasures is to be able to give back to the community. We are very happy to work with CHI and to assist first-time homebuyers in making their dreams a reality."

In addition to down payment assistance and counseling as a HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency, CHI provides housing and services to the homeless and permanent affordable housing in six counties, including Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk. For more information, visit www.chigrants.org.

The National Association of REALTORS® has named Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc. among the top five firms in New York State. As one of the nation's fastest-growing Agencies, with nearly 1,000 associated Real Estate Professionals, Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc. is proud to serve Long Island and Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange Counties. For more information, visit www.crrli.com.

About Community Housing Innovations, Inc.
Community Housing Innovations, Inc. provides housing and human services that enable low- and moderate-income families and individuals to achieve the greatest social and economic independence at the lowest cost to society. The organization provides affordable housing, apartments and homeowner grants, serving communities in Westchester County, Hudson Valley and Long Island. For more information, visit www.chigrants.org.