Relates to requiring renewal notices for applications under the SCRIE program

4 Co-sponsors

• Tony Avella
• Brad Hoylman-Sigal
• Liz Krueger
• John L. Sampson

BILL NUMBER:S16A

Title of bill

An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to renewal notices for applications under the SCRIE program

Purpose or general idea of bill

To put in place a reminder mechanism for renewal for senior citizens enrolled in the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption Program.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1. Amends subdivision 4 of section 467-b of the Real Property Tax Law, as amended by chapter 651 of the laws of 1988. Requires that the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency shall send a notice of required renewal to each head of household receiving SCRIE via US Mail no less than 30 days prior to expiration.

Section 2. Amends subdivision 4 of section 467-b of the Real Property Tax Law, as added by chapter 689 of the laws of 1972. Requires that the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency shall send a notice of required renewal to each head of household receiving SCRIE via US Mail no less than 30 days prior to expiration.

Section 3. Amends subdivision 4 of Section 467-c of the Real Property Tax Law, as added by chapter 208 of the laws of 1975. Requires that the appropriate rent control agency or administrative agency shall send a notice of required renewal to each head of household receiving SCRIE via US Mail no less than 30 days prior to expiration.

Section 4. Effective Date.

Existing law

None

Justification

The Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption Program provides much needed assistance to senior citizens in New York City by supplementing their rent payments, thereby keeping them in their homes and out of nursing homes. When this program was initially instituted it was administered by the New York City Department for the Aging. The administration of the SCRIE program has been transferred to the Finance Department, which does not have the capacity to assist seniors in the application and renewal process for this program As a result many recip- ients have missed their renewal deadlines and have been forced to endure reapplication processes and in some cases a suspension of benefits

This bill is designed to make the renewal process simpler by putting in place a mechanism to remind eligible seniors to renew their benefits before they expire.

Prior legislative history

2013: S 16 - Reported and Committed to Finance/A.350 - Referred to Aging 2012: S.482A- Referred to Aging Committee/A.473A Died in Aging Committee 2011: S.482A - Reported and

Committed to Finance/A.473A - Reported, Referred to Ways and Means 2010: S.6853 - Passed Senate/A.9932 - Reported, Referred to Ways and Means

Fiscal implications

None to the State of New York.

Effective date

This act shall take effect 90 days after it shall have become law; provided that the amendments to section 467-b of the real property tax law made by section one of this act shall be subject to the expiration and reversion of such section pursuant to section 17 of chap- ter 576 of the laws of 1974, as amended, when upon such date the provisions of section two of this act shall take effect.