Enacts the "sewage flooding prevention act"

1 Co-sponsor

• Tony Avella

BILL NUMBER:S3623

Title of bill

An act to amend the real property tax law and the admin- istrative code of the city of New York, in relation to enacting the "sewage flooding prevention act"

Purpose

To enact the "Sewage Flooding Prevention Act".

Summary of provisions

Section one is the short title to be known as the Sewage Flooding Prevention Act.

Section two adds a new section 471 to the real property tax law.

Section three amends subdivision e of section 24-514 of the administra- tive code of the City of New York.

Section four is the effective date.

This bill would allow a 50% tax credit, up to $2000.00 to New York City homeowners and not-for-profit institutions in New York City towards the cost of installing a sewer line check valve to prevent sewage backflow. For homeowners the credit will be a credit against their property tax, while for not-for-profit organizations the credit will be against their sewer and water bill.

Justification

Many residential properties and nonprofit institutions in New York City experience sewage backflow during rainstorms due to the City's failure to develop its sewer system infrastructure to keep pace with the City's growth. This was evident with the two tropical storms that hit the Northeastern United States in 2011. Until New York City makes sewer improvements to solve this problem, homeowners can prevent raw sewage backflow by installing a sewer line check valve. Unfortu- nately, this essential mitigation device is expensive, making it unat- tainable for many homeowners and nonprofit groups. This measure will make installing a check valve affordable and prevent sewage backup on residential and not-for-profit properties.

Legislative history

2012: S.6028 - Referred to Local Government/A.10421 - Referred to Real property Taxation

Fiscal implications

Undetermined.

Effective date

180 days after is shall have become law.