Establishes a senior housing task force

BILL NUMBER:S792A

Title of bill

An act to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing a senior housing task force

Purpose or general idea of bill

To establish a body to analyze senior housing options and develop a strategy to improve housing options for senior citizens as they age.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1. Amends the Elder Law by adding a new section 203-a. Establishes the senior housing task force. Provides that such task force shall be comprised of seventeen members and shall include one representative each from the office for the aging, the division of housing and community renewal, the department of health, the office of mental health, the department of economic development, the empire state development corporation, the office for people with developmental disabilities, the division of protective services for adults of the office of children and family services, and the New York city department for the aging. The remaining eight members shall be appointee in the following manner: three by the governor at the recommendation of the speaker of the assembly; three by the governor at the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate; one by the governor upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the assembly and one by the governor upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate. Requires the task force to issue a report by January 1, 2017 and be delivered to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the temporary president of the senate, the chairpersons of the aging, health and housing committee s in the assembly and the chairpersons of the aging, health, and housing, construction and community development committees in the senate.

Section 2. Effective Date.

Existing law

None.

Justification

One of the most pressing needs of seniors in our state is housing. According to a recent study by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), most seniors would like to age in their own home. Unfortunately, many of our seniors cannot appropriately age in their current residence because there may be too many stairs, a lack of wheelchair accessibility, or too great of a distance to their family and caregivers. As a result of this, many seniors have no other option to but to enter an elder care facility, including but not limited to, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and independent living facilities.

In order to appropriately plan for these circumstances, this legislation creates the senior housing task force to analyze the issue of senior housing. The task force will consist of representatives from

nine agencies as well representatives to be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate and Assembly.

Prior legislative history

2013: S.792 - Referred to Aging/A.1861 - Referred to Aging 2012: S.110-A- Amend and recommit to Aging/ A.194-Enacting Clause Stricken/A.9089- Referred to Aging 2011: S.110 - Reported and Committed to Finance/A.194 -Referred to Aging 2010: S.2208B - Passed Senate/A.3790B - Referred to Aging 2009: S.2208 Advanced to Third Reading/A.3790 - Referred to Aging 2007-08: S.8670/A.10474- Passed Both Houses - Veto #99; Tabled

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the 90th day after it shall have become law.