Relates to certain housing accommodations by tenants over sixty-two years of age

1 Co-sponsor

• Gustavo Rivera

BILL NUMBER:S5840

Title of bill

An act to amend the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to certain housing accommodations by tenants over sixty-two years of age

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill would add protections for senior citizens who live in housing units owned or operated by charitable organizations; those units are currently exempt from regulation, thus putting vulnerable seniors at risk of being removed from their homes

Summary of specific provisions

The bill would amend the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 and the NYC Administrative Code to narrow the exemption for charitable organizations, so that tenants who are 62 or older, and who live in housing owned or operated by charitable organizations, will be protected by the various rent regulation laws. Currently, charitable organizations are exempt from these laws. This legislation would not remove the exemption for charitable organizations, but it would amend the text of the exemption so that senior citizens are protected It adds substantially similar language - excluding housing units occupied by seniors from the charitable organization exemption - to the relevant sections of the rent statutes Sections 1 and of the bill amend the ETPA, and sections 3-6 amend the NYC Administrative Code

Justification

Expanding rental protections to cover seniors who live in buildings operated by not-for-profit organizations is critical in helping New York City address a shortfall of affordable senior housing Not-for-profits own and operate a variety of housing accommodations, including those that also offer supportive services targeted to seniors. Such facilities essentially operate as Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities, a model which allows seniors to age in place with support and delay or prevent institutionalization This model is regarded as one of the best interventions for reducing hospitalization rates, expenditures related to health care and homelessness, while improving the stability and economic sufficiency of the senior population Unfortunately, the current exemption for charitable organizations is allowing some facilities to be closed in a way that puts seniors at risk of moving and the associated transfer trauma, and also significantly reduces the number of affordable housing units with supportive services. Two facilities, one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn, are now in the process of being closed, endangering vulnerable seniors and removing approximately 475 critically needed units from the existing pool of senior housing

Prior legislative history

New bill

Fiscal implications

None to state or local government.

Effective date

60 days after having become law, provided that the amendments to each underlying section of law shall expire on the same date as each underlying amended act and shall not affect the expiration of each such underlying act