What's happening
This bill requires affordable housing projects in New York to use the area median income of the specific county where they are located to determine affordability.
Why it matters
Targets affordability more precisely. By requiring the use of county-specific area median income (AMI), housing developments will better reflect the actual incomes of local residents, making it more likely that affordable units are truly accessible to those in the immediate community.
Could increase access for lower-income residents in poorer counties. In areas where the county AMI is much lower than the broader regional or metropolitan AMI, this change may significantly lower the income thresholds for affordable housing, potentially expanding eligibility to more low-income households.
May affect funding and developer economics. Using county-level AMI often results in lower rent ceilings for affordable units, which could impact the financial feasibility of some projects, especially in less affluent counties, possibly requiring adjustments in subsidies or incentives.
Addresses disparities in existing policy. Previously, using citywide or regional AMI could price out lower-income residents in less wealthy counties, particularly in diverse regions like New York State; this amendment seeks to correct such imbalances.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Use Local AMI for Housing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to housing
- Referred to housing
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Use County Median Income
In Senate Committee · Housing, Construction And Community Development · Sponsor Tony Avella
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5968
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 17, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. BARNWELL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to requiring affordable housing projects to calculate and only use the area median income for the specific county that the project is located in for determining affordability
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 421-a of the real property tax law is amended by adding a new paragraph e to read as follows:
e. "Area Median Income (AMI)." Whenever calculating the affordability of a project, AMI shall be based solely on the specific county where the project shall be located.
§ 2. All affordable housing projects, including, but not limited to, 421-a projects, shall only use the area median income (AMI) for the specific county that the project is located in for determining affordability.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10029-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.